Cierva Cove & Mikkelsen Harbor

March 11, 2024 · by Dano · in Antarctica

Our first Zodiac operations. This will be a cruise and not a landing because this area is protected and landings are prohibited. There is some wildlife here but mostly we’re out to see the icebergs and shelfs. This afternoon we’ll do a landing at Mikkelsen Harbor.

This area is prized for is amazing polar scenery. Cierva Cove is named after Juan de la Cierva, a Spanish pilot and engineer who in the 1920’s invented the autogiro, considered by many to be the predecessor to the helicopter. Because this area is protected, we will explore it, and the Primavera Base camp, using the Zodiacs. There is a small colony of chinstrap penguins here. The reason some appear to be red on their bellies is because they slid down the hill on penguin guano. And as long as we’re talking about guano, you can smell a penguin colony for miles! Cute little shits. (No pun intended)

First icebergs…

1st icebergs

A massive ice shelf

Frozen ship

Ghost-berg

First land…

1st land

First Zodiac Trip…

Let the expedition begin

Loaded and away

Mikkelsen Harbor is a small bay where D’Hainaut Island is located. This island consists of a rugged bay strewn with partially submerged rocks, and whale bones littering the beach. Back in the day this was a major whale hunting area. The bones on the beach are remnants from the days when whales were hunted and processed right here. This island was first charted by Jean-Baptiste Chacot but is named for an officer from the Chilean Antarctic Expedition of 1952. This island also has a large colony of gentoo penguins, noted by their orange beaks.

These penguins, like all penguins, reach adult size in about 6 months of age. Most can’t swim yet because they still have their baby feathers which aren’t waterproof. Baby penguins must shed all their feathers and grow adult ones in order to survive in the cold Antarctic water. There is a layer of small feathers (down) that grows close to their body for warmth, and larger, heavier feathers that interlock, on the outside. This gives them their waterproof layer.