As I close my series on Antarctica, I’d like to offer one more image of this dramatic destination. This blue iceberg is one of my favorite photos from Antarctica. Our two rubber Zodiacs set off one morning to cruise around Cierva Cove. The bay was choked with icebergs ranging from tiny to gargantuan, but it was this mid-size one that caught my attention. Not only was it a gorgeous blue hue, it also had an almost perfectly circular hole at its base. Our captain hadn’t noticed the iceberg; he motored by without a glance. I tapped him on the shoulder. “Can we go back to that one, the one with the hole in it?” I asked.
The captain also seemed excited when he saw where I was pointing. He made a quick U-turn and signaled our buddy dinghy to follow. We asked why the ice was so blue. The naturalist on board our Zodiac explained that ice becomes more and more compacted over the centuries. Denser ice reflects light differently; the denser the ice the bluer the color. This blue iceberg must have been calved from a very old glacier. We circled it, one boat on either side of the hole, and began taking photos of one another. No single photograph can fully capture the magnificence of Antarctica, but I think this one comes close. I snapped away, trying to capture the essence of this ravishing and fragile environment through the window to this iceberg’s soul. Did I succeed? You will have to tell me.
You may also enjoy:
Penguin on an Iceberg in Antarctica
Waddell Seals are the Cutest of all the Seals in Antarctica
Humpback Whale Tail in Wilhelmina Bay, Antarctica
Wow, the iceberg’s picture is simply mesmerizing! Antarctica’s beauty never fails to amaze me.
Simply stunning. You’re photography captures the magnitude and playfulness so well. Thank you so much for sharing as well as the story. Antarctica is on my bucket list.
Thank you so much Kaylini. You just made my day. Hope you do make it to Antarctica. It’s almost beyond description (though I did my best).
Superb shot! Kudos @Kaylini_Naidoo ! Now I don’t have to go there to see it as if I’m really there, thanks to you! Appreciated! #BeWell @ricoSacto #ricoSacto
It’s a truly beautiful photo. I’m longing to travel again and would dearly love to travel to the Antarctic one day.
Hi Stuart. I’m getting itchy feet as well, but right now it looks like I won’t be able to do any international travel from my home in Thailand until 2020! Guess I’ll have to settle for some domestic destinations until then. Hope you eventually make it to Antarctica.
Yes, you did capture the stunning beauty of Antarctica! Love all of your posts. I look forward to reading about your adventures and seeing all of the photos. So glad we happened to meet on the Viking ship a few years back.
Me too, Irene! You’ve remained one of my most faithful fans and you always boost my ego with your comments 🙂
Great Shot! Your new camera would be a step up in image quality and features compared to the Olympus M4/3. Are you comfortable with the greater weight? And what lenses do you use with the new camera?
Hi Bill: It absolutely is a BIG step up from the M 4/3. I love the quality of the photos I get from the Fujifilm. And I’m surprised that the weight is not that much greater. My kit includes a Fujinon 16-55mm f 2.8 wide angle lens and Fujinon 50-140mm f 2.8 telephoto lens. I’ve also purchased a 2X Teleconverter, which I opted for rather than going to a longer telephoto, specifically to keep the weight down. The images afe so good that I can crop a lot without losing quality. Unfortunately, I had it shipped to my sister in the U.S. and she was going to bring it to me in Spain last month. And you know what happened with that trip.
Stunning!
Thank you Mark!
Remarkable photo – thank you for all of your photos within all of your posts!
You are so welcome Ric. Happy you enjoy them.
Barbara, you have some stunning pictures from Antartica. Do you shoot with a DSLR in the dingy, or use a cell camera? I shoot from my kayak a lot and never use my DSLR, afraid of it getting dunked. My iPhone takes great pictures, and I also have a waterproof CoolPix 130, which is pretty good. I look forward to your blog email every Sunday night. Enjoy your writing as well as the pics.
Best,
Fred Mays
Hi Fred. Thank you so much for your very kind compliment! I switched from a DSLR to a mirrorless camera some years ago. Initially it was an Olympus micro 4/3, but a few months ago I upgraded to Fujufilm X-H1 APS-C CMOS III sensor. I used it in the dinghy, but it was carried in a dry sack until we reached our destination.
Stunning! I’ve been to Antarctic and have many outstanding photos, but yours really does capture the essence of the continent.
Thanks so much Beverly