After 5 enjoyable pre-cruise days enjoying Buenos Aires and Iguazu Falls, our cruise line, Hurtigruten, flew us down to Ushuaia (see short blog on this city). We were traveling with the Palmers (Dale and John) and the Sanchezs/Decoucy (Leo, Jo and Barb). This was the same group that cruised the Galapagos Islands over 4 years ago. Our entire plane, along with another plane, was a charter flight by Hurtigruten and only had cruise passengers onboard. The boarding procedures at the airport were extremely easy. We chose Hurtigruten as our cruise company because they have been doing expeditionary cruises for over 50 years. We like Viking and considered booking with them, but last year was the first year they have done cruises in Antarctica and we were concerned they didn’t have enough experience yet. After our short visit in Ushuaia, we boarded the ship, the Fridjof Nansen. This was a brand-new ship that was on its second Antarctica cruising season.
We didn’t really know what to expect during the cruise. We knew we would sail 2 days through the Drake Passage before arriving in Antarctica and another 2 days through the passage on the way back. The 5 days we would spend in Antarctica was a big unknown to us. As we attended the orientation seminars, we started to understand a little more on what to expect. First we were told there was no specific itinerary except for Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, etc. Antarctica is unpredictable and what looks good in the morning might not look good in the afternoon. Plans would need to change based on ice conditions as we cruised, weather in the area, other expedition cruise ships in the area, etc. We were told that typically we would do one landing each day and possibly a zodiac scenic cruise each day. We were also given the opportunity to sign up for kayaking and the science boat. We could have signed up for camping but going out on the ice at 10 PM at night and getting up at 6:00AM just didn’t seem that appealing when you had to carry your own tent there and go to the bathroom in a bucket. Signing up for the kayaks was a lottery system since there were more people who wanted to go than spaces available. We signed up and were assigned to group 6. We also were assigned to group 2 for the Science Boat which was an opportunity to work with the many scientists on board who were in Antarctica researching different things.
The 2-day voyage over the Drake Passage was uneventful. The swells on the sea were large and walking on the ship was difficult at times but it really wasn’t too bad, and we didn’t see anyone who got sick. During our voyage through the Drake, we were able to explore the ship and understand the differences between this small 530 passenger expeditionary ship and the larger ocean cruise ships we typically sail on. There are only 3 restaurants on board, and one is a specialty restaurant. We tried this specialty restaurant and wasn’t too impressed with it since it had a very limited menu and very few courses with the meal. There was no salad and only one very small appetizer, but the cost was only $25 which is much less than the larger ships charge. The main dining room seemed to alternate between buffet dinners and a small a la carte menu. The food served there was very good. The third restaurant was our favorite and served hamburgers, sandwiches, and other specialty items. You could also order milkshakes and a Norwegian pancake type dessert. At each restaurant you were served complimentary beer, wine, or soft drinks only during lunch and dinner hours. Although there was no room service you could order take away from one restaurant. Unfortunately, there was no coffee shop or other restaurant open between breakfast and lunch or open after dinner. During the sea days you could go to one of the many lectures they had about Antarctic wildlife, icebergs, scientific studies, and exploration. The WiFi on the ship was amazingly good although there were times that it was not available throughout our cruise. There was a small fitness center on board, but it was typically busy. A very nice shop was on board, and you could purchase high quality items for reasonable prices. In the back of the ship was a small pool with two hot tubs. The ship had a large scientific area where people could talk to the various scientists on board and learn more about Antarctica and its wildlife. There was a very nice library there also with many books on Antarctica and the Arctic. It was a well-designed ship, and we enjoyed our time on it.
When we arrived at the Antarctic peninsula on Day 3 of the cruise, or Day 1 of our Antarctica land expedition, we suited up because we were one of the first zodiacs to go to shore in the morning. Suiting up involves putting on your long underwear and many layers of clothes in addition to wearing your down coat under your waterproof coat. We had to buy a pair of waterproof pants on board because you needed to have them to go ashore. Also don’t forget your wool hat, heavy gloves, hand warmers, and neck/face covering. All this clothing for temperatures in the 30’s? Besides the temperatures though, you must be prepared for the winds, rain, and/or snow. Antarctica weather can change very quickly from sunny and calm, to 30 MPH gusts with rain blowing in your face! We landed at Wordie House which was an old camp built in 1935 by the English and later abandoned in the 1950’s. We were able to walk through this building which still had canned food items left over and posters from the 1940’s. Across the inlet from the camp was the Ukrainian facility Camp Vernadsky which was sold to them for $1 by the British. While on land we did a small hike to the top of a hill which gave us some good views of the surrounding area. The weather was not bad but there was a little rain and a slight wind. Temperatures were in the 30’s for the entire cruise. Later in the afternoon we took a zodiac ride around the harbor and viewed the penguin colony around Camp Vernadsky. It was especially fun to watch them swim. Swimming penguins jump out of the water just like the dolphins do in the Caribbean. We also saw one seal during the day. Although the weather wasn’t too bad the sun was not out, and it was not a great day for photography.
