For me the highlight of Cuverville Island was cruising in the zodiac among the icebergs. Here they were older and weathered, blown and drifted in from distant glaciers. Much safer than other areas we had visited with icebergs for these were less apt to suddenly cleave and potentially swamp the zodiac. The colors of the ice is just indescribable.

The two unsung heros of the entire ship were the “dock” hands who insured that each passenger safely embarked and disembarked the zodiacs at shipside. Sometimes there would be 6 foot swells and somehow they managed to snag the zodiac and secure it to the “dock”, never missing. Then they would time the swells and getting on/off was no more difficult than stepping off a curb to the street. I’m embarrassed to say I never learned their names.

Of all the variety of penguins we saw, the Chinstrap was my favorite. Their plumage gave the appearance of the eternal smile. Their colonies were the loudest of them all for it seemed if they were not tending to their chicks they were pointing their beaks skyward screeching loudly while flapping their wings.