This morning, we started our day by sailing from the Weddell Sea to the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula to our afternoon destination at Neko Harbour. So often our guests think of sailing time as downtime. However, National Geographic Resolution is one of our most important tools of exploration, a way for us to explore our surrounding waters. This was evident when we ran into a pod of killer whales that we watched for a half hour. After lunch, the weather turned more exciting, and we found ourselves exploring the gentoo penguin colonies at Neko Harbour by foot and Zodiac. The weather added to the sense of exploration, and the visual impact was both surreal and mesmerizing.
2/17/2025
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National Geographic Resolution
At Sea
A day was spent at sea on National Geographic Resolution as the expedition to Patagonia and Antarctica approaches the end with our navigation across the Drake Passage to Ushuaia. It is a time for reflection for all those on board to refresh their memories and to view their photographs of the dramatic landscapes and the diverse wildlife we have witnessed while visiting these special places on our planet. We have been blessed with the weather over the last several weeks and, today, the Drake Passage is in a calm state in terms of swells, less than 2 meters. Several long-finned pilot whales were spotted from the bridge and, so too, five species of petrel and a light-mantled albatross. Fin whales, killer whales, and hourglass dolphins were also spotted. During the day, guests enjoyed a number of presentations, including “Tectonic Accidents-The geology of Antarctica” by Jackie Windh and “The Mighty Krill” by Anne Hedlund. Captain Martin Graser gave a presentation on the design and building of National Geographic Resolution , while our photographic team, led by Alex Joseph and Jennifer Davidson Meadows, compiled guests’ photographs for inclusion in the end of voyage slideshow that is planned for tomorrow evening.
