Neko Harbor, Paradise Bay and Leith Cove

Almirante Brown Antarctic Base in Paradise Bay

After our surprise stop at Deception Island, we powered south for our first two actual landings on the Antarctic Peninsula. 

I don't know why G Adventures listed Paradise Bay as first; it was Neko Harbor

We were headed for Neko Harbor, which is at the bottom of a boot-shaped inlet on Andvord Bay on the west coast of Graham Land. It sits at 64°50′S. Then, we were going to cruise around the side of the small peninsula that forms the side of Andvord and explore Paradise Harbor.

We would spend the evening in Leith Cove, which is a small enclave off of Paradise Bay. 

A day full of beauty and animal sightings

Neko Harbor 

The morning landing at Neko would have two parts: a hike 400 feet up a steep hill on a path that our expedition leaders would stomp out in the snow, something they have to do on every landing, followed by some Zodiac cruising. 

 A different perspective on Zodiac cruising

Neko Harbor was discovered by Belgian explorer Adrien de Gerlache during the early 20th century. It was named for a Scottish Whaling boat, the Neko, which operated in the area between 1911 and 1924.

The beautiful bay, because it is narrow and flanked by active glaciers, has an interesting past and poses some challenges for visitors.

View from above; Photo: Ship Photographer Sheeren Mroueh

In 1949, the Argentine Navy opened a Refuge hut where travelers experiencing distress at sea could shelter. Huts like this are sprinkled throughout Antarctica, often serving private yachts (indeed, there had also been one at Deception Island). The same year, a Penguin observatory opened. The refuge was destroyed by a storm in 2009, rebuilt in 2011 and then washed away by a tidal wave shortly afterwards.

When we were briefed about this landing, we were told that immediately upon departing the Zodiac, we would have to climb quickly up the path out of the tidal zone because, should a nearby glacier calve a large iceberg, the resulting wave could wash us away.

Penguins risking their lives on the beach

Well!

I'll take that as a threat

The bay was gorgeous, flanked by snowy mountains and glaciers and filled with icebergs, bergies and brash. It was overcast and snowing lightly, giving the scenery an otherworldly look. And, the water had that silvery metallic sheen that water on the edge of freezing acquires. 

To see the glacier face, click here for a video Scott took. And click here to go on a quick Zodiac ride with him.

This was Antarctica!

Worth the money and effort it took to get there and it was just our first scheduled stop!

Gentoo Penguins were on icebergs in the bay and many were swimming individually or in large rafts. More were on the hill following “Penguin Highways” parallel to the course our guides had set for us. 

Walking the Highways

These trails, often flanked by several feet of snow, make it easier for Penguins to move between rookeries and the ocean. You can easily distinguish a Penguin Highway from a human trail by the brownish-pink tint created by Penguin’s brick-colored guano, the result of a diet of pink Krill. The Penguins are often tinted, as well. Some are caked.

Penguins coated in poop (but, they get clean when they go swimming)

This was definitely Gentoo territory, but I did see a lone Chinstrap swimming next to the ship.

Out of his territory

The option was given – as it was every day – for guests to forego the landing and strictly tour by Zodiac. 

Let's do it! Photo: Sheeren Mroueh

Scott took that option because he was still not feeling well and because he was suffering for severe shoulder pain, which he had been experiencing for months (in fact, he is now scheduled for rotator cuff repair February 19). I opted to do the hike.

So, I left on a different Zodiac before him to cross the icy bay.

As soon as the Zodiac pulled away from the ship, we got a treat. Two Humpback whales swam across the water, crossing very, very close to us. I have been close to Humpbacks before, but never this close when so low on the water.

Two Humpbacks approaching the ship

Of course I took photos.

Swimming through the G Expedition's reflection

Two captured something I didn’t even see with my eyes: Humpbacks in the foreground and synchronized Gentoos porpoising in the background. 

Bazinga!

After the Humpback encounter, we motored over to the landing and scrambled out of the Zodiac and up the hill.

I gotta say, I did not enjoy the hike. It was steep and icy. 

This is farther than I went

I had a walking stick but was afraid I would slip, fall and toboggan all the way to the beach below. This is, of course, my phobia. 

No fear! Photo: Sheeren Mroueh

Other people were bounding past me to the top. But, I took it slow and steady.

Also, much to my chagrin, I was developing a cough. I was aggravated because I had had a nasty cold on my trip to Ecuador that came with a hard-to-beat cough. This time, I had no cold symptoms, just a tickle in my throat that spurred coughing that just wouldn’t stop. 

Hiking up the steep hill in the moderate cold (it was only 41°F, much warmer than I expected) aggravated it.

The trail went close to three separate Gentoo nesting areas. I stopped at the first and observed for awhile.

