Today aboard National Geographic Endurance, we cruised to our first destination of the day, Astrolabe Island, for a Zodiac cruise. The island is home to over 3,400 pairs of chinstrap penguins and hundreds of Antarctic shags. Everyone was excited to find that Adelie and gentoo penguins could also be spotted, along with Weddell and crabeater seals. An arched iceberg was seen in the distance, and Captain Aaron Wood maneuvered National Geographic Endurance so everyone could get a closer look at this stunning piece of ice. Fortunately, our exploration of Astrolabe Island was completed just in time, as the winds started to pick up, making for a spotty return to the ship. Unfortunately, the winds altered the afternoon plans, but thanks to the amazing initiative of Expedition Leader Andy Wolff, we were able to visit Whalers Bay. After walking around the historic whaling station, everyone made it back to the ship just in time for cocktail hour and recap, where our Global Explorers presented the undersea video they took using the remote operated vehicle (ROV). And last, but certainly not least, the ship celebrated three birthdays at dinner, including Naturalist/Photo Instructor Jim Pfitzer!