Today we had dark skies and a bit of a drizzle but no wind at all—just the right weather for our adventures in Admiralty Sound. We made a very early arrival to the head of Jackson Bay in Karukinka Natural Park, where we were surrounded by the echoing vocalizations of the elephant seals bouncing off the walls of this deep fjord. Later in the morning we visited Albatross Island, the only ‘inland’ albatross colony in the world, to check on the chicks. They’re almost ready to leave their nests; it’s been a successful season which is an incredible feat, in no small proportion due to the care and efforts of the Wildlife Conservation Society. Finally, a rainy afternoon saw as wandering through a magical forest full of birds, lichens, moss, mushrooms, and evergreen trees.
3/13/2022
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National Geographic Endurance
Ushuaia, Patagonia, Argentina
We returned a day early to Ushuaia to take refuge at the port before a storm arrived. The storm could have potentially delayed our port call, causing people to miss flights back to the United States. We took full advantage of the extra time in port and explored the beautiful surroundings of Ushuaia. In the morning, we ventured out to Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego. We went on a few walks through the southern beech forests, saw the post office at the end of the world, and visited the Pan-American Highway, which ends in the national park and begins all the way up in Alaska. In the afternoon, we had another excursion to the opposite end of the town, up through Garibaldi Pass, and ending with a walk down to Lake Escondido. We wrapped up the day with farewell cocktails with the Captain.
