And so begins our last day aboard National Geographic Endurance… but certainly not the least! Our wake-up call this morning included a special note about the wonderful array of albatrosses soaring around us as we made our way back toward the tip of South America. The day was filled with a variety of presentations by the naturalist team, from conservation-focused education to stories from the field of photography and documentary filmmaking. In between talks, we enjoyed a few exciting breaks as we passed by the legendary Cape Horn and were treated to even more legendary Swedish pancakes! To round out a fantastic day concluding an incredible trip, we gathered for the Captain’s Farewell Cocktail Party and the slideshow of our photos from the trip… but it didn’t end there! We couldn’t possibly be sent home without an epic asado dinner and a show by the amazing Endurance crew band, the Shackletunes!!! As declared by our fearless expedition leader, Jamie Coleman: Antarctica completed.
12/1/2024
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National Geographic Endurance
Drake Passage
This morning began at a leisurely pace as we made our way north toward Ushuaia. Despite its fearsome reputation, the Drake gave us little trouble under light winds and steel gray skies. These sea days provide premier opportunities to study pelagic birds, and the entire day there was a diverse attendance of petrels, prions, and albatrosses following our wake at close range. Of particular interest was a group of three Antarctic petrels that stayed with us for the entire morning. Inside the ship we had a wonderful series of talks about the ocean we sailed upon and the continent we were leaving behind. Plankton, ice, the history of whaling, and the long, strange prehistory of Antarctica all featured prominently. The wildlife show continued when a large group of fin whales were spotted in the distance. With some expert maneuvering from the bridge team, we all enjoyed great views of these enormous “greyhounds of the sea.” In the afternoon we had the chance to meet with our captain and some of the engineering team to learn about the inner workings of National Geographic Endurance . As always, the day ended with a lovely meal and some spectacular desserts.
