Today was the first day of 2018 and the first day of our true exploration of the beautiful Antarctic continent. The morning began after breakfast with a scenic hiking tour of the main island of the Yalour chain, on the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula. Crowds of Adelie penguins adorned the rocks as they squabbled with each other about territory, trespassing skuas, and some other perceived insults even the naturalists were not privy to (it’s doubtful the birds themselves even knew). The second part of touring Yalour was by small boat. Dodging amongst the icebergs and we were witness to a floating garden of ice sculptures. During lunch we repositioned just outside of Vernadsky base, a Ukrainian research base where we were given a private tour and tasting of some of their homemade spirits. An amazing first day in Antarctica, and 2018!
2/28/2025
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National Geographic Resolution
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.