We were just feet away

The Penguins are raucous and noisy, often snapping at each other. Many were obviously incubating and I heard that chicks had been seen. I saw one egg, but never a chick. 

You can barely see the egg

The easy-to-see ones were at the higher-up nesting sites.

I am sorry I missed this; Photos: Sheeren Mroueh

I never regret having cameras

I started up to the second, but turned back because it was slow going and I didn’t want to rush back. I was, as usual, carrying two cameras so I could get both close-up and wide shots. That made the hike a bit more difficult.

I fell once, but into a soft snowbank, so no harm done (except to my pride). Later, I heard that a lot of people fell.

The view was indeed lovely from where I was.

The glacier! The ship! The Penguins! The red-jacketed people!

The G Expedition is painted a brilliant red, white and blue, which makes it a great foil for the blue, white and (occasional) black or brown landscape.

I enjoyed seeing the view from where I was and slightly regret not going higher to see chicks and a greater view. I have to rely of the ship’s photographer for a view of what I missed. But, I know my limits.

Stunning! Photos: Sheeren Mroueh

Neko Harbor has been classified as an important bird and biodiversity area by BirdLife International because the breeding colony it supports has more than of 250 breeding pairs of Gentoo Penguins. They nest on the hill for the same reason we had to scurry off the Zodiacs: to avoid risk of being washed away by large waves frequently generated from the calving of the nearby glacier. 

Gentoo Penguins nesting

Southern Giant-Petrels and South Polar Skuas also nest here. I saw a Skua flying over one of the nesting areas – the log we got after the trip says it was a Brown Skua.

Skua cruising for a meal

It seems difficult to tell the Brown from the South Polar, but I believe I saw both on the trip.

Music to their ears

I was intrigued as it flew low over the colony, obviously looking for chicks or eggs. I expected the Penguins to react more than they did. 

But, they are already so loud, how could I tell?

The whole time we were there, our ears were assaulted with the constant braying of these colorful and amusing Gentoo Penguins. 

This was such a treat and so much better access to Penguins than I expected.

After slip-sliding down the trail, we gingerly boarded Zodiacs and took off to tour the bay.

Sarah was my driver

One highlight was our first sighting of Weddell seals, which we didn't see at first because they looked just like rocks in the snow. They were resting, which seems to be what Weddell Seals do best.

Snoozing and ignoring his Penguin buddy

We also saw a few – but not really that many – birds, including some Southern Fulmars and a Northern Giant-Petrel.

Fulmar heading right and Petrel heading left

There were also a couple of tiny (and very fast) Wilson's Storm-Petrels, but I couldn't get a decent photo.

The real treat was cruising by the Gentoos that were floating around the harbor on icebergs. 

The Zodiac was perfect for observing Penguins on icebergs

In some cases, they were just standing …

… in others, they were moving about …

… or conversing vigorously among themselves …

Plus, we saw so many Gentoos swimming at close range.

A raft of Penguins

Catching them porpoising is a challenge, but I got some nice shots ...

So hard to shoot

I also got some video (I posted it in my Penguin overview, but it is worth seeing again). Scott captured a different perspective.

So fun to watch

It was Penguin heaven …

… especially with the lightly falling snow … 

… and with the beautiful ship in the background

Once we were back on the ship, I immediately went to the deck for more photos of Penguins on icebergs …

Seems to be some discussion of who rules the islands

We were even lucky enough to watch several get out of the water onto the bergies …

That's a struggle

… and even more fun, watching them dive into the gorgeous blue water …

"I give it a 9.5"

What an experience!

The last Penguins of Neko Harbor

And, this was just our first real morning! 

Happy guy!

Paradise Bay

After lunch, the G Expedition turned towards Paradise Bay just on the other side of the mountains that flank Neko Harbor. This wide embayment behind Lemaire and Bryde Islands is the site of Argentina's Almirante Brown Antarctic Base and Chile's now inactive González Videla Antarctic Base.

González Videla Antarctic Base

Base Brown, established in 1951 as a year-round facility, is one of 13 research bases in Antarctica operated by Argentina.

The Argentine Antarctic Institute took over the station in 1964-65, creating one of the most complete biology laboratories on the Antarctic Peninsula. It included a 3,140 square-foot main house, two folding 7,900-gallon fuel tanks and an additional building exclusive for scientific research, equipped with three labs, a photography workshop, an emergency radio station, an office and a library.

Almirante Brown Antarctic Base

Brown Station's original facilities were burned down by the station's doctor in 1984 after he was ordered to stay for the winter (isolation can make people do crazy things). Station personnel were rescued by the ship USS Hero and taken to United States' Palmer Station. Base Brown was then rebuilt, but as a summer-only facility. We were there the day before researchers were scheduled to arrive and I believe the expedition leaders told us that, after they arrive, visitation is limited.

