Choosing to journey to the most remote continent on our planet comes at a cost. In order to get there, one must cross the Drake Passage. The question of how conditions would be seemed to linger with trepidation in everyone’s mind since the zipper on their luggage was sealed for the final time before heading to the airport. With consistency, regardless of circumstance, the National Geographic Explorer always manages to make way to the White Continent, but we can happily report that the most notorious of crossings was very fair and kind today. In fact, it was so gracious that it provide ample opportunity to view the myriad of seabirds that chose to swoop and rise off the stern of our vessel. Grabbing hold of their cameras with hasty eagerness, our guests raised their lenses to the horizon, aiming at air riders as they passed.
The action was certainly intense. All manner of petrels swarmed about, including the blue, southern, Wilson’s storm, and pintado—which stood as a crowd favorite given the marked patterns upon its back. Not to be outdone, the albatrosses came to inspect the long lens and bright orange parkas commemorating the 100th anniversary of Ernest Shackleton’s legendary expedition. with grey headed, black browed, royal, and the expansive wings of the wandering albatross, guests were treated to intimate views of these endlessly soaring birds. Beyond the exquisite cuisine that is always a staple aboard the National Geographic fleet, our guests were treated to a lesson in how to better their photography, as well as an insightful presentation by our historian Andrew Atkin detailing the adventures and many pitfalls of Shackleton’s voyage.
Heading into the evening, the news came that the good weather was allowing our vessel to make great speed, meaning we would arrive to Antarctica sooner than expected. With such news comes a certain sort of electricity—the kind that accompanies the feeling that you are about to experience something unforgettable.
