Gold Harbour & St. Andrews, 11/15/2019, National Geographic Explorer
Aboard the
National Geographic Explorer
Antarctica
There aren’t many better days in expedition travel. Two of the most spectacular locations on the planet in a single day—Gold Harbour, followed by St. Andrews Bay. Tens of thousands of king penguins made early wake-up calls bearable, and after a foggy start, the mountains and glaciers finally revealed themselves, leaving guests speechless as they enjoyed this special place.
Jamie is from England. He grew up in Oxford, about as far from the sea as you can get in the UK, yet somehow decided he would work in marine biology and conservation. Ever since he reached his teens, he has dedicated time to this passion, working and...
Ashley was raised in Central Oregon where she spent her childhood ski racing, riding horses, playing classical piano, and working summer jobs on a dude ranch. She then attended the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California in ...
Today was our final day on this amazing voyage to South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. We awoke to the most beautiful sunrise over the city of Ushuaia, the world’s southernmost city and the capital of Tierra del Fuego. This morning we had the fantastic opportunity to visit a local maritime museum here in Ushuaia for a private opening. Afterwards, we enjoyed a wonderful drive through the nearby Tierra del Fuego National Park. After a relaxing afternoon onboard National Geographic Resolution , we were treated to tours of the Bridge, and then a special wine tasting in Tupaia with our incredible bar team. To round out our day, the captain finished our expedition in style with a fabulous cocktail party. We toasted our adventures to some of the most remote islands on the planet.
Until now, we have skirted the mercurial weather of the South Atlantic. Though the sun has been rare, we have been lucky with calm seas and easy access to some of the most exciting landing sights South Georgia and the Falklands have to offer. Today, as our trip nears its end, we had the opportunity to experience a small taste of the conditions that make this such a notorious region for seafarers and explorers. With sustained winds of up to 50 knots wrapping around Cape Horn, the ocean quickly began to churn. Our captain and bridge team found us shelter in the Beagle Channel where we spent the day appreciating the power of the ocean and the biodiversity of Tierra del Fuego. While onboard in the comfort of our new ship/home, National Geographic photographer Camille Seaman shared a collection of photographs she took throughout the last two weeks. Naturalists Madalena Pachaco and Bud Lenhausen shared stories of exploration and changing climates. Photo caption: The chart shows our way to protection from the storm in the Beagle Channel. Photo by Alex Krowiak
We continued sailing from the Falkland Islands to Ushuaia, crossing the Le Maire Strait and entering the Beagle Channel. On our way, we enjoyed spectacular landscapes as seabirds followed us.
