We began our morning in Stromness, a whaling station that was operating when Ernest Shackleton, Frank Worsley, and Tom Crean made their epic journey across South Georgia in 1916. Many of us hiked to the Shackleton waterfall, traversing the final few kilometers of the crossing. This morning we also conducted a BioBlitz where guests captured images of plants and animals seen on their hike to submit to the popular nature website iNaturalist and help support citizen science initiatives. In the afternoon, we visited Prion Island, one of the only visitor sites where the wandering albatross can be found nesting.
10/23/2024
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National Geographic Endurance
At Sea and the Beagle Channel
The last day of an expedition is always a mix of feelings. There is the rush to pack and get last minute things done, combined with a cascade of emotions from all that has been experienced during a once in a lifetime journey. The sunrise was colorful, the seas calm, and seabirds dotted the skies around National Geographic Endurance. Throughout the day there were a number of presentations and during lunch we were able to enjoy the stunning mountains of Isla de los Estados off our port side. Teatime was a superb occasion! There was an impressive choice of cheeses, crackers, vegetable sticks, and jams all paired with a selection of wines. On our port side, a rainbow appeared over the gray seas. During dinner and throughout the evening, we sailed along the Beagle Channel and past the Bay of Good Success. It was from here that a 23-year-old man wrote in a letter home, “I have decided to dedicate myself to natural history and hope to make some small contribution to it.” His name was Charles Darwin.