Today aboard National Geographic Orion, we awoke to wonderfully soft light blanketing the spectacular mountain ranges of the southern Gerlache Strait. By breakfast time, we arrived at our intended destination, Entienne Bay.
A more incredible Antarctic setting can hardly be imagined. Towering mountain peaks, incredibly blue icebergs and glassy calm waters inspired everyone to make their way up on deck. Many were treated to a minke whale visiting our ship for several minutes.
The decision was made to take advantage of these rare weather conditions by offering kayaking excursions among the icebergs. Some guests opted for a photography tour by Zodiac. Great fun was had by all and thanks to our experienced crew all activities were executed seamlessly so that everyone could maximize their time out on the water.
After lunch we set sail northward to Danco Island. It felt good to get out and hike again after spending the past few activities out on the water. This time we were among the Gentoo penguins, still incubating eggs on their turreted rock nests. Many guests chose the longer hiking option to the top of the island. They were rewarded by panoramic views of the Peninsula Ice Sheet and the craggy mountains thrusting upward from the depths of the ocean. This was a unique opportunity to experience the area from a different perspective, and even our expedition vessel appeared quite small within such a vast mountainous expanse.
A relatively quick hike back to National Geographic Orion saw everyone back to the ship in time for happy hour, complete with a short photography presentation from our onboard National Geographic photography experts.
