Tay Head, Joinville Island, 2/1/2023, National Geographic Resolution
Aboard the
National Geographic Resolution
Antarctica
We woke to magnificent views of icebergs in the Antarctic Sound. We cruised past Paulet Island with its hundreds of thousands of Adelie penguins to Tay Head where we spent a fantastic morning hiking ashore.
During our hike, we weaved between fur seals, watched snoozy Weddell seals, and were enchanted by the characters that are Adelie penguins.
We spent the afternoon cruising amongst spectacular tabular icebergs, watching snow petrels soar overhead, and being wowed by fin and humpback whales. Another incredible day in Antarctica!
Mairi is a marine scientist and expedition guide from the Highlands of Scotland. She has a passion for nature and being outdoors, whether on or under the water or up a mountain. Mairi’s research has taken her all over the world – from the tropical wa...
Enter travel details to receive reports from a single expedition
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Send Daily Expedition Reports to friends and family
*By clicking the submit button, I authorize Lindblad Expeditions to email me; however, I am able to unsubscribe at any time. For more details, see our Privacy Policy.
Please note: All Daily Expedition Reports (DERs) are posted Monday-Friday,
during normal business hours. DERs are written onboard the ship only and do
not apply to land-based portions of expeditions.
Today we have had a truly memorable and wonderful day exploring Antarctica aboard our aptly named expedition ship, National Geographic Explorer . Last night, Expedition Leader Bud Lehnhausen, who has been working in the expedition industry for over 40 years, told us that he would evaluate the weather and ice conditions and give us an updated plan in the morning. This was a fitting and refreshing message, given how detailed logistics can be with a voyage like this. During breakfast, Bud outlined a plan over the public address. The day was filled with pleasant surprises and once in a lifetime experiences for many of us. Right after breakfast, the bridge officers parked our ship directly beside the fast ice in Duse Bay. Surrounded by the Antarctic continent, we walked off the ship’s B Deck directly onto the four-foot-thick ice and explored around the vast white expanse. Some guests took classic pictures, posing in front of the bow while pretending to haul one of the ship’s lines. Others studied the details of the crystalline structure of the ice. A few times during the morning, we were visited by groups of Adélie penguins. We made room for them as they walked by our group along the fast ice. During lunch, the bridge guided the ship to Brown Bluff while weaving through various large tabular icebergs. Along the way, two humpback whales were spotted, and the ship slowed down so we could observe. This was a highlight for many, and we got a close view of these beautiful migrating creatures of the sea. A few keen photographers captured images of the underside of the fluke. These images can be used to identify individual whales, and we have submitted them to Happy Whale, an organization dedicated to the better understanding and conservation of whales. At Brown Bluff, we set out to explore the collection of impressive icebergs via our fleet of Zodiacs, and we spent time on shore observing the Adélie penguin colony. Back on the ship, we were treated to a delicious dinner. Afterwards, we had popcorn in the lounge while listening to wildlife filmmaker David Wright share stories from his 40-year career in the field making documentaries for National Geographic. Today was a day that many will never forget.
We spent our third day aboard National Geographic Explorer amongst a colony of Adelie and chinstrap penguins on Paulet Island. The penguins were nesting, and we noticed the slightly more serene atmosphere compared to yesterday’s gentoo colony. That’s not to say there wasn’t some rambunctious activity as penguins defended their nests from each other, and villainous snowy sheathbills and brown skuas tried to steal penguin eggs. Of course, though villains they may be to penguins, the skuas and sheathbills must also earn a living and battle this inhospitable environment. A bird has to eat. Guests enjoyed a Zodiac cruise amongst icebergs and even spotted a Weddell seal on shore. Paulet Island was not the day’s only destination. As National Geographic Explorer cruised towards Snow Hill, a known emperor penguin colony was in our sight. Guests were rewarded as we found a lone emperor on an iceberg.
Today was another day spent traveling in the Southern Ocean. As lunch neared, we were able to get our first view of Antarctica. Anvers Island showed off its peaks, tempting guests with the promise of adventure. As we transited to the Argentine Islands, we were educated by Ken Garrett, National Geographic Photographer, on his adventures photographing King Tut. Next, Geologist Serguei Pomarenko spoke about, “Ice on Planet Earth.” We spent the afternoon enjoying views of countless icebergs as we got closer and closer to the continent. Many seabirds filled the sky and ocean as we ventured farther south. Once National Geographic Endurance got within close proximity to the Argentine Islands, guests had an opportunity to take a Zodiac cruise to explore ice, penguins, and seals. The Argentine Islands are home to the Ukrainian Vernadsky Research Station, and one Zodiac’s mission was to deliver provisions – vegetables and cheese – to the isolated station. The researchers were very happy for the early Christmas delivery. Calm seas in the evening are making our transit to tomorrow’s sites simple. A spirit of anticipation amongst the guests can be felt throughout the whole ship.
