Today we hit heavy fog at sea as we head for continental Antarctica.  Oh, yea, there are many ice bergs floating around.  Even with all the modern sonar doo-dads, it's slow going. Fog and seas delay mainland landingHeavy fog, se ice and a major storm delay our landing in Antarctica as we head back to So Sandwich Island

Initially we land in the South Sandwich Islands at King George Island, 75 miles off Antarctica.  After a long history of countries claiming the island, there are now "research stations" from multiple nations including Argentina.  Under an international treaty, no country can lay claim to land, mineral  or fishing rights to Antarctica.  This is constantly under dispute and the treaty itself is up for review in a few years...

We land in Admiralty Bay and watch Chinstraps rock-hopping.  Amazing to watch them balance as they jump over the rocks along the shore.

An Adelie, with its unique white-ringed eye, hops into the water right in front of us. King George Island LandingChinstraps at King George Island

We find some krill, the pink crustaceans that are the base of the food chain in the area.  We placed them on some kelp for sizing.  Krill is the reason the area around penguin colonies has a pink color.  Don't eat pink snow! King George Island LandingChinstraps at King George Island

Moving toward the mainland, we must pass very close to ice bergs. Icebergs and Packed IcePassing Icebergs and packed ice as we head to our first landing on continental Antarctica at Brown Bluff. We felt an iceberg hit last night as we traveled!

And we search the ice flows for a stray Emperor Penguin.  They live much further south, but occasionally visitors get lucky.  This is a blow-up of a tiny portion of a picture.  Unfortunately, this was probably a King Penguin--too small for an Emperor.

Esperanza StationArriving in Antarctica at Argentina's Esperanza Station, with 140,000 Adelie Penguins

Then we get our first view of Argentina's Esperanza Station and the magnificent mountains that form its backdrop. Esperanza StationArriving in Antarctica at Argentina's Esperanza Station, with 140,000 Adelie Penguins

We finally hit my seventh continent--Antarctica.   Esperanza StationArriving in Antarctica at Argentina's Esperanza Station, with 140,000 Adelie Penguins

Fun stop--this is Adelie land.  The colony is huge. Esperanza StationArriving in Antarctica at Argentina's Esperanza Station, with 140,000 Adelie Penguins

Beautiful birds.  They look like they have blue eyes with the white ring around their pupils.

Esperanza StationArriving in Antarctica at Argentina's Esperanza Station, with 140,000 Adelie Penguins

And these penguins are true clowns.  First they slide up hill.

Then down the hill.

Then they just march in all different directions.

We saw many cute fuzzy gray chicks, as well. Esperanza StationArriving in Antarctica at Argentina's Esperanza Station, with 140,000 Adelie Penguins

Some with their moms getting fed. Esperanza StationArriving in Antarctica at Argentina's Esperanza Station, with 140,000 Adelie Penguins

I think these were my favorite penguins. Esperanza StationArriving in Antarctica at Argentina's Esperanza Station, with 140,000 Adelie Penguins

 Here's a map of our Antarctic travels. Antarctica Landing sitesMap of Antarctica landing sites

From here we head to a swim (really) at Deception Island!