As we continued our pleasant voyage on the “Drake Lake” many of us reflected on the fantastic journey we had just experienced. A mere fleck of iron and steel in the vast blue sea, we made our way towards a continent of many more colors than the whimsical white wonderland far behind in our wake. Guests were encouraged to look through their photographs and put in final submissions for the guest slideshow. After sorting through all of the amazing pictures, we found ourselves wishing for just one more day with new friends and adventures alike on the white continent! Although very fashionable, guests seemed relieved to return their heavy rental snow boots and accessories before packing up their luggage. Presentations were a special treat today as two experts in their respective fields shared with us about their time in the Antarctic region. Dr. Peter Carey has such a fascinating breadth of knowledge and focused his talk on his research and recovering ecosystems, while our Captain gave an enthusiastic lesson on ice navigation in the Antarctic. It is always a pleasure to hear the passion saturated in the words of gentlemen speaking about the challenges and adversity within their profession, yet remaining zealous in their hard work.
Tonight at the Captain’s Farewell Cocktail Party we celebrated not only our Captain’s fantastic course-plotting throughout the trip, but the beautiful and even comical array of photographs from the guest slide show. The highlight of the day, though, was hearing a heart-warming, very thoughtful poem about the details entailing our voyage together onboard the National Geographic Orion. After cocktails and another delicious masterpiece by Chef Lothar and his galley team, the sights of the snow sprinkled mountains lining the Beagle Channel called guests back out on deck for some farewell photographs of a gorgeous vista. This will most certainly be a trip not soon forgotten, and we wish everyone a happy holiday season and safe travels home.
