Right Whale Bay, South Georgia , 3/4/2020, National Geographic Orion
Aboard the
National Geographic Orion
Antarctica
We attempted a landing at Right Whale Bay today, but unfortunately, the weather had other plans for us. Intense gusts of wind from the land made launching a Zodiac impossible. However, it did make for wonderful photography, whipping up sea spray. We found less windy conditions further offshore where we spent some time watching blue whales, before heading west for the Falkland Islands some 770 nautical miles away.
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...
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Today is our first day crossing the Drake Passage after our Antarctic journey. We are fortunate to have relatively calm conditions as we cruise through the open seas once more. While we reflect on the wonders of the ice, marine wildlife, and scenery, we learn more about the place we grew to love through presentations from our naturalist team. There is something special about having a moment to pause and reflect. I find the outer decks, with the wind and sea spray, a refreshing place to soak in the moments. Like the seabirds that follow along our stern, we continue on our journey.
A luminous dawn waxed into another bright sunny day, our last full day in Antarctic waters. The wind in the Gerlache Strait had picked up a bit, so we found shelter in Orne Harbor. Here we followed a trail up the snowfield to a low area on the ridge which connects Spigot Peak to the mainland Antarctic Peninsula, thus we stood on terra firma, connected to the Antarctic Continent. No one was planning on it, but theoretically we could have walked all the way to the South Pole! In addition to the views, there is a chinstrap penguin colony on the ridgetop, so now we’ve seen the trifecta of three brushtail penguin species. Those who did not feel like climbing had a rewarding Zodiac cruise in the harbor, with seals, whales, cormorants, and penguins swimming around them. During the afternoon, National Geographic Explorer navigated through the Gerlache Strait and Dallmann Bay as the winds subsided and sun brightly shone, dramatic views and humpback whales in every direction. We capped off our incredible Antarctic experience with a BBQ on the back deck, leaving the landscape of the dark seas, blinding white ice and snow, and soaring mountains etched in our memories.
Today was one of those magical days in Antarctica, one that will stay with us forever. As the first light of dawn brushed the snow-capped peaks, we set foot on the continent itself at Neko Harbour. While the glacier gleamed under the golden morning sun, the crisp air carried a hushed stillness, broken only by the distant rumble of calving ice, a reminder of the ever-changing, untamed beauty of this frozen wilderness. In the afternoon, we ventured to Wilhelmina Bay, often called "Whale-mina Bay" for good reason. Framed by jagged, ice-draped mountains, this vast, icy expanse is a prime feeding ground for whales, drawn to its nutrient-rich waters. Humpback whales, dozens of them, welcomed us, their graceful movements mesmerizing. Aboard our Zodiacs, we drifted among these gentle giants, listening in awe as their deep, rhythmic breaths echoed across the bay. As the sun dipped lower, setting the clouds ablaze in fiery hues, the whales put on one final show, lifting their flukes, rolling in the golden light, and bidding us farewell in a way only Antarctica can. It was a perfect ending to an unforgettable day exploring the Great White Continent.
