Cape Legoupil and Astrolabe Island , 2/24/2025, National Geographic Endurance
Aboard the
National Geographic Endurance
Antarctica
In the Antarctic, wind is the arbiter of our itinerary. Flexibility is key and sometimes leads to unexpected and fortuitous experiences.
Cape Legoupil is home to the Chilean research station, Bernard O’Higgins, as well as thousands of chinstrap penguins. While searching for a patch of calm this morning, we diverted near the base, finding killer whales as well as penguins en route.
The afternoon took us further south down the Antarctic Peninsula to Astrolabe Island, which was also in wind and snow upon our arrival before tapering to create a perfect combination of dark skies and calm conditions.
Eric began work with Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic in 2006 as a means to see the world, work with great photographers and engage his environmental studies degree beyond the classroom. His initial years with the company were spent working t...
Enter travel details to receive reports from a single expedition
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Send Daily Expedition Reports to friends and family
*By clicking the submit button, I authorize Lindblad Expeditions to email me; however, I am able to unsubscribe at any time. For more details, see our Privacy Policy.
Please note: All Daily Expedition Reports (DERs) are posted Monday-Friday,
during normal business hours. DERs are written onboard the ship only and do
not apply to land-based portions of expeditions.
We arrived at the picturesque Cierva Cove early this morning, greeted by beautifully calm conditions, fresh snow on the mountains, and a crisp air temperature just below zero. We launched the Zodiacs for a wildlife-filled cruise among the icebergs. We encountered gentoo penguins returning to the colony to feed their chicks, a beautiful, young leopard seal on the ice, and, the special treat of the day, an incredibly curious Antarctic minke whale! The whale swam from boat to boat, repeatedly swimming around and underneath us, clearly looking up at the Zodiacs and the awe-struck people in them! After a lunchtime repositioning of National Geographic Endurance , we dropped the Zodiacs once again. This time we were landing ashore at Palaver Point for a good leg stretch! A haven for penguin lovers, with its extensive chinstrap penguin colony, the landing site was busy with a mixture of molting adult birds, fledged chicks, and a few young chicks still on the nest begging for food from their parents. We had the chance for a snowy climb to the viewpoint to take in the last views of the White Continent before National Geographic Endurance’s last departure from Antarctica for the season!
There is not much that could have changed today to make it more spectacular. It started with kayaking at Wilhelmina Bay and then Zodiac cruising around massive icebergs, where a humpback whale passed right under Zodiacs, so close that people could look into its eye. When we weren’t being surrounded by whales, we got to take our first steps on the Antarctic Continent at Portal Point. And there was even a wedding! Marvin and Chenet, a Waiter and a Hotel Stewardess on National Geographic Endurance , said their sweet nuptials on the Antarctic Continent. It was truly a heartfelt day. But before the evening came to a close, killer whales were spotted by Able-Bodied Seaman Nelson, so we got to travel with a pod of killer whales as the light started to fade around the Southern Ocean. What a way to end another magnificent day aboard National Geographic Endurance.
