For the next two days, the National Geographic Orion will be at sea, steaming to the northeast towards the island of South Georgia. For some guests, it will be a chance to catch one’s breath, take a nap or read a book. Many of us will attend today’s full schedule of presentations on wildlife and photography, and most will take advantage of the relaxed pace to download and edit some photos.
Die-hard bird watchers are spending plenty of time out on the decks, as the ship has an escort of seabirds following our track. Black-browed albatross, cape petrels and Antarctic prions are a constant presence, and other birds appear from time to time. Warm weather and relatively calm seas make sightings and picture taking an enjoyable experience, rather than one to be endured.
A sea day is also a perfect time to take advantage of the ship’s “open bridge” policy. With the ship on auto-pilot, the officers have time to visit and explain the countless screens, levers and buttons that seem to stretch from one side of the ship to the other.
Just before lunch, the National Geographic Orion passed over the 60th parallel, which means we have left the political boundary of Antarctica. With South Georgia still ahead, there is still plenty of adventure to come!
