Our crossing from Ushuaia to the Falkland Islands has been a perfect day for observing marine wildlife. Gentle winds and seas made spotting birds and whales easy and we had an excellent lecture from naturalist Santiago Imberti on the seabirds of the region, which helped us to identify them and understand their amazing lives. In addition to several species of birds, we also encountered two whales, a rare southern right whale and a lone bull sperm whale. It has been a great start to our expedition and only a taste of the fantastic wildlife to come!
10/23/2024
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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.
