National Geographic Orion made great progress sailing north during the night but for some of us the seas were too big, making for an uncomfortable sleep. If this was the pay off to a wonderful blue-sky Antarctic voyage, we are happily accepting the fee.
Dozens of white-chinned petrels followed our wake throughout the day. The white patch beneath the chin is barely noticeable when on flight; these gliding experts seem to move away from the reach of our cameras just on time for shooting the perfect profile photo. “Practice and more practice makes perfection” say our photo instructors, but even they sometimes have pictures of just water and no birds.
It was of some relief to see land in the distance. We were approaching civilization and reaching shelter from the forces that dominate the Drake Passage. We have learned to respect this dynamic body of water that separated us from Antarctica, this old friend and foe that will be part of the stories we tell back home.
Sooner than expected, the contour of the islands that make Tierra del Fuego the Land of Fire were around us. It is extraordinary to learn that the natives of this land, the Yahgan group, lived in this cold and harsh environment without clothes, traveling in bark canoes in search of food. Their adaptation to the environment and the use of the scant resources available was remarkable but sadly, their demise happened rapidly once white men inhabited their territory. Our appreciation for the way of living of the Yahgan grows while we stand out on deck, feeling the chilled wind in our faces.
The keen photographers of this voyage are busy selecting five shots to contribute to the guest slide show. It is hard to choose only five photos, there are so many good memories and so many great shots to share. Would the photos be of the wildlife we have seen? Maybe there be some of the hikes, the kayaking, the walking on fast ice and the cross country skiing? Whatever they are, these shots will reflect the fantastic times we had in the last ten day, the spirit of adventure that our captain has fueled throughout this voyage and the camaraderie that grew strong among the guests.
Now, it is time for packing and saying our goodbyes. The lights of Ushuaia can be seeing in the horizon, inviting us for a night out at the southernmost city in the world, our last little adventure before departing the ship. Tomorrow, we will start our travels back home knowing that a piece of our hearts will always remain in the Deep South. Antarctica, we salute you and we hope to see you again soon.
