Sometimes in Antarctica, conditions of ice and the ferocious weather cause original plans to be changed and alternative plans to be put into place instead. Today was one such day. Due to a thick band of ice, National Geographic Orion was forced to cancel our original morning landing and instead find another island for our guests to make landfall to visit penguins. Upon hearing the news, some were disappointed. However, it did not take long for frowns to turn to smiles as we visited about 500,000 nesting Adelie penguins on Paulette Island.
1/19/2025
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National Geographic Resolution
The Drake Passage
As we navigated north across the Drake Passage, conditions gradually improved and blue petrels and black-browed albatrosses graced our journey as visitors. John Pailthorpe delivered a captivating retelling of Shackleton's attempted crossing of the Antarctic continent, recounting the trials faced by those rugged men who cared little for comfort yet had a penchant for taking mortal risks. Following him, National Geographic Photographer Ralph Lee Hopkins shared some of the many future exploration options available to our guests through National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions. As we approached Tierra del Fuego, the seas calmed. Although the skies remained overcast, wildlife became increasingly abundant as we neared the entrance to the Beagle Channel. Captain Martin presented a fascinating overview of the construction of MV National Geographic Resolution and her impressive capabilities. As we entered the channel, we were greeted by hourglass and dusky dolphins while enjoying empanadas for teatime. Once we entered the Beagle, sailing was smooth all the way to Ushuaia.
