When we woke up, it was still dark outside. As we neared Kap Maechel toward the end of dawn, we could see the shores. We were scanning for muskoxen. And sure enough, there they were…a small herd of four, three adults and a young one, were grazing high up on the hillside.
Most of us went ashore despite the very cold temperature and more wind than we had experienced earlier. We slowly moved up the low-grade tundra slope towards the herd.
We tried to habituate the normally very skittish animals by walking slowly and occasionally stopping. We eventually got close enough to the animals that we all got great looks. As the herd moved up the slope, we broke into different groups and went for a walk before heading back to C Greens and 270, the ship’s restaurants, for hamburger day.
The afternoon program took us further into Alpefjord. We went for a Zodiac cruise, and the stunning landscapes dwarfed National Geographic Endurance. Despite the cold and wind, we enjoyed a beautiful tour with gorgeous light on the large tidewater face of the Sefström Glacier.
The afternoon was rounded off with music and a polar plunge. We had some really brave (or mad!) people who jumped into the near freezing water. Hats off to them!
We enjoyed mind-blowing scenery throughout the evening as National Geographic Endurance slowly made its way through the fjord system. As usual, recap was followed by a delightful dinner in 270.
