The Falklands Islands welcomed us today with their very best side. A beautiful sunrise over the graceful peaks of Steeple Jason Island promised us a lovely day to come and before long we were ashore, hiking over the low shrub vegetation and into the tall tussock grass on our way to visit the world’s largest breeding colony of black-browed albatross. In the afternoon we landed on West Point Island, where we were greeted by the caretakers, Jackie and Alan White. Another beautiful hike led us to another nesting site of albatross and rockhopper penguins and after hiking back we were invited into the snug farmhouse for a Falkland Islands farm tea, featuring a fantastic variety of cakes, cookies, and fresh scones.
3/14/2022
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National Geographic Explorer
Ushuaia, Argentina
A storm system redirected National Geographic Explorer to dock in Ushuaia one day earlier than anticipated at the beginning of the trip. Our last day together was spent touring the countryside of Ushuaia via buses organized by our wonderful team of agents based in the area. These agents provided a day full of breathtaking landscapes and an assortment of weather patterns. The buses served as a comfortable transport to two different lakes, Lake Escondido and Lake Fagnano. Lake Escondido is also known as Hidden Lake. It earned this name by often being covered in a thick layer of fog that conceals its location. We were lucky the winds were strong enough to provide us with a view at the photo stop alongside the road. At Lake Fagnano, our guests were invited to stroll along the marsh to look for birds. After our visits to the lakes, we were escorted to the top of Ushuaia, giving us a great view for our lunch before returning to the ship. A great day of forest views, snow, and peat bogs.
