The passage home carries a weight markedly different than our voyage south. Opposing a transit to terra incognita, we now reflect on everything experienced in the past week. The seas pass beneath our fine ship with a comfortable motion, and the music of the waves and the smell of the ocean give a delightful backdrop to our final transit.

Seabirds follow the ship, circling close for photographic opportunities and up-close looks even from inside the lounge of our vessel. Throughout the day, we hear presentations that dive deeper into what we’ve seen this past week, and we learn even more about the wonders of the Antarctic continent. Our captain talks at length about the capabilities of this innovative ship, fascinating us with the details of the systems aboard.

As the night rolls on, the beauty of the ocean only intensifies. Albatrosses play in our wake, and the sun lights up the ocean’s surface. Appropriately, we watch the film Around Cape Horn after dinner, giving us context to what it was like to plow these waters during the days of sail. Tomorrow we’ll continue towards Ushuaia with another beautiful day under our belt.