Antarctica

May 15 2020

My 10 favorite Antarctic experiences

Since my return from the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Antarctica with Quark Expeditions, the question I’ve gotten the most is:

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE THING?!

Well…I’ve managed to narrow it down to ten. I feel like that’s reasonable considering how many different things we did and how many amazing activities there are to pick from!

#1 WILDLIFE

The first thing that comes to mind is the wildlife. If you’ve read my Africa blogs (you can find them here and here), you know how much I love seeing animals in their native habitats. Some exotic animals can be seen at the zoo, but there’s nothing like observing them in their natural habitat.

I remember reading another blog before taking this trip, and the writer was embarrassed because her response to “Why are you on this cruise?” was “I’M HERE FOR THE PENGUINS!!!”

That’s me.

Penguins. Whales. Seals. Breathtaking.

Although we were required to stay five meters (16 feet) away, the animals don’t follow the rules. If we were still enough and quiet enough…they would come to us.

#2 KAYAKING

Kayaking during an expedition cruise is a luxury not afforded to many people. My Quark trip advisor encouraged me to book my trip as soon as possible if I wanted to kayak and boy, am I glad I did. There are only enough spots for about 10% of the ship to sea kayak. That means out of our entire ship, there were only about 16 spots.

**Note: There are other opportunities for a single paddle in an inflatable kayak if you just want to try it without committing to the full package. I’m told the inflatables are (mostly :D) impossible to flip.

It feels a little like an exclusive club: we had our own gear, special meetings, and experiences many others missed.

Every evening after the recap, we would gather to discuss the plans for the next day. Our guides, Katrina and Michael, would tell us the weather, the possibility of getting out, and get a count of who was interested.

” It’s supposed to be really windy, so it’s unlikely.”

” If you get to kayak once in South Georgia, you’re lucky. If you go twice, buy a lottery ticket.”

“There’s less than a one percent chance we’ll get to kayak at the iceberg, but if we do, are you in?”

“There’s a minimal chance we may get to kayak tomorrow.”

” We haven’t been able to kayak at Paulet Island in three years, but we’ll see what the weather is like.”

Seven times! We got to kayak seven times during our expedition.

Three times in South Georgia. Twice in one day even!

A bonus kayak at the biggest iceberg in the world, A68-a (see more below). And also…at Paulet Island where we were almost able to circumnavigate the island.

Talk about luck.

A video summary from our guides

#3 OUR LITTLE BUBBLE

Our world in 2020 is consumed with social media, cell phones, the internet, and now Coronavirus. But for 15 days, we all put our cell phones away, logged off, and immersed ourselves into the atmosphere of the ship. Instead of being glued to a screen, we spent time getting to know each other, playing games, learning, and being a part of nature.

It was nice not to be distracted from the outside world.

This was all thrown out the window on one of our last nights when we were told the boat needed to turn around early. Unfortunately, because of COVID-19, Argentina was closing its borders and not allowing flights out, but until then, we were in a Corona-ignorant bliss.

It helped that we were at the end of the world—away from big cities and crowded tourist destinations.

#4 SOLO TRAVEL/MEETING FRIENDS

I’ve never made a solo trip until now. I’ve always wanted to, and I’ve often flown by myself but met up with friends at my destination. This trip was different.

I set off on my journey to Antarctica alone, but that didn’t last for long.

I met a fantastic friend in Argentina who became vital during what seemed like an impossible journey to get home.

After embarking, I was adopted into a new international “family.” I met many, more-seasoned solo travelers, including my roommates from Singapore, people who had been traveling for years. I also attempted to become one with the Norwegians (sometimes they forgot I only spoke English…win?).

Thanks to this trip, I now have new friends on every continent (whales and penguins count for Antarctic, right??). These are all brand new people who I expect to remain in contact with and travel with in the future. Maybe we’ll book an entire Arctic expedition?!

#5 STEPPING ONTO THE CONTINENT

Antarctica. The cold, desolate, seventh continent.

