Antarctica Cruise Logbook - Hanseatic Cruise from Ushuaia to Antarctic Peninsula

By Linda Garrison, About.com Guide

One thing we noticed on Antarctica's Deception Island was that although no penguins could be seen from Whaler's Bay, our noses could detect a nearby rookery. We could see the thousands of penguins on the outer ring of the island as we sailed away. Isn't it interesting how quickly our senses can learn! Our second stop on our last full day in Antarctica was at Yankee Harbor on Greenwich Island. This harbor was surrounded by glaciers and rocky outcroppings. The shore was home to a large Gentoo rookery, with many chicks. We also saw numerous fur seals basking on the beach, our first "close" look at them. Many of us lingered ashore, as we knew this would be our last penguin viewing. They didn't disappoint us, waddling to and from the sea and feeding their young. As we returned to the ship, I'm sure I wasn't the only passenger with a saddened heart.