We continued to sail south through the Gerlache Strait towards the entrance to the Lemaire Channel, however at 64°54’S 63°19’W our way was totally blocked by pack ice. This was our furthest point south and we were entertained by a crab eater seal on an ice floe. Returning north we reached Useful island in the middle of the Gerlache Strait. The name refers to the fact that its never totally covered by snow and always visible so it is useful for navigation. Whalers came here to watch for whales entering the Gerlache Strait. We made a landing to visit the penguin rookeries and zodiac cruised around the island admiring the beautiful ice sculptures. That evening we experienced a magical Antarctic sunset.