We awoke to calm seas on the first morning of our expedition in the Southern Ocean in the Scotia Sea. This is our first sea day as we make our way to South Georgia, and we were treated to great views of many seabirds, including wandering, royal, and black-browed albatrosses, southern and northern giant petrels, sooty and great shearwaters, and rockhopper and Magellanic penguins, as well as several other species. A highlight of our day was sighting and viewing a southern right whale, spotted by Captain Oliver. This whale is distinguished by a V-shaped blow, callosities on its head, the lack of a dorsal fin, and a smooth back and fluke, all of which we were able to see easily. During the day, we had interesting presentations about seabirds, photography, and cetaceans. Our evening concluded with our Captain’s Welcome Cocktails.
10/23/2024
Read
National Geographic Endurance
At Sea and the Beagle Channel
The last day of an expedition is always a mix of feelings. There is the rush to pack and get last minute things done, combined with a cascade of emotions from all that has been experienced during a once in a lifetime journey. The sunrise was colorful, the seas calm, and seabirds dotted the skies around National Geographic Endurance. Throughout the day there were a number of presentations and during lunch we were able to enjoy the stunning mountains of Isla de los Estados off our port side. Teatime was a superb occasion! There was an impressive choice of cheeses, crackers, vegetable sticks, and jams all paired with a selection of wines. On our port side, a rainbow appeared over the gray seas. During dinner and throughout the evening, we sailed along the Beagle Channel and past the Bay of Good Success. It was from here that a 23-year-old man wrote in a letter home, “I have decided to dedicate myself to natural history and hope to make some small contribution to it.” His name was Charles Darwin.