Overnight, the bridge team of National Geographic Resolution navigated the beautiful and narrow Lemaire Channel as we made our way north. We awoke in Paradise Bay surrounded by glaciers and icebergs. This would be our last outing before heading north through the Drake Passage. We had incredible weather, starting with sunshine that transitioned to a light and gentle snowfall throughout the day. Our staff took Exclusive Resorts members out on Zodiac tours of Skontorp Cove, an exceptionally stunning section of the bay. We were able to see calving ice crash off the glaciers, incredible blue icebergs, Antarctic cormorant breeding colonies, Gentoo penguins, and even humpback whales! The whales certainly stole the show as they circled our boats and showed off their flukes. After our leisurely Zodiac cruises, everyone warmed up with another exquisite lunch from our galley team followed by a photography session led by the photo team. By early evening, we started slowly cruising north towards the Drake Passage. We had a special treat after dinner…the famous Crew Show, where members of the crew sang, danced, and played music as we danced into the early hours of the night in the Ice Lounge. What a fantastic and unforgettable day!
12/25/2024
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National Geographic Endurance
Barrientos and Half Moon Islands
Merry Christmas from National Geographic Endurance which just arrived in Antarctica! It is not a bad Christmas morning when the first thing one does is step foot on the Antarctic Continent to be greeted by penguins! After a day of sailing, we arrived at the South Shetlands and made our very first landing at Barrientos Island. Already at the beach, we saw gentoos and chinstrap penguins, that seemed to be awaiting our arrival. It was only a short walk to the colonies and there we could see penguins laying on their eggs and even a few recently hatched chicks! After the great make-your-own-pasta-bar lunch, the next activity was a landing at Half Moon Island. There we chose between a long or shorter hike to get a Christmas Day leg stretch and see even more penguins. After a busy day of outings, it was time for the first recap of the journey and then finally Christmas dinner, where the Christmas buffet awaited guests with some of the best food there is. Today was definitely a Christmas Day to remember!