Washington, D.C.
The august spires of the Washington Monument and the United States Capitol Building greeted us as the National Geographic Explorer arrived in Washington, D.C. From the edge of the Potomac River, we viewed the nation’s capitol just as countless generations of visitors first saw it in an age before automobiles and jet planes. We docked in historic Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia, and prepared for a day of fun and excitement at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History and the National Geographic Society’s headquarters.
We arrived at the National Museum of Natural History and were treated to a special closed-door visit to the new Sant Ocean Hall. The stunning exhibit traces the evolution of ocean creatures and examines the relationship between humans and the world’s oceans. It also shows how contemporary ocean life is put under tremendous stress by human activities. The Ocean Hall features preserved specimens of giant squid and coelacanths, as well as other marine life, both large and small. High-tech animations and high-definition video displays teach about ocean currents, plate tectonics, and other geological and oceanographic features that shape our planet. Perhaps most spectacular of all is the life-size North Atlantic right whale model that hangs over the entire hall and encompasses the exhibits with its massive flukes and pectoral flippers.
After we spent time in the Sant Ocean Hall, we learned about deep-sea life and sustainable seafood consumption from marine biologist Dr. Carole Baldwin. Dr. Baldwin discussed her work on tropical marine species and showed fascinating video from a series of deepwater dives she made in a submersible off the Galapagos Islands. Her video showed unusual marine organisms that live deep in the water column, well below the depth that light can penetrate. Many of these creatures use bioluminescence to communicate in the darkness and have adapted other unique characteristics to survive in the deep waters. Dr. Baldwin concluded her presentation by discussing a cookbook that she co-wrote that features recipes using sustainable seafood. One Fish, Two Fish, Crawfish, Bluefish presents alternatives to recipes that use threatened species such as Atlantic cod, tuna, and Maryland blue crab.
After the talk, guests adjourned to the nearby Oceanaire Restaurant for a scrumptious lunch featuring recipes from Dr. Baldwin’s book. After lunch, we visited the headquarters of the National Geographic Society, Lindblad’s partner in exploration. National Geographic Chief Executive Officer John Fahey welcomed us to the Society. We visited the cartography department and received a special map of our journey on the Explorer. We also viewed the magazine department and looked at the layout for a future issue of National Geographic magazine. Finally, we visited the inventors of the “critter cam” and learned about their innovative research. At the end of the day, we returned to the National Geographic Explorer, weary but exhilarated from our day’s urban expedition.
The august spires of the Washington Monument and the United States Capitol Building greeted us as the National Geographic Explorer arrived in Washington, D.C. From the edge of the Potomac River, we viewed the nation’s capitol just as countless generations of visitors first saw it in an age before automobiles and jet planes. We docked in historic Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia, and prepared for a day of fun and excitement at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History and the National Geographic Society’s headquarters.
We arrived at the National Museum of Natural History and were treated to a special closed-door visit to the new Sant Ocean Hall. The stunning exhibit traces the evolution of ocean creatures and examines the relationship between humans and the world’s oceans. It also shows how contemporary ocean life is put under tremendous stress by human activities. The Ocean Hall features preserved specimens of giant squid and coelacanths, as well as other marine life, both large and small. High-tech animations and high-definition video displays teach about ocean currents, plate tectonics, and other geological and oceanographic features that shape our planet. Perhaps most spectacular of all is the life-size North Atlantic right whale model that hangs over the entire hall and encompasses the exhibits with its massive flukes and pectoral flippers.
After we spent time in the Sant Ocean Hall, we learned about deep-sea life and sustainable seafood consumption from marine biologist Dr. Carole Baldwin. Dr. Baldwin discussed her work on tropical marine species and showed fascinating video from a series of deepwater dives she made in a submersible off the Galapagos Islands. Her video showed unusual marine organisms that live deep in the water column, well below the depth that light can penetrate. Many of these creatures use bioluminescence to communicate in the darkness and have adapted other unique characteristics to survive in the deep waters. Dr. Baldwin concluded her presentation by discussing a cookbook that she co-wrote that features recipes using sustainable seafood. One Fish, Two Fish, Crawfish, Bluefish presents alternatives to recipes that use threatened species such as Atlantic cod, tuna, and Maryland blue crab.
After the talk, guests adjourned to the nearby Oceanaire Restaurant for a scrumptious lunch featuring recipes from Dr. Baldwin’s book. After lunch, we visited the headquarters of the National Geographic Society, Lindblad’s partner in exploration. National Geographic Chief Executive Officer John Fahey welcomed us to the Society. We visited the cartography department and received a special map of our journey on the Explorer. We also viewed the magazine department and looked at the layout for a future issue of National Geographic magazine. Finally, we visited the inventors of the “critter cam” and learned about their innovative research. At the end of the day, we returned to the National Geographic Explorer, weary but exhilarated from our day’s urban expedition.
