After a week of island-hopping along the Antarctic Peninsula, Leah and I finally set foot on the continent of Antarctica.

And because this was Viking’s sole continental visit, the expedition team was particularly busy transporting the remaining 352 passengers to Brown Bluff while overseeing a range of other outdoor activities throughout the day.

Our group was instructed to report to Deck 2 during a celebratory luncheon on Deck 10 that was briefly interrupted by a cloudburst of sleet and snow. Leah managed to cross the slippery deck with aplomb while balancing her surf and turf, but we had other fish to fry.

Once we were appropriately outfitted, our Zodiac pilot whisked us from our Trepassey Bay anchorage…

avoiding packs of drifting ice while also keeping an eye on an evolving sky,

which transformed a distant glacier into an enchanted wonderland of swirling smoke and mirrors.

And then, as if on cue, the veil magically lifted as we approached the coast, revealing its rich, red brown, tuya characteristics.

We ambled onto shore, across the moraine…

where three impressive, moss-covered boulders at the western edge of the snow slope…

reminded us of Brown Bluff’s subglacial eruption one million years ago.

A majority of the landing groups headed east towards the rookery.

However, it proved quite difficult to maintain a 5-meter distance from the gentoo penguins–perpetually parading along the beach.

So, I ventured westward, over an icy reef, beyond nesting kelp gulls…

where I spotted an opportunistic leopard seal lying in wait…

for unsuspecting dinner guests,

yet every penguin on Brown Bluff had reservations elsewhere.

Had our continental landing marked the end of our dramatic voyage, I would have been wholly satisfied with our Antarctic experience. However, following the decontamination of our outerwear aboard Octantis, Leah and I learned that we would be among the final twelve returning to Brown Bluff via Special Operations Boat.

And what a finale it would be!