At Sea, Bound for South Georgia, 3/12/2020, National Geographic Explorer
Aboard the
National Geographic Explorer
Antarctica
Day broke across an unseasonably calm Atlantic Ocean this morning as National Geographic Explorer made passage eastbound for South Georgia. The early risers were greeted with stunning conditions and a variety of wildlife. Before the wake-up call this morning from our expedition leader Russ Evans, we had already spotted a right whale, a pod of sperm whales, and joined by several wandering albatross. Weather conditions look favorable for the remainder of the passage and we will likely be within sight of South Georgia tomorrow morning.
Jimmy has been coordinating education and research teams for national universities, international non-government organizations, and documentary companies for more than 10 years. Jimmy’s expertise lies in the coordination and implementation of field e...
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The day dawned aboard National Geographic Resolution as we sailed out of the Scotia Sea. After yet another delicious breakfast, our natural history staff kicked off a series of presentations. Naturalist Joe Holiday started it off with a program on “Geology of the Falkland Islands” followed by an interesting program by our visiting scientist, Ariana Mancusco, about the research she’s conducting throughout this expedition. By late morning, we crossed the Falkland Trough, the captain and navigation officer were steely-eyed on the bridge, plotting our path through the clashing currents, winds, and waves. At noon, a surreal calm descended as we entered the eye of the low-pressure system. The sea state calmed and lunch was served in the dining room. Afternoon, the hotel team turned the lounge into a haven, hosting a lovely teatime—scones, clotted cream, and Earl Grey flowing as the ship continued westerly. Meanwhile, the natural history staff continued, with veteran Naturalist Dennis Cornejo explaining the unique plant life of the Falkland Islands. Approaching dusk, thick fog filled the sky and the Falklands loomed a mere 20 miles off, a promise for our days ahead.
Today, our first full day at sea following our time in South Georgia was spent well. The ship was quiet this morning while folks awoke to light movement due to swell leftover from a passing storm. We each seemed to take the day to reflect on South Georgia and start to move our sights to our next stop in the Falkland Islands. As the day moved from morning to afternoon we had several presentations, including one about birds from Naturalist Peter Wilson, on the topic of photography by National Geographic Expert Dan Westergren, and post-processing photos from our photo team. The sea was quiet for the evening as we sipped cocktails during our nightly recap and looked forward to the days ahead.
We spent the rainy morning in historic Stromness Bay. The activities occurred within sight of the Stromness whaling station, where Shackleton ended his epic 2,000-mile journey in 1916. The rusty buildings and equipment stand as a frozen monument to that period of South Georgia history. There were hundreds of female fur seals and their pups, many of whom were playing in the water as we arrived on our Zodiacs. Many of us hiked a few miles along a river in a U-shaped glacial valley, often crossing the river as it meandered. Our destination was Shackleton Waterfall along the route that the brave men took during the last epic 24-hour march across South Georgia Island to get help for the stranded men. There were mosses, grasslands, and glacial ponds along the route which blended in perfectly with the misty weather. Occasionally, the clouds parted enough for us to see the high mountains with glaciers. Several guests and crew enjoyed a polar plunge in the icy waters off the ship, followed by hot cider served by the bar staff. National Geographic visiting scientist, Ariana Mancuso, collected limpets for her important research on the calcium carbonate shells. These studies help us track changes in invertebrates caused by climate change and ocean acidification.
