We began our morning in Stromness, a whaling station that was operating when Ernest Shackleton, Frank Worsley, and Tom Crean made their epic journey across South Georgia in 1916. Many of us hiked to the Shackleton waterfall, traversing the final few kilometers of the crossing. This morning we also conducted a BioBlitz where guests captured images of plants and animals seen on their hike to submit to the popular nature website iNaturalist and help support citizen science initiatives. In the afternoon, we visited Prion Island, one of the only visitor sites where the wandering albatross can be found nesting.
3/13/2024
Read
National Geographic Endurance
At Sea Towards the Beagle Channel and Ushuaia
A gently swaying National Geographic Endurance greeted the day. The wind and waves that our guests had become accustomed to during this voyage were nowhere in sight. Instead, a light breeze and calm seas lifted our spirits as we prepared for our final day on the ship. Sei whales, albatross, and dolphins welcomed us into the Beagle Channel before long. In between packing and reclaiming our passports, several presentations were given with a wide range of topics. First up, our undersea team shared footage from several dives in the Falklands, including a notable visit from some rather playful southern sea lions. Secondly, our National Geographic photographer spoke about photography and how it can be used to inspire conversation about wild places. Wrapping up our presentations for the day was our guest speaker, Mensun Bound, who provided a loose Q&A session on Shackleton. Captain Oliver and Expedition Leader Russ shared a few words about our epic voyage and sent us off to dinner. A day full of education and sightseeing – a great way to say farewell to our incredible guests.