Since this is my first trip to Antarctica I have been keeping a list of firsts. Surprisingly, it has been quite difficult.  For one there are probably many things that I don’t appreciate that are firsts.  I am sure there are several bird species that I am seeing for the first time, but I really don’t have a clue that they’re special.  Furthermore, there are many firsts that I recognize, but have a hard time entering into a list. For example, on the third day I was in a small boat and a curious mom/calf pair checked out the boat for 20 minutes.  Multiple times the animals would spiral to the surface and then spy hop to check us out. This was an amazing first for me, but it’s difficult to come up with a three word entry that would describe it. Even with all of these difficulties I have a long and growing list. So for the sake of brevity I have kept the list to 21, and limited it to (mostly) animals or objects seen for the first time.

Firsts:

1. Peale’s dolphins
2. Black-browed Albatross
3. Magellanic Penguins
4. Antarctic Fur Seal
5. Crab Eater seal
6. Small type-b killer whales
7. Minke Whales
8. Weddell Seal
9. Leopard Seal
10. Skua
11. Chin-strap penguin
12. Adele penguins
13. Gentoo penguins
14. Antarctic Krill (Euphausia subperba)
15. Snow Petrels
16. Antarctic Terns
17. Giant Petrels
18. Antarctic Shags
19. Ice Bergs
20. Multi-sensor suction cup tag on a minke whale
21. Climbed a glacier

This list is far from over and there are still several things that I hope to see.  The top six things that I have yet to see are as follows:

1. Large type-B killer whales
2. Type A killer whales
3. Southern Right Whales
4. Hour glass dolphin
5. Arnoux’s Beaked whale*
6. My first kill (killer whale or leopard seal taking out a seal or penguin)

Don’t be disturbed by number six.  I don’t really have any blood lust, but you have to admit, it would be cool to see.