Antarctica
What starts with a somewhat unknown 2-day crossing of the Drake passage from the Southern tip of South America to the Antarctic Peninsula, turns into the most awe- inspiring journey that you could ever imagine. Nothing quite prepares you for the jaw-dropping scenery and the beautiful wildlife - what you see and experience down there simply takes your breath away. It is a combination of imposing icebergs scattered aimlessly throughout the water having broken away from the winter ice shelf; the sheer purity of the glaciers still fresh from the long cold winter; the whales and seals in their natural habitat equally at home with the ships that pass by and the thousands and thousands of penguins who waddle about their business without a sideways glance to human invasion.
I travelled on an Expedition ship – very comfortable but not luxurious. Getting out on the ice or in the zodiacs as many times as I could was the aim and that is exactly what I did. The smaller ships allow for more exploration – sometimes 3 times a day, so the interaction with the wildlife is abundant and the knowledge the Expedition team share on all of these excursions gives you a real sense of being somewhere very special.
The day to day life on board your Expedition ship normally starts with a 6.30am wake up call with breakfast from 7.00-8.00am.
The morning begins after breakfast when you are split into groups for your morning expeditions and you stay in those same groups for the remainder of the cruise. Only 100 people are allowed on shore at any one time in Antarctica, so the size of the ship will depend on how many people go ashore at any one time. For my Expedition, there were only 96 people on board, so if there was an opportunity to get off the ship, we all got off. There was also an option to kayak which I decided not to do however those that did it got up close and personal with whales, seals and penguins. (kayaking not available on all ships)
Your groups get loaded into zodiacs and you head for shore. The Expedition staff have already gone earlier to scope for hazards and they mark out a path and a safe route. There is normally interaction with penguins, seals and birdlife and there are loads of photo opportunities. Can you imagine sitting on the ice with penguins walking around you or them coming up close with an inquisitive glance? There is a law not to go too close to them, however if they approach you, it is a bonus.
Back to the ship for lunch and then another afternoon out on the zodiac or on land. A zodiac cruise gives you a different perspective than being on land and it is not uncommon for whales, seals and penguins to dart under and around the zodiac. Whilst you might think doing this 2-3 times a day could be monotonous, it is not. Each location offers something different from the previous one and no day is the same.
Once back for the afternoon, it is off to the lounge for a talk by one of the Expedition leaders. Always educational and always fascinating – the Expedition team will make the talk relevant and discuss what you’ve seen that day.
You’ll have some free time before dinner and then after you’ve eaten, there’ll normally be a talk back in the lounge to discuss what is happening the next day. With the bar open and everyone excited by what they’ve seen and the photos they’ve taken that day, there’s a lot of chatter before you go back to your cabin and it’s inevitable that you have a peaceful night’s sleep dreaming of all of the exciting things that you will see the next day. An Expedition ship is not like a cruise ship, there is no night-time entertainment and having been out and about all day, early nights are the norm.
The silence and calmness of this beautiful continent leaves you with a sense of peace and tranquility. It is so pristine, so remote and just so beautiful.
I travelled on an Expedition ship – very comfortable but not luxurious. Getting out on the ice or in the zodiacs as many times as I could was the aim and that is exactly what I did. The smaller ships allow for more exploration – sometimes 3 times a day, so the interaction with the wildlife is abundant and the knowledge the Expedition team share on all of these excursions gives you a real sense of being somewhere very special.
The day to day life on board your Expedition ship normally starts with a 6.30am wake up call with breakfast from 7.00-8.00am.
The morning begins after breakfast when you are split into groups for your morning expeditions and you stay in those same groups for the remainder of the cruise. Only 100 people are allowed on shore at any one time in Antarctica, so the size of the ship will depend on how many people go ashore at any one time. For my Expedition, there were only 96 people on board, so if there was an opportunity to get off the ship, we all got off. There was also an option to kayak which I decided not to do however those that did it got up close and personal with whales, seals and penguins. (kayaking not available on all ships)
Your groups get loaded into zodiacs and you head for shore. The Expedition staff have already gone earlier to scope for hazards and they mark out a path and a safe route. There is normally interaction with penguins, seals and birdlife and there are loads of photo opportunities. Can you imagine sitting on the ice with penguins walking around you or them coming up close with an inquisitive glance? There is a law not to go too close to them, however if they approach you, it is a bonus.
Back to the ship for lunch and then another afternoon out on the zodiac or on land. A zodiac cruise gives you a different perspective than being on land and it is not uncommon for whales, seals and penguins to dart under and around the zodiac. Whilst you might think doing this 2-3 times a day could be monotonous, it is not. Each location offers something different from the previous one and no day is the same.
Once back for the afternoon, it is off to the lounge for a talk by one of the Expedition leaders. Always educational and always fascinating – the Expedition team will make the talk relevant and discuss what you’ve seen that day.
You’ll have some free time before dinner and then after you’ve eaten, there’ll normally be a talk back in the lounge to discuss what is happening the next day. With the bar open and everyone excited by what they’ve seen and the photos they’ve taken that day, there’s a lot of chatter before you go back to your cabin and it’s inevitable that you have a peaceful night’s sleep dreaming of all of the exciting things that you will see the next day. An Expedition ship is not like a cruise ship, there is no night-time entertainment and having been out and about all day, early nights are the norm.
The silence and calmness of this beautiful continent leaves you with a sense of peace and tranquility. It is so pristine, so remote and just so beautiful.