Photos of the Week, March 17, 2023

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Whether our naturalists and other field staff were photographing colorful marine iguanas in the Galápagos Islands, whales in Baja California, or king penguins on South Georgia Island, the iconic wildlife of every region our ships visited this week provided stunning photo ops.

For more dispatches from the field, check out our Daily Expedition Reports.

Have you recently traveled aboard one of our ships? Send us your favorite photo! We'd love to feature your favorite memory of your expedition.

At Sea Between Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands

South Georgia andthe Falklands, March 1, 2023

We encountered the incredibly handsome hourglass dolphin on three occasions today. From the large and slightly ‘elbowed’ dorsal fin, we can determine that this beauty was a male. —Conor Ryan, Naturalist

Cabo Pulmo National Park, Baja California

Baja California:Among the Great Whales, March 1, 2023

A school of porkfish at the Cabo Pulmo National Park, Baja California Sur. —Carlos Navarro, Undersea Specialist

Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island

Antarctica, South Georgia,and the Falklands, March 1, 2023

For many of us, seeing a large king penguin colony was one of our reasons for coming to South Georgia, and we were not disappointed today. The wide, sweeping Bay of Isles is home to perhaps 100,000 pairs of king penguins. Together with their chicks, there are approximately 300,000 birds. In this recently deglaciated bay, plenty of space is available for king penguins, fur seals, and elephant seals to breed and spend the year. The sea doesn't freeze in the winter, and the animals are free to come and go as they please. —Gerard Baker, Historian (Photo by Dave Katz)

Stanley, Falkland Islands

South Georgia andthe Falklands, March 2, 2023

A couple of large (around six inches long), long-spired volutid snails out and about around the kelp forests near Stanley in the Falkland Islands. —Maya Santangelo, Undersea Specialist

Isla San Jose, Baja California

Baja California:Among the Great Whales, March 3, 2023

National Geographic Venture surrounded by birds

National Geographic Venture at sea. —Kyle Bowman, Naturalist

Scotia Sea

South Georgia andthe Falklands, March 4, 2023

bird in flight silhouetted against a gray sky

A wandering albatross banks in the final rays of sunlight. —Eric Guth, Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor

Española Island, Galápagos

Galápagos AboardNational Geographic Endeavour II, March 5, 2023

Marine iguanas on Española are nicknamed Christmas iguanas because of their red coloration during breeding season. On our walk, we saw quite a few basking in the sun. —Anahi Concari, Naturalist

Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island

South Georgia andthe Falklands, March 5, 2023

large bird flying over thousands of penguins

A predatory skua flies over the king penguin colony in search of a potential meal. —Jamie Coleman, Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor

West Point, Falkland Islands

Antarctica, South Georgia,and the Falklands, March 6, 2023

Black-browed albatross. We enjoyed visiting the colony at West Point and observing these big, healthy chicks. During our visit, adults came to the colony to feed the chicks. The chicks begged their parents for food, pecking their bills and making sweet noises. —Javier Cotin, Naturalist

Grytviken, South Georgia Island

South Georgia andthe Falklands, March 7, 2023

penguins on a grassy plain with a ship in the distance

A small colony of gentoo penguins with National Geographic Endurance and a dramatic landscape. —Ezra Siegel, Naturalist

Cabo Pulmo National Park, Baja California

Baja California:Among the Great Whales, March 7, 2023

Humpback whales chased one another, flung their tails, and spontaneously leapt from the water in full body breaches. —Marylou Blakeslee, Naturalist (Photo by Rich Kirchner)