A day in the life of National Geographic Endurance:
The sea conditions, as predicted, were so different from yesterday – calmer waters and a significant drop in the winds. Those who got up early were rewarded with a good number of seabirds, which were following aft of the ship or were sighted as they flew past.
A very important aspect to life on a ship is mealtimes. Nobody should ever mess with these times unless they want to be witness to many hangry people.
Breakfast was promptly served at 08.00 hours, Russ time.
Ship time and position at breakfast: 10.02 UTC, Lat. 52° 37.4581’ S, Lon. 050° 35.5777’ W. Air temperature: 5.5°C, water temperature: 5.7°C. Course: 280.0°. Sea state: mixed seas, swells coming from the NW and SW, wave height about 1.5m. Overcast skies, grey clouds, small patches of thinner cloud cover.
During the morning we heard two presentations. First, Conor spoke to us about whaling, its importance, and its consequences. This was followed by a short coffee break and our Captain’s talk on the ship, from shipyard to a fully operational expedition ship.
Lunchtime was promptly served at 12.00 hours, still Russ time.
Ship time and position at lunch: 14.17 UTC, Lat. 52° 28.1768’ S, Lon. 052° 04.1447’ W. Air temperature: 6.0°C, water temperature: 5.7°C. Course: 280.0°.
Sea state: very calm conditions, slow moving large swells with long intervals coming from the SW, wave height between 1.5 and 2.0m. Clearing skies and a lot of blue sky.
The afternoon was an opportunity to get some shuteye, process images, read a book or simply enjoy the many seabirds around the ship, including two wandering albatrosses that accompanied us. At times they would drop back a few miles and then would effortlessly, and without a single wingbeat, would be alongside the ship. What a sight to behold!
After the all-important teatime, there was another presentation, this time given to us by Tiphanie, “An Introduction to the Falkland Islands.”
A short while afterwards it was time for cocktails and recap and briefing.
Dinner was served at 19.00 hours, still Russ time.
Ship time and position at dinner: 21.27 UTC, Lat. 52° 13.6055’ S, Lon. 054° 23.6254’ W. Air temperature: 7.4°C, water temperature: 6.4°C. Course: 279.7°.
Sea state: calmish conditions, swells coming from the SW, wave height 1.5m. Overcast skies. Wind picked up, giving the sea a more rippled appearance.
We fell into our beds exhausted and slept soundly. Our last thoughts concerned a relatively early morning landing at Pleasant Roads.
