The Drake Passage, 12/1/2022, National Geographic Endurance
Aboard the
National Geographic Endurance
Antarctica
Many tales are told of the Drake Passage, but they often pale in comparison to the dreams of those who cross it with hopes of viewing the ice vistas and penguin colonies that await in Antarctica. To venture south in such waters is to do so with courage and firm resolve.
Testing the design of the X-Bow of National Geographic Endurance, today’s winds howled more voraciously than the forecast presumed, and waves surrounded our vessel on its journey south. It is our luck that she is so well designed as she easily brought us into calmer seas in the afternoon.
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At Neko Harbor, we walked on the Antarctic Continent near nesting gentoo penguins and a stunningly beautiful glacier. The highlight of our afternoon was watching a pod of type B2 killer whales as they hunted a penguin. Just before dinner, we transited Lemaire Channel, which was made more challenging today by a large iceberg which partially blocked the path.
After 36 hours crossing the infamous Drake Passage, the sight of land this morning brought a wave of excitement and maybe relief for some. The South Shetland Islands appeared on the horizon, promising our first steps into the wonders of Antarctica. Our morning landing at Barrientos Island was unforgettable. Chinstrap and gentoo penguins surrounded us, their curious waddles and lively calls filling the crisp air. The adventure continued back on the ship with Photo Instructor Fiona who presented a dynamic smartphone photography workshop. In the afternoon, Eric Guth’s fascinating lecture on the life history of snowflakes made us marvel at the intricate beauty and importance of ice, while Maya Santangelo’s presentation, The Secret Life of Krill, underscored the delicate balance of this extraordinary ecosystem. In-between the presentations we all found ourselves captivated by the giant icebergs as we made our way through the Antarctic sound. The day culminated in a breathtaking evening Zodiac cruise as the sun began to set, followed by a short landing at Brown Bluff. As we stood on the Antarctic mainland for the first time, we were greeted by our third penguin species of the day the curious Adelie.
In the early morning hours, we heard the tell-tale sounds of the ship moving through ice as we made our way into Charlotte Bay. Our captain expertly navigated the ship and parked it in the fast ice! We had the glorious morning experience of being able to exit the ship using the gangway and walking onto solid frozen sea! Some chose to explore by foot, others with snowshoes, and the expert group went out cross country skiing on the fast ice. After lunch we sailed into Recess Cove, where we had the most glorious views and sunshine! We were able to get out in the Zodiacs for a cruise or kayak through the brash ice and photograph penguins to our delight. After our boating ops, nearly half the ship bravely (or foolishly) jumped into the frigid waters during our polar plunge! After dinner we had a wonderful encounter with a humpback whale in the fading evening light. A delightful day in Antarctica was had by all.
