Happy New Year! It is hard to believe that we all gathered in Buenos Aires just a couple days ago, intrepid travelers from around the world coming together for the upcoming Epic Antarctic expedition. After an early charter flight to Ushuaia, near the southern tip of South America, we spent the afternoon exploring the unique biome of Tierra del Fuego and the Beagle Channel before boarding National Geographic Endurance, our new home for the upcoming month of exploration. Last night, we departed the pier and sailed east, then south, toward the far southern reaches of the globe. Today we made good progress across the Drake Passage, crossing the significant geographic and natural transition zones it represents on our way to Antarctica. During the day, we had a number of informative presentations and time to familiarize ourselves with the vessel. Most importantly, we got to know our fellow explorers and shared stories, anticipating not only the New Year but also our arrival to a unique and fascinating region of the planet.
11/21/2024
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National Geographic Endurance
At Sea towards Ushuaia
After a memorable week exploring Antarctica, it was time to head back home towards Ushuaia. Our day in the Drake Passage was a pleasant one, with the seas staying relatively mild with the wind and swell from the northwest. We were treated to numerous presentations throughout the day from our excellent expedition staff. Eric kicked things off after breakfast with stories about ice before Justin shared his amazing experiences filming under frozen lakes on the Antarctic Continent. Following another wonderful lunch from the galley team, we enjoyed some birdlife outside and brief sightings of passing fin whales. Fi was next on the agenda, sharing some tips and tricks for sorting and editing our many photos from the trip. Teatime was a delight today with Swedish pancakes on the menu, and after a good feed, we enjoyed Josh’s talk on the Belgian Antarctic Expedition. Before we all retired to our cabins after dinner, there was one final lecture, with Captain Oliver sharing some tales about the construction of the ship and how it can navigate in these challenging, polar environments so comfortably and successfully.
