Grytviken and St. Andrews Bay, 11/8/2023, National Geographic Endurance
Aboard the
National Geographic Endurance
Antarctica
The ship awoke as we navigated along the north coast of South Georgia towards Grytviken. As the fog lifted, it unveiled 10-15 humpbacks feeding close to shore. Once at our anchorage, we were treated to a briefing by members of the South Georgia Heritage Trust before we were let loose to explore the historic whaling station.
After repositioning further south beyond some huge icebergs, we spent the afternoon Zodiac cruising to observe the largest king penguin and elephant seal colony in St. Andrews Bay.
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Every beginning has an end. Under a spectacular sunset, the Drake Passage blessed us with calm seas and radiant sun in the afternoon while in the distance we began to see the mountains and the Beagle Channel entrance. Teatime was one of the best while National Geographic Explorer sailed through the Beagle Channel. As some of us packed our luggage, others spent the last day chatting together animatedly, sharing moments and photographs of a trip that will forever be etched in our memories. We will all take with us much more than photographs and unforgettable memories. Captain Peik bid us farewell as we enjoyed our last drinks together. We hope to see all of you soon.
We woke this morning on National Geographic Explorer to the gentle rocking of the ship as we made our way through the Drake Passage. This body of water below South America has incredibly variable weather and is home to beautiful whales and elegant seabirds. Our team of expert naturalists provided a series of captivating presentations, enriching our understanding of the Southern Ocean's unique ecosystems, wildlife, and history. Our National Geographic experts taught us how to streamline our photo processing workflow. We also learned about marine archaeology in cold waters, the historic race to the South Pole, and the challenging art of navigation in remote regions. During teatime, the bistro bar was abuzz with conversation as people exchanged insights and anecdotes, reflecting on our wonderful journey together. As evening came, we gathered for a recap of the day's highlights in the lounge. The expedition team also shared the upcoming schedule, ensuring that everyone is well prepared for the exciting adventures that await us as we approach Ushuaia.
An early wakeup call from the expedition leader was appreciated by the guests who bundled up and headed outside for our transit through the Lemaire Channel. The narrow channel, towered over by snow-capped mountains, is one of the most picturesque places in Antarctica. After safely navigating our way through, thanks to the bridge team, we enjoyed breakfast as we arrived at Petermann Island. Guests had the opportunity to land and visit the gentoo and Adelie penguin colonies; we also had a Zodiac cruise around the island where impressive ice sculptures were grounded. On the Zodiac cruise, we saw numerous Weddell seals hauled out — but the stars of the show were the porpoising gentoo penguins, leaping out of the water as they travelled speedily back to land. Our journey then took us northbound, back through the Lemaire Channel, while conditions continued to improve with blue skies and calm seas. It made a perfect farewell to our time in Antarctica. Now we steam north into Drake’s Passage with our hearts full of memories and a mountain of images to sort through and share with friends and family.
