Paulet and Danger Islands, 2/12/2022, National Geographic Endurance
Aboard the
National Geographic Endurance
Antarctica
Our final stop on the Antarctic Peninsula for this voyage and indeed this season, was at Paulet Island. As the Antarctic autumn progresses, we are seeing adult Adelie penguins heading out to sea, leaving their chicks to fend for themselves. Most of the chicks are gathering near the shoreline and moulting their down feathers, ready for a life at sea… assuming they can make it past the leopard seals.
For as long as he can remember, Conor has always been preoccupied with the natural world, from the whales to the fungi. For most of his life he has been an islander: growing up in Cobh, Ireland and settling down in Tobermory in the Hebrides, Scotland...
Ashley was raised in Central Oregon where she spent her childhood ski racing, riding horses, playing classical piano, and working summer jobs on a dude ranch. She then attended the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California in ...
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Today turned out to be stunning, from beginning to end. It began with a gorgeous sunrise – the huge sky was lit up with resplendent reds, oranges, and yellows, giving way to blues and indigos. The seas calmed as we made our way to Saunders Island. The first part of the morning was spent walking from Port Egmont to the main settlement. Port Egmont was the first British settlement in the Falkland Islands. The British were unaware of the French settlement at Port Louis on East Falkland, which was founded the year before in 1764. At the main settlement, we were treated to demonstrations of sheepshearing, a working sheepdog, and wool sorting. After wandering around for a bit, we headed to the landing area for lunch. This was a special affair – a lamb barbecue with copious salad choices and, of course, complemented with drinks. In the afternoon, we landed on a vast, stunning beach and walked to observe colonies of black-browed albatrosses, rockhopper penguins, and blue-eyed shags. It was a sensational afternoon. Today gave us a much clearer idea of what life is like in the "camp."
Our contemplatively calm crossing to the Falklands continued today with a procellariiformian procession of petrels, shearwaters, and albatrosses clocking in at daybreak to occupy our wandering eyes as we steam ever towards Stanley. Invigorating gym visits and lazy, tasty breakfasts led into educational sessions from photo instructor Jeff Litton and naturalist/historian/Falklander-in-residence Josh Peck about capturing the beauty and significance of the journey ahead – with outstanding bow-riding hourglass dolphins joining our wake. Paella and okonomiyaki powered us onward into an afternoon of preparation for the excitement beginning early tomorrow. Legendary guest speaker and “Falkland Penguiner” Mensun Bound whetted our appetites with stories of the search and salvage on the high seas for the Kaiser’s Scharnhorst before a special Argentinian asado dinner introduced by onboard Patagonian ambassadors Eduardo Shaw and Santiago Imberti. And most importantly, today is International Women’s Day, and no part of this expedition could succeed without the many women on board and onshore, who coordinate our efforts and execute our mission to explore and understand the planet’s wild places – areas where women were (within living memory of many on board) forbidden from sailing to. Assistant Expedition Leader Courtney Cox coordinated an evening program celebrating significant women and their contributions to our deeper understanding of this storied area, offering us all an opportunity to thank the women who have made our collective journeys possible. Now, onward to Stanley!
We’re nearly there! Upon awakening on the third and final sea day on our journey to South Georgia, we spotted signs that we are nearly there. Throughout the day, whales, albatrosses, shearwaters, petrels, fur seals, and even icebergs began to emerge on the horizon, with all signs and creatures indicating that we have nearly reached our destination, South Georgia. Tomorrow will at last bring us to our destination: unbound wilderness.