Day 11 There she blows

Humpback whales

Humpback whales

Most of the superstructure iced up during the blizzard

The weather has definitely turned. Last night the ship was bouncing around all over the place. We're just south of 60°S at 31 °W. Outside it's -2.4°C. During the day the wind 'slackened' a bit down to 40 knots, with occasional snow showers. Sideways snow showers. The decks quickly iced up and the captain required special permission for anyone working on the back deck. Loose chunks of ice were falling off the super structure. Anyone working outside requires a hard hat - captain's orders.

Welcome to the Southern Ocean.

Despite the snow, the fog and the large swell our chief scientist had  his hopes up. When there's snow in the Southern Ocean Ocean, he says,  there'll be whales. He'd been here twice before when occupying the same stations in previous years. And to him snow meant whales - Humpback Whales.

Just after 2pm someone spotted them over the port bow. A pod of about 4 animals. Short, stiff blows. Mostly in unison - three or four blows in a row at the same time. Sometimes they'd roll on to their sides and 'wave' with their front flippers. Then they'd dive, briefly flashing their dorsal fin before rolling their fluke and off they were again. Well within binocular range. But a long way away for my camera. Every time they reappeared they were a bit further away.

There they blow. And then they were gone again.