Antarctica: December 2022: Day 10: Sister ships

Antarctica

Day 10: Sister ships

Groussac Refuge on Petermann Island.

Adelie penguin showing off the importance of preening.

So many penguins on Petermann Island.

Running so fast his/her fur is rippling.

Having a very loud argument.

Chasing away an unwanted guest.

Yesterday's turkey is now turkey pot pie. Yum.

Majestic landscape #327,924..

Passing through the Wilhelm Archipelago, probably near Pleneau Island.

Pretty sure this is actually Pleneau Island.

Rare sighting of unmolested cookies on this cruise.

Napping seals on Pleneau Island.

Gentoo penguins everywhere.

Gentoo penguin checking out both the ship and the tourists it has deposited on his/her island.

Chillin' on the rocks.

Bringing home the perfect pebble.

Projectile poop.

National Geographic Resolution, sister ship to the National Geographic Endurance, makes an appearance.

Towers of ice.

National Geographic Resolution in the distance.

Trading tips with our sister ship.

I wonder if you could jump a zodiac through the hole.

Seemingly unbothered being surrounded by zodiacs on all sides.

Cocktail hour snacks. Might have been the one tasty one.

Swordfish and pear ceviche, empanadas, choripan con queso, prime beef chimichurri at the chef's table.

Close-up.

Smoked lionfish, cherry tomato, mayo, tomato powder, lemon, cheese, cracker in the shape of a wave.

Fennel and leek soup, mushroom duxelles, queso and truffle tortellini, leek ashes aioli.

Potato, corn, and cheese croquette.

Patagonian tootfish, king scallop, cauliflower mousse, highlighted with parsley-lemon foam.

Lamb pot pie with carrot, mushroom, plum, and potato.

This was okay.. The turkey pot pie was better.

Every guest gets invited to the chef's table one night of the trip.

The London family waiting for the next course.

A very uninteresting scotch.

Hidden sticky date pudding, warm orange and caramel sauce, single malt ice cream.

Chocolates.

Second surprise (after crashing into an ice shelf) of the trip: being joined by the National Geographic Resolution through the Lemaire Channel.

Both ships' passengers were surprised and excited.

Making good time in the Lemaire Channel..

Mountains soar over ice in the Lemaire Channel.

Sister ship reflections.

Making waves.

National Geographic Resolution sailing through the icy Lemaire Channel.

The crew getting a rare chance to enjoy themselves.

Out of the Lemaire Channel, the National Geographic Resolution prepares to turn to port and to continue their journey south.

Board games in the lounge.

Explaining how to play Cover Your A$$ets.

Overnight, we crossed north of the Antarctic Circle, from Skog Bay up to Petermann Island. Groussac Refuge, an Argentine naval refuge smack among a Gentoo penguin colony, was the morning's landing. Saw a few other penguins mixed in the very vocal Gentoos, including an Adelie penguin doing a very intense preening job.

Lunch was a very tasty turkey pot pie as we sailed through the through the Wilhelm Archipelago on the way to Pleneau Island. More seals and more birds on the afternoon landing, including some nest-building gentoos and one caught mid-poop (and we wonder why penguin rooks smell so bad!). Plenty of evidence of penguin highways between the rocks as well, and as we headed back to shore, our ship's sister ship, the National Geographic Endurance, made an appearance among the icebergs graveyard nearby.

While the other half of the guests got their turn on land, the half I was with cruised among the iceberg graveyard, took a few minutes to meet up with a zodiac from the National Geographic Resolution and exchange sightseeing tips, soaked in some more views of the ice, and then headed back to the ship in time for the chef's table dinner at C.Green's. All guests onboard get one dinner at the chef's table, and as far as "fine" dining experiences go... well, let's just say I have had far worse on land. This one was most definitely venue and theme appropriate, honoring Shackleton's journey from 1914-1917, including the very namesake of the National Geographic Endurance.

Menu items included a starter course including ceviche and chimichurri, a "wave" cracker that would have been an absurd gimmick anywhere except here, fennel and leek soup, potato/corn/cheese croquette, and an attempt to replicate the sea with Patagonian toothfish, king scallop, and parsley-lemon foam. That and the lamb pot pie probably would have missed the mark at a Michelin star, but for a thousand miles from the nearest city, the artfulness was appreciated. A rather straightforward scotch followed by hidden sticky date pudding that you melted the chocolate shell prior to eating were the final two courses, and the end experience was quite enjoyable.

One more surprise for the trip was being joined by the National Geographic Resolution for the cruise through the Lemaire Channel. The crew said this had never been done before, and as the twin ships cut through the icy waters the excitement of both passengers and crew was palatable. Dark rock and snow on each side, the reflections of each ship on the water, it was another unique experience, right down to the point where, out of the Lemaire Channel, the National Geographic Resolution pulled a hard turn to port to continue her own journey through Antarctica.

Finally wandered to the Ice Lounge on deck 6 after dinner to find out some other guests playing board games. Cover your A$$ets was quick and easy to learn, although I almost regretted not working on my ridiculous photo backlog instead.