It was indeed a Happy Halloween as we made it to South Georgia! Our first excursion saw us at Hercules Bay, a scenic cove with wildlife populating the beaches, air, and water, while a multi-drop waterfall set the scenic tone. After lunch, and a brief encounter with killer whales, we cruised based Leith Harbor, the largest of the former whaling stations on South Georgia. Before long we made our way in at Grytviken to clear into the UK overseas territory. The officials came on board and after their inspection we headed ashore to visit the abandon station that now acts as an open-air historical site. For the evening’s festivities, a very fun and spooky Halloween cocktail party was held, and two special guests were married by Captain Aaron Wood on the back deck at a specially created altar for the occasion. After the vows, the attending company burst into howls, instead of applause. A glorious day.
11/9/2022
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National Geographic Endurance
At Sea Towards Ushuaia
After nearly 4,000 nautical miles together–from sunny days on Argentinian estancias to snow showers in South Georgia to the white sand beaches of the Falklands–our three-week expedition comes to a close. Well-worn muck boots and trekking poles were cleaned for a final time and returned today, and carefully selected photos of favorite moments and new friends were submitted to the voyage slideshow. Once home, orange polar parkas will emerge from our luggage, carrying the scents and salt of the Southern Ocean. National Geographic photographer Todd Gipstein shared his approach to curating travel stories, and the natural history team provided a few last short presentations. We knew Ushuaia was just around the corner when the pilot boat came alongside National Geographic Endurance in the late afternoon, though sailing down the Beagle Channel reminded us that there are endless new and stunning locations to be visited if we take the time. During Captain Aaron Wood’s Farewell Cocktail Party, he introduced members of the ship’s crew so we could express our appreciation for their continuous hard work and cheerful energy. We reminisced about the voyage and planned future travels during our traditional Argentinian Asado feast, a fitting close to our journey along coastal South America and across the Southwest Atlantic.
