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.
12/5/2024
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National Geographic Resolution
Marguerite Bay, Antarctica
Early this morning, there was an amazing sunrise over the distant mountains. Eventually when the ship awoke many hours later, we found ourselves parked in the fast ice of Marguerite Bay in Bourgeois Fjord. Shortly after breakfast, we disembarked the “penguin doors” and stepped out directly onto the fast ice. Some took off cross country skiing and others explored on foot. There were many crab eater seals around, perhaps as many as 200, in a variety of groups. It was a spectacular morning with almost no wind and blue skies. After a productive morning, the hotel department treated us to a barbecue lunch and a doughnut bar which some guests chose to eat on the outer decks of the ship, enjoying the amazing scenery. In the afternoon, we made a landing on the rocky terrain of Horseshoe Island to visit British Base Y which was established in 1955 by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey. In the evening, as we sailed north through Marguerite Bay, we enjoyed amazing scenery and after dinner we explored a narrow and scenic passage called The Gullet. It was a most memorable, enjoyable, and adventurous day here in Antarctica, and we’re all looking forward to tomorrow.
