Elsehul and Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, 12/5/2017, National Geographic Orion
Aboard the
National Geographic Orion
Antarctica
We have arrived. After several days at sea, the swathe of green-filled slopes makes for a striking change from the deep blue Southern Ocean. A curtain of clouds readies us for the big reveal. And what an opening act, the sheer amount of fauna biomass that thrives on these shores is a staggering showstopper but we’re not even to intermission yet.
One steady constant in Ian’s life has been the ocean. Born by the rocky shores of mid-coast Maine, his family repatriated to far north Queensland in Australia early on in his life where he became a dual-citizen and sparked his passion for exploring n...
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After a couple of windy days, we were pleasantly greeted with a calm morning at West Point. We went ashore to visit a cliffside nesting site where brown-browed albatross and rockhopper penguins nest in the same location. Albatross soared overhead, often within just a few feet of us as we watched. In the afternoon, we explored Eagle Point on Saunders Island by hiking the beautiful grassy landscapes to look at a few freshwater ponds and watch more penguins. It was a great day for hiking and bird watching!
A bit of wind wasn’t going to stop us from getting off the ship and onto Saunders Island for some exploration, birds, and incredible photography. Landing on a white sandy beach with a welcome party of penguins, we set off along the cliffs for a beautiful walk. The cliff was lined with nesting albatross, and we soon reached our final destination. Golden lichen-covered rocks surrounded a huge nesting colony of rockhopper penguins and imperial cormorants. So cool!
The day that ended up being so much more than a sea day… We had set off on our adventure and were all prepared for a day at sea full of things to do aboard the incredible National Geographic Endurance . After a wonderful breakfast, we were off to the ice lounge to meet the expedition staff. We learned of the careers and pathways that led this knowledgeable team from across the globe to the positions they hold in which they deeply connect us with the incredible locations we will visit on this voyage. We had presentations throughout the day including, “Life in the Falklands” from Naturalist Josh Peck and Expedition Leader Russ Evans, “Smartphone Photography” from Certified Photo Instructor Chris Cook, and “Seabirds of the South” from Naturalist Mike Greenfelder. We were given the exciting news from Expedition Leader Russ that there would be a change in our plan, we would be going ashore! This allowed us to visit a gentoo penguin colony in Grave Cove, Falkland Islands. It truly was an adventure as we used the Zodiacs to get to the beach and then explored the stunning area with our naturalists as guides.