On Day 2 in Antarctica the ship had moved to a new location in Orne Harbor where heavy snow was falling. We did another landing in the early afternoon and this time we had a significant hike to the top where there was another penguin colony. We had a snow coming down most of the morning which was pretty to see. When hiking on land you had to wear the boots provided by Hurtigruten and use the walking poles provided. After a short walk from where we landed, we stopped to take photos of 4 penguins that were going down from the top of the hill to the sea. They seemed to be having a lot of fun waddling around and moving around on their bellies. After taking many pictures of these penguins, we started our long trek to the top. Less than half the people who landed made it to the top. As we hiked up, we would stop and enjoy the magnificent view and take a few pictures. When we got to the top, we saw the large colony of penguins who lived there. This was a long way from the sea which had their food (krill) and predators (seals). There were a few chicks that you could see every now and then when they peeked out from their mother. From the top we had a great view of our ship and the bay we were in. After taking many pictures the sun “almost” came out and the visibility improved dramatically. We started to retake all our pictures and had some excellent views all around us. We ended up staying much longer than we were supposed to and took a later zodiac back to the ship with another group. The pictures were just too good after the visibility improved. The trip back down the hill was a little treacherous since it was steep and very slippery in the snow. Many people fell on the way down, but we were fortunate to stay on both feet. Later in the afternoon we took another zodiac cruise around the bay. Unfortunately, the weather was bad with 20 to 30-mile hour winds and snow blowing almost horizontally. The water was a little rough and it felt a lot colder. We saw a few penguins on the coast with some other birds, but it really wasn’t great viewing weather, and we didn’t take many pictures.
On Day 3 in Antarctica, we were scenic cruising in the morning to get to our landing area in Paradise Bay. As we cruised along, we saw several whales and many penguins. Most of the penguins were swimming in the water but we saw some floating down the channels on icebergs. The sun was out, and the pictures were great. We stayed outside a few hours taking pictures. We passed a Silversea cruise ship that had all its zodiacs and kayaks out. We were envious of them having such great weather and could only hope that the sun would stay out for us once we got to our landing area. When we got to our landing spot, we took an early zodiac to the landing spot so we could do the “Science Boat” later in the afternoon. The sun was in and out, and the pictures were good. Penguins were seen everywhere, and penguin poop smelled bad. The smell and dirty snow was disgusting in the main penguin colony. What was even worse, was the fact that these penguins lived right outside an active base where the people were coming back on the following week. I would not want to live there with all those penguins! At this stop we had another large hill to climb and the views at the top were very nice. It was a little scary at the top because you were right next to a 100+ foot cliff drop. There were some other places to walk at this stop to see more penguins and other parts of the base. While we were there, we saw several instances where the nearby ice sheets calved into the water. One of these was very impressive to watch. In the afternoon we met our science team members who were going out on the boat with us. The scientists on board the Hurtigruten ships elicit the help of cruise passengers to help in collecting data in Antarctica. On this trip we performed a test for water visibility, obtained a water sample to analyze back at the lab, and sent out an underwater drone to record what was seen at different depths. Everyone on the boat contributed to doing something. The scientists could do this all themselves more quickly and efficiently but engaging the passengers created an activity that everyone enjoyed. While out on this boat we saw many penguins, a seal, and even a whale in the distance. Not everyone on the ship could participate in this science boat activity but we were lucky enough to win the lottery and get selected to help. This was another fun day in Antarctica with our first day of sun and no rain or snow!
