Christmas day in Antarctica was definitely not a disappointment. The morning started with a landing at Mikkelsen harbor to visit a small island teeming with nesting Gentoo penguins and an unlikely welcome visit of elephant seals relaxing in the middle of the colony! As well as the landing we were able to take advantage of a kayak around the bay enjoying flat calm seas and crystal clear waters allowing us to see the seabed several meters below. After this we departed for Cierva Cove. As had become tradition our initial plans were scrapped when we discovered a pod of type A Orcas, the top Antarctic predator and largest Orca species in the world! One particular orca was incredibly inquisitive and was seen for around 10 minutes swimming by and rolling under the bow of the ship. We were eventually back on track and arrived at Cierva Cove in time for a spectacular ships cruise to a large glacier and zodiac cruise to wildlife and icebergs.
2/28/2025
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Northbound Drake Passage, Cape Horn, and the Beagle Channel
This morning, we had a later start than usual after a late night enjoying the crew show. Our galley team gifted us with a fulfilling brunch. We then had a brilliant forum about climate change with the participation of our panel of experts onboard. Afterward, our expedition leader called us to the bow to see Cape Horn, which was only a few miles ahead. The good weather allowed us to have a smooth and fast crossing, allowing extra time to swing by Cape Horn, the most southern tip of the Americas. Over the PA system, Steven provided a very interesting description of the historical importance of this area, then Pablo read a beautiful poem, a memorial to the seaman lost at sea. We could see the monument in the distance, two metal sheets that depict an albatross in flight. During the afternoon, we enjoyed Madalena’s presentation about Women in Antarctica. This was an incredible voyage through the struggles and delays of allowing women to participate in science and logistics in Antarctica. We entered the Beagle Channel around 17:00 and we encountered black-browed albatrosses, cormorants, dolphins, and whales. On our final approach to the beautiful city of Ushuaia, we passed by Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse and some of the seals that live in the Bridges Islands Archipelago.
