Jessica Gee of The Bucket List Family shares what it’s like to travel the world with her husband and three children and how to find “joy in the journey.”
In this episode of In Good Company, learn the basics of birding from Christian Cooper, author and host of National Geographic TV’s "Extraordinary Birder."
Today was our first full day of this expedition and our introductory exploration was of Española Island. In the morning, we went for a stroll at Gardner Bay, very well known for its large colony of sea lions. Crystal clear waters were the perfect way to start our morning and our first snorkeling outing. During the afternoon, we explored by Zodiac the breathtaking coastal cliffs of Punta Suarez where we could spot different species, such as sea lions, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, and Sally Lightfoot crabs.
Today, we let the mercurial Patagonian weather determine the direction of our adventures. The morning saw us exploring Parry Fjord, once visited by the HMS Beagle in its hydrographic duties in the 18th century. An eerie backdrop of bleached Nothofagus trees (also called southern beeches) framed our expedition. We ambled along a pebbled beach and explored a peat-tinted waterfall. On our return to the ship, we were treated to submarine footage from Staten Island that was collected and presented by our incredible underwater team. After a sumptuous lunch of local grilled delicacies, we took advantage of a good weather window to reach Jackson Bay. Part of Karukinka Natural Park, the bay is home to a colony of elephant seals. A flock of guanacos surprised us as we hiked through the forest to a serene waterfall. Our operation was masterfully timed to take advantage of the changing elements and conditions in these Fuegian regions. A tapestry of sunshine and storms followed us as we continued our endeavor through the fjords.
Today is St. Patrick’s Day, so it seems appropriate for a Patrick to be reporting. And what a treat of a day it was, even for those with less-timely names. We began our sail through Chile’s Francisco Coloane National Marine Park by landing at Bahia Fortescue, the site of Magellan’s first steps on Patagonian land. A cross now stands at the site of the inaugural mass held in 1520, just ashore from a glorious kelp cathedral devotedly filmed by our dive team. We sailed onward through snow and rain and sunshine and rainbows into the narrow fjords of this remarkable whale highway with humpback blows lining our path during lunch. We watched deep-diving humpback whales beneath snow-covered peaks, with one whale trumpeting loudly before its fluke throws, perhaps attempting to blow as hard as the winds that created lenticular clouds in the skies above. After a delicious teatime, we ventured into Mussel Bay on Isla Carlos III, where marine otters, steamer ducks, caracaras, and kingfishers welcomed our Zodiac cruisers. And as I type, local Patagonian’s Eduardo and Santi are sharing about mates and grebes—just another day aboard National Geographic Endurance . Now, for the Kirke Narrows and Puerto Natales!
On our second day in the Chilean fjords, we found ourselves in the northern part of the Darwin Range. Located within Agostini National Park in the Chilean archipelago region, Seno Agostini welcomed us with very Patagonian weather: some light rain and snow. During the morning, we enjoyed an amazing Zodiac cruise to Serrano Glacier with some Magellanic penguins along the way. Kayakers had the chance to get out and paddle along the shoreline in the fjord. Once on board, the Patagonian Plunge was ready to go, and some brave souls headed into the water. During the afternoon, we landed at a beautiful location not too far away. We walked up to a glacial outwash lake with stunning scenery all around us. Just before cocktail hour, we returned to National Geographic Resolution to continue cruising towards our next destination.
Today, we got to explore the beautiful island paradise of Bora Bora from the comfort of two large catamarans. Nobody needed convincing to jump into the glistening turquoise waters. We snorkeled around the coral gardens and enjoyed the colorful array of fish. After snorkeling, we were treated to a magnificent barbecue lunch on our own private motu. The only other visitors were the local stingrays that cruised around the picnic tables set up in the shallows. After enjoying the food, music, and dancing, we had time to relax on the island. We headed back onto the catamarans for a scenic cruise that highlighted the picture perfect, green and blue vistas that Bora Bora is known for.