Gold Harbour & Godthul
On days such as this we are reminded that change is the only constant. It was a day of two halves. The first a wet and wild landing at Gold Harbour, then followed by a serene and sunny afternoon in the sheltered waters of Godthul. In between, an encounter with a cow and calf southern right whale enlivened the transit between our two landing sites.
In the evening, we had a rendezvous with the National Geographic Explorer. She is in South Georgia en route to Cape Town. The meeting felt in some way symbolic, as if passing a torch from an Antarctic veteran to the next generation. But there was far more achieved than symbolism, as many familiar faces were reunited and new friends shuttled between the two ships.
At the end of this voyage the National Geographic Endeavour will depart for a new life in the warmer climes of Galápagos. Meanwhile the NG Explorer will take up the annual journey from the Antarctic to the Arctic and back again each year as the NG Endeavour has done for so long. Some of us will join the NG Explorer on these voyages: as crew, staff or guests.
So, while things change, there are common threads that will link the two vessels for many years.
To see video footage from today's expedition, click here.
