We spent our morning traversing Orleans Strait along the Trinity Peninsula. We looked for wildlife and appreciated stunning views of icebergs and glacier-capped mountains. We sailed south until we arrived at Cierva Cove, a beautiful bay full of ice and wildlife. The clouds broke around lunch, revealing a brilliantly sunny afternoon. We explored the outer reaches of Cierva Cove by Zodiac, where we encountered minke and humpback whales, leopard and crabeater seals, and chinstrap and gentoo penguins. Once back aboard National Geographic Explorer, we pushed farther up into the thick ice near the face of the glacier and took in the stunning views of the surrounding peaks. After a few drinks and dinner, we headed farther south through Gerlache Strait, watching distant humpback whales spouting under the sunset.
11/21/2024
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National Geographic Endurance
At Sea towards Ushuaia
After a memorable week exploring Antarctica, it was time to head back home towards Ushuaia. Our day in the Drake Passage was a pleasant one, with the seas staying relatively mild with the wind and swell from the northwest. We were treated to numerous presentations throughout the day from our excellent expedition staff. Eric kicked things off after breakfast with stories about ice before Justin shared his amazing experiences filming under frozen lakes on the Antarctic Continent. Following another wonderful lunch from the galley team, we enjoyed some birdlife outside and brief sightings of passing fin whales. Fi was next on the agenda, sharing some tips and tricks for sorting and editing our many photos from the trip. Teatime was a delight today with Swedish pancakes on the menu, and after a good feed, we enjoyed Josh’s talk on the Belgian Antarctic Expedition. Before we all retired to our cabins after dinner, there was one final lecture, with Captain Oliver sharing some tales about the construction of the ship and how it can navigate in these challenging, polar environments so comfortably and successfully.
