Orne Harbor and Portal Point, 1/11/2025, National Geographic Explorer
Aboard the
National Geographic Explorer
Antarctica
Our day aboard National Geographic Explorer started out cruising towards Orne Harbor. Due to icy conditions, what was to be a landing turned into a beautiful Zodiac cruise to experience the nearby chinstrap penguin and Antarctic shag colonies. We could hear the rumbles and grumbles of the surrounding glaciers as we captured images of fragmented ice. We then headed to Portal Point to make our first continental landing in the afternoon. As some guests stepped out of the Zodiacs they squealed with delight as they had just completed their seventh continent.
Emily proudly grew up in the state of Michigan, doing whatever she could to experience and get to know our natural world. She carries a degree in zoology and public policy and worked in an agroecology lab throughout her time in school. Discovering th...
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The morning found National Geographic Resolution approaching Calmet Head on the east side of Marguerite Bay. We went for a Zodiac cruise and the team brought guests ashore for a short walk to enjoy the spectacular scenery, some resting Weddel seals, and to claim their 7th continent. As the ship repositioned, David Pogue, gave a presentation on how to deal with climate change, which was followed by Captain Martin Grazer taking our vessel through some heavy sea ice in order to go the farthest south that any National Geographic-Lindblad ship has ever previously reached. Winds along the way reached 50 knots at times, but the ship pressed on and finally got into the shelter of Mikkelson Bay where the winds were calm and the seas glassy. Here the guests embarked the Zodiacs once more and were treated to a cruise along a sea ice edge and around huge ice bergs in bright sunshine.
Today aboard National Geographic Resolution , it was a day filled with awe and adventure as the ship crossed the Antarctic Circle in the early hours of the morning. Guests woke to clear skies, snow-capped mountains, and colossal glaciers surrounding them in every direction. The first stop of the day was a morning landing at Detaille Island, where guests explored the historic British Antarctic Survey Base "W." This site, once a key research station during the 1950s, offered a fascinating insight into the history of Antarctic exploration. The afternoon brought more excitement with a kayaking excursion in the pristine waters of Skog Bay. Guests glided through the tranquil bay surrounded by towering icebergs and breathtaking scenery while keeping a lookout for wildlife. For the more adventurous, the Polar Plunge offered a true taste of Antarctica, with guests bravely taking the plunge into the frigid waters. The day ended with a recap of the day's experiences, followed by a delicious dinner, all while enjoying stunning views as the ship made its way further south. With the promise of more exploration and adventure to come, everyone aboard eagerly anticipates what tomorrow’s journey will bring in this remote and pristine part of the world.
National Geographic Resolution sailed south across the Drake Passage overnight. Seas were calm, but morning found us shrouded in fog as we made our way towards our first destination of the trip. As we grew nearer to Booth Island and Port Charcot, the fog began to lift and visibility improved. Things were looking promising by lunch time. Icebergs began appearing out of the mist and soon the Antarctic Peninsula came into view. As we steamed toward the French Passage, we began seeing humpback whales, first as blows a mile or more from the ship, but soon much closer. We spent the afternoon hiking among chinstrap and gentoo penguins, but the ice was the real star of today’s show. Towering icebergs in a dizzying array of shapes glowed in the sun as we watched whales surfacing and diving and occasionally breaching among them. There is something simply awe-inspiring about an animal that is more than 50 feet long throwing itself almost completely out of the water before crashing down to make an enormous splash. Why do they do it? Because they can. This is a storied part of the Antarctic Peninsula, with names like Gerlache and Shackleton and Charcot dotting the map. But today, nature stole the show as she so often does. The day simply could not have been more perfect.
