South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, 11/13/2024, National Geographic Resolution
Aboard the
National Geographic Resolution
Antarctica
It’s a foggy morning with fairly calm seas. Antarctica waits for us, shrouded, mysterious, and might I say magical! We enter English Strait, a narrow passage that bisects the South Shetland Islands. Shortly we can see land, Barrientos Island, our proposed landing site after breakfast. There are penguins here and so much more to come. This is just the beginning of the adventure.
Dennis has spent more than half of his life working with Lindblad Expeditions. He first studied biology in the Sonoran Desert. It was his work with the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum that brought him into contact with Sven Lindblad. Dennis was working ...
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The body of water between South America’s Cape Horn and the Antarctic Peninsula, the Drake Passage, is one of the most infamous stretches of water. We were fortunate to have a friendly passage today with only 35 knots of wind and less than 4-meter wave heights. The seas were spitting and spraying while the albatross and petrels relished in soaring along, unhindered. While we not only prepared ourselves for the journey ahead, but we also got the chance to meet our National Geographic-Lindblad naturalist team and our National Geographic Expert Kenneth Garrett who will be sailing this voyage with us. After a presentation about the seabirds we could expect to see on this voyage by Naturalist Bryan Holliday, we all went out on the outer decks to identify and photograph these magnificent species.
This was a true expedition day, as plans were adjusted due to changing conditions, but in the end, it was a miraculously amazing day full of wonderful events. In the morning, we found ourselves in a very dense concentration of both multi-year and glacial ice, and Captain Martin decided to revise the plan, and we set on the course to Paulet Island, one of the inactive volcanoes in this area where a colony of almost 400,000 Adelie penguins is known to reside. Guests were split in two groups and while the first group had a short hike to observe the penguin colony and very young chicks, the second group enjoyed a presentation onboard, and later they switched. After a delicious dinner, a group of orcas were spotted from the bridge, and for over an hour guests were able to watch the dramatic episodes of orcas hunting Adelie penguins. It was unforgettable experience on this Christmas Eve!
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?
