Drake Passage, 11/10/2021, National Geographic Endurance
Aboard the
National Geographic Endurance
Antarctica
Today while crossing the Drake Passage on our way to Antarctica, we prepared for our first landing by cleaning and sterilizing all our boots and equipment that will be used onshore. As a member of IAATO and a conservation minded organization, Lindblad Expeditions takes biosecurity very seriously. This is to ensure we don’t introduce any new, potentially invasive species, that could take root in Antarctica.
Brett is a photographer, marine biologist, and educator from California. He is happiest underwater with camera in hand working to inspire marine conservation. He has worked and traveled extensively throughout the Americas, Asia, Oceania, and the Midd...
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Happy New Year! It is hard to believe that we all gathered in Buenos Aires just a couple days ago, intrepid travelers from around the world coming together for the upcoming Epic Antarctic expedition. After an early charter flight to Ushuaia, near the southern tip of South America, we spent the afternoon exploring the unique biome of Tierra del Fuego and the Beagle Channel before boarding National Geographic Endurance , our new home for the upcoming month of exploration. Last night, we departed the pier and sailed east, then south, toward the far southern reaches of the globe. Today we made good progress across the Drake Passage, crossing the significant geographic and natural transition zones it represents on our way to Antarctica. During the day, we had a number of informative presentations and time to familiarize ourselves with the vessel. Most importantly, we got to know our fellow explorers and shared stories, anticipating not only the New Year but also our arrival to a unique and fascinating region of the planet.
We made it! It’s so weird to be amongst green again. It feels like years since we’ve sighted a tree! We are currently sailing the Beagle Channel, bound for Ushuaia in a few short moments, too few in my humble opinion. This trip was exceptional. We were so lucky on our journey – we managed to explore places that no Lindblad ship has gone before. The guest slideshow that played at the Captain’s Farewell this evening was an emotional one. I cannot wrap my head around just how much we were able to see and experience on this journey! Today was a bittersweet day in many ways. We had reasonably calm conditions to pack our bags, and our day was peppered with several interesting talks, urging us to think to the future – to move forward as ambassadors for this incredible place and to think about how our actions and decisions affect climate change and the sea ice that these fascinating species we have eagerly observed depend on. The wildlife on our return journey was phenomenal. We had an escort of Cape petrels through most of the day, several species of albatrosses, and a great swath of South American birds as we returned to the continent. Several cetacean species were spotted as well, including sei whales and dusky dolphins. What a great trip! The Winner of our National Geographic Endurance Artistic Ice Contest: “Surfing Penguins” by Bill Boitnott. Photo by Jackie Weston
Our journey continues north towards South America with winds pushing us along and the accompaniment of numerous seabirds soaring alongside the ship. Our morning activities got underway with an insight into “The Powerful World of Plankton” from naturalist Emily Mall. Shortly after this, the underwater theme continued with a talk from expedition diver Rachel Martin, who shared with us the importance of krill in the Southern Ocean. This small species is a very important cog in the machine that keeps the food chain running here in Antarctica. At lunch, the photo team collected photos from guests to quick start the afternoon’s live photo review and critique. It was a teaser of some of the amazing images and moments that our guests managed to capture on what has been an action-packed day. After a very British afternoon tea of scones with jam and cream, Captain Aaron Wood shared a behind the scenes presentation about National Geographic Endurance . The final talk of the day came from National Geographic photographer Nick Cobbing, entitled, “Confessions of a Nat Geo Photographer, What a Professional Tells Their Therapist.” It was a comedic end to what has been a great day of travel. Tomorrow, we will set eyes on land again and reach the shelter of the Beagle Channel.