Another spectacular morning in Antarctica! There was a bit of cloud cover as we cruised into Cierva Cove, but the sun was breaking through and the ice was sparkling.

I was excited about the morning’s paddle. First, the ocean conditions looked perfect – it was an absolutely gorgeous day. But second, and perhaps more importantly, our expedition leader had hinted that we might get to see chinstrap penguins here. Sign me up!

But first: seriously. It doesn’t get more stunning than this.

There was another Antarctic research base here. While I loved the pristine landscapes of some of our other stops, the red buildings against the blue and white ice were undeniably picturesque.

We launched our kayaks – this was a paddling-only (or zodiac only, for those non-kayakers on the trip) morning; no shore landing.

One of the best things about kayaking in Antarctica: every spot was different; you’d think that all that ice and water would just start to run together, but it doesn’t. Each paddle was memorable in its own unique way. This time, it was the bright and sparkling icebergs and brash ice that stood out.

If you’re wondering what brash ice is, it’s this^. Like paddling through a giant frozen margarita. Steve commented that I seemed to be paddling effortlessly through the chunky floating icy bits – my paddle just knew where to go to find clear water. That’s what more than 25 years of kayaking experience will do.

Couldn’t get enough of the gorgeous blue and white icebergs and bergy bits, either.

So, did we see the hinted-at chinstrap penguins?

We did.

These adventurous little guys were waddling all over the slick black wave-washed rocks. Definitely the mountaineers of the penguin family!

Team Mammal, not to be outdone, delivered a gigantic Antarctic fur seal down by the shoreline.

What a glorious blue and white morning in Antarctica. The highlight, of course, was finally getting a glimpse (even if a bit far away, from the water) of chinstrap penguins…

But the entire cove – the water, the ice, the sky – seemed to sparkle the entire time.

Very nicely done, Antarctica. Very nicely done indeed.

Next week: we come face-to-face with the darker side of Antarctica’s history.