On our second day heading south, the wind and waves have calmed down to a gentle, rocking rhythm. We spent our morning learning from two of our naturalists. Jackie Weston gave an intro to penguins in Antarctica. She shared insights about the types of penguins we can expect to see during our trip. Afterwards, John Pailthorpe shared with us about the difficulties faced by past explorers when traveling to Antarctica. This reminded us how lucky we are to be traveling on National Geographic Resolution.

The afternoon was spent birdwatching in the sunshine, learning about IAATO protocols, and preparing for our first landing tomorrow. Before turning in, we celebrated on the top deck and the Bridge as we crossed the Antarctic Circle to go where few have gone before. As the passengers and staff clinked champagne glasses in celebration, excitement for the days to come filled the ship. Everyone was ready to start exploring the seventh continent.