Throughout the night our cozy ship bounded along at thirteen knots over storm-tossed, tempestuous seas. We left the Antarctic Peninsula in the company of another vessel which soon fell far behind having had to slow to eight knots in order to comfortably handle the rising swells. The National Geographic Explorer however rides gently along in almost any weather due to her unique hull design and formidable hydraulic stabilizers. Just before dawn the waning moon cast a silvery path on the ocean and the stars of the Southern Cross shown brightly directly overhead. 

By breakfast time the seas had begun to flatten out and many of the seabirds we had expected to see yesterday were once again wheeling about the ship. The grandest of all of course was the iconic wandering albatross which boasts the greatest wingspan of any living bird, often measuring in excess of ten feet! At 9:30 Peter Wilson gave a presentation on the life of one of the great un-sung heroes of Antarctic exploration, Irishman, Tom Crean.

Late in the afternoon Sue Perin hosted a rousing game of Antarctic Jeopardy in the lounge which was followed shortly after by the Captain’s Farewell Cocktail and dinner parties. As we finished up our meal, The National Geographic Explorer was tying up alongside the dock in Ushuaia. Many great friends and memories have been made during the ten days of this fabulous adventure.