Curtiss Bay and Mikkelsen Harbor, 12/3/2024, National Geographic Explorer
Aboard the
National Geographic Explorer
Antarctica
National Geographic Explorer started the first full day of its expedition with a magical cruise through Curtiss Bay. Our intrepid explorers were surrounded by a landscape of towering glaciers and icebergs as they took to the sea on their first excursion. After spending the morning with epic scenery and ice, the ship made its way to Mikkelsen Harbor, where the guests took their first steps on the Antarctic Peninsula.
David was born and raised in the concrete jungle of New York City, where the only three animals he ever knew were squirrels, pigeons, and rats. His curiosity of the wider natural world was piqued by the occasional trip to the beach, visits to the Bro...
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This morning, National Geographic Explorer awoke to another bluebird day along the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula. On approach to the morning’s anchorage, we saw a number of humpback whales close to the ship in the Gerlache Strait. After breakfast we opted to either kayak or explore Graham Passage by Zodiac. Lots of ice in the water made for a beautiful outing and the Zodiac cruisers saw humpbacks, an elephant seal, shags, gentoo penguins, and even an Adelie in the mix. Graham Passage is named after an old whale catcher boat that foundered off the coast of Joinville Island in 1924 in a storm of blinding snow with the loss of her ten crew. A lifeboat was subsequently found with a frozen corpse, the only body recovered. Another geographic place name that helps tell the story of the peninsula’s past. After lunch we were hoping to make a landing, but 30+ knots of wind did not allow that to happen, so we headed for Cierva Cove where we did a ship cruise. Beautiful evening light got us back on deck after dinner and we reveled in the beauty of Antarctica and our great fortune with the three cloudless days!
National Geographic Explorer started the day at Wilhelmina Bay where we were able to get out on the fast ice and stroll comfortably on a windless bay with bright blue skies and comfortable temperatures. In the afternoon we relocated to nearby Cuverville Island, home to a wealth of breeding gentoo penguins. During transit times throughout the day, we were treated to a whale bonanza of humpbacks, Arnoux’s beaked whales, and orca whales.
