We enjoyed a late-morning wakeup call today, allowing us a bit more sleep after a mildly bumpy Drake evening. An extravagant brunch was served, including waffles, mimosas and Bloody Marys! We spent the day enjoying the amenities this beautiful ship has to offer—something we have not had much time to do yet with our busy expedition schedule. We enjoyed the hot tub, sauna and spa. We shared photos and travel stories with our new friends. Our undersea specialist showed us dive footage taken throughout the trip, and Captain Martin himself taught us all about the beautiful new National Geographic Resolution. The true highlight of the day was watching the crew show! The crew shared their skills, showcasing magic, dancing and singing abilities. We all rocked out to the band! Beautiful views of Ushuaia helped ease the pain of the end of our trip. Farewell, and see you next time, National Geographic Resolution.
1/27/2023
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National Geographic Explorer
The Drake Passage
Today was quite busy with many interesting presentations. In the morning, geologist Serguei Ponomarenko spoke about the geological history of Antarctica. Before glaciation wiped out thousands of species of the animals and plants that used to be here, Antarctica was once connected to Australia, and much earlier, it was connected to Africa, Madagascar, India, and South America. Later, Gerard Baker spoke about conservation efforts in the Southern Ocean. After lunch, National Geographic photographer Michaela Skovranova instructed guests on live editing of photographs, an essential skill after a memorable trip. The last activity before dinner was an Antarctica quiz. In the late afternoon, National Geographic Explorer entered the Beagle Channel. Almost immediately, the wind subsided, and the sky cleared. Guests enjoyed the spectacular scenery on the Chilean and Argentinian sides of the channel. After dinner, the ship docked in Ushuaia, and guests had an opportunity to spend a few late evening hours in this most southern town in the world.
