When you are sailing in the Southern Ocean you desire the perfect combination of calm sea and wind in the hope to have a smooth passage to the Falklands, but also wildlife flying nearby. Fortunately, during our first day of expedition we had both conditions.
We are expecting to anchor tonight in front of New Island in the Falklands and to start our excursions tomorrow. It’s going to be great!
Maria Intxaustegi is an internationally awarded maritime archaeologist, naval historian, commercial diver, professional offshore sailor, and expedition guide from the Basque Country.
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Excitement was high as we arrived in Antarctica today, marking the start of our expedition to the White Continent and beyond. Over lunch, massive tabular icebergs — once part of an ice shelf — began to appear all around us, sending guests rushing to the windows for photos. In the afternoon, we launched our fleet of Zodiacs for the first operation of the trip — a cruise along the brash ice. Despite the sharp wind chill, we had incredible first encounters with humpback whales and seals. Meanwhile, the undersea team, a unique program at National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions, suited up for a scuba dive, capturing footage of krill swarms below the surface. Just when we thought the day couldn’t get better, an emperor penguin made a surprise appearance — a lucky sight this time of year. What a spectacular start to our Antarctic adventure!
We had a sunny and calm day in the southern part of the Drake Passage. Several presentations took place on board, and Captain Aaron Wood welcomed us all with an evening cocktail reception. Ten species of seabirds and two species of whales were seen from the Bridge as we steadily headed south into the colder waters of the Southern Ocean.
The last day of our trip was spent aboard National Geographic Endurance as we cruised to Ushuaia, Argentina. The day began with a bright and beautiful rainbow on the horizon. We were treated to close sightings of seabirds and whales as well as several educational lectures. In the afternoon, the ship entered the calm waters of the Beagle Channel. A scene of tranquility was set with still waters and lazily soaring birds. As the day drew to a close, the ship docked in Ushuaia. It was a fantastic end to an amazing adventure. What a day!
