Sea day and ship inspection/teaching

Today was a full day at sea, making it the perfect opportunity to dive into the details of this beautiful ship! Gui, who has been part of our expedition staff for years, kindly volunteered to guide us around every corner of the vessel.

For someone without an engineering background, it was mind-blowing to explore the ship and try to grasp the complexity of its machinery, handling, engines, storage, security, and more. Visiting the engine room was particularly impressive, with two of the ship’s four engines running at a casual 70% power. Together, the engines deliver a total of 7,500 bhp, providing power not just for propulsion but also for everything else onboard, including air conditioning, the watermaker, elevators, lighting, and electricity.

The ship can accommodate up to 300 people, and for an 18-day trip like this, managing the storage and preparation of food is an incredible logistical feat (not to mention actually planning and cooking all that food!). On a typical expedition, we carry around 175 passengers and 90–100 crew members.

The ship is like a floating hotel, but far more complex. It has laundry facilities, a bakery, several kitchens, 15 Zodiacs, a fitness center, a sauna, kayaks, a shop, and a lecture room. It’s fascinating to think about all the intricate technology required to keep everything running smoothly.

The rest of the day was a mix of work—emails, one-on-one meetings with expedition staff, and attending lectures.

The first lecture was about the geology of the world, focusing on the story of Pangaea, the supercontinent when all landmasses were united. It explored how geological evidence of this ancient formation can still be seen today and explained how the movements of tectonic plates have shaped the mountains and earthquakes we see across the globe.

This was followed by a fascinating and enlightening lecture on whales. It traced the evolution of whales from four-legged terrestrial animals to fully marine mammals. Over time, these creatures adapted to life in the water, eventually splitting into two main families: baleen whales (which filter-feed on small organisms) and toothed whales (hunters like orcas).

Whales are incredible animals, and the lecture was made even more special when a pod of dolphins decided to follow the ship for a while, putting on a little show for us.

Apart from the dolphins, it was a relatively quiet day for wildlife, but I did spot a Wandering Albatross! With the largest wingspan of any bird, this one was enormous and absolutely stunning. Watching it glide effortlessly on the wind was mesmerizing. Fun fact: Wandering Albatrosses typically don’t touch land again until they’re about 8–9 years old, after leaving the nest as juveniles. I’m hoping to capture the perfect photo of this majestic bird tomorrow.

Tomorrow evening, we arrive in South Georgia. If you have 20 minutes to spare, I highly recommend watching a short film by the esteemed Sir David Attenborough here: South Georgia Visitor’s Guide. I’m beyond excited for what lies ahead!Read more