A great place for research

Base Brown does research in many disciples: biology (zoology and botany), bacteriology, limnology, biochemistry, animal and human physiology, pathology, ecology, oceanography, meteorology, cosmic rays and ionospheric observations, environmental nuclear radiation, continental and sea ice glaciology, satellite geodesy, geology, geophysics, seismology, ozone monitoring and tide measurement. 

Throughout the years of research at Brown, more than 100 scientific papers were published by the Argentine Antarctic Institute. All in a facility that can house a maximum of 12 people at a time.

As with most safe harbors, Paradise Bay also houses a refuge hut adjacent to Brown Base.

Rescue huts are for travelers in need

The station is occupied by at least two generations of Gentoo Penguins that have made their home amidst the huts of the Base (working there must be odiferous).

On the beach near the hut

Massive amounts of ice floated in the quiet waters and glaciers lined the water's edge. 

Huge and interesting icebergs

As with the morning’s visit to Neko Harbor, this outing included both a hike and a cruise. The guides told us that this hike would be steeper and icier, so I, like Scott, opted for cruise only. 

I am glad I opted out because it looked very treacherous

And, the cruising was spectacular.

Not my best look, but you can't beat the view

We came close to a colony of nesting Blue-eyed Shags that make their home high on the steep cliffs and were busy raising their young. 

Blue-eyed Shag nesting colony

The chicks are huge and brown

I was very confused about this while on the trip. In the north, the birds that the locals call Blue-eyed Shags are Imperial Cormorants, but here they are Antarctic Shags. 

When I looked it up on Google, it said that they are the same bird. But eBird indicated they were two different species. So, there you are.

From now on, I am just going to call them what everyone in Antarctica does: Blue-eyed Shags. 

I’ll share more on them in my next post.

Also flying around the cliff were a couple of Antarctic Terns, a bird that ranges throughout the southern oceans and is found on small islands around Antarctica as well as on the shores of the mainland. 

Antarctic Terns

It is very similar in appearance to the closely related Arctic Tern, but it is stockier and it is in its breeding plumage in the southern summer, when the Arctic Tern has shed old feathers to get its non-breeding plumage. The Antarctic Tern does not migrate like the Arctic Tern does (the Arctic Tern travels to and from Antarctica from the Arctic each year, traveling up to 50,000 miles roundtrip) and is actually more closely related to the South American Tern.

High up on the cliffs a seam of bright green copper seeped from the multiple exposed intrusions typical of the geology of the bay. 

The most common way copper is found on the surface of the Earth

As we cruised the lovely bay, we encountered some additional birds ...

Left: South Polar Skua and Cape Petrel; Right: Wilson's Storm Petrel among the bergs

A Snowy Sheathbill among Gentoo Penguins

And, we got a much, much better view of some Weddell Seals.

A large and abundant "True Seal" with a circumpolar distribution around Antarctica

This one posed nicely as we cruised around its iceberg

This Seal was discovered and named in the 1820s during expeditions led by British sealing captain James Weddell to the area of the Southern Ocean now known as the Weddell Sea.

It was a wonderful afternoon.

Paradise Bay is beyond gorgeous

Leith Cove

After our cruise, we returned to the ship and moved on to nearby Leith Cove for the night.

The Cove was rimmed with glaciers and full of icebergs

When we booked our tour, there were just two options for additional activities: kayaking and camping. We opted for neither. 

The kayakers were out every day, which seemed a bit redundant to me

Photography from a kayak isn’t easy and, quite frankly, I think we had better views than the kayakers. Plus it was a $999 extra per person.

Photographs of the kayakers certainly gives scale

The camping option (at $379 a person) seemed to be mainly a novelty of actually sleeping on Antarctic soil (or, more accurately, rock and snow). 

A couple took advantage of the novelty; Photo: Ship Photographer Sheeren Mroueh

The campers set up after dinner and came back in time for breakfast. For photography from the ship, the camping was fantastic. 

The bright red-orange tents were striking against the glacier

It appears that a large percentage of the ship's guests took advantage of the opportunity.

The campers; Photo: Sheeren Mroueh

And, then, three Humpback Whales started feeding in the bay between the campers and the ship.

We watched from the ship's bow ...

... and the camper's has a front-row seat (without any seats)

We watched the whales for well over an hour. 

Quite a show; Right photo: Sheeren Mroueh

I am featuring a lot of Humpback Whales in these posts because we saw a lot. To learn more about these magnificent creatures, go to my blog about Humpbacks in Maui.

Close-up view

What a great ending to a fabulous day.

I love finding natural hearts is nature (this one has an Alien in it!)

When we were on deck, we noticed that a big iceberg – completely pocked with Penguin prints – was resting against the ship. The next morning, I looked out the window and saw one of our Zodiacs pushing it away.

Another good use for a Zodiac

Trip date: December 30, 2023  - January 12, 2024