A new year and officially a new continent for many on board as we set foot today on Brown Bluff, regarded as a true continental landing. What an incredible day to welcome in 2017! A very slight breeze, beautiful blue skies (although photographer Steve Morello may not have approved) and perfectly calm seas made for both a very easy landing and a truly stunning Zodiac cruise around the coast, the ice shelf and the iceberg-filled bay. We saw many Adélie penguins leaping out of the water onto the ice floes, rarely landing gracefully. Then we would see a small group of Adélies, as if after having discussed their options, bolting to the edge of the ice and throwing themselves into the sea. As the water was also so clear we were very lucky to see the penguins swimming right under our Zodiacs at speeds a bird that flew would be proud of! Brown Bluff is home to thousands of breeding Adélie penguins and we could see the young chicks still in their nest being cared for by their parents. We also saw several gentoo penguins apparently preferring the company of Adélies to their own kind. Patrolling around the nesting sites were the usual penguin predators and scavengers, the snowy sheathbill and skuas, and sadly for the penguins they managed to steal a chick from its nest. For the afternoon our planned talk was postponed because of the beautiful scenery and weather and for orcas! One particular orca was rather curious about our ship and stuck by the bow to see what was going on. This excitement was then followed at 4p.m. by a BBQ on the back deck during which the guests continued to enjoy the scenery and lovely weather.
2/20/2024
Read
National Geographic Resolution
Cape Horn and Beagle Channel
The huge distances we have covered on this journey meant that our last full day was spent almost completely at sea on our return leg from Antarctica. After a merciful lie-in, we crowded the decks as we sailed past Cape Horn, the majestic headland at the bottom tip of Hornos Island, the southernmost point of Tierra del Fuego and the entire South American continent. Despite its fearsome reputation, pleasant seas allowed for an enjoyable brunch before we plunged into our presentation schedule for the morning and afternoon. Naturalist Gail Ashton related her experience of living on the Antarctica continent for 18 months, Jonny Reid discussed marine mammal acoustics and the underwater soundscapes of this region, and Jess Farrer explained how the study of whale and seal poop can tell us so much about these animals. As we entered the Beagle Channel, the stunning mountains of Tierra del Fuego lined our passage to Ushuaia. Gathering in the Ice Lounge for the captain’s farewell party, we toasted a hugely enjoyable trip and the new friends we have made.