We passed through the Lemaire Channel twice today. The first time was early in the morning when guests were just waking up, and then again during cocktail hour and recap, when we took a break to observe the beautiful scenery. Port Charcot is on the other side of the channel. We had a chance to visit Booth Island, which separates two iceberg-packed coves. Several colonies of gentoo penguins live on the island. Some guests opted for Zodiac cruises amongst the immense and prolific icebergs in the bay. We spent the afternoon a short distance away at Petermann Island, where we visited more colonies of gentoos mixed in with a few chinstrap and Adelie penguins as well.
1/24/2023
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National Geographic Resolution
Penola Strait and Prospect Point
The passengers and crew of National Geographic Resolution started their day surrounded by stunning scenery just south of the Lemaire Channel. We were very close to the Ukraine Research Station, Vernadsky. As we sailed on steadily, passengers were treated to a lecture about snow algae and its effect on the snow and ice of Antarctica by Alia Kahn, our visiting scientist. A short while later, Jim Coyer offered some very interesting insights into krill, which is literally the foundation of the Antarctic life cycle. After lunch, we arrived at Prospect Point at the southern end of the Penola Strait. Zodiacs were lowered, and guests were treated to a wonderfully serene, peaceful cruise amongst ice floes and huge icebergs of various shapes. The sheer majesty of the scenery of the Antarctic Peninsula rarely fails to move us and engage all our senses. Back on board, undersea specialist and naturalist Tanish Peelgrane provided guests with the opportunity to show off their artistic talents with watercolors. This yielded many wonderful interpretations of the afternoon’s experiences. As one more exceptional day draws to an end, we look forward to seeing what delights tomorrow brings.
