Antarctica

I have wanted to go to Antarctica for a long time. And, now I’ve been there with my sister Marilyn.

Ushuaia, Argentina is the point of departure for many expeditions to Antarctica. Our ship arrived there on Day 32 (February 15). At least six other ships were docked in Ushuaia on that day, all heading south for the Antarctic experience.

Some of these ships were smaller expedition ships that would spend an extended period exploring Antarctica. These ships would make numerous excursions to the continent and islands in small zodiac boats. These smaller ships depart from Ushuaia and can get close-in to the ice and land.

The medium sized cruise ships (like ours) also left Ushuaia to explore the waters near the Arctic Peninsula and islands. We were accompanied by a team of five polar experts, and well supported to observe animals and scenery from the decks. There were lectures and commentary and lots of learning. Unlike the expedition ships, we did not land. But we did have plenty of chance to experience the weather (cold, snow, sleet, wind, and lots of fog).

To get to Antarctica from South America, there is no choice but to travel through a stretch of ocean called the Drake Passage. This is a notorious place. We had heard plenty of stories about the extremely rough waves often found in this area where the Pacific, Atlantic, and Southern Oceans meet. The head of our expedition team said it is either the Drake Shakes or the Drake Lake. Luckily, we had relatively calm seas on both the trip down and back through the Drake Lake. No one was complaining about that.

Antarctica was spectacular. It did not disappoint. I don’t have a lot of words to describe it, so instead will just share some pictures, all taken from the deck of the ship.