In the early hours of the morning, National Geographic Orion crossed the Antarctic Convergence, meaning that we are now officially steaming through Antarctic Waters. By morning we expect to arrive at the Antarctic Peninsula and have planned a celebration as we cross below the Antarctic Circle.
Calm seas dominated the day, which translated to lots of movement aboard the ship. Naturalists offered presentations about ice and penguins, and our National Geographic luminary Sissee Brimberg spoke about the creative aspects of photography. Guests also learned about IAATO guidelines for visits to Antarctica, an essential component for protecting and preserving this pristine wilderness at the bottom of the world.
Despite the calm seas, persistent fog kept the bridge officers on their toes, monitoring with radar equipment and binoculars for stray icebergs caught up in the strong Southern Ocean currents. Many guests joined in on the bridge, learning about navigation and identifying the myriad seabirds that call the open ocean home.
