Paulet Island was formed by a volcano that erupted beneath an enormous sheet of ice. Now it is the site of the vast Adelie penguin colony that we visited this morning. Our lunch was delayed as we watched a large pod of killer whales near the ship. Our afternoon walks at Tay Head on Joinville Island featured a smaller Adelie penguin colony, Antarctic fur seals, and a glacier. After dinner, the ship cruised very close to huge tabular icebergs – the views were magical.
1/19/2025
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National Geographic Resolution
The Drake Passage
As we navigated north across the Drake Passage, conditions gradually improved and blue petrels and black-browed albatrosses graced our journey as visitors. John Pailthorpe delivered a captivating retelling of Shackleton's attempted crossing of the Antarctic continent, recounting the trials faced by those rugged men who cared little for comfort yet had a penchant for taking mortal risks. Following him, National Geographic Photographer Ralph Lee Hopkins shared some of the many future exploration options available to our guests through National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions. As we approached Tierra del Fuego, the seas calmed. Although the skies remained overcast, wildlife became increasingly abundant as we neared the entrance to the Beagle Channel. Captain Martin presented a fascinating overview of the construction of MV National Geographic Resolution and her impressive capabilities. As we entered the channel, we were greeted by hourglass and dusky dolphins while enjoying empanadas for teatime. Once we entered the Beagle, sailing was smooth all the way to Ushuaia.
