We enjoyed a late-morning wakeup call today, allowing us a bit more sleep after a mildly bumpy Drake evening. An extravagant brunch was served, including waffles, mimosas and Bloody Marys! We spent the day enjoying the amenities this beautiful ship has to offer—something we have not had much time to do yet with our busy expedition schedule. We enjoyed the hot tub, sauna and spa. We shared photos and travel stories with our new friends. Our undersea specialist showed us dive footage taken throughout the trip, and Captain Martin himself taught us all about the beautiful new National Geographic Resolution. The true highlight of the day was watching the crew show! The crew shared their skills, showcasing magic, dancing and singing abilities. We all rocked out to the band! Beautiful views of Ushuaia helped ease the pain of the end of our trip. Farewell, and see you next time, National Geographic Resolution.
2/27/2022
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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
