Drake Passage and Beagle Channel, 1/17/2018, National Geographic Orion
Aboard the
National Geographic Orion
Antarctica
It was a bittersweet feeling aboard the National Geographic Orion as our trip came to an end. We were pleased to reach the protection of the Beagle channel after a moderately rough day at sea in Drakes Passage, but sad to face reality after such a spectacular trip. Even at sea we manage to keep very busy with presentations, fun conversation, wildlife viewing and of course spotting land again as we approach Ushuaia. What better way to end a 10 day voyage than with a slideshow of our trip, followed by a wonderful Captains farewell dinner.
Growing up at the base of the Cascade Mountains in the tiny Oregon town of Sisters meant that Ryder was surrounded by wilderness. A childhood of hiking, fishing, hunting for arrowheads, camping, and upland bird hunting resulted in the outdoors feelin...
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At Neko Harbor, we walked on the Antarctic Continent near nesting gentoo penguins and a stunningly beautiful glacier. The highlight of our afternoon was watching a pod of type B2 killer whales as they hunted a penguin. Just before dinner, we transited Lemaire Channel, which was made more challenging today by a large iceberg which partially blocked the path.
After 36 hours crossing the infamous Drake Passage, the sight of land this morning brought a wave of excitement and maybe relief for some. The South Shetland Islands appeared on the horizon, promising our first steps into the wonders of Antarctica. Our morning landing at Barrientos Island was unforgettable. Chinstrap and gentoo penguins surrounded us, their curious waddles and lively calls filling the crisp air. The adventure continued back on the ship with Photo Instructor Fiona who presented a dynamic smartphone photography workshop. In the afternoon, Eric Guth’s fascinating lecture on the life history of snowflakes made us marvel at the intricate beauty and importance of ice, while Maya Santangelo’s presentation, The Secret Life of Krill, underscored the delicate balance of this extraordinary ecosystem. In-between the presentations we all found ourselves captivated by the giant icebergs as we made our way through the Antarctic sound. The day culminated in a breathtaking evening Zodiac cruise as the sun began to set, followed by a short landing at Brown Bluff. As we stood on the Antarctic mainland for the first time, we were greeted by our third penguin species of the day the curious Adelie.
In the early morning hours, we heard the tell-tale sounds of the ship moving through ice as we made our way into Charlotte Bay. Our captain expertly navigated the ship and parked it in the fast ice! We had the glorious morning experience of being able to exit the ship using the gangway and walking onto solid frozen sea! Some chose to explore by foot, others with snowshoes, and the expert group went out cross country skiing on the fast ice. After lunch we sailed into Recess Cove, where we had the most glorious views and sunshine! We were able to get out in the Zodiacs for a cruise or kayak through the brash ice and photograph penguins to our delight. After our boating ops, nearly half the ship bravely (or foolishly) jumped into the frigid waters during our polar plunge! After dinner we had a wonderful encounter with a humpback whale in the fading evening light. A delightful day in Antarctica was had by all.
