Christmas day in Antarctica was definitely not a disappointment. The morning started with a landing at Mikkelsen harbor to visit a small island teeming with nesting Gentoo penguins and an unlikely welcome visit of elephant seals relaxing in the middle of the colony! As well as the landing we were able to take advantage of a kayak around the bay enjoying flat calm seas and crystal clear waters allowing us to see the seabed several meters below. After this we departed for Cierva Cove. As had become tradition our initial plans were scrapped when we discovered a pod of type A Orcas, the top Antarctic predator and largest Orca species in the world! One particular orca was incredibly inquisitive and was seen for around 10 minutes swimming by and rolling under the bow of the ship. We were eventually back on track and arrived at Cierva Cove in time for a spectacular ships cruise to a large glacier and zodiac cruise to wildlife and icebergs.
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
