We are enjoying amazing weather and having a great day in the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsular. This side is less visited than the more popular western side but we are making the most of our time here. After lunch, our expedition leader announces we are zodiac cruising the waters of Erebus and the Terror Gulf. 
The waters are like glass, the ocean is calm and there is no wind around. Perfect conditions such as this are rare in the Antarctic so we are thankful for one of those magic days.
I am in the zodiac skippered by our expedition leader Graham 
Charles. He is a world recognised adventurer in his own right and has notched up a few credits to his name including having been the first to kayak around South Georgia with a couple of his best mates from New Zealand! Graham is also a professional photographer, so it’s great to be in his boat.
As it is such a perfect day, Graham has suggested we try walking on ice! 
The zodiacs are driven up on to the ice, and we all pile out to stand on an ice flow in the middle of the Terror Gulf! 
It is an incredible feeling and later we hear how one of the ice flows develop a crack down the middle and one of our groups was literally split in two! Thankfully, I didn’t get to practice my splits or long jump abilities on an ice flow that day!
Not all of us are out here on the zodiacs. A couple of my friends including Leah, Eric and John have taken the more adventurous kayaking option, and they explore this incredible landscape a little closer to the water! Thankfully, no one practiced the Eskimo roll that day! 
The landscape is surreal and stunning. We have a few moments of reflective silence and meditation when Graham asks that we all be still and listen..to Antarctica! 
It is incredibly peaceful. I loved being still and just listening to the sound of water lapping up against the ice and the occasional twitter of Antarctic bird life. I am enveloped by the beauty around me and I find it hard to believe this is my reality! 
Then someone spots the penguin on the ice. We approach softly. To my amazement it appears 
we have spotted a baby Emperor Penguin. The Emperor Penguin colonies are usually seen further south on the ice breaker expeditions, so we are very lucky to spot this chap this far ‘north’. We sit silently observing before gliding away. 
We spot more life on the water that afternoon. My favourite, the Adelie penguins are out having fun on the ice flows, and a few snow petrels hover overhead. 
We have all dressed warmly but the sun is shining down on us and I almost feel overdressed! We stay out for more than 2 hours. The gods have been kind to us and we take full advantage of the opportunity because tomorrow is another day and it could be blowing a gale out here. All good things must eventually come to an end though, and we say goodbye to Erebus and the Terror Gulf and head back to base!
Let me see, Is it real, This life I am living? (From an old Inuit poem)
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