9-10-2025, Port Lockroy
Whales everywhere. Under the ship, next to the ship, in front of the ship, aft of the ship—wherever you look, humpback whales surround us. They don’t seem to mind our presence. Their focus is solely on food. With the last of the Austral summer fading, the feeding frenzies are in full swing.
The weather offshore isn’t great, but hugging the mainland seems to help. We poke our heads into the Gerlache Strait, only to hurry back into the bay for a few precious rays of sun. It’s a good tactic, leading us to less-visited places. Our continental landing is at Meusier Point, offering breathtaking views over Charlotte Bay.
As we head back out, we’re stalked by a pod of Type B orcas. The brown algae on their capes give them away. We switch off the engine, and sure enough, they all come in for a closer look—curious, but only briefly. Soon, they’re off again, harassing the humpbacks.
A quiet realization sets in: if there were trees here, their leaves would be falling. At Damoy, we share the site with Le Boréal, a French cruise ship. We often see them in the north, and for some reason, this familiarity creates a bond. Their captain and some of the crew visit Tecla, exchanging insights from the cruise world. It’s not so different from ours. Or maybe it is…
They are bringing the Port Lockroy staff back to Argentina, which means no more postcards or overpriced beanies. I suppose this is the Antarctic equivalent of falling leaves. One more stop, and then we, too, must leave this beautiful place to look after itself.
All is well.
— Gijs
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