I find myself aboard a new ship in the new year and am now exploring the convoluted passages of a Russian icebreaker as we charge through the mist shrouded waves of the Southern Ocean. In fact just one hour ago the fog that has accompanied us for much of the day parted to revel the first glimpses of the Melchior Islands and the first land we have seen for a couple of days. As the sky continued to clear, penguins became apparent followed by a couple of humpback whales spy-hopping and sounding just meters from the boat.
Not a bad start to a new year and a new venture aboard an old ship… very much looking forward to the next couple of days as we push south towards the Lemaire Channel and the icy south of the Antarctic Peninsula.