When they say arduous in Antarctica, they mean it

So the second excursion of the day was to Cuverville Island to make landfall admist glaciers and craggy cliffs, high peaks and lots of ice in the water. There was a brisk wind that blew up small sharp little waves that the Zodiacs bumped through on the quick trip to shore and a tiny bit of blue sky was gamely trying to elbow it's way through heavy, fast moving white clouds. And colder with the wind then other landfalls, so Mom decided to stay in perhaps to actually take the high tea they offer every afternoon. But I was off and on this particular trip there was to be an "arduous hike" up a snow-covered 815 ft hill for those who wanted a challenge, and more penguin rookeries down at the shore for those who didn't.

Hmm.

Well, when my Zodiac got in there were already people heading up the mountain, and mountain it was. And let's remember we are all wearing wellies. And most don't have ski-poles or walking sticks, I certainly didn't. And it was snow sometimes calf -deep and there must have been some sun earlier because there were some slick melted patches on the surface before you broke through.

So, with people giving me grief cause older folks were heading up I started the climb. Now I will just say this. I didn't mind the up so much, although there were places I had to use my hands and only felt comfortable with my weight really far forward. But that was OK, it's the sideways that I don't like at all. The narrow two step wide switchback, not fun. People kept saying that the worst that would happen is you slide down, but I could envision something that started in a slide and ended up with broken bones and having to be airlifted out of where ever the closest base was. So I took my time, an increasingly breathless, overheated time and made it to the first platau. And you know what, I was done and happy to be. Partially cause, even though I knew I could do it, manage the rest of the way up and there was still a lot of up to go, I wouldn't enjoy any of it. Climbing up a deep snowy path is NOT the same as going up subway stairs, that's for sure!



And I wouldn't have felt much satisfaction of accomplishment at having done it. And where I did get to was spectacular. Truly the most amazing vista yet.

So I pulled off my coat and sat on a nice big rock and had the place to myself with just a few penguins stopping by checking me out, waving to me in the most friendly manner and then going on their way. I had it to myself for about 15 amazing minutes.














And then it was down again, but the first few people did slide part of the way and it's OK to slide when you mean to slide, so slide I did. Down fresh snow in waterproof pants, a pretty fun way to get down a mountain.

And then as I hadn't needed the time to get to the top, there was a short zodiac tour of the amazing icebergs in the bay.
And look how clear the water is:


It looks like you could reach in and touch the bottom right? Nope at this point the bottom must have been 4 or 5 feet down if not more.

And then we were being driven through the icebergs that I had seen from my rock. Amazing, even the smallest looming over the Zodiacs. The wind sculpts the ice, which comes in all forms so of different density's and shades and react differently to the wind and weather because of that. It was strange tour, we wandered through these natural ever- changing works of art. It was breathtaking, and of a much nicer sort than that slog up the slope.