National Geographic Explorer sailed north this morning into one of the most beautiful places on the peninsula, Antarctic Sound. Our destination was Brown Bluff for a continental landing among the Adélie penguins. On arrival, the expedition team had to navigate a build-up of brash ice and a falling tide that made for challenging conditions on shore. The weather conditions improved throughout the morning, with wind abating and the sun lighting up the ice along the shoreline.
In the afternoon, we set out on a first for the entire team. Captain Oliver navigated carefully into the sea ice at Devil Island, allowing us the rare opportunity to follow in the footsteps of early 1900s Swedish expeditions and traverse the sea ice to Cape Well-met. Low clouds made for a dramatic vista, with the sea ice stretching out to the horizon.
