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Lemaire Passage

I have a couple of days of activities to catch up on, but in the meantime, I want to share what we woke up to this morning. Our Expedition Leader, Olivia, made a ship-wide announcement at 7:30 am to let us know that we were going to enter the La Mer Passage at 8:00. The passage is usually full of ice. Olivia and the captain didn’t know if we’d be able to enter the passage, so they didn’t announce this yesterday. They just made the decision this morning when we got to the passage.

The passage is seven miles long and only 2,000 meters wide at its narrowest point. We are the largest ship to ever sail down it, and this was only the second time to do so. At other times, it has either been too full of ice or the weather had low visibility. As you’ll see, the weather today is sunny and gorgeous! We were able to sail almost the full length of the passage. There was an ice blockage at the end, so we turned around and sailed back out. 

The passage is also called Kodak Alley, because it is the most photographed place in Antarctica. Enjoy!

All bundled up, bright and early
Entrance to Lemaire Passage
Icebergs smaller than 3 feet tall are called “growlers”
I liked this reflection in the water
Icebergs smaller than 15 feet tall are called “bergy bits” – this one had an interesting shape
This iceberg has a bit that looks like a mushroom
Another bergy bit with an interesting texture
The dark area is a group of 30 penguins swimming by, popping out of the water
The areas that look like waterfalls are snowfalls after an avalanche above
The end of the passage for us
The ice blockade at the end
On the way back out – a mountain peak, a glacier, and icebergs
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