January 27, 2023
The itinerary called for a cruise by Paradise Bay today, but the ice floes had other ideas. We don’t know what we missed in Paradise Bay, but what we did see was stunning.
The continent of Antarctica was discovered in 1820 by an individual looking to expand the seal trade. They had over-fished the bodies of water they knew about and were looking for new resources. In 1821, the year following Antarctica’s discovery, 45 ships sailed into the area to exploit the whale and fur trading resources. Just a year later the number was 91. Soon after the “heroic age” began, with Expeditions from various countries fighting to become the first to plant their nation’s flag in the snow. By 1955 seven different countries claimed ownership, but in 1961 The Antarctic Treaty was created, dissolving any claims of ownership and setting aside the continent as a scientific preserve. Originally signed by twelve nations, 54 countries have now signed on. Anyone visiting the continent must have a special permit issued through the Treaty organization, and any activities occurring on the continent are overseen by them. Any decisions that need to be made are done on a consensus basis. The only human inhabitants on the continent are there to do research aimed at understanding and preserving her beauty.
And she is beautiful. Pam was up at 4:00 to secure us a good viewing seat in the Horizons Lounge. These photos were taken at 4:30 a.m.
This is a table iceberg. Table icebergs always begin as part of a glacier and are the largest moving objects on earth.
The blue color of an iceberg is the result of the way the light flows through the ice. The light absorbs all of the lower energy colors. The color blue has the highest level of energy, and cannot be absorbed by the light, so its color shines through.
A group of humpback whales kept us company throughout the day (excuse the reflections of light in the window).
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