Bumped awake by cutting through the ice to reach Coulman Island, nevertheless we had an extra hour of sleep. Overcast skies, -24 C, with limited wind. Snow maybe on the horizon.
Resting comfortably wedged against the ice, steps from the ship are lowered and we embark on the ice in cross-country skis and snowshoes. Our exploring crew hit a few holes on their first outing but staked out the inlet with confidence for our safety.
Juggling between white-out conditions and software ice, the crew was kept busy rescuing the fallen in the snow. However, one of their largest challenges came from Jon falling through the snow and into the bottomless water. Fortunately, there were a number of people around to have him roll over on the ice and pull him out of the penguin hole. His adventure resulted in getting soaked up to his waist. Jane, our NZ biologist, went in neck high for a few more wet moments but also returned safely to the ice. Both managed to snowshoe back to the ship and warm up.
Passing by were a couple of crabeater seals climbing out onto the ice and calming plopping down for a rest
Rizbee On The Road 