Day 4 in Antarctica was spent in Damoy Point (Dorian Bay). Once again, we did some scenic cruising in the morning and the weather was spectacular with full sun for most of the morning. The landscapes with snowy mountains were so impressive. We passed both a Silversea and Ponant ship along the way in addition to several sail boats. We were told that many of the sail boats go down to Antarctica when the Drake Passage is smooth and then stay down there for a long time. There are so many beautiful channels to sail through and enjoy the magnificent scenery. This was our day to do the Kayaks! We were really excited to do this because it is quite an adventure. They give you the suits to wear which consist of an insulated “bunny” suit with an outer waterproof suit that seals around your hands and neck to prevent water for leaking in (just in case you fall into the very, very cold water). They also give you a pair of dive boots to wear. After you suit up in your cabin, you go down to the embarkation area where they give you a life vest and your paddle. You sit in the kayak to set up your foot pedals to the correct length. Then you board a zodiac, while the crew attaches all the kayaks to a separate zodiac, and you ride out to a quiet spot where you board the kayak from the zodiac (hopefully without falling into the water!). The zodiac trip was a good hour long with very calm seas and very little wind. The sun was partially out, and everything was great. Greg did most of the paddling while Sharon did all the photography. Penguins were everywhere both on land and in the water. We saw 7 seals and one was curious enough we thought he might jump into one of the empty kayaks. We paddled a long way and even saw the Ponant ship again which was close to a large iceberg which we paddled up to. It was a wonderful trip and one of our best kayak trips ever! After our kayak trip we handed in all our suits and equipment, and then headed right to our cabin to put on our clothes for our landing trip. We had just enough time to suit up and meet the rest of our group down in the embarkation area to head ashore. There were penguins everywhere at this stop along with both an Argentinian and American base. The American building had been turned into a museum that people could visit and see how the Antarctica explorers lived 50 years ago. Near these two buildings there had once been a landing strip where planes had flown in to bring provisions to the nearby base camps. You could do a lot of walking at this stop but there were no major hills to climb. Penguins could be seen at many places along the walk. The winds were relatively calm when we arrived but by the time we were leaving there was some very heavy gusts and it felt much colder. After we came back the visibility started to be much more limited. We were lucky to have gone kayaking and on land when we did. This was our best day in Antarctica!
Day 5 started out as a disappointment. As we were traveling to Deception Island, the waves and swells had greatly increased. When we went through the narrow entrance (Neptune Bellows) inside Deception Island the waters were calmer but still rough. Unfortunately, it was too rough to launch the zodiacs and we had to cancel our last land stop. We did some scenic cruising on the large bay inside Deception Island which is a large volcanic crater. Around the ring of land surrounding the bay are several smaller craters and lakes. We had hoped to land at Whalers Bay, which was an old, abandoned whaler’s base. The buildings looked in very poor condition and there were large storage tanks that once held the blubber oil. We did some scenic cruising before heading out to try one more stop to see if we could make a landing. We were told at the start of our trip that they always had Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, etc. Well, we were off to Plan B – Half Moon Bay! On our arrival the sun was shining, and the sea was not too bad. We embarked on the zodiacs to Half Moon Bay and was very impressed with this stop. Penguins were everywhere and they were up front and personal. We had to avoid them as we walked, and they didn’t seem too concerned about us as we took our pictures. The guides tried to keep us 15 feet away from the penguins but that was difficult to do at times. Most of the colony was high up in the rocks but these penguins were much more active than the previous places we had been. There were penguins everywhere walking in different directions. We saw several penguin chicks at this site although more from a distance. A seal was also spotted swimming in the water in addition to one very lazy seal on the beach by our landing spot. Unlike other land stops we didn’t need to walk in any snow here and it was a very pleasant hike around the island. The rock formations were very different on this island. The wreckage of a very old boat was near our landing site which provided some good pictures with the penguins and sleeping seal. Plan B turned out to be a great choice!
It should be noted how much effort is required by the expedition crew to prepare each landing site we went to. They had to clear out an area to allow the zodiacs to land. In many places they “carved” steps in the snow and ice to allow passengers to walk in some of the steep areas more easily. They marked all areas you could walk with flags to make sure people didn’t wander to an area that had a dangerous fissure or too close to wildlife. At one stop they had even built a seat in the ice that many people enjoyed during the long walk up to a hilltop. While people were out on land, they had crew members posted at various points to ensure the safety of the passengers and wildlife. They helped all passengers get in and out of the zodiacs which was quite a task for some of our larger passengers that had limited mobility. The staff worked hard for the passengers and their efforts were certainly appreciated.
We had 5 great days in Antarctica! The weather got better each day and was never terrible except for one afternoon. That is pretty good for Antarctica where you never know what to expect. We saw thousands of penguins, at least one seal at every stop, and whales every day as we cruised from our different stops. It would have been nice to see a few more seals or some Orca whales but you never know what you will see. One of the guides told us the best time to see Antarctica is either in early December to see the large icebergs or March to see the wildlife. In January, when we went, is the most popular time to see a little of both. Next time we go we will probably go in late February or early March and hope to find more wildlife.
After 2 uneventful days at sea going back to Ushuaia, we boarded our plane to Buenos Aires and then connected onto our plane back to Atlanta. Our Antarctica adventure was finally over. We had a great time. Sharon even mentioned her interest to maybe try it again some time if we found some other people who were interested in doing it with us. If you have any interest in doing an expeditionary cruise to Antarctica in the future let us know! Next time we might try Viking or Silversea and we would probably lengthen the cruise to include South Georgia Island and/or Falkland Islands.
We apologize for the length of this blog but there was so much to see in Antarctica, and we didn’t want to break it down to different stops.
Here is a list of our future cruises:
Regards,
Sharon and Greg
We didn’t really know what to expect during the cruise. We knew we would sail 2 days through the Drake Passage before arriving in Antarctica and another 2 days through the passage on the way back. The 5 days we would spend in Antarctica was a big unknown to us. As we attended the orientation seminars, we started to understand a little more on what to expect. First we were told there was no specific itinerary except for Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, etc. Antarctica is unpredictable and what looks good in the morning might not look good in the afternoon. Plans would need to change based on ice conditions as we cruised, weather in the area, other expedition cruise ships in the area, etc. We were told that typically we would do one landing each day and possibly a zodiac scenic cruise each day. We were also given the opportunity to sign up for kayaking and the science boat. We could have signed up for camping but going out on the ice at 10 PM at night and getting up at 6:00AM just didn’t seem that appealing when you had to carry your own tent there and go to the bathroom in a bucket. Signing up for the kayaks was a lottery system since there were more people who wanted to go than spaces available. We signed up and were assigned to group 6. We also were assigned to group 2 for the Science Boat which was an opportunity to work with the many scientists on board who were in Antarctica researching different things.
The 2-day voyage over the Drake Passage was uneventful. The swells on the sea were large and walking on the ship was difficult at times but it really wasn’t too bad, and we didn’t see anyone who got sick. During our voyage through the Drake, we were able to explore the ship and understand the differences between this small 530 passenger expeditionary ship and the larger ocean cruise ships we typically sail on. There are only 3 restaurants on board, and one is a specialty restaurant. We tried this specialty restaurant and wasn’t too impressed with it since it had a very limited menu and very few courses with the meal. There was no salad and only one very small appetizer, but the cost was only $25 which is much less than the larger ships charge. The main dining room seemed to alternate between buffet dinners and a small a la carte menu. The food served there was very good. The third restaurant was our favorite and served hamburgers, sandwiches, and other specialty items. You could also order milkshakes and a Norwegian pancake type dessert. At each restaurant you were served complimentary beer, wine, or soft drinks only during lunch and dinner hours. Although there was no room service you could order take away from one restaurant. Unfortunately, there was no coffee shop or other restaurant open between breakfast and lunch or open after dinner. During the sea days you could go to one of the many lectures they had about Antarctic wildlife, icebergs, scientific studies, and exploration. The WiFi on the ship was amazingly good although there were times that it was not available throughout our cruise. There was a small fitness center on board, but it was typically busy. A very nice shop was on board, and you could purchase high quality items for reasonable prices. In the back of the ship was a small pool with two hot tubs. The ship had a large scientific area where people could talk to the various scientists on board and learn more about Antarctica and its wildlife. There was a very nice library there also with many books on Antarctica and the Arctic. It was a well-designed ship, and we enjoyed our time on it.
When we arrived at the Antarctic peninsula on Day 3 of the cruise, or Day 1 of our Antarctica land expedition, we suited up because we were one of the first zodiacs to go to shore in the morning. Suiting up involves putting on your long underwear and many layers of clothes in addition to wearing your down coat under your waterproof coat. We had to buy a pair of waterproof pants on board because you needed to have them to go ashore. Also don’t forget your wool hat, heavy gloves, hand warmers, and neck/face covering. All this clothing for temperatures in the 30’s? Besides the temperatures though, you must be prepared for the winds, rain, and/or snow. Antarctica weather can change very quickly from sunny and calm, to 30 MPH gusts with rain blowing in your face! We landed at Wordie House which was an old camp built in 1935 by the English and later abandoned in the 1950’s. We were able to walk through this building which still had canned food items left over and posters from the 1940’s. Across the inlet from the camp was the Ukrainian facility Camp Vernadsky which was sold to them for $1 by the British. While on land we did a small hike to the top of a hill which gave us some good views of the surrounding area. The weather was not bad but there was a little rain and a slight wind. Temperatures were in the 30’s for the entire cruise. Later in the afternoon we took a zodiac ride around the harbor and viewed the penguin colony around Camp Vernadsky. It was especially fun to watch them swim. Swimming penguins jump out of the water just like the dolphins do in the Caribbean. We also saw one seal during the day. Although the weather wasn’t too bad the sun was not out, and it was not a great day for photography.
On Day 2 in Antarctica the ship had moved to a new location in Orne Harbor where heavy snow was falling. We did another landing in the early afternoon and this time we had a significant hike to the top where there was another penguin colony. We had a snow coming down most of the morning which was pretty to see. When hiking on land you had to wear the boots provided by Hurtigruten and use the walking poles provided. After a short walk from where we landed, we stopped to take photos of 4 penguins that were going down from the top of the hill to the sea. They seemed to be having a lot of fun waddling around and moving around on their bellies. After taking many pictures of these penguins, we started our long trek to the top. Less than half the people who landed made it to the top. As we hiked up, we would stop and enjoy the magnificent view and take a few pictures. When we got to the top, we saw the large colony of penguins who lived there. This was a long way from the sea which had their food (krill) and predators (seals). There were a few chicks that you could see every now and then when they peeked out from their mother. From the top we had a great view of our ship and the bay we were in. After taking many pictures the sun “almost” came out and the visibility improved dramatically. We started to retake all our pictures and had some excellent views all around us. We ended up staying much longer than we were supposed to and took a later zodiac back to the ship with another group. The pictures were just too good after the visibility improved. The trip back down the hill was a little treacherous since it was steep and very slippery in the snow. Many people fell on the way down, but we were fortunate to stay on both feet. Later in the afternoon we took another zodiac cruise around the bay. Unfortunately, the weather was bad with 20 to 30-mile hour winds and snow blowing almost horizontally. The water was a little rough and it felt a lot colder. We saw a few penguins on the coast with some other birds, but it really wasn’t great viewing weather, and we didn’t take many pictures.
On Day 3 in Antarctica, we were scenic cruising in the morning to get to our landing area in Paradise Bay. As we cruised along, we saw several whales and many penguins. Most of the penguins were swimming in the water but we saw some floating down the channels on icebergs. The sun was out, and the pictures were great. We stayed outside a few hours taking pictures. We passed a Silversea cruise ship that had all its zodiacs and kayaks out. We were envious of them having such great weather and could only hope that the sun would stay out for us once we got to our landing area. When we got to our landing spot, we took an early zodiac to the landing spot so we could do the “Science Boat” later in the afternoon. The sun was in and out, and the pictures were good. Penguins were seen everywhere, and penguin poop smelled bad. The smell and dirty snow was disgusting in the main penguin colony. What was even worse, was the fact that these penguins lived right outside an active base where the people were coming back on the following week. I would not want to live there with all those penguins! At this stop we had another large hill to climb and the views at the top were very nice. It was a little scary at the top because you were right next to a 100+ foot cliff drop. There were some other places to walk at this stop to see more penguins and other parts of the base. While we were there, we saw several instances where the nearby ice sheets calved into the water. One of these was very impressive to watch. In the afternoon we met our science team members who were going out on the boat with us. The scientists on board the Hurtigruten ships elicit the help of cruise passengers to help in collecting data in Antarctica. On this trip we performed a test for water visibility, obtained a water sample to analyze back at the lab, and sent out an underwater drone to record what was seen at different depths. Everyone on the boat contributed to doing something. The scientists could do this all themselves more quickly and efficiently but engaging the passengers created an activity that everyone enjoyed. While out on this boat we saw many penguins, a seal, and even a whale in the distance. Not everyone on the ship could participate in this science boat activity but we were lucky enough to win the lottery and get selected to help. This was another fun day in Antarctica with our first day of sun and no rain or snow!
Day 4 in Antarctica was spent in Damoy Point (Dorian Bay). Once again, we did some scenic cruising in the morning and the weather was spectacular with full sun for most of the morning. The landscapes with snowy mountains were so impressive. We passed both a Silversea and Ponant ship along the way in addition to several sail boats. We were told that many of the sail boats go down to Antarctica when the Drake Passage is smooth and then stay down there for a long time. There are so many beautiful channels to sail through and enjoy the magnificent scenery. This was our day to do the Kayaks! We were really excited to do this because it is quite an adventure. They give you the suits to wear which consist of an insulated “bunny” suit with an outer waterproof suit that seals around your hands and neck to prevent water for leaking in (just in case you fall into the very, very cold water). They also give you a pair of dive boots to wear. After you suit up in your cabin, you go down to the embarkation area where they give you a life vest and your paddle. You sit in the kayak to set up your foot pedals to the correct length. Then you board a zodiac, while the crew attaches all the kayaks to a separate zodiac, and you ride out to a quiet spot where you board the kayak from the zodiac (hopefully without falling into the water!). The zodiac trip was a good hour long with very calm seas and very little wind. The sun was partially out, and everything was great. Greg did most of the paddling while Sharon did all the photography. Penguins were everywhere both on land and in the water. We saw 7 seals and one was curious enough we thought he might jump into one of the empty kayaks. We paddled a long way and even saw the Ponant ship again which was close to a large iceberg which we paddled up to. It was a wonderful trip and one of our best kayak trips ever! After our kayak trip we handed in all our suits and equipment, and then headed right to our cabin to put on our clothes for our landing trip. We had just enough time to suit up and meet the rest of our group down in the embarkation area to head ashore. There were penguins everywhere at this stop along with both an Argentinian and American base. The American building had been turned into a museum that people could visit and see how the Antarctica explorers lived 50 years ago. Near these two buildings there had once been a landing strip where planes had flown in to bring provisions to the nearby base camps. You could do a lot of walking at this stop but there were no major hills to climb. Penguins could be seen at many places along the walk. The winds were relatively calm when we arrived but by the time we were leaving there was some very heavy gusts and it felt much colder. After we came back the visibility started to be much more limited. We were lucky to have gone kayaking and on land when we did. This was our best day in Antarctica!
Day 5 started out as a disappointment. As we were traveling to Deception Island, the waves and swells had greatly increased. When we went through the narrow entrance (Neptune Bellows) inside Deception Island the waters were calmer but still rough. Unfortunately, it was too rough to launch the zodiacs and we had to cancel our last land stop. We did some scenic cruising on the large bay inside Deception Island which is a large volcanic crater. Around the ring of land surrounding the bay are several smaller craters and lakes. We had hoped to land at Whalers Bay, which was an old, abandoned whaler’s base. The buildings looked in very poor condition and there were large storage tanks that once held the blubber oil. We did some scenic cruising before heading out to try one more stop to see if we could make a landing. We were told at the start of our trip that they always had Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, etc. Well, we were off to Plan B – Half Moon Bay! On our arrival the sun was shining, and the sea was not too bad. We embarked on the zodiacs to Half Moon Bay and was very impressed with this stop. Penguins were everywhere and they were up front and personal. We had to avoid them as we walked, and they didn’t seem too concerned about us as we took our pictures. The guides tried to keep us 15 feet away from the penguins but that was difficult to do at times. Most of the colony was high up in the rocks but these penguins were much more active than the previous places we had been. There were penguins everywhere walking in different directions. We saw several penguin chicks at this site although more from a distance. A seal was also spotted swimming in the water in addition to one very lazy seal on the beach by our landing spot. Unlike other land stops we didn’t need to walk in any snow here and it was a very pleasant hike around the island. The rock formations were very different on this island. The wreckage of a very old boat was near our landing site which provided some good pictures with the penguins and sleeping seal. Plan B turned out to be a great choice!
It should be noted how much effort is required by the expedition crew to prepare each landing site we went to. They had to clear out an area to allow the zodiacs to land. In many places they “carved” steps in the snow and ice to allow passengers to walk in some of the steep areas more easily. They marked all areas you could walk with flags to make sure people didn’t wander to an area that had a dangerous fissure or too close to wildlife. At one stop they had even built a seat in the ice that many people enjoyed during the long walk up to a hilltop. While people were out on land, they had crew members posted at various points to ensure the safety of the passengers and wildlife. They helped all passengers get in and out of the zodiacs which was quite a task for some of our larger passengers that had limited mobility. The staff worked hard for the passengers and their efforts were certainly appreciated.
