The day began with an early wakeup call for an incredible sighting of type B killer whales while the ship transited to our first stop at Tay Head on Joinville Island. The morning sent us ashore for a visit to an incredible Adelie penguin colony and a beautiful hike with views of the island. After lunch, a blue whale was spotted while transiting to Paulette Island before disappearing amongst the ice. Zodiac cruises allowed us to explore bergs floating in front of another Adelie penguin colony, and guests were treated to hot chocolate served by the hotel team via Zodiac. After dinner, a rarely seen emperor penguin chick was spotted on the ice as the ship transited further south into the Weddell Sea, bringing the penguin species observed during our trip to eight!
3/12/2025
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National Geographic Endurance
At Sea towards Ushuaia
It was a day for reflection. Our journey was coming to an end as we left the Falklands behind and National Geographic Endurance steamed towards South America and Ushuaia. The seas were kind to us, and despite low winds, we had black-browed albatross, among other birds, around us. In the morning, we listened to the naturalists onboard as they presented on different subjects in the ice lounge. Land-ho! Mid-morning we had land in sight, South America was appearing on the horizon. Upon entering the Beagle Channel, we saw possibly a hundred sei whales. While the seabirds were waiting for the wind on the surface, the whales were feeding a short distance from the ship. As our vessel waited for the pilot to arrive, we could still see whale blows in the distance. We enjoyed a teatime extravaganza with Chef Sara and her team. Cheese and wine brought most of the ship’s inhabitants to deck 8, and while sipping wine we watched sea lions, dolphins, and stunning views of Tierra del Fuego go by until it was time for Captain Aaron’s farewell toast. As much as we are reflecting on our expedition today, it has also been a day of celebration! It has been an incredible journey of many miles, great people, and wonderful experiences. Thank you all!