After sailing for nearly two weeks and the incredible experiences in both South Georgia and Falkland Islands, finally setting foot onto continental Antarctica was one of the most incredible moments. This is what we had traveled all this way for.

It is important to sit, quietly, in the silence of Antarctica and soak up everything that Antarctica is. The conditions are so harsh, and still, many species choose to live there. The mountains are vast, the glaciers immense, and yet, the real beauty is indescribable. Pictures cannot do it justice.

Click here to read more about our first continental landing.

“If Antarctica were music it would be Mozart. Art, and it would be Michelangelo. Literature, and it would be Shakespeare. And yet it is something even greater; the only place on earth that is still as it should be. May we never tame it.” — Andrew Denton

Although tourist travel to Antarctica has gotten more popular, many will never step foot in this beautiful place. For that reason alone, this trip is beyond comparison.

#6 SOUTH GEORGIA

When I originally planned this trip, I had no knowledge of South Georgia. The island, along with the South Sandwich Islands, is an overseas territory of Great Britain.

The mountainous landscape that comprises South Georgia was once a part of the Andes Mountains, which broke off millions of years ago.

The island is located between converging ocean currents making it rich in food sources. Because of this, the island is home to some of the most sizeable penguin, seal, and bird colonies on Earth—a wildlife lovers paradise! In St. Andrew’s bay alone, you can find 250,000+ mating pairs of King Penguins, a multitude of flight birds, fur and elephant seals.

Because of its location in the middle of the Southern Ocean, it has its very own incredibly rugged and unpredictable weather system. It wouldn’t be uncommon to arrive on a warm sunny day only to be suddenly swept away by harsh winds and snow.

We spent four full days exploring the shoreline of South Georgia. During that time, we were fortunate to disembark from the ship and explore SEVEN different areas. You can read more about them here.

We had one excursion canceled by the weather. We arrived at Gold Harbour on our first day to 60-70 knot winds and swells, which were several meters high. The guides were flooded in their zodiac when they were checking out the conditions.

Instead, the captain sailed us to Royal Bay, which wasn’t much better weather wise, but we were able to enjoy the beautiful scenery from the ship.

We were informed later that we were incredibly lucky as the trip before us was only able to disembark once from the ship during their time in South Georgia. GASP!

# 7 CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND BIOSECURITY

Unsurprisingly, climate change and conservation efforts were common topics during our expedition.

A recent study revealed that Antarctica has been losing approximately 118 gigatons of ice per year over the last 16 years. That’s a massive amount of ice!

Ice isn’t the only issue. We learned about the slaughtering of whales and seals for oil during the 1900s, invasion of plants and wildlife brought to these remote areas by humans, and the effects of tourism on the environment.

Remnants of an old whaling station, Grytviken, South Georgia

Despite all of these terrible events, there is a lot of good to reflect on as well.

We spent a significant amount of time doing biosecurity checks. That means that every seed, grain, or pebble had to be carefully removed from our gear. These checks were completed between each excursion, with extra care being taken on sea days between each country. In South Georgia, representatives even came aboard the ship to triple check. We were also required to walk through a boot cleaner before entering and exiting.

Rats are another colossal problem (but don’t say the “R” word on ships…it’s bad luck!). Rats were brought to South Georgia by vessels visiting the island. They managed to nearly cause the extinction of several bird species only found on South Georgia. Almost $13 million was spent on a massive project to eradicate them. The island is now rat-free and works hard to remain that way. They even have a rat sniffing dog who checks each ship before leaving the Falklands (shoutout to Samurai!).

Photo Credit: South Georgia Heritage Trust

Quark is also doing things to reduce their footprint. They aim to reduce waste by providing us with a reusable water bottle and working towards zero-waste. The World Explorer even has a special system that uses garbage to power the ship. Waste can be converted into biofuel reducing the carbon footprint and the consumption of fossil fuels.

On one of our last days, we had an auction with contributions (almost $4500!!) going to research and sustainability programs. Read more about efforts here.

#8 POLAR PLUNGE

Doing the Polar Plunge wasn’t even a question for me. I knew before I even left home that I was definitely doing it. For me, it was a rite of passage. When the day came, I threw on my bathing suit and robe and headed straight to the mudroom.

