Today aboard National Geographic Endurance, we cruised to our first destination of the day, Astrolabe Island, for a Zodiac cruise. The island is home to over 3,400 pairs of chinstrap penguins and hundreds of Antarctic shags. Everyone was excited to find that Adelie and gentoo penguins could also be spotted, along with Weddell and crabeater seals. An arched iceberg was seen in the distance, and Captain Aaron Wood maneuvered National Geographic Endurance so everyone could get a closer look at this stunning piece of ice. Fortunately, our exploration of Astrolabe Island was completed just in time, as the winds started to pick up, making for a spotty return to the ship. Unfortunately, the winds altered the afternoon plans, but thanks to the amazing initiative of Expedition Leader Andy Wolff, we were able to visit Whalers Bay. After walking around the historic whaling station, everyone made it back to the ship just in time for cocktail hour and recap, where our Global Explorers presented the undersea video they took using the remote operated vehicle (ROV). And last, but certainly not least, the ship celebrated three birthdays at dinner, including Naturalist/Photo Instructor Jim Pfitzer!
11/21/2024
Read
National Geographic Endurance
At Sea towards Ushuaia
After a memorable week exploring Antarctica, it was time to head back home towards Ushuaia. Our day in the Drake Passage was a pleasant one, with the seas staying relatively mild with the wind and swell from the northwest. We were treated to numerous presentations throughout the day from our excellent expedition staff. Eric kicked things off after breakfast with stories about ice before Justin shared his amazing experiences filming under frozen lakes on the Antarctic Continent. Following another wonderful lunch from the galley team, we enjoyed some birdlife outside and brief sightings of passing fin whales. Fi was next on the agenda, sharing some tips and tricks for sorting and editing our many photos from the trip. Teatime was a delight today with Swedish pancakes on the menu, and after a good feed, we enjoyed Josh’s talk on the Belgian Antarctic Expedition. Before we all retired to our cabins after dinner, there was one final lecture, with Captain Oliver sharing some tales about the construction of the ship and how it can navigate in these challenging, polar environments so comfortably and successfully.
