We have headed south from Ushuaia , passing by the South Shetland Islands, and have made our first landfall.

The weather is problematic with heavy overcast skies, we have had snow flurries and patchy rain. It is chilly too. Sun is unlikely. It is a bit cold. Might be like this for the next day or so. The Antarctic summer!

We are just off Trinity Island near the small islet known as D’Hainaut, inside Mikkelsen Harbour, near the top of the Antarctic Peninsular.

Our zodiac trip to shore was uneventful. Getting out of the zodiac there involves swinging legs overboard and then wading through calf high water to the stony shore line.

Mikkelsen Harbour was the location of an early 20th century Norwegian whaling station. Remnants of an old whale boat lie on the shore along with numerous whale bones, some of which are over 200 years old.

Unlike the much larger Trinity Island D’Hainaut is smaller with a lot less snow and ice. It is home to a colony of Gentoo penguins, which is why we are here.

Gentoo penguins are distinguished by their orange bills and feet, they are two to three feet tall when standing. There are a lot of them here and there is a bit of a pong for sensitive noses. It is not long after nesting season and young chicks are out and about, some still lying around to be fed by Mum and Dad penguin.

It is difficult to know when one should stop taking photos. We have to stay five metres away and the penguins have right of way. They seem to be oblivious to our presence, wandering and flapping around as they see fit. Here are some of the antics on show.

As we left on zodiacs to return to the ship a couple of Chin Strap penguins were identified on a nearby rock. These are distinguished from the Gentoos by a black ‘chin strap’ line that keeps their black cap on in the wind! And no orange bill or feet.

Overnight the ship is going to move a little further along the Peninsula to Enterprise Island for more action on the ‘White Continent’.