We awoke to a calm morning, protected from the winds on the island of Isla de los Estados. For our morning exploration, we headed to the southwest side of the island and nosed into a small and narrow channel once carved by glacial advance. We spent our time cruising in Zodiacs through the fjords and gawking at the sheer height of the rhyolite cliffs which harbored countless Magellanic cormorants and Andean condors. Like true explorers, we weathered the wind and rain to get up close views of towering waterfalls before warming up in the shipboard saunas. In the afternoon, we cruised back to mainland Argentina looking for sea life and enjoying a special wine tasting with our afternoon tea.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 11 Dec 2022
Isla de los Estados, Argentina , 12/11/2022, National Geographic Resolution
- Aboard the National Geographic Resolution
- Patagonia
Katie Mills-Orcutt, Undersea Specialist
Katie Mo started her career as a naturalist on Catalina Island where she taught marine science outdoor education and SCUBA diving. Her passion for conservation biology then led her to pursue a Masters degree in marine science at Western Washington Un...
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Patagonia: Chilean Fjords and Argentina's Staten Island
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10/29/2024
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National Geographic Explorer
Staten Island (Isla de los Estados)
We left the Beagle Channel in the middle of the night to cross from Tierra del Fuego to the rarely visited Staten Island. Less than 1,000 people visit this island which is frequently referred to as ‘the end of the Americas.’ At the mouth of Franklin Bay on the northwest of Staten Island, we spent time among thousands of rockhopper penguins. Across the entire island, there are an estimated 130,000 breeding pairs of rockhoppers on the island, making the total population over half a million individuals! Several species of seabirds took advantage of the brisk winds around us and we had our first look of the striated caracara, one of the rarest in the group. We have many naturalists and guests on this trip who are passionate about birds of prey, so we enjoyed watching their skillful soaring overhead. In the afternoon, the weather cooperated nicely which allowed us to Zodiac to shore for a wet landing. Once ashore, we removed our life vests, donned our packs, and trekked along the ridge above Elgor Bay. The reward at the end of the trail was a historic lighthouse considered to be the southernmost lighthouse on the continent. This lighthouse inspired the adventure novel, The Lighthouse at the End of the World by Jules Verne, a tale which includes pirates and survival in one of the harshest environments in the world.
10/28/2024
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National Geographic Explorer
Garibaldi Glacier and the Beagle Channel
Although offshore waters were windy, we found nice protection in Garibaldi Fjord, a long and beautiful glacial cut into the Cordillera Darwin. The towering cliffs were lined with waterfalls, and southern sea lions were hauled out on shore. We took to the Zodiacs and spent the morning weaving through brash ice and watching imperial cormorants prepare their nests. The Garibaldi Glacier did not disappoint! The cloudy and drizzly day enriched the deep blues of the glacier itself. Small calvings (bits of falling ice) kept our interest during our visit. Then, just as we needed to move on, the glacier showed signs of a larger spectacle, and BOOM! Towers of ice the size of buildings came crashing down at once, much to the delight of all. Finally, our Naturalists Shel, Isai, and Ezra enlightened us with tales of Patagonia.