Brown Bluff, Antarctica, 11/16/2024, National Geographic Endurance
Aboard the
National Geographic Endurance
Antarctica
Landfall! Guests of National Geographic Endurance made their first continental landing this morning while enjoying the penguin colony at Brown Bluff. A blustery Antarctic morning gave way to a peaceful afternoon of ethereal polar light as we walked on sea ice while surrounded by Weddell seals and curious Adelie penguins.
Jessie Johnson grew up in the high desert of the American West. An early love for environmental science and the outdoors morphed into a life focused on sharing her experiences through photography, film, and guiding. With a focus on marine mammals, Je...
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We couldn’t have asked for a more spectacular day! Our morning started with incredible Zodiac tours nestled among high peaks and glacial tongues which dipped down to the water. This incredible bay was not only full of incredible ice bergs, but also a plethora of wildlife! With seals, penguins, cliff nesting seabirds, incredible dappling sunlight, this cruise had it all! Over lunch, as we repositioned National Geographic Resolution to head towards our afternoon’s activities, a HUGE group of killer whales was suddenly spotted from the bridge. We basked in the beauty of at least 20 stunning orcas as they cruised all around us, including several big males and at least one young calf! Thinking the day couldn’t get any better, we had favorable winds upon arriving at Neko Harbor. The huge hillside had nesting gentoo penguins sprinkled on the sparsely spaced, snow-free rocks. One could hike up a great snowy hillside for a spectacular view overlooking the adjacent glacier and penguin colonies! The excitement was palpable when a good chunk of the glacier calved nearby and continued in full force. Then we managed to spot all three species of brush-tailed penguins among the gentoo colony!! It was an exciting day full of wonderful surprises.
Last night we bid fond farewell to Marguerite Bay and began our northward trek to the Fish Islands, crossing back over the Antarctic Circle just before breakfast. We saw Antarctic petrels and spotted our first chinstrap penguins on an ice floe! Jackie and Karson gave talks on penguins and seals, while some keen eyes were surprised to spot some floating marine debris: orange buoys. Upon arrival near the Fish Islands, we discovered the area was choked with ice, making our Zodiac plans doubtful. However, our captain, with his characteristic can-do attitude, created a path with the ship, while our Zodiac “ducklings” followed in his wake! We marveled at the variety of iceberg shapes, saw Weddell and crabeater seals, Adelie penguins, and even saw krill swimming near the sea ice edges. A fun surprise was discovering a special Zodiac offering hot chocolate! After our excursion, our ship made its way through dense pack ice, making the now-familiar grinding sounds as low clouds continued to build, creating a rather mysterious backdrop to the humpback whales we saw in an open patch of water. Indeed, after dinner, we were delighted to experience our first snowfall.
Nothing quite beats waking up on National Geographic Endurance parked in the sea ice to take in the morning glow of long winter days. We woke up early to take a hike across the sea ice, admiring seals, penguins, and the icy, unearthly landscape. After a peaceful morning, we explored The Gullet by Zodiac. The Gullet is a narrow channel lined by mountains, glaciers, and icebergs. Around each ice floe seemed to be seal after seal basking in the sunlight, as well as Giant petrels, kelp gulls, and penguins swimming around us. It was a wonderfully sunny day full of wildlife and beautiful views.
