As the sun rose behind the snow, National Geographic Endurance navigated south over the Balleny Seamount where the ocean rises from several thousand meters deep to just 60 meters. This depth change brings nutrients and productivity up to the surface which means the day was full of whales, with humpbacks, minkes, killer whales, and sperm whales all sighted.
When not enjoying our blubbery friends, the day was spent admiring the spectacular icy landscape of the Balleny Islands which had everyone out on deck. As conditions improved through the day, so did the plan, allowing for an after dinner landing on Sturge Island.
