Braving the crossing from the Falkland Islands, the National Geographic Explorer came to the Willis Islands in the morning to witness a myriad of seabirds dipping and diving into the water to feed, including prions and grey-headed albatross. The Southern Ocean was showing its might, casting a northerly wind across the entirety of the north shore of South Georgia. Thus, much as Shackleton and his men did, we entered King Haakon Bay and came to land exactly at the site where the members of the Endurance expedition found terra firma, after their long, and impossible journey over from Elephant Island.
3/13/2024
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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.