We were extremely lucky to find ourselves at sea with remarkably calm weather this morning. We were avoiding the wretched weather system for most of the day, thank goodness! Alas, come the evening, it caught up with us and the ever gloriously gliding albatross that were guiding us back to the Falkland Islands. The motion of the ocean managed to give some a roller coaster sensation, yet we still had a jam packed day filled with lectures and, certainly a highlight for unfazed stomachs, taco day for lunch!
Our undersea specialist Erin McFadden gave an inspirational lecture presenting Antarctic krill’s functional role in the ecosystem, global importance, and what in the world krill really is! Erin certainly knows these critters inside and out as she shared krill’s life cycle and how it is closely tied to the sea ice that is drastically changing with a warming climate and recent conservation measures.
Next on the agenda, our trekking team gave us insights into the trek itself, their gear, and some breathtaking perspectives from following Shackleton’s footsteps—or snow holes! National Geographic Photographer Devlin Gandy shared his experience capturing the scene, trekking leader Guy Cotter detailed their journey, and Brian Dagg read us his delightful poem bringing new insights to their epic climb over South Georgia.
Later in the afternoon, our cultural specialist Gabriella Roldan delivered her informative presentation “Falklands to You, Malvinas to Me”. She shared insights about the historical controversial fight for sovereignty between Argentina and Britain for the Falkland Islands from a perspective that was not highly publicized. What luck to not only have our very own Argentinian onboard and be able to tap into her wealth of knowledge, but the very first one to visit the Falkland Islands post-conflict!
The evening came to a close with the legendary National Geographic Photographer Ralph Lee Hopkins sharing his tricks of the trade while organizing and editing photos utilizing Lightroom software. Pristine Seas cocktails followed Ralph’s in depth presentation and our expedition leader Shaun Powell entertained all of us with tales of getting up close and personal with polar bears in Svalbard after dinner. Waves rocked the National Geographic Orion throughout the night, until we reached our next destination at Bleaker Island in the wee hours of the next day.
