There may not be a more unique and wonderful way to spend Christmas morning than in a small rubber boat, moving through fresh Antarctic glacial ice surrounded by snow covered peaks—and that is exactly what we did. The National Geographic Orion sailed into Hidden Bay at 6:00 a.m., and before bleary eyed guests began to assemble at the aft decks, most of the expedition team were already in the Zodiacs, too excited to wait until the announced start at 6:30.
The clear blue skies and calm winds were a Christmas gift given to expedition leader Shaun Powell from the deities of Antarctica, since he had decided to bring the ship to Hidden Bay where there is no other option but to cruise around in Zodiacs. Had it been windy or cloudy, the morning would have been a bust. Instead, guests were left speechless as we toured around in mirror flat waters under an impossibly blue sky.
Following breakfast, the Captain took the ship north through the dramatic Neumeyer Channel and out to the Gerlaché Strait, where one of our planet’s most amazing vistas opened before us. Behind us was Andvers Island, with the towering Mt Francais, and across the strait, the ice covered peaks of the Forbidden Plateau. Between the icebergs, a few humpback whales swam by to show off their mighty flukes as our camera shutters blazed.
After a brief stop at George’s Point for a last visit with some penguins, it was time to depart the peninsula for good. A few miles out at sea, we passed a giant iceberg with an arch cut through that our captain claimed was large enough to sail the ship though, if we dared. It was a poignant moment as that bridge of ice reminded us that perhaps we had spanned the distance between our dreams and reality, and for a week, we lived in the wildest place on earth.
