Even on a dreary day, Neko Harbor would hold a place among the most glorious scenery on Earth. On a day like today – achingly blue skies, calm air, and pristine, glassy water – it’s as if Mother Nature were throwing down the gauntlet to all the other scenic wannabes.
The harbor (really a bay) is girded by jagged crags piercing the sky with knife’s-edge clarity. Several glaciers open onto the bay, gifting visitors with icebergs ranging from imposing monoliths to gem-like miniatures. On our visit today, the water was a flawless mirror, reflecting the surrounding mountains with absolute fidelity. The surface was so flat it seemed almost viscous. When our Zodiac driver cut the engine, the silence was awe-inspiring. The only noises were the snap, crackle, and pop of trapped air bubbles in the ice finding freedom, and the occasional rifle crack of a calving glacier.
On land, we wandered through an expansive Gentoo penguin rookery. Once again, curious individuals approached within a few feet of us, cocking an eye as if trying to discern how these lime-green clad bipeds fit into their black-and-white world. Skuas were everywhere – I even saw two of them fighting over the remains of a penguin chick – as are shags and Wilson’s storm petrels (small, flitting things also known as Jesus Christ birds because they seem to walk on the water). The bay is a popular spot with orcas and humpback and minke whales
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