Today was the southern solstice—the longest day of the year in Antarctica. Suiting that longest day would be a full day of many varied activities. The morning started with a Zodiac cruise around Brown Bluff. Besides the wonderful views of the bluff itself, there is a large colony of Adélie penguins to see. Afterward, National Geographic Explorer set sail into the Weddell Sea in hopes of visiting and landing at, Devil Island. But along the way we realized our sister ship, National Geographic Orion was nearby, and we decided to swing by and say hello. The heavy ice conditions that the Weddell Sea is known for were kind to us and we were able to reach Devil Island. Upon landing, we went hiking and visited another Adélie penguin colony. Any normal day this would have been a full day, but in honor of the longest day, we decided that after dinner we would park Explorer in fast ice and enjoy some hiking on the ice.
2/27/2022
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National Geographic Explorer
The Drake Passage
Almost home. Land is in sight as we complete our crossing of the Drake Passage and draw within view of Cape Horn. As sunrise begins to illuminate the clouds, we see the blinking light of the Cabo de Hornos lighthouse. Expedition leader Lucho tells us about the poignant albatross sculpture dedicated to lost mariners and reads us the associated poem in Spanish and English. We are sailing in sheltered waters now, and the sea has reached the balmy temperature of more than 7° C. The seabirds we have learned to recognize in the open ocean–albatrosses, petrels, and prions–are now joined by others, such as imperial shags from Patagonia. Fur seals are once again frolicking near the ship. With formalities complete, there is time for a last series of presentations from our expedition staff, including: a lively account of the world-defining voyage of Ferdinand Magellan by naturalist Madalena Patacho, intriguing ‘Behind the Scenes’ insights into the life of an undersea specialist from Brett Garner, and more about the famous Endurance expedition under the leadership of Sir Ernest Shackleton. After making time for some excellent afternoon Swedish pancakes, we sailed the remaining stretch along the Beagle Channel and came at last to port in Ushuaia. We gathered in the lounge for farewell cocktails with our captain. We celebrated the wonders we experienced over the last ten days, the good friends we traveled with and with whom we shared our discovery of the Antarctic, and the glorious land of Antarctica–the seascapes, history, and wildlife. Where will we travel next? Photo caption: An avian harbinger of the coming day. Photo by Steve Backus