We had 5 great days in Antarctica! The weather got better each day and was never terrible except for one afternoon. That is pretty good for Antarctica where you never know what to expect. We saw thousands of penguins, at least one seal at every stop, and whales every day as we cruised from our different stops. It would have been nice to see a few more seals or some Orca whales but you never know what you will see. One of the guides told us the best time to see Antarctica is either in early December to see the large icebergs or March to see the wildlife. In January, when we went, is the most popular time to see a little of both. Next time we go we will probably go in late February or early March and hope to find more wildlife.
After 2 uneventful days at sea going back to Ushuaia, we boarded our plane to Buenos Aires and then connected onto our plane back to Atlanta. Our Antarctica adventure was finally over. We had a great time. Sharon even mentioned her interest to maybe try it again some time if we found some other people who were interested in doing it with us. If you have any interest in doing an expeditionary cruise to Antarctica in the future let us know! Next time we might try Viking or Silversea and we would probably lengthen the cruise to include South Georgia Island and/or Falkland Islands.
We apologize for the length of this blog but there was so much to see in Antarctica, and we didn’t want to break it down to different stops.
Here is a list of our future cruises:
- Caribbean cruise in March
- Tahiti cruise in April
- Family Mediterranean cruise in June
- Norway/Svalbard/Iceland/Greenland cruise in August
- Canada/New England cruise in September
- Greek Isles/Mediterranean cruise in October
- Vietnam/Singapore/Bangkok/Hong Kong cruise in January 2024
- Antarctica Scenic cruise in February 2024
- South America/Panama Canal cruise in March 2024
- Kenya/Masai Mara Safari in July 2024
- Amazon/Brazil cruise in January 2025
- Transatlantic/Cape Town cruise & Safari in February 2025
Regards,
Sharon and Greg
pictures from our expedition landings
Antarctica at last! First stop Wordie House - 1950’s base no longer used. Took zodiacs to land and walked through the snow to see the amazing views and the penguins. In the afternoon we took the zodiacs around the coast line to see the wildlife. First day in Antarctica!
Day 2 we are in Orne Harbor which is a mile wide cove discovered by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition in 1898. The weather in Antarctica is highly variable. You can see from our photos how the weather can change dramatically over short periods of time from a beautiful day, to cloudy, snow and windy conditions. Great trip to the top of the slope to view the colony of Chinstrap Penguins (note the black mark under their chin). We did a zodiac ride in the early evening with very windy and heavy snowing conditions. Trip was cut short due to the weather.
On our 3rd day in Antarctica - we did some scenic cruising through a Lemaire Channel admiring the beautiful landscapes and the frequent penguins swimming by as we made our way to Brown Station in Paradise Bay. This is a research station used by Argentina which was opened in 1951. We were able to land there since the personnel were not coming to the facility until the following week. The main buildings were surrounded by Chinstrap and Gentoo Penguin colonies. We climbed a steep hill where we had some amazing views. In the afternoon we went on the Science boat and helped take water samples and operate the underwater drone to record video at various depths. The on board scientists elicited the help of passengers to collect their scientific data. Another wonderful day in Antarctica!
On Day 4 of Antarctica we passed two other expeditionary ships as we did our scenic cruising to Damoy Point where we were scheduled to do our cold weather kayaking. We were given our insulated wool jumpsuit and waterproof outer covering that would prevent water getting in except for our head and hands. We jumped in a zodiac with kayaks in tow behind another zodiac and loaded in the kayaks right off the zodiac. The water was a little choppy and the sun was out! We took over a 2 hour ride around the bay and saw countless penguins and 7 seals. What a great kayak trip! Afterwards we took our suits off, dressed back in our other outfits to go out and do our land trip. We viewed the old American base now turned into a museum and walked around the area viewing penguins. Our best day yet!
Day 5 in Antarctica before heading home. Weather was nasty in the morning with rough seas and canceling our land stop at Whalers Bay on Deception Island. Instead we cruised around “inside” the island. It is actually a very large volcanic crater that had an old whalers operation at Whalers Bay. The ship headed out and we thought we were heading back to Ushuaia but to our surprise, the Captain took us to Half Moon Bay where we were able to do a landing in the afternoon. It was a great stop as the penguins were so active and walking around everywhere. We saw several penguin chicks and a couple of seals. It was a great stop to finish off our Antarctica adventure. Sadly now we go home but we are heading out in 11 days to Norway in search of the Northern Lights!
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