Port Charcot (Booth Island) (-65.0800000, -63.9999999) Our avowed target today was Port Charcot, on the north side of Booth Island at 65 degrees 04 S and 64 degrees 00 West. We are to expect a large gentoo penguin colony in Francais Cove which is also an iceberg graveyard. This was the overwintering site of the French Antarctic expedition in 1903 to 1905 lead by Jean Baptiste Charcot - Francais was the name of their ship. WOW! So Booth Island this morning was v...

Fish Islands (-66.0144679, -65.3534992) - includes Salmon Island, Trout Island etc. We are well on our way northwards once more after crossing through The Gullet overnight, also known as the shortcut from Marguerite Bay to all points northwards. We seemed to be coveirng huge distances. Around mid-morning the Captain came over the PA advising all passengers to come to the bow if at all possible for a particularly beautiful iceberg - the ship would be stopping so ...

Stonington Island (-68.1833330, -66.9999999) Our evening briefing tells us all about the landing planned for the following morning. Once more the weather and waves conspired to rip up the plan for the day. When we woke up, we were on station near Red Rock Ridge all set for today's landing. It was obvious however when we headed to breakfast that it was very swelly indeed. (Swell! = good, Swelly… not so much.) It was a beautiful area and had lovely view...

Horseshoe Island (-67.8500000, -67.2000001) The only thing guaranteed on any Antarctica expedition is that things will change. Every evening at 8.15 pm there is a briefing on the plans for the forthcoming day. Latitude, Longitude, maps, where we are, where we're going, photos of the landing site and the animals and historic monuments we will see. Or not. When man plans, god laughs as they say - never has a truer word been spoken. This morning's landing was going...

The Gullet (-67.2005040, -67.7203930) We officially crossed the polar/Antarctic circle this morning at 9.06 am. We entered Neptune's realm when the ship crossed the 66 degree latitude line (and despite promises to the contrary there wasn't a bump!) We headed up to the pool deck on level 10 for the official celebration at 10 am. James and I have been back and forth over the Equator a few times - most recently on the transatlantic trip from Barcelona to Buenos...