Daily Expedition Reports
16 Feb 2019

Drake Passage, 2/16/2019, National Geographic Orion

Aboard the National Geographic Orion
Antarctica

We cast off our lines in the wee hours of the morning and were halfway down the Beagle Channel by dawn. The early risers were treated to a display of breaching by a mother and calf pair of humpback whales. Then it was out into the Drake Passage, which lived up to its infamous reputation: a relentless strong wind, gusting up to 65 knots, whipped the sea into a frenzy. From the aft deck we watched the seabirds in awe as they deftly used the wind to their advantage, hurtling by and arcing high above the horizon. As the storm system passes to our east tonight, we hope to make better progress as we head south towards the Antarctic Convergence Zone and the Southern Ocean proper.

Article by

Conor Ryan, Naturalist

Conor Ryan is a congenital ecologist. His career began in the late 1980s, when he developed a keen interest in intertidal ecology, undertaking almost daily field trips to the seashore across from his home in Cobh, Ireland. Though he logged significan...

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

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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

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James Ross Island and Snow Hill Island

For nearly a week now, we explored the uninhabited expanse of the White Continent, including towering glaciers and abundant wildlife. There was virtually no sign of human life along the way, save for the scattered research station. Today, we continued our voyage into the Weddell Sea towards James Ross Island and Snow Hill Island to explore the human stories of the region and tales of early expeditions. Our morning began at James Ross, a relatively uncharted island. Ice crowds its shores, cutting off accessibility for much of the year. Hikes and Zodiac tours offered views of unique geology and of Snow Hill Island, our afternoon destination, across the way. There, we visited the historic hut from the 1902 Swedish expedition led by Otto Nordenskjöld. We learned about the team’s true saga of survival from historian Carol Knott. The afternoon’s polar plunge followed by a sunset cruise through a maze of tabular icebergs in Iceberg Alley topped off an amazing day. It was a perfect send off from the peninsula as we begin to make our way north toward the Shetland Islands and a final day of adventure.

Drake Passage, 2/16/2019, National Geographic Orion

Conor Ryan, Naturalist

Genovesa Island

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Journey to Antarctica: The White Continent

The Drake Passage

Livingston and Deception Islands

James Ross Island and Snow Hill Island