Christina’s Journey Journal

Tag: Danco Island

Reels from Social Media about our Antarctica adventures 🇦🇶

Here are the social media stories about our adventures. You need an Instagram account to see those on that platform but you should be able to see the Facebook ones without having Facebook. 🤷‍♀️

When we first got to Antarctica, it was indeed a Beautiful Day (U2): https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cm2T_h2ptJPrjXbpe-5oKmnYq0WuvDZIvAkL_Y0/?igshid=ZmMyNmFmZTc=

Expedition has begun and as Louis Armstrong says What a Wonderful World: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cm63bnjvqINLV83f0wyR8QHL9guNzFIreRCwZ00/?igshid=ZmMyNmFmZTc=

Penguins and snow in Palaver Point, Two Hummock Island. Don’t Worry, Be Happy (Bobby McFerrin) was the theme of this day! https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnC0kFYNzrCEK4o_Q0bFsXoaimM_fZUG9Or8Ig0/?igshid=ZmMyNmFmZTc= OR on Facebook without music: https://www.facebook.com/reel/5671650036287982?mibextid=wa05Vy&fs=e&s=9RfQYY

Baby Chinstrap Penguins at the rookery on Two Hummock Island. Isn’t She Lovely? (Stevie Wonder) https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnN32yMLb5sJERzS97KAjXpWFyTsQKGmgIWj_M0/?igshid=ZmMyNmFmZTc=

Dreams (The Cranberries) for sure on Danco Island, Antarctica during our camping experience—sleeping (on the snow/ice) with a colony of Gentoo penguins while the Humpback whales sang in the bay: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnYKJinuQZyNoUZZNEVcbvkOocYIrigGCjusGo0/?igshid=ZmMyNmFmZTc= OR this one from Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reel/3724972331062866?mibextid=wa05Vy&fs=e&s=9RfQYY

SUPing in the Southern Ocean (Stand Up Paddleboarding) on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reel/691724379123605?mibextid=wa05Vy&fs=e&s=9RfQYY OR this one from Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnAIepHKuUXvKy8aRaFfL5qgEgXMm0HmRQssQs0/?igshid=ZmMyNmFmZTc=

Porpoising penguins of Antarctic! on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cn0ewOBDj6mFQpzNa5Su3uKbFPaOSqHCHtoN9s0/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

January 16, 2023
Danco Island Penguins and Humpbacks 🇦🇶

Here are some more penguin and humpback whale videos from when we camped overnight in Danco Island. That evening was full of wildlife, including bubble net feeding by the humpback whales.

On the Penguin highway! I call this one, the 3 Amigos🐧🐧🐧 Watch when they pass by the other penguins—it sure looks like a flipper bump to me!

Humpbacks in the bay. You could hear them singing throughout the night.

January 8, 2023
1/3/2023 – Camping on the Continent Part 2 🇦🇶

Here is Laura showing off our sleeping bags. Never did the word “layers” mean so much to our warmth as it did last night.

Getting ready for a night on Danco Island!🐧🐋

January 3, 2023
1/3/2023 – Camping on the continent – Part 1 🇦🇶

It’s 7:00 am and just back from our overnight camping experience on Danco Island with 58 others from the ship. We had insulated sleeping bags and lots of layers but it was cold! Would we have changed our minds had we known how truly cold it would be? Absolutely not! What an amazing experience to sleep on the continent and experience nighttime. BTW-it was light the entire night. I woke up at 3:30 am and felt like it was still early evening after the sun sets.

Danco Island is home to lots of penguins – there’s a penguin colony and a penguin highway. The entire hill was covered with penguins. Our guides clearly marked where we slept which ensured we kept our distance from the penguins. We did have a little curious one that popped over to our campsite and eventually went back into the water. VERY IMPORTANT—our guides create a path for us and it’s important for us to stay on that path. If we wander off, we create deep holes with our muck boots. If a penguin falls into that hole, he cannot get out.

Our white noise was the Gentoo penguin’s continuous bleating, the majestic sound of calving (sounds like thunder) and the distinct noise of the humpback whales in the bay. Those whales can trumpet! It was so serene to breathe in my surroundings, listen, watch, and be amazed.

Look at those penguins enjoying the sunset!

This pic was zoomed in significantly. We do not interact with the penguins, even those that wander close to you. We maintain, at a minimum, 5 meters (approx 15 feet)

The penguins are resilient little birds. They get knocked now and then get right back up again! I have so many videos. I will see if I can post one in the photo section.

I call this one “The 3 amigos”. They stuck together on that penguin highway like 3 best friends.

This experience deserves more details so stay tuned for a part 2.

January 3, 2023