Sometimes, even on vacation, it’s worth putting in a little extra effort to make the most of a day. Which is why most of us were up at 3:15 a.m. Gold Harbour, so named because of the light entering the bay, is a famously beautiful spot made even more stunning by getting there at the right light conditions. So, Shaun decided to really treat us to an early morning wake up so we could get dropped off at the beach to explore. Almost as soon as we landed on the beach we were “attacked” by swarms of weaners (elephant seal pups) who have now been abandoned by their mothers and are looking for anyone willing to feed them. After we cleared the area from the weaners, we were met by marching armies of king penguins, large adult elephant seals laying together belching, farting and sneezing while molting their old layer of skin and then the occasional fur seal just to keep us on our toes. As we got further along the beach we reached the outer edge of the vast king penguin colony – around 40,000 breeding pairs on this one beach. A truly spectacular landing, with wildlife, snow covered mountains, glaciers and calm weather.
3/12/2025
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National Geographic Endurance
At Sea towards Ushuaia
It was a day for reflection. Our journey was coming to an end as we left the Falklands behind and National Geographic Endurance steamed towards South America and Ushuaia. The seas were kind to us, and despite low winds, we had black-browed albatross, among other birds, around us. In the morning, we listened to the naturalists onboard as they presented on different subjects in the ice lounge. Land-ho! Mid-morning we had land in sight, South America was appearing on the horizon. Upon entering the Beagle Channel, we saw possibly a hundred sei whales. While the seabirds were waiting for the wind on the surface, the whales were feeding a short distance from the ship. As our vessel waited for the pilot to arrive, we could still see whale blows in the distance. We enjoyed a teatime extravaganza with Chef Sara and her team. Cheese and wine brought most of the ship’s inhabitants to deck 8, and while sipping wine we watched sea lions, dolphins, and stunning views of Tierra del Fuego go by until it was time for Captain Aaron’s farewell toast. As much as we are reflecting on our expedition today, it has also been a day of celebration! It has been an incredible journey of many miles, great people, and wonderful experiences. Thank you all!
