Beautiful weather for this second day of navigation and we start seeing the first distinctive signs of Antarctica. Our first tabular iceberg, a family of blue fin whales and orcas !
What is great and unique about this expedition cruise, is that the ship will stop, do detour, change course and speed to track what is great to watch in terms of nature and wildlife...The goal is to make the best program everyday so everything remains very flexible depending on the weather and the sights.
As our first landing approaches - maybe tomorrow- we get a series of safety briefing, zodiac boarding tips and mandatory rules of IAATO. Bio security is also important as no foreign materials or disease should get into the continent in order to protect the fragile species living there; so our clothes will be vacuumed and there is also the distribution of special polar boots, that will get disinfected at each landing...and we are quite ready to get on the shore.
Oh and Today is World Antarctic Day...
On December 1st, 1959 the Antarctic treaty was signed. An agreement with about 12 participating countries (there are 56 signatories now), to protect the continent, engage only in pacific activities and sciences. It also stipulates that no territory in Antarctica can be claimed to belong to a specific country. Scientific bases can be built but no activity nor presence of any kind can be used as an act of property. Americans are quite famous to fly there helicopters unannounced to other country base to show that they don't need any permission to visit.
Marvelous! Are you able to see A23a the largest iceberg recently on move again?
Spectacular!