Barrientos Island, South Shetlands, 11/22/2024, National Geographic Explorer
Aboard the
National Geographic Explorer
Antarctica
We made our first morning landing only after one day of crossing the Drake Passage! The usual fog and rain dispersed, and the sun came out to shine and highlight the wonders of Barrientos and the colonies of chinstrap and gentoo penguins. We were so lucky that even an Adelie penguin showed up!
The afternoon was also delightful as we admired the basalt of Edinburg Hill and enjoyed a wonderful presentation from our expedition team. It was our first day in Antarctica and we could not ask for a better start!
Maria Intxaustegi is an internationally awarded maritime archaeologist, naval historian, commercial diver, professional offshore sailor, and expedition guide from the Basque Country.
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Today was an exciting last day of expeditions for this voyage. The morning started with gloomy skies as we entered Whalers Bay on Deception Island. The weather fit the mood of this strange place that felt part Antarctica, part moonscape, and part lava fields. From 1906-1931, Whalers Bay was home to a shoreside whaling station. The large boiling tanks and even larger whale oil storage tanks were the backdrop to the deserted beach and towering caldera hillsides. We were fortunate to hike to the top of the caldera. Deception Island is the most active volcanic island in Antarctica. The last large eruption happened in 1979, covering many of the artifacts and buildings. We returned to the ship for a well-earned lunch and ship cruise to see Edinburgh Hill. This rock is a beautiful example of hard volcanic rock. The World Premiere of the Guest Slide Show at cocktail hour gave us an opportunity to reflect on the beauty of this special place. We are very fortunate to have this experience together. New memories, friendships, wildlife, ice, and the badge of crossing the Drake Passage will forever bond us.
Today was a beautiful and sunny day. We started our day at Mikkelsen Harbour and made our landing at a little island called D’Hainaut Island, where we found a gentoo penguin colony and remains from the whaling era. Those remains are largely in the form of whale bones scattered around the beach amongst the penguins. Somehow the weather only got better in the afternoon, which meant that we had to go kayaking in stunning Cierva Cove. Our guests chose between a Zodiac cruise and kayaking amongst the little bergy bits scattered all around the cove. There were definitely a few faces that were a bit sun-kissed after the outing. After kayaking, the infamous polar plunge took place. A few daring souls managed to make the leap into the frigid waters of the Antarctic and were rewarded with some delicious hot drinks. Last but not least, National Geographic Explorer sailed farther into Cierva Cove to get closer to the glacier face. It was one of the more stunning sceneries we’ve enjoyed.
It was one of the most incredible days on the Antarctic peninsula! Our morning started at Spert Island, a truly magical place to take a Zodiac cruise and a favorite spot of many as we cruised through narrow passages and under a granite tunnel (up to four times for some lucky individuals!). The scenery alone was stunning, but beyond the beautiful landscape, a curious humpback whale was seen along the coastline. It spent time swimming around and under a couple of Zodiacs, a mesmerizing experience for even the most traveled adventurer. Yet that was only the start, because killer whales were spotted before lunch, and seeing these cetaceans up close and personal is always a magical experience. Our afternoon was spent at Palaver Point. We hiked up a snowy hill for a stunning view and got our first glimpse of penguin chicks. As the day wound down, the Antarctic peninsula was not done showing off its splendor. The sun slowly dipped towards the edge of the horizon, and the sky illuminated into a fiery landscape.
