Index
Day 1 - Flying
Day 2 - World Cup
Day 3 - Buenos Aires
Day 4 - Ushuaia
Day 5 - Drake Passage
Day 6 - Antarctic Circle
Day 7 - Antarctica
Day 8 - Antarctica
Day 9 - Antarctica
Day 10 - Antarctica
Day 11 - Antarctica
Day 12 - Drake Shake
Day 13 - Ushuaia
Day 14 - Return
Antarctica
One more continental landing marked the final morning in Antartica. Hiking up from the penguin colonies on shore in Neko Harbor, partway up the nearby glacier, lead to stunning views of the ice-filled bay and edge of several nearby glaciers. While I've hiked more than a few glaciers, doing one in Antarctica seemed all the more special, even if we didn't really hike all that far or that long.
Most seemed to take their time hiking back down, knowing this was the last opportunity to set foot on Antarctica. Gentoo penguins made dozens of penguin highways and the ground was strewn with dirt and guano, yet no one seemed to mind. Frequent pauses for photos as penguins waddled and tobogganed around us made me wonder if I was going to make the zodiac cruise around Neko Harbor as the naturalists called for us to cycle out groups.
Turns out I made one of the last zodiacs, and pulling away from shore, much like the approach to shore, was greeted by numerous penguins porpoising in the water. The ice-filled Neko Harbor held yet more penguins in addition to the ice, not to mention a few tourists looking to personally examine how salty an iceberg was. The hour-long cruise in the harbor was marked by several avalanches on-shore as well, including one not too far from the glaicer we had just hiked. Hearing hundreds and thousands of tons of ice on the move makes you appreciate just how powerful nature is.
Lunch at C.Green's was, as the day before (if not days before), joined by several staff, including the two penguinologists. Watched my fellow lunch-mates devour half a jar of cookies in addition to the lunches, and watched the expressions of dismay and dramatic disappointment from the penguinologists as the expedition leader radioed them to say that all zodiacs were likely to be used this afternoon. Lunch was topped off by one more sighting of our sister ship, the National Geographic Resolution, which I thought was headed south the last time we parted ways?
One final treat was orchestrated by the crew in the afternoon. For the last zodiac cruise, since we were staying on the zodiacs, we were allowed to see the workings of the zodiac garage on deck 3 before boarding directly from the stern on deck 2. Very cool, although it was soon eclipsed by humpback whales who were also hanging out in Paradise Bay. Soon every available zodiac was seemingly in line abreast, motors idling, as the humpbacks swam fore and aft of us, getting so close several times that you not only did not need a zoom to appreciate them, you had to worry about a zodiac getting flipped (!) if one breached too close. The water was so clear you could often see them moving just below the water, preparing to surface (!!).
After far too long with the humpbacks, Emmett directed us to other parts of Paradise Bay, where more avalanches and more very blue icebergs dotted the landscape. Then just for good measure, a minke whale showed up (!!!). The straight mouth, angular head, and pale ventral side made for a striking sight so close. Not to diminish the elegance of humpback whales, but to see a minke made the last zodiac cruise of the trip all the more special.
Not to feel left out, less than 90 minutes after returning to the National Geographic Endurance, another pod of orcas showed up. They too swam so close to the ship you didn't need a zoom lens to appreciate them, and with water still so clear you could see them below the surface as well. Again, an amazing experience to make for a hell of a last day in Antarctica.
Dinner by comparison was almost tame, the random seating leading many to the big long table setup in the middle, dotted by guests and staff members sharing their experiences.