It’s Christmas Eve and it seemed that everyone on board the National Geographic Explorer must have been good this year because we received our Christmas present early, a pod of killer whales. This morning at 6:30 a.m. we were awakened to find our gift swimming back and forth around the ship’s bow. I think no one could have asked for a better present, and to top it off, a gentle snow whirled around us as we watched the large dolphins investigate us. We finished our time with the orcas, and then it was off to the dining hall for a hearty breakfast. We were barely past our last bites when the captain announced that we might want to once again venture onto the deck for the spectacle of tabular icebergs as we navigated through the waters known as Iceberg Alley. It was turning into quite the day. In the afternoon our first landing on the continent was at Brown Bluff, where a huge colony of Adélie penguins resides.
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
