We spent our morning traversing Orleans Strait along the Trinity Peninsula. We looked for wildlife and appreciated stunning views of icebergs and glacier-capped mountains. We sailed south until we arrived at Cierva Cove, a beautiful bay full of ice and wildlife. The clouds broke around lunch, revealing a brilliantly sunny afternoon. We explored the outer reaches of Cierva Cove by Zodiac, where we encountered minke and humpback whales, leopard and crabeater seals, and chinstrap and gentoo penguins. Once back aboard National Geographic Explorer, we pushed farther up into the thick ice near the face of the glacier and took in the stunning views of the surrounding peaks. After a few drinks and dinner, we headed farther south through Gerlache Strait, watching distant humpback whales spouting under the sunset.
12/31/2024
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National Geographic Endurance
New Year’s Eve
Happy New Year from National Geographic Endurance ! Today was spent at sea, heading back to Ushuaia. We were treated with the “Drake Lake” on this passage and the sun was out – it was a most pleasant day on the sea. Throughout the day we saw many humpback whale spouts, some close, some far. We also had quite a few passes of a variety of dolphin species throughout the day. Most of our guests spent time today contemplating the previous year and the amazing things they had just witnessed in Antarctica. Our Global Explorers got an extra special treat today with a behind the scenes tour with Captain Oliver and Chief Engineer Norman. They were able to tour the marina deck where the Zodiacs are stored and lowered during operations. They also went into the engine room, a place very few guests are able to see! We rang in the new year with the infamous Shackeltunes – National Geographic Endurance’s crew band. What a perfect last day of the year. From all of us here onboard – Happy New Year!