At Sea to Antarctica, 11/21/2024, National Geographic Explorer
Aboard the
National Geographic Explorer
Antarctica
With a gentle following sea and our bow pointed south, we woke to the ocean pushing us towards Antarctica. Sunny, blue skies invited us to the outer decks where seabirds entertained us for hours. Five species of albatross glided by on long stiff wings, often coming impressively close and offering wonderful photographic opportunities. Many humpback and fin whales cruised by as we crossed the polar front and entered the Southern Ocean.
The Drake Passage journey was a delightful one, and we look forward to our arrival in Antarctica tomorrow.
Born in the mountains of east Tennessee, it was easy for Steve to fall in love with the wonderful natural environment around him. What started as a childhood passion to scan the creeks and ponds for all they would reveal evolved into a studied desire...
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The final day of an Antarctic voyage is always a bittersweet affair. However, hiking to the top of a dormant volcano helps to soothe the emotional sting of departure day, and that’s exactly what the guests on National Geographic Explorer did! Arriving at Penguin Island, a small island off the southern coast of King George Island, guests took to shore to climb a long-dormant volcanic cone covered in ancient basalts. The shorelines of Penguin Island are covered with Antarctic fur seals, and guests were even lucky to spot a massive southern elephant seal as well. The wildlife to be expected on Penguin Island is, of course, penguins, of which there were many.
Our morning in Cierva Cove started quite cold but beautifully, with the right balance of clouds and sunshine to admire the blue ice in this large bay filled with icebergs and brash ice. Our program was Zodiac cruising for one half of our guests and ship cruising closer to the glacier for the other half, before switching. During our Zodiac cruise, we had the pleasure of seeing chinstrap penguins in the water as well as on shore, icebergs of all sizes and shapes, and humpback whales. Later in the morning, we briefly spotted a group of four or five orcas, including a calf. It was the most amazing sighting, and both Zodiac and ship cruisers got to enjoy it. Needless to say, we could have stayed there forever if not for the heavy snowfall that started as we finished. We continued further north, chasing the sunshine in Mikkelsen Harbour, where we had a landing by a colony of gentoo penguins. Everybody got to see the gentoo chicks; they are already big by this time of the year. A great session of recap and underwater footage concluded this fantastic day.
In the morning, the ship parked near a bird cliff in spectacular Paradise Bay. Here, Zodiac cruises were offered to guests. Magnificent icebergs and rich wildlife awaited us. At the cliff, guests enjoyed viewing blue-eyed shag chicks, grown to the size of adults. Some flapped their wings on the cliff in anticipation of their first flight, while others awkwardly flew down to the water, experiencing it for the first time in their lives. Cheerful Antarctic terns flew around us, periodically plunging into the water before reappearing with a tiny fish or even a krill in their beaks. On small icebergs, crabeater seals and leopard seals rested. Gentoo penguins porpoised and swam in the water around our Zodiacs. Humpbacks were seen in the distance. After lunch, we sailed across the famous Lemaire Channel. It was full of large and small icebergs, and our captain moved us through this magnificent landscape. In the late afternoon, we came to Petermann Island. We made a landing and enjoyed Zodiac cruising. Two species of penguins – gentoos and Adelies – have nesting colonies on this island.
