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Daily Expedition Reports

Follow Along

Daily Expedition Reports

3/16/2023

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National Geographic Endurance

Beagle Channel and Seno Garibaldi, Chile

Whether it’s traveling to the end of the road, or the end of the Earth, the idea of finis terrae captured human imagination as soon as the first humans decided to venture out beyond the campfire light to see what was beyond the valley, over the hills, across the waters and around the bend. In modern times it may be a very different experience than it was centuries ago, but the lure of Patagonia as one of those “ends” has brought us all together now. While relatively speaking it is much easier, modern travel does have its own minor complications; overnight flights, abrupt changes in weather by latitude, “hurry-up to wait” in another queue. Happily, most of us had no problems and assembled in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for a brief exploration of this South American megalopolis, then on to Ushuaia, the southernmost city and our jumping off point for a voyage through lands beyond our personal maps and experiences. A quick trip through the city, the Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego, then a fantastic catamaran tour of Lapataia Bay, through sea lion and cormorant colonies, and amongst breaching humpback whales in the Beagle Channel, brought us back to the city pier in Ushuaia. This morning gave us time for staff introductions, safety briefings, ship orientation and a bit of time to settle into our new home, National Geographic Endurance , as we sailed westward towards the Garibaldi Fjord. By afternoon we had navigated the narrow channel past towering cliffs to the face of the Garibaldi Glacier, one of the most active glacier fronts, draining ice from the ice field perched high above in the Cordillera Darwin.

Daily Expedition Reports

3/15/2023

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National Geographic Explorer

Hercules Bay and Salisbury Plain, South Georgia

We were graced by a smooth transit from the Falkland Islands to South Georgia, a much-awaited location for many of us on our long transit across the Atlantic. As we cruised into South Georgia this morning, we looked through the fog and clouds to see the glaciers and peaks that adorn this magnificent location. On our morning Zodiac cruises through Hercules Bay, it was impossible not to comment on how ‘dramatic’ the protected bay felt. Large sedimentary rock faces decorated with the colors of lichens, moss, and tussac were juxtaposed against the giant kelp beds that line the shore. The colors distracted us from the drizzle and winds. In the afternoon, we headed ashore to Salisbury Plain, the location of the second largest king penguin colony in South Georgia. We took a nice hike across the beach and the grasslands to the colony. There were noises coming from every direction. Through the winds that barreled down nearby Grace Glacier, we heard the humming calls of the king penguins. Antarctic fur seal pups called noisily, howling and crying until they wore themselves out and took a necessary nap in the soft grass. South Georgia surely lived up to its reputation today!

Daily Expedition Reports

3/14/2023

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National Geographic Endurance

At Sea, Towards Ushuaia

National Geographic Endurance set sail from the western edge of the Falkland Islands late last night. There was a slightly overcast sky when we entered the Beagle Channel in the morning. For the last miles to Ushuaia, we had stunning views of the most southern part of South America. Birds glided and whales swam alongside the vessel. We enjoyed several educational presentations, and there was time for packing luggage and getting souvenirs for friends and family from the Global Gallery. It was a perfect day to enjoy relaxing aboard the ship and making use of the spa, gym, and wellness facilities. The afternoon was filled with the third part of National Geographic photographer Michael Melford’s presentation, “On Assignment with National Geographic.” We enjoyed the famous Guest Slideshow, where we saw photos taken by our fellow travelers during our voyage to some of the most spectacular and densely-populated wildlife regions on our planet. In the evening, we enjoyed delicious drinks and nibbles during the Captain’s Farewell Cocktail Party in the Ice Lounge, which rounded out this hard to summarize expedition of National Geographic Endurance to South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. It is a trip we will surely never forget.

Daily Expedition Reports

3/14/2023

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National Geographic Explorer

Entering South Georgia’s Territorial Waters

Today was National Geographic Explorer’s second ocean day on its way towards South Georgia from the Falklands. South Georgia will be the second stop on our crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. On long crossings, one would think that the days would get dull. However, that is not the case on National Geographic Explorer . Today was packed with presentations. First, Eduardo Shaw took his place in the Circle of Truth with his presentation called “The Gauchos.” Then Santiago Imberti shared his presentation about penguins. After these two fantastic presenters, lunch was served. Following lunch, a mandatory IAATO briefing had to be completed. As the briefing was scheduled to take place, National Geographic Explorer sailed past the stunning Shag Rocks. It is not always possible to see the rocks due to weather. The sun was not shining its brightest today, and Shag Rocks had an eerie feeling. We left the rocks in their misty and gray environment, and the IAATO briefing was held. Without a doubt, biosecurity was the most important part of the day. It might not be everyone’s favorite, but South Georgia has a delicate environment, and we are diligent and aware of anything we might transmit to the island. We must all do our part to help unique ecosystems like South Georgia remain pristine. After the bio-decontamination, Jim Kelley took his place in the Circle of Truth and gave a presentation on the geology of South Georgia. Afterwards, we enjoyed recap and dinner. The day ended with episode III of the fantastic series, Frozen Planet II .

Daily Expedition Reports

3/13/2023

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National Geographic Endurance

Steeple Jason and Carcass Island, Falkland Islands

The day began with a beautiful orange sunrise over the island of Steeple Jason. The Falkland Islands have about 60-70% of the total population of black-browed albatrosses, and the colony on Steeple Jason is the largest in the world with about 180,000 breeding pairs. On the island, we also saw some very large South American sea lions basking in the sun in the tussock grass and a small gentoo colony as well. In the afternoon, we sailed over to Carcass Island, named after the HMS Carcass . The bomb-class navy vessel was refitted as a survey ship and sent down to participate in the first hydrographical survey of the Falkland Islands under the command of John MacBride in 1766. On the island, we split into three groups for long, medium, and short hikes. All ended at the tea and cookie house hidden by Monterey cypress trees. Along the way, we saw several new species of birds including yellow-billed teals, Magellanic oystercatchers, Cobb’s wrens, grass wrens, black-crowned night herons, and even a rare sighting of a great grebe. We ended our day with the sun setting in front of us as we turned our compasses west and back towards Ushuaia.