They strapped a rope around our waists in case we passed out or panicked and then they let us do our thing!

The water was 31 degrees Fahrenheit, and it even snowed!

Hitting the water was strange. I think my body just went into shock, and I didn’t even feel the cold. It was the moment when I thought it would be a good idea to swim a little that the cold hit. Nope, not happening.

I headed back to the stairs and hopped out. Now I was cold. 10-15 minutes later, the adrenaline kicked in, and my body suddenly became tingly and warm.

I couldn’t even feel the cold anymore as I headed to the top to cheer on my fellow plungers.

Including some of the staff, 64 of us did the polar plunge. As people noticed how much fun it was, they changed their minds from “definitely no” to “well, maybe…” and finally, “what the heck!”

I’d do it again in an instant. Our expedition leader, Woody, jumps EVERY time. What a champion!

#9 THE DRAKE PASSAGE

The Drake is a 600 mile stretch of ocean between South America and the Antarctic peninsula. Within this body of water, the convergence of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern Oceans occurs. Because of this, and the complete lack of landmass, the Drake Passage experiences some of the most unpredictable and roughest waters in the world— enough to keep even the most experienced sailors in their beds.

At some point during an Antarctic expedition, you HAVE to cross the Drake Passage. If you skip the Falklands and South Georgia, you have to cross twice.

But will you experience the “Drake Lake” or the “Drake Shake”?

(I had conflicting feels about crossing the Drake Passage. Motion sickness is a real problem for me. At some point in my 30 years, I could make myself motion sick while driving. Yeah…that bad. But, it’s gotten considerably better since, and I’ve had some success with Scopolamine patches in my travels. I wasn’t sure it would be enough.)

But if The Drake is a lake, did you really go to Antarctica?

So armed with Scopolamine, Dramamine, Sea-Bands, and a prayer, we left the peninsula.

Unfortunately, as I mentioned before, we had to leave suddenly. I didn’t have time for anything to kick in and spent the first evening nauseous as all get out. Between the rolling of the ship and trying to concentrate on my phone screen (everybody on the ship retreated to their rooms to figure out return plans), I could barely manage to stand up.

I woke up the next morning feeling like a whole new person. The drugs and Sea-Bands had kicked in, and I was feeling pretty good. However, the swells were unrelenting. For the next 24 hours, we felt the “Drake Shake.” We experienced 7 meter (21 foot) seas. Even some of the crew members were sick!

One of my Norwegian friends and I headed to the observation lounge to watch.

Turn your sound up enjoy.

After making it back safely, I learned a couple of things.

These were the worst seas the entire 2019-2020 season.
It was a good thing we left when we did because there was a massive storm coming through that would have made things waaaaaay worse.
One of the stabilizers on the ship broke on our way back. See how stabilizers work below.
The Drake Shake is no joke.

A big thanks to the captain and his crew for keeping us alive!

#10 A68-a

Last, but certainly not least…

A68-a is a massive 5800 square kilometer (3606 square miles) iceberg that broke off the Larsen C ice shelf in 2017. That’s the size of Delaware! I was unaware that it existed before heading out on this journey.

Seeing A68-a probably shouldn’t have happened. Despite being enormous, it had to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right weather for us to enjoy its extravagance. I believe one other ship managed to see it.

We were able not only to see it, but to disembark from the ship and explore the waters around it. In the middle of the Scotia Sea. With whales. Gasp!

Since then, the massive piece of ice has continued to move north. It’s melting quickly in the warmer waters between the Falklands and South Georgia. Another chunk has calved off recently, and it now measures closer to 5100 square kilometers (3169 square miles). Most likely, it will move too far north, or melt before the next season. You can read more about it here.

This trip ended up being way more than I could have imagined. Despite a few problems here and there, everything mostly ran pretty smoothly. It has been challenging to choose only ten favorite things, but I think these provide a pretty good summary of the journey.

“We must always remember with gratitude and admiration the first sailors who steered their vessels through storms and mists, and increased our knowledge of the lands of ice in the South.” — Roald Amundsen

April 24 2020

A day in the life of a polar explorer

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, I should specify that these are modern times. And with modern times come modern comforts.

Hot water, expensive outerwear, and Wifi were not available to the Ernest Shackeltons and Roald Amundsens of the world, but hey . . . We’re all explorers at heart!

I spent the weeks before my trip attempting to answer the same questions over and over:

What are you going to do on a ship for 18 days?

Won’t you have a lot of free time?

Isn’t it really cold?

What are you going to do? There aren’t any resorts in Antarctica…are there?

I will attempt to answer these questions, but the reality is there are no “typical” days . . . Every day is different.

Some days are hectic—filled with early rising, excursions, biosecurity, dramatic landscapes, and wildlife encounters.

Others the weather doesn’t cooperate, and you’re unable to go outside or get off the boat.

Thirdly, there are the at-sea days. These days can vary as well, as the seas have a mind of their own.

I’ll start with the most chaotic:

Excursion days

0715: “Good morning, everyone! Good morning!” Every morning started like this with a wake-up call followed by updates on our coordinates, weather and morning plans announced over the intercom system. “This morning we’re at Graham Passage, and kayaking is a go!”

0730: I head to the dining area and sit at my favorite table. It’s essential to be in Oscar and Sander’s section. They’re the best!

There is open seating in the dining room. While most of the tables have four seats, our 12-seat table is a continually rotating surprise. Aside from the few of us who sit there every meal (three Norwegians and I), we’re always getting new guests. The guides sit with us as well, allowing us to get to know each other and ask questions.

Breakfast is always served buffet style. There’s an omelet/egg station, pancakes or waffles, fresh fruits, smoothies, and various types of bread. The smoothies were a little bit like Russian roulette: would they be made out of berries today or lettuce and lime?

0815: Get dressed. Now, this is where things get tricky—layering for the perfect body temperature.

The weather was often within several degrees of freezing. The wind was another story as there were days when it reached 60-70 knots (70-80 miles per hour), but it was usually around 15-30 knots.

My kayaking outfit this day consisted of many layers. One heavyweight thermal long sleeve shirt, one mid-weight thermal long sleeve shirt, one sweatshirt, heavy thermal pant layer, one mid-weight thermal pant layer, one pair of regular socks, one pair of heavy wool socks, one dry suit, a pair of booties with toe warmers, one kayaking spray skirt (to keep water out of the kayak), a life jacket, hand warmers, a pair of gloves, a balaclava with a buff over the top, a beanie, and sunglasses. Oh, and don’t forget the sunscreen. Phew! I’m out of breath just thinking about putting on these layers.

0830: Meet in the kayaking group in the main lounge to wait for the kayaks.

0832: Start sweating . . .

0845: Head to the mudroom to disembark for our excursion

0900: Pile 14 people into a zodiac, including our two kayaking guides, Michael and Katrina. Our kayaks trail behind. We make our way out into Graham Passage, looking for an excellent spot to load into the kayaks. We find an area where the swells are not so high and hop in. I’m sharing my kayak with my partner, Mary.

It’s quiet and the wind is less harsh in the passage. We’re surrounded on both sides by snow-covered cliffs and beautiful, blue glaciers.

As we make our way deeper, we encounter some brash ice. It crashes loudly against the kayaks as we plow through. The zodiacs cruise by us as we move slowly and take in the beauty. “You’re going to miss the whales if you don’t hurry up,” says Katrina.

“Whales? Well . . . why didn’t you say so?!” We rush off to catch up with the rest of the group and arrive just in time to see several humpback whale tails breaking the surface of the water. This place is beyond incredible!!

We watch the whales for a while before heading back to the boat.

1045: We leave the kayaks and zodiac back to the ship. I wash off my boots in the cleaning machine as I exit the gangway, and our head of security, Manoj, scans my ID to check me back in. We wouldn’t want to leave somebody out here.

1100: I stop in the mudroom to remove a couple of layers before heading up to my room to hang up my gear. Luckily, we didn’t step on land, so biosecurity should be quick.

It is necessary to remove all sand granules and seeds to avoid spreading invasive species to other areas.

1115: Head back downstairs to grab a cup of tea and a cookie before checking out the gift shop. They’ve been adding new items to the shop throughout the trip to keep us interested . . . and the cookies are always available (haha).

Now that everybody has returned to the ship, the crew pulls up the anchor, and we set sail to our next destination.

I head to the main lounge to meet some friends and watch the sea go by while waiting for lunch.

1230: More food! Even if we just washed them, we all must clean/alcohol gel our hands before entering the dining room. Germs spread quickly on the ship.

Lunch is also enjoyed buffet style. The omelet stand is replaced by a meat carving station and pasta dish. There are always three main dishes: fish, meat/poultry, and a vegetarian option. As if that wasn’t enough, a salad bar with fresh fruit, potato, rice, bread, and steamed veggies are also available.

We’ve discovered that the kitchen has lemon sorbet. Oscar gives me a sly look and says, “anything else?” but I convince him to hold off until after dinner.

1315: After lunch, I head to the observation lounge on deck 7. We’re headed to Portal Point to do our continental landing (WE FINALLY GET TO STEP FOOT ON ANTARCTICA!!!!), and we’re told we might be able to spot some whales on the way.

I grab another tea and sit down. It isn’t long before our marine biologist guide, Annie, announces that she sees one. After nineteen seasons, she could probably spot a whale with her eyes closed . . . heh!

1400: We arrive at Portal Point and get ready for our afternoon excursion. No kayaking this afternoon, but my group gets to disembark first!

Time to layer up again. This time I replace my drysuit with waterproof pants and the bright yellow jacket we’ve been provided. It’s crucial to be waterproof. I grab my camera and head down to the mudroom to make sure my gear is clean.

1445: I get excited as we cruise past the icebergs. We’re not able to get so close in the kayaks because we would be at risk if they started calving. Henry, our glaciologist, tells us they’ve run aground and will be stuck here until they melt. They’re all beautiful, but my favorites are the ones that look like Japanese fans.

As we arrive at the landing spot, we see the foundation of an old British refuge hut, which has been relocated to a museum in Stanley, Falkland Islands.

A short walk up a steep hill finds us on a plateau overlooking the bay.

WE’RE IN ANTARCTICA!!! The excitement is palpable.

We line up for pictures with a provided flag, which has been standing proud at the bow of our ship. The winds have beaten it as we made our journey here and it’s torn, but this reflects the harsh weather of the polar region. We’ve made it—the 7th continent.

There isn’t much wildlife at Portal Point in March. Most have returned to the sea; however, the views and feelings about finally being here are enough to sustain us.

Of course, it’s not long before whales start appearing in the bay. “Come on, guys,” says our guide, Pat. “We’ll go find them.”

1630: Since international law states there can only be 100 people (not including guides) on land at a time, and we have 170 guests on our boat, the group is split. We head back to the zodiacs to give the other group their landing opportunity.

A group of seven of us hop into the zodiac with “Uncle Pat.” Since this is the end of our trip, we’ve become somewhat of a family. Diane and Karl, an English couple, are our parents. They’ve now got five more kids: two Americans, two Australians, and another from London. We make quite a group.

We travel with several other zodiacs to an area with one whale. Pat decides it’s too crowded and decides to head in a different direction. There are whales everywhere, but he sticks with plan A and follows two whales as they head into an open area.

We’re surrounded!!

There are whales on all sides: how do we choose where to look? Tails and fins are everywhere. We even see a couple of them lunge feeding (coming straight out of the water to catch krill near the surface).

Incredible.

An hour and a half passes in no time. We’re supposed to head back to the boat. But how can we head back? The whales are in the way! Hahah!

Pat finally tells us we’re late and we have to return. *sad face*

1800: We return to the boat and peel off the layers. There’s a little bit of time for a warm shower before recap.

1830: I head down to the main lounge to grab a mini sandwich at happy hour. I’ve discovered our bartender will make me a lemon, ginger, and honey “tea” to warm up. Really they’ll make almost anything you can imagine.

1845: We have recap every evening before dinner. During this time, the guides do a brief overview of the things we experienced that day, show a few cool pictures, and we learn about our next adventures. Tomorrow we’re doing the polar plunge!

1910: After the recap, we have a kayaking meeting. Michael tells us the weather, and it looks like it might be a go for Enterprise Island/Foyn Harbour in the morning. Katrina is excited because this is her favorite spot. They take a rough count of who is interested. “Uhh . . . me!”

1930: Dinner is a five-course plated meal with unlimited wine. It usually takes 2-2.5 hours.

After eating so much food, I’ve learned to choose only a few. The main course has three options: seafood, meat/poultry, and vegetarian. I stick with this course and the salad. Plus, I already agreed to the sorbet earlier in the day (Oscar remembers everything).

2115: A reminder is announced over the intercom: in 15 minutes, Norm, our 86 year old geologist, is doing a bar talk about why things took so long back in the 60s. I finish eating, grab what’s left of my wine, and cozy up in one of the couch corners. He usually uses people as props, and it’s very entertaining.

2230: Norm finishes up his talk and we drag ourselves upstairs for bed. I catch up with my family and Dave for a little bit (the Wifi is expensive, and I don’t want to waste it). It’s been a very long, exciting day, and the sway of the boat lulls me to sleep pretty quickly.

What the days are like when the weather isn’t fit for excursions:

Well, we ran into a couple of different situations regarding the weather . . .

The weather had to be pretty good to make kayaking a possibility. Fortunately, if kayaking wasn’t an option, we just returned to our original groups and enjoyed the planned landing and/or zodiac cruise.

And during one day, the swells were too high at the shore. Our landing was canceled, but we were still able to zodiac cruise around the area.

On one occasion in South Georgia, we were unable to land or zodiac during our afternoon excursion. Our leader, Woody, spoke with the captain, and we tried sailing to another spot. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate there either. The captain decided to sail around the bay, allowing us to see the views anyway. Our original plan was to stop at Gold Harbour. Since this is one of the most incredible places in South Georgia, it was added back in as a second chance landing, and I’m so glad we didn’t miss it!

Finally, if the weather was too bad and none of the former was possible . . . or if we were at sea, there were always lectures.

At sea/lecture days

Quark has been chartering polar expeditions for almost three decades. They know what they’re doing and hire guides who are experts in their fields. During times when we couldn’t get off the boat, we spent hours learning about everything from geology to ornithology, history, and marine biology. Our guides were very passionate about what they do.

There were hours spent in the observation lounge, drinking warm beverages, running outside to take a quick picture before your fingers froze off (or trying to get one that was “good enough” through the window), watching the waves, and cheering on penguins as they attempted to jump onto and climb icebergs.

We ate lots of food, played card/board games, and just enjoyed getting to know each other. We put our phones down, moved away from social media, and immersed ourselves in the experience. (and given the pandemic-stricken world to which we were returning, it was important to soak up as much of this time as possible, no matter how low key things were!)

Final thoughts

So…no. There are no resorts in Antarctica, but there is so much more!

This trip was more than I ever dreamed it would be. I met friends who feel more like family, successfully navigated my first solo adventure, and experienced things others can only imagine. All before rushing to get home in the middle of a pandemic!

February 28 2020

Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Antarctica with Quark Expeditions

As I return to a world filled with talk of social isolation, madness, and quarantine, I find peace and happiness looking through pictures of such an incredible journey. Although the Antarctic polar region is somewhat isolated itself, this trip was exactly the opposite.

I set out on this journey as a solo traveler, but never felt alone. I met incredible people who felt more like family, enjoyed breathtaking views, and ate wayyy more food than I ever could have imagined.

There are so many parts of this trip to discuss, but I’ll start with the places we visited.

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

West Point Island

After spending a few days at sea, we landed at our first destination, West Point Island. This small island is home to the Black-browed Albatross and Rockhopper penguins. A quick zodiac cruise to shore and hike to Devil’s Nose revealed beautiful cliffs and our first wildlife experience! The stop wouldn’t have been complete without a stop for tea and snacks. Allen and Jacquie spent over 20 hours making all this food for us!

Carcass Island

Not far from West Point is a beautiful island named for the HMS Carcass. Here we were treated to another opportunity to stretch our legs, and a short walk to Leopard Beach allowed us to see both Gentoo and Magellanic penguins. Other birdlife is plentiful as well, including the Cobb’s wren, Striated Caracara, and Ruddy-headed goose. A moderate hike to the top of the hill provides beautiful panoramic views.

Stanley

Stanley is both the capital of the Falkland Islands and the most populated area. While strolling along the seafront, there is plenty to see and do. From the whalebone arch at the Catholic church to the Dockyard Museum, giftshops a-plenty, and pubs with local beer, a stop in Stanley is a can’t miss!

South Georgia

St. Andrew’s Bay

St. Andrew’s Bay is home to one of the largest King Penguin colonies in South Georgia—there are estimated to be more than 200,000 mating pairs! To get to the main colony, you must cross a glacial stream, which can be difficult, but the views are worth it. Even if you choose not to pass, there are plenty of penguins stretched out along the beach, and there are also fur and elephant seals littering the beach. If you visit in March, the teenage fur seals are curious, so watch out!

Salisbury Plain

Salisbury Plain is South Georgia’s second-largest King Penguin colony. As we arrived, we were greeted by hundreds of King Penguins surrounding the ship playing and porpoising in the waters below. A zodiac cruise through the rocks had us laughing at the playful fur seals. Because they were moving so fast, it was difficult to take pictures. The landing area is an impressive stretch of green below the Grace and Lucas glaciers. We were surprised to see a number of fluffy, brown babies mixed in among the colony.

Hercules Bay

Hercules Bay was our first opportunity to see Macaroni penguins! And . . . because of some excellent navigating by our captain, we got our first chance to kayak! Steep mountain walls surround the bay with a waterfall at its back. Because I wanted to experience this amazing area from the kayak unencumbered, I left my camera on the ship. We were a little traumatized when we watched a penguin fall over the edge of the waterfall and plummeted into the waters below (rumor is he hopped up and shook it off. Let’s hope!).

Stromness Bay

Unsurprisingly, the Ernest Shackelton expedition was a common theme of our voyage and our stop in Stromness Bay was no exception. Despite a whaling history shrouded in despair, the bay was a welcome site to Ernest Shackelton after the hardships he faced in the Weddell Sea. We exited the ship in strong winds and marched our way to the waterfall descended by Shackelton and his men.

Upon our return to the beach, we gazed upon various, decaying whaling machinery. The equipment has not been well maintained, and visitors are required to stay at least 200 meters away.

Grytviken

Grytviken is the sight of the largest whaling station in South Georgia and Ernest Shackelton’s grave. Unlike Stromness, however, Grytviken has become a heritage site to educate people about the horrors of whaling and the wildlife of South Georgia. After a toast to Shackelton’s adventurous spirit, I made my way over to the post office as well as the gift shop and museum, dodging curious fur seal pups along the way.

The buildings covering the old whaling equipment have been removed, and the area cleaned up for safety, but history tours are given by the museum curator. Don’t forget to mail a postcard to a loved one before sailing off . . . they might get it in a few months!

Gold Harbour

Although the weather prevented us from the beauty of Gold Harbour days before, our expedition leader thought it was worth a second attempt. I’ll admit that despite the burning smell of elephant seals, watching the fog rise and rays of sun lighting up Bertrab Glacier was a highlight of the trip. Unlike our other stops, the King Penguin colony at Gold Harbour lives along the beach. Mixed in among them are plenty of young fur seals, elephant seals, and the occasional Gentoo. After a quick breakfast, our second visit to Gold Harbour provided us a rare opportunity to kayak around the headlands surrounding the bay.

Cooper Bay

After leaving the allure of Gold Harbour, Cooper Bay provided a second chance at kayaking. Although I was severely underdressed (the winds picked up and the temperature dropped), the wildlife and rocky coastline at Cooper Bay didn’t disappoint. We weaved through the rocks catching sight of FOUR different types of penguins, including Macaroni and Chinstraps, as well as multiple bird species, and an abundance of fur seals.

Our captain gifted us with an opportunity to sail Drygalski Fjord as we rounded the southern end of South Georgia and made our way toward the seventh continent.

Iceberg A68-a

A68-a is a massive piece of ice that broke off the Larsen C ice shelf in 2017. Since then, it has slowly turned and churned through the icy Antarctic waters on its way north. For a mere few weeks, this chunk of ice measuring about 5800 square kilometers was in the perfect position to be seen by expedition ships making their way to the peninsula.

On a cold, windy afternoon with luck on our side, the World Explorer caught sight of A68-a as it came over the horizon; however, we had been seeing the iceblink for hours. (Iceblink is the glare that can be seen on the underside of clouds as it reflects off a large piece of ice below.)

As we approached, the wind calmed, and a quiet stillness persisted—still enough, for the captain to anchor the ship and allow us to explore! For the first time (and only time considering it was the end of the season) since A68-a broke off, it was in a perfect position with ideal weather to allow an expedition. And a kayaking outing as a bonus!

Antarctic Peninsula

Paulet Island

While Paulet Island is home to around 100,000 breeding pairs of Adelie penguins, we were a little late in the season to experience them. There were a few leftover, luckily.

But what Paulet Island lacked in penguins, it gave back in good weather, beauty, history, and cormorants! We were able to nearly circumnavigate the island in sea kayaks, paddling through turquoise waters and small amounts of brash ice. Multiple Fur, Crabeater, and Weddell seals could be seen relaxing among the rocks.

Besides wildlife, though, Paulet Island is also well-known for the remnants of a small hut and grave, which remains from the wreck of Swedish explorer Otto Nordenskiöld’s ship, Antarctic, off the coast in 1903.

Graham Passage

A narrow channel lined on both sides by snowcapped mountains and glacier fronts, Graham Passage, was a fantastic way to start our morning. We paddled slowly through brash ice, admiring the scenery as we passed through. Alas, a radio call for whales! We raced to join the zodiacs in a cove abutting the mainland just in time to see several Humpback whale blows and tails. Wow! What a view!

Portal Point

Finally! The Antarctic mainland! Portal Point was our access point to land. Once the home of a British refuge hut, which can be seen at the museum in Stanley, Portal Point gently slopes upward from the rocky landing allowing safe access to the peninsula. The bay is full of icebergs grounded long ago.

A zodiac cruise after the landing provided an incredible Humpback whale watching experience. We were surrounded by whales everywhere!

Enterprise Island/Foyn Harbour

On our last morning in Antarctica, we awoke to a gently falling snow, but we wouldn’t let that stop us from a day of adventure. (I had hoped we would see snow!) This stop had everything: from the wreck of the Governoren, a factory whaling ship, to beautiful scenery and wildlife, this stop was another of my favorites.

At the end of the excursion, we warmed up just to polar plunge into the icy waters.

Cuverville Island

Our last stop, Cuverville Island, is home to approximately 6,500 breeding pairs of Gentoo penguins. This late in the season, it is entertaining to watch the nearly grown chicks chasing their parents for food. The surrounding waters are teeming with whales and seals. Icebergs, in unbelievable shades of blue, are everywhere. If you’re lucky, you may even see a few Chinstrap penguins.

We finished the night enjoying a BBQ on the top deck while watching the sunset on Antarctica.

After the BBQ, we were called to the auditorium for a mandatory update. Unfortunately, the threat of COVID-19 was shutting down the borders of Argentina, and we needed to return early. This would give us a small chance to make it home before all flights to the US and many other countries were canceled.

** As I mentioned above, while kayaking, I left my cameras on the boat in order to enjoy the experience. For this reason, I don’t have any pictures of a few of the places we visited. There was a photographer taking photos, however, and someday I may update this. Heh.