Wow, what a day here in the Falkland Islands on the National Geographic Endurance. We spent the morning on Steeple Jason Island enjoying close sights of the world’s largest black-browed albatross colony. With approximately 160,000 breeding pairs it was truly a sight to behold. The afternoon was spent on Carcass Island where we were able to spot Magellanic penguins on the beach—our 8th penguin species of the trip—and enjoyed Commerson’s dolphins bow riding on our return to the ship. What a time to be alive.
3/10/2024
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National Geographic Endurance
Port Egmont, Saunders Island
Today turned out to be stunning, from beginning to end. It began with a gorgeous sunrise – the huge sky was lit up with resplendent reds, oranges, and yellows, giving way to blues and indigos. The seas calmed as we made our way to Saunders Island. The first part of the morning was spent walking from Port Egmont to the main settlement. Port Egmont was the first British settlement in the Falkland Islands. The British were unaware of the French settlement at Port Louis on East Falkland, which was founded the year before in 1764. At the main settlement, we were treated to demonstrations of sheepshearing, a working sheepdog, and wool sorting. After wandering around for a bit, we headed to the landing area for lunch. This was a special affair – a lamb barbecue with copious salad choices and, of course, complemented with drinks. In the afternoon, we landed on a vast, stunning beach and walked to observe colonies of black-browed albatrosses, rockhopper penguins, and blue-eyed shags. It was a sensational afternoon. Today gave us a much clearer idea of what life is like in the "camp."