Guests on board National Geographic Resolution awoke to a bright morning, with glorious sunshine glittering off the icebergs that surrounded us in the Weddell Sea. Near to the ship, juvenile emperor penguins warmed themselves and stared at the jagged cliffs of James Ross Island, indifferent to our presence.
Sailing north, past Nordenskjold’s hut on Snow Hill Island, we approached Cockburn Island. Named after the First Lord of the Admiralty when it was discovered by James Ross during his 1839-1843 expedition, the island appears as a giant cliff rising out of the sea. Taking to our Zodiacs, we headed out among the ice floes surrounding the island, spotting emperor and Adélie penguins and admiring the icebergs intricately carved by the sea and wind.
After a heartening BBQ lunch prepared by National Geographic Resolution’s outstanding crew, we maneuvered to a nearby patch of sea ice. At 14 meters thick, this patch was more than strong enough to support our guests, and we disembarked eager to explore these transient habitats. After we had our fill of the sea ice, we re-embarked the ship for dinner, but found Antarctica was not finished with us yet. Orcas popped up close to the ship, passively exploring the waters around James Ross Island, unperturbed as we glided by.
