Things to Do in Antarctica in January

January's thaw chips the ice shelf into a floating jigsaw of brash and bergy bits, perfect turf for zodiacs. You can idle among the sculptures at 2 AM while honey-coloured light bounces off cobalt walls, breathing air so sharp it tastes of salt and krill, the only soundtrack the snap of ice and the soft exhale of a curious crabeater seal.

Adélie, Gentoo and Chinstrap parents shuttle krill nonstop to their grey puffball chicks. By mid-month the crèches swell into noisy playgrounds of hundreds. The trumpeting duet between adult and chick hits you before the colony even comes into view.

Science teams are out in force: you may stumble onto penguin weigh-ins or ice-core drilling. Port Lockroy's red British hut is fully staffed, post office humming, museum open. The diesel-and-instant-coffee aroma follows you from base to base like a trademark.

Air temperatures nudge the freezing point, so the polar plunge drops to a 'mere' 0 °C (32 °F). Ships fire up saunas and hot tubs for the aftershock. The freeze-to-scorch flip leaves you buzzing with endorphins.

Krill blooms draw whales into tight arenas: humpbacks spiral bubble nets, orcas pick off seals, minkes surf inches from the hull. With no dusk, you can watch spouts paint orange halos on the horizon at midnight.