*Emperor Penguin, Fridtjof Sound (Mike Watson)*

We had spent the night with the bow of MV Ortelius nudged into a large ice flow at the southern end of Fridtjof Sound (on the southern shore of the Antarctic Sound) and we waited for news of the weather and our chance of being able to fly to Snow Hill. There was some low cloud here, so we knew that things weren’t great for our immediate vicinity. Time ticked away as we watched Snow Petrels, Adelie and Gentoo Penguins as well as South Polar Skuas around the boat. Then BOOM! Emperor Penguin on the ice by the boat, spotted by AEL George Kennedy, thanks mate! Panic stations as folks made their way onto deck. It stood only a few metres off the bow, calling to some long-lost pal before it part waddled/part tobogganed to the water’s edge and gracefully slipped into the dark depths. It reappeared briefly but dived and was lost to sight. It must have swum far this time as we did not relocate it. I wonder if its disappearance had something to do with the pod of Orcas that was called soon afterwards? It would be able to hear them from a great distance! Everyone could now enjoy the Orcas too, as they cruised the large expanse of ice-free water behind us. They belonged to Type B – the Antarctic Peninsula form with a huge white oval mark on the side of the head. Shame we could not see their golden saddles though. The pod of around 10 included a calf or two and a couple of large males. Wow that was something, Antarctica in a nutshell! But OMG! David was still in the shower unfortunately and the Emperor had gone by the time he got dressed. Lucky for him it resurfaced sometime later about 100m away and stood on the ice with some Adelies and giant petrels. Phew!

*Type B Orcas, Fridtjof Sound (Mike Watson)*

This afternoon saw us doing some non-birding activities. Scenic helicopter rides started and the saloon transformed into a departure lounge, minus duty free and soon most people were whizzing off to take a closer look at icebergs etc. The galley crew were also busy setting up the evening’s barbecue, a lovely tradition of these cruises! A quiet afternoon then? No. BOOM! Emperor Penguin off the port side. This one was even better than the previous day’s. Joking that it has been kidnapped on the Snow Hill recce, instead it must have spotted us from afar and made its way to check us out. They are inquisitive like that. This one was also braying and jumping on and off small ice floes, with some great angles and close-range images possible from through the scuppers on the fore deck! Another genuine WOW moment. Interesting to note that it appeared while my heli-ride slot was taking place, funny that! There was a ready-made celebration in the form of the excellent barbecue on the deck behind the bridge this evening. It will be hard to forget Tom Jones blasting ‘Sex bomb, sex bomb, you’re my sex bomb’ through the big speakers, with the Emperor Penguin in the distance. Truly surreal.

EMPEROR PENGUIN