It’s Christmas Eve and it seemed that everyone on board the National Geographic Explorer must have been good this year because we received our Christmas present early, a pod of killer whales. This morning at 6:30 a.m. we were awakened to find our gift swimming back and forth around the ship’s bow. I think no one could have asked for a better present, and to top it off, a gentle snow whirled around us as we watched the large dolphins investigate us. We finished our time with the orcas, and then it was off to the dining hall for a hearty breakfast. We were barely past our last bites when the captain announced that we might want to once again venture onto the deck for the spectacle of tabular icebergs as we navigated through the waters known as Iceberg Alley. It was turning into quite the day. In the afternoon our first landing on the continent was at Brown Bluff, where a huge colony of Adélie penguins resides.
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.
