This morning, National Geographic Orion cruised into the fjords of Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest National Park, Piopiotahi Milford Sound. From the entrance of Piopiotahi all the way to the back of the sound in Harrison Cove, guests spotted the rare Fiordland crested penguins occasionally popping up to the surface along the edges of the cliff faces. The ship lowered Zodiacs at Stirling Falls (approximately 495 feet tall), and a few rounds of Zodiacs explored the sound from water level. The waters of Piopiotahi Milford Sound are rich with life, which became abundant as guests observed the acrobatics of New Zealand fur seals lunging through schools of fish at the surface.
This afternoon, weather allowed the expedition team to arrange a stop in Thompson Sound to explore the coastline by Zodiac. In the evening, National Geographic Orion will make its way to Dusky Sound, a spectacularly remote stretch of Fiordland.
