The morning started with the sound of ice crashing against the hull of our ship. Southbound to the Yalour Islands, we found our way blocked by crowded floating ice, so we decided to change course and reach Pléneau Island further north. In the meantime, guests learned about orcas from one of our marine biologists and about the discovery of Antarctica from our onboard historian, whose lecture was pleasantly interrupted by the sight of two minke and two humpback whales. After lunch, Pléneau Island showed us how quickly Antarctica can change its mood. The previous day, nobody could escape the sun’s watchful eye, but on this day our guests landed on a cloudy coast where all gentoo and some Adélie penguins felt the snow on their bodies carried by a cold, persistent wind. From the coast, they could also see a Weddell seal resting on the ice, while others were cruising among the icebits, looking at racing penguins on the sea and curious whales with a backdrop of mountains blurred by mist.