We awoke as National Geographic Endurance navigated towards the Auckland Islands accompanied by white-capped, southern royal, and wandering albatrosses. As we entered Port Ross, those on the bridge immediately spotted Sandy Bay and Enderby Island, the focus for the day’s ops. Immediately after breakfast, Zodiacs were launched, and we were soon cruising amongst endemic Auckland Island shags and yellow-eyed and southern rockhopper penguins. The sea lions of Sandy Bay played in the surf. Keen to check out the Zodiacs, the sea lions gave guests an appreciation of just how agile they are under the water. Our afternoon was spent on land, where we hiked amongst stunning flowering rata, past lots of sea lion pups, and up to the top of the island to enjoy the southern royal albatrosses. The birds put on quite a display for us.