Grytviken and Godthul, South Georgia, 11/22/2022, National Geographic Endurance
Aboard the
National Geographic Endurance
Antarctica
Today we woke up in Grytviken, which is the site of the first whaling station built in 1904 by Carl Larsen. We started off the morning with a toast to Ernest Shackleton, otherwise known as “The Boss,” and then visited his gravesite. Afterwards, we explored the whaling station, where we learned about the area’s whaling history.
In the afternoon, we moved over to Godthul after dropping off hikers in Cobbler’s Cove. The hikers were keen for a hike to a macaroni penguin colony. The rest of the group enjoyed scenic Zodiac cruises around the bay amidst Antarctic terns, cute elephant seals, and Antarctic fur seals. To cap off the day, brave souls took the Polar Plunge and dove into the cold waters of South Georgia.
With an insatiable curiosity, Ezra has been drawn to travel the world and explore from a young age. Ezra pursued a degree in History from Colorado College, which only further piqued his interest to travel and see firsthand the places that he had read...
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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.
Happy International Women’s Day! Today also turned out to be Great Albatross Day in the Falklands. We woke up just off West Point Island, which lies off the most northwestern point of mainland West Falkland. After breakfast, we took a short shuttle ride to a sheltered harbour just below the settlement. Most guests chose to hike across the island to a large colony of black-browed albatrosses and rockhopper penguins. Those who wanted a less strenuous crossing took a Land Rover to the colony. Afterwards, the hosts at the settlement provided a very generous serving of tea and pastries in the main house. In the afternoon, National Geographic Resolution repositioned to the south side of Steeple Jason, an island holding the second largest black-browed albatross colony in the world. An estimated 200,000 pairs of the species breed here. There are also gentoo penguins and a small number of rockhopper penguins nesting on the island. About half of the guests went ashore for a hike to the albatross colony, and the rest opted for a Zodiac cruise. After dinner, we all gathered in the Ice Lounge to watch the Guest Slideshow. What an amazing bunch of memories from our epic trip in the Southern Ocean!
We approached the Beagle Channel on our final day on board National Geographic Explorer . The winds had calmed, and the sun was shining. This resulted in the perfect opportunity to spot sei whales, which are often found in the waters of the Beagle Channel. Naturalist Sophie Van Der Hart provided us with the first lecture of the day, sharing insights about the evolution of whales. We learned how whales truly became the giants of our oceans. After lunch, climate change in the Antarctic was the topic for discussion. Naturalist Zac Brown guided us through the impacts this pristine environment is facing due to a rapidly changing climate and the things we can do to help. The afternoon’s activities came to a close with a delightful tea prepared by the hotel team. The captain’s farewell cocktail party gave us the chance to reflect on the expedition with a premiere of the guest slideshow. We celebrated a fantastic exploration of the Southern Ocean as the photos in the slideshow reminded us of the amazing wildlife and scenery we have witnessed along the way. Cheers!
