Lemaire Channel, Antarctic Peninsula, 1/12/2019, National Geographic Explorer
Aboard the
National Geographic Explorer
Antarctica
I’m not sure it would be possible to pack more activities into an expedition day than we did today! In very pleasant, almost windless conditions under a mostly blue sky, we woke early for a ship cruise through the spectacular Lemaire Channel before breakfast followed by two shore landings with hikes, kayaking, and finally, a polar plunge. Phew, what a busy day for expedition staff and guests alike.
Andrew was born in Adelaide, South Australia and (mis)spent his youth surfing and kayaking in the ocean, as is the case for many Aussies! After graduating from medical school, he spent a year working as a surgical resident in Santa Barbara, Californi...
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Guests of National Geographic Resolution enjoyed an unforgettable day on the South Shetland Islands, taking full advantage of a “Drake Lake” crossing to Antarctica. The adventure began with a visit to Barrientos Island where we encountered two species of penguins, gentoo and lively chinstrap penguins, offering a charming first glimpse of Antarctica’s wildlife. As the ship relocated over lunch, excitement rippled through the air when orcas were spotted in the distance, an incredible sighting of these apex predators. Afterward, most guests ventured onto Half Moon Island where they marveled at the historic Camara Base, observed majestic elephant seals, and studied whale bones and hardy lichens. The highlight was a close encounter with even more chinstrap penguins. The day ended with the Antarctic snow swirling around us, adding a truly authentic touch to the experience. What adventures will tomorrow bring as the journey continues around the White Continent?
There’s nothing quite like a wake to the “Drake Lake.” Bright skies, calm seas, and refreshing winds welcomed us to our journey’s jolly jaunt into the fabled gateway to the Antarctic. As National Geographic Resolution’s surroundings streamed past in crisp, high-seas definition, we used our sea day to prepare for tomorrow’s first landings beyond the Antarctic Convergence: Zodiac briefings, decontamination parties, and presentations galore filled our memory banks as we enjoyed this gift of a crossing from the sea gods. Plentiful seabirds joined the procession. Great albatrosses followed closely astern as Antarctic prions and Cape petrels zoomed about in our slipstream, all phylogenetic and ecological neighbors to yesterday’s Magellanic penguins spotted in the Beagle Channel, just before two sei whales pushed back bedtime by a whale of a margin. “Blows, big blows up ahead!” came the call from the Bridge, when, in the midafternoon, we came upon a group of lazy fin whales, casually cruising by as the second largest organisms to have ever lived on Earth. With our souls full from this small appetizer of the richness of the world to the south, Captain Martin welcomed us all to the adventures ahead. Tomorrow, the South Shetlands—onward!
“I am the albatross that waits for you at the end of the world. I am the forgotten souls of dead mariners who passed Cape Horn from all the oceans of the earth. But they did not die in the furious waves. Today they sail on my wings toward eternity, in the last crack of Antarctic winds.“ -Sara Vial Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of Tierra del Fuego and marks the northern boundary of the Drake Passage. As we approached the infamous Cape Horn in the morning, the sun started to shine, and the fog lifted. We were gifted good views of the lighthouse and the albatross sculpture monument, which pays homage to the sailors who perished as they attempted to round Cape Horn. The monument is accompanied by the above poem by Sara Vial.
