At the end of a very mellow crossing of the Drake Passage, the sun made an appearance as we passed by the South Shetland Islands early this morning. A number of fin whale blows caught our attention, and conditions on deck while watching the whales through binoculars were positively balmy. After lunch, we made a continental landing at Brown Bluff, home to about 18,000 pairs of Adelie penguins and 800 pairs of gentoo penguins during the nesting season. As a first introduction to Antarctica, it was the perfect spot for guests to delight in the sounds…and smells…of these uniquely Antarctic birds.
3/9/2023
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Approaching Ushuaia
Any true voyage contains the element of return. As we approached South America, we reflected on our voyage thus far. Nearly three weeks ago, we cast our lines from Ushuaia and sailed towards the seventh continent. We saw corners of the world privy only to a few…truly special experiences that we will hold close for our lifetimes. Seabirds circled the ship, coming in and out of our wake to pay visits. These beautiful animals wander the ocean. They are at home at sea, an alien concept to us terrestrial animals. As the day progressed, the landscape began to unravel. Snowy peaks in the distance eventually gave way to a forested landscape, quite a shock as we had not seen proper trees in weeks! For our final wildlife encounter, we spent time with a group of killer whales. Our incredible ship and bridge team allowed close and personal views of these amazing animals. Aboard the ship, we hosted presentations with topics on photography and how to take observations from our voyage and share them with the scientific community. The hotel department pampered us with delicious treats. Our much-anticipated auction was a lively hit, raising money for our crew fund and conservation on South Georgia. In the afternoon, we met our pilots on the eastern edge of the Beagle Channel. Under their guidance, we will be dockside in a few hours, the same location we departed from three weeks ago. It feels like a lifetime has passed, bursting with countless memories. Memories we look forward to taking home with us and sharing with our loved ones and the world.
