Yes, I know this series is supposed to be the tale of a visit to Antarctica and you have been wondering if we were ever going to get there. Spoiler alert, yes, we do. Though having been surprised/awestruck by so much along the way, one might wonder if the reality could live up to the hype.

As we set sail from South Georgia Island we sailed in and out of Drygalski Fjord- a 7 mile long mile wide bay lined with hanging glaciers and stark rocky cliffs. The weather was cloudy and it was snowing lightly, we enjoyed the snow from our cabin stepping out onto the balcony occasionally to take pictures and listen to the sounds of the ship moving through light sea ice and the occasional bang of a calving glacier.

We had two and a half days to rest up and get ready for the main event itself. Some biosecurity briefings and inspections, presentations on wildlife and tales of the great Antarctic explorers- the Scott/Amundsen race to the south pole and Shackleton’s Endurance expedition. After listening to their amazing feats of courage; overcoming immense obstacles amid terrible conditions and deprivations we are grateful for hot tea followed by cocktails and a lovely dinner with wine. So, call me a wimp…

The captain warned us that once we headed out into the open that the waters would get rougher. The Southern Ocean is famously turbulent- the Antarctic Circumpolar Current flows around the continent with no landmass to block its currents and accompanying winds. Frequent storms follow the current. When this massive flow of water is squeezed through the relatively narrow Drake Passage between Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands the resulting waves and wind often result in the infamous Drake Shake, or not. It didn’t shake for us in the Drake, but we got our rocking and rolling in between South Georgia and Antarctica with waves over 20 feet. We were warned not to leave anything breakable on tables, and yes stuff did slide off onto the floor.

Fortunately, both Rob and I did pretty well with the motion. Some of our fellow travelers did not, but improved with time and appropriate pharmaceuticals which were available from the ship’s doctor. The first day of the storm we had signed up for a wine tasting, the sommeliers were set up for the 25 who had registered. 6 of us showed up. Just more for us! And even with the top deck buffet closed (motion is more pronounced on the higher decks, so if you are worried about motion sickness pick a cabin on a lower level in the middle of the ship) dinner in the dining room (on deck 2) was quiet. Some people said the motion woke them up at night, others felt it rocked them to sleep.  You get used to it- holding on to the vanity when you brush your teeth, using the handrails on the stairs, learning new uses for grab bars in the shower, sometimes just holding on where you are until the ship settles. When the waves were really high they closed the outer decks, but even when it was just plain windy it could be challenging. When whales were spotted everyone went first running for their cabins to grab parka then running for wherever viewing spot was indicated. A couple of times the wind was so strong grabbing a buddy was helpful (thank you Mary Ann!) It actually became kind of fun, ooohhh that was a good one. If you want to see what that looks like in action.

Along the way we saw whales and what is currently the largest iceberg in existence, A76A 135 by 26 Kilometers. Everything is reported in metric (which is used by every country in the world except the US, Liberia and Myanmar) you get tired of converting, suffice it to say it’s big.

Like most of the vessels that take adventurers to Antarctica, we were heading to the 1,000 mile long Antarctic Peninsula. The northernmost part of this vast continent, it is both the easiest to reach and has the most “temperate” climate. Ships must reserve and coordinate their spots ahead of time, and there is a time limit. They can’t just show up and hang out as long as you want. The International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) administers the guidelines such as the number of people who can be on land at one time limited to 100. Due to the fragility of the environment, this is a good thing. Choices are made based on wildlife, weather, and sea ice. We were able to go into the Weddell Sea, which is often inaccessible due to sea ice. Winds and weather can change quickly, rarely will an expedition be able to land every place it wanted when it wanted.

The waves and winds quieted, icebergs grew more frequent and soon we were cruising into Antarctic Sound heading to the Weddell Sea and Brown Bluff. But expedition stuff happened, and the conditions made landing unsafe- instead the expedition team took us out in the zodiacs to cruise among the icebergs. It was a spectacularly clear and sunny afternoon, and rather than being a downer because we didn’t get to land, it turned out to be one of our favorite excursions. You need an open mind!

The captain and expedition leader decided to move on to Paulet Island where conditions seemed more amenable to a successful landing. Then back to Brown bluff where, finally we were able to step foot on the Continent of Antarctica. When you took at the photos notice the pristine whiteness of the snow on the mountains, and the drifts that fill the spaces between the peaks. Don’t know what it looks like later in the season, but in early December it was spectacularly beautiful.

The ship then moved on to Half Moon Island, a spectacular crescent shaped island where we watched the chinstrap Penguins and made our way through some deep snow to a beautiful spot overlooking the sound to Livingston Island.

Next Stop was Deception Island which is the caldera of an active volcano. We sailed through the narrow opening and into Whalers Bay where we walked the black sand beach and among the remains of the Whaling Station.

Words and photos do no do justice to this experience, but it’s a start! Here are a few ship experiences.

There is so much more to say, and more photos and videos than you really want to see. I will write soon comparing cruise lines among other general travel topics. But for now-

Thanks for sailing along!