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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer

February - March 2025
  • Two to Travel
  • Ahmet Erkun
For our fourth, and what we believe will be our last trip to the white continent, we opted for a unique and challenging itinerary. Read more
  • