Auckland Island , 11/26/2024, National Geographic Orion
Aboard the
National Geographic Orion
Antarctica
Today aboard National Geographic Orion we visited Auckland Island, a New Zealand subantarctic island 300 miles south of South Island, New Zealand. We cruised down the east coast and into Carnley Harbor. We had excellent views of light-mantled albatross and thousands of sooty shearwaters.
In the afternoon we took to the Zodiacs for close views of the endemic Auckland Island shag. What a great day!
Brett is a photographer, marine biologist, and educator from California. He is happiest underwater with camera in hand working to inspire marine conservation. He has worked and traveled extensively throughout the Americas, Asia, Oceania, and the Midd...
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National Geographic Orion sailed all night to arrive at the remote Snares Island Group. These islands are incredibly pristine, with no introduced pests, and subsequently, a number of endemic land birds and the endemic Snares crested penguin are thriving here. Guests birdwatched from the ship all morning as thousands of petrels and shearwaters passed and the occasional group of penguins popped up to the surface. Zodiac cruising along the shoreline this afternoon gave guests a closer look at New Zealand fur seals, New Zealand sea lions, and Snares penguin colonies while staff navigated the coastline. The Snares proved to be an incredible start to our expedition to the New Zealand Sub Antarctic Islands.
This morning, National Geographic Orion cruised into the fjords of Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest National Park, Piopiotahi Milford Sound. From the entrance of Piopiotahi all the way to the back of the sound in Harrison Cove, guests spotted the rare Fiordland crested penguins occasionally popping up to the surface along the edges of the cliff faces. The ship lowered Zodiacs at Stirling Falls (approximately 495 feet tall), and a few rounds of Zodiacs explored the sound from water level. The waters of Piopiotahi Milford Sound are rich with life, which became abundant as guests observed the acrobatics of New Zealand fur seals lunging through schools of fish at the surface. This afternoon, weather allowed the expedition team to arrange a stop in Thompson Sound to explore the coastline by Zodiac. In the evening, National Geographic Orion will make its way to Dusky Sound, a spectacularly remote stretch of Fiordland.
