Motoring south with purpose, National Geographic Explorer traversed the notorious waters of the Drake Passage in order to reach the first landfall in Antarctica. Just before lunch, the call went out—Land Ho! Before us stood the rugged geography of the South Shetland Islands—the first appearance of land since leaving Ushuaia—rising out of the water to welcome us. With a dim hue of fog hovering along the horizon, the set of islands held the great promise of the wildlife to come. Setting out on our first Zodiac cruise of the trip, our guests ventured to explore Aitcho island. Stepping foot on land we were greeted with two different species of penguins—Adélie and chinstrap. With the small birds rousting about atop the topography, guests found ample opportunity to gasp and wonder at the small creatures they had come so far to see. Many chose to level themselves upon the ground to achieve the penguins’ perspective, aiding them to capture a more dramatic and dynamic photo.
Beyond the small, waddling friends that covered the shore, there were additional creatures occupying the space to cause the head to turn. Skuas and petrels circled in search of an advantageous meal, but perhaps the most conspicuous creatures laid out along the shore were the Antarctic fur seals. With their large eyes and thick, matted fur, the young seals growled and groaned upon the beach. The preview was but a fraction of what we are bound for South Georgia to see, but still the encounter had its charms. Even as the beginning of the afternoon began with a spit of rain, those who remained onshore experienced a break in the clouds that sent shards of sunshine down to warm their faces. These are the small graces that Antarctica provides. What is harsh becomes lovely, and what is foreign soon becomes friend. These are the reasons that we travel the long distances, in order to realize who and what we are in the grand scheme of life that inhabits our planet.
