After yesterday's unexpected additional stop, today we finally made it to the Antarctic Peninsula

With a wake up call this morning telling us about our location and the weather report, I enjoyed the buffet breakfast before heading on deck for views of the snow filled mountains in the distance. It was then not long before we were called to the mudroom for our next trip offshore to Cuverville Island, an island full of Gentoo penguins.

I had signed up to begin this trip with a zodiac cruise, and so waiting until the end, I boarded one of the boats for a sail around the island for views of the icebergs and mountains.

En route we saw some seals and lots of penguins before landing at the beach and getting to walk around the Penguin colony itself. After sitting down whilst penguins ran past chasing each other less than a metre away, it was then time to head back to the ship for lunch.

Sailing down past Rongé Island, we got views of whales. And it wasn't long before we made it to Neko Harbour for our afternoon trip, arriving at a ice filled shore, again filled with many Gentoo penguins.

Heading back to the ship, we heard that there was a whale sighting, and so taking a detour we headed in the Zodiacs over towards where they were, getting to see the bodies and fins of these magnificent creatures just metres away at eye level.

Having been anchored since lunchtime, throughout the course of the afternoon an iceberg had now struck the ship. Not causing any damage but still a slightly worrying incident....

Tonight there was a plan for a BBQ dinner on deck but as the weather had begun to turn this was quickly moved back inside. Arriving shortly at Leith Island, those who had paid were going camping tonight out on the ice. Thankfully I was staying on deck in the warm and as the group set up for the night we watched from the deck.

Finding time to have a quick go in the gym whilst looking at the beautiful scenery outside, we then watched a film on Port Lockroy, where we would be visiting the following day.