Port Lockroy is a small harbor on the west side of Weincke Island in the Palmer Archipelago. It is named after Edouard Lockroy, the French politician who assisted Dr. Jean Baptiste Charcot in obtaining government backing for his expeditions in 1903 and 1908. Port Lockroy is the home to Jougla point and Goudier Island, both are home to numerous nesting gentoo penguins. British history in Antarctica began when Captain James Cook first circumnavigated the continent in 1773-1775. UK presence in Antarctica dates back to 1943when the Royal Navy mounted an operation to provide reconnaissance and meteorological information concerning the South Atlantic by establishing a series of small bases on the Antarctic Peninsula. Port Lockroy is home to a six bedroom base that is a museum, gift shop, and home to the only post office in Antarctica.
Because Port Lockroy is so small, our group split up between Jougla Point and Goudier Island. We went to Jougla point first and there were some awesome whale bones that had been assembled into almost a full skeleton. I saw a gentoo penguin coming out from its egg, and that was a really special experience. On one of the beaches, the cutest Weddell was hauled out and napping on its back, and in the back of this picture you can see a small yacht that 6 people had sailed down to the Port from Ushuaia, incredible. 
Port Lockroy is so small and it is hard to believe that even three people can live in that building for such an extended period of time. But it was awesome to see some of the artifacts they have kept in the museum that date back to the early expeditions of the 1900s. Of course, I sent post cards and the coolest/ worst thing about that is that they have to travel so far before going to the states. Port Lockroy is a British base so the postcards have to go from there to the Falkland Islands, onto London, then to their various destinations around the world. I’m sure that I will beat them back to the states, but it will be a cool surprise to get in the mail anyway. 
Another really cool moment was when Gavin proposed to Martha on the beach. They are the most fun and interesting couple that I’ve ever met and it was cool to be an observer and help them celebrate their engagement once we got back to the ship. 
After lunch, I was back on the bridge and of course, saw humpbacks. As much as I love being down below and hanging out with all of the passengers, I have had the most amazing experiences being up on deck
and taking in the scenery. Every hour or so I will see a pod of humpback whales, and I have seen icebergs breaking off into the ocean, or floating icebergs splitting in half. Every once in a while, the icebergs will have a weight shift which causes it to completely flip over. I am definitely depriving myself of sleep, but enjoying all the beautiful scenery of this trip. 
Our next stop was at Waterboat Point and the Gonzales Videla Station. Two British researchers overwintered in 1921 at this site living in a rough shelter constructed from an overturned waterboat from an older whaling ship the Neko. The Chilean station was named after the first head of state to visit Antarctica, Chile's President Gabriel Gonzales Videla in 1948. There are thousands of gentoos nesting here, including one albino penguin.
While we were in the zodiac going back to the boat, we spotted a leopard seal. These are soliatry seals and they are the most vicious of them all. They are the only seal that eats other seals, and they also eat penguins too. Leopard seals will grasp the penguin by its feet, and sling its head back and forth while slapping the penguin on the surface of the water until the penguin's skin falls off, then the leopard seal will eat it. These are bad dudes, and he was just chillin on the iceberg while we floated really close to take pictures. Seal count 5 of 6 (the sixth is the Ross Seal, and the marine biologist on the trip says she has only seen one in 18 years... so 5 of 6 is AWESOME!!)
After leaving the saftey of Paradise Bay, we sailed on for the Melchior Islands to drop anchor for the night. While in one of the channels, we spotted a pod of Orcas. 
They were beautiful. Igor, the captain, turned the boat around and circled the whales multiple times so that we could get to see them up close. His sound effects were awesome as the whales breached the water. You can see us here laughing together on the bridge. 
Another amazing thing about today was the Midnight Sunlight. 
We all had to go out onto the bow to take in the sun that was very high in the sky that late at night. I ended up staying up until about 3 am and the sun never really went down. 
Around 1:30am, the captain spotted some more humpbacks. All I heard was "Kit"(Russian for whale). I had been searching the horizon with binoculars, and eagle-eyes Igor sees them with the naked eye while lounging in his captains chair smoking a cigarette, oh the irony.
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