The Drake Passage, 12/11/2021, National Geographic Explorer
Aboard the
National Geographic Explorer
Antarctica
At last, it has begun, our Antarctic adventure. The seas were calm, unusually so. The ever feared and revered Drake Passage did not roar us awake but instead let swells gently guide us towards the Antarctic Peninsula. With ease and deft navigation, we made remarkable time and began our voyage to a land few ever see.
Kayvon Malek is an underwater videographer whose work as an expedition guide and in the wildlife documentary industry have taken him pole to pole. After taking a scuba course on a whim in college, Kayvon’s newfound obsession led him to working as a r...
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After just one day at sea, we reached the South Shetland Islands, a classic jumping off point for an Antarctic expedition. We visited Barrientos Island in the morning and had high winds, but the fog soon cleared and revealed the peaks and glaciers all around us. You could feel the anticipation on board as guests donned their gear and lifejackets for our first landing…and first penguin experience. We repositioned to Half Moon Island for the afternoon, and fifty of our guests opted for a long hike up the bluffs and around the Argentine Camara Station. Others observed the penguins and seals closer to our landing site. By evening we visited Edinburgh Hill by ship, enjoying a beautiful world class example of columnar basalt. It was a great first day of our adventure.
It’s a foggy start to the day here in the Drake Passage as we make our way south towards the white continent of Antarctica. Today we will be crossing the polar front where water temperatures will plummet, and we can officially say we have entered Antarctic waters. This morning, we got to meet our eclectic expedition team that will be guiding us through the coming days, with the perfect mix of personalities and expertise. Also, this morning we had our first presentation by Naturalist Jackie Weston in the Ice Lounge entitled, “Brain Candy for Bird-Curious Humans”, where we learned more about the seabirds of the Southern Ocean. This afternoon we had our mandatory Antarctic landings briefing followed by a biosecurity decontamination in basecamp, where we cleaned and prepared all our outer gear and bags for the expedition ahead. Late afternoon, National Geographic Certified Photographer Andrew Peacock was joined by guests in the Ice Lounge to present some tips and tricks for using our smartphones for expedition photography. And to finish of this Drake Lake of a sea day, we were treated to a welcome by our very own Captain Martin Graser during cocktail hour and toasted to the trip ahead.
As bleary eyes emerged into 2025, we were greeted by the stunning sights of Cape Horn, its peaks shrouded in low-hanging clouds but still visible as we cruised by, morning coffee in hand. Black-headed albatrosses, sooty shearwaters, and other Subantarctic species greeted us back to land, their graceful flight adding to the magic of the moment. The morning was filled with talks of disembarkation and a heartfelt history lesson from our National Geographic photographer about the people of the Americas. The atmosphere on board was festive as everyone shared the buzz of the new year. Nature seemed to join in the celebration, as Peale’s dolphins, penguins, and even killer whales made an appearance, bow-riding alongside the ship, their playful antics lifting spirits even higher. Our final evening was spent enjoying a guest slide show, toasting with the captain, and reflecting on the adventure with new friends. Chef had prepared a traditional Argentinian asado, grilling juicy cuts of meat on the back deck, and the delicious aroma filled the air—a classic tradition for Argentinians. As the day drew to a close, Ushuaia came into view around 8 p.m., an early arrival time thanks to the calm, tranquil waters of the Drake Passage we had been fortunate to experience.
