We have the opportunity for unforgettable hiking. Lemaire Channel Our ship glides through cobalt-blue waters, dwarfed by precipitous peaks. Humpback and orca whales sometime appear here. Many believe this is the most beautiful spot in the world. Both the approach through the Peltier Channel and the departure through the Neymayer Channel are remarkable.
High glaciers roll down from every side.
We visit a rookery of blue-eyed shags and see gentoo penguins. In 1903, a team from Otto Nordenskjold's Swedish expedition were forced to winter on this small, volcanic island when their ship was crushed in the pack ice. We take our Zodiacs ashore to see the remains of their hut, and to visit the huge colony of Adelie penguins. We stop to visit the unmanned Chilean station and to make friends with the chinstrap and gentoo penguins that live here. Nearby is the Argentine station, in a beautiful setting between two huge glaciers.