After gale force winds prohibited us from completing our morning operations, we found ourselves at Grytviken an iconic and historically rich site that is a must-see for any traveller. Here we landed near the remains of the station and museum before continuing on to explore the surround area.
Later in the afternoon, with a wet and gloomy backdrop, we all meet at a small cemetery just outside of town – the final resting place of Sir Ernest Shackleton.
Born on Australia’s northern beaches and raised on the coast of tropical Queensland, Beau developed his love for the ocean and all things water at an early age. Forever planning a career revolving around water, he became a PADI Divemaster before grad...
Growing up in the Appalachian foothills of the Garden State, Rob instinctively knew it made a lot more sense to head over the hill into the fields, forests, lakes, and streams behind his house, rather than down the road to the shopping mall in front ...
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Today was a beautiful, exciting start to a spectacular expedition. Though we felt the waves gently rocking the ship throughout the night, we woke up to bright, sunny skies casting rainbows of light through the spray of the ocean. Throughout the day, we had several presentations in the Ice Lounge, including an excellent talk describing unique behaviors and identification techniques for the seabirds of the region from Naturalist Doug Gualtieri. We also had a chance to work with Certified Photo Instructor Sean Neilson to learn how to use our smart phone cameras in creative ways in the field over the next few weeks to produce interesting and thoughtful images.
Our second day at sea after leaving the landscape of Antarctica, we awoke to a gentle rolling ocean and sunshine. The waves were bedazzled with blue petrels, sooty shearwaters, black-browed and wandering albatross. Midmorning, National Geographic Explorer was granted permission to enter the three-mile radius of Cape Horn. We headed to the bow, the bridge, and the monkey deck to experience the wind and take in the views. Ezra spoke of the history of the landscape and sailing this notorious rough ocean, whilst other staff members recited the “Poem of the Albatross”, in both English and Spanish. By late afternoon, we entered the Beagle Channel and calmer waters while reflecting on this amazing voyage, the memories made, and packing for our future travels home. At the evening meeting, we enjoyed the slide show of the last 21 days of adventure and with a farewell speech from our captain, we did not say “goodbye,” rather a “see you next time.”
Our journey home across the Drake Passage was bestowed with calm seas and loads of seabirds as we threaded our way between two weather systems. Early this morning, staff member Steve and a guest were both delighted to have their first ever sighting of an Antarctic petrel! Engaging presentations today included “Understanding Sustainable Seafood”, “Killer Whale Culture”, “Nordenskjold’s Expedition”, and “A Tribute to Sir Edmund Hillary”. Then during teatime, we feasted on crepes and jam! At evening recap, we had a fun interjection by a group of guests who wrote a custom Antarctic voyage song to the tune of Jingle Bells. The staff provided the usual blend of informative tidbits, humor, and insights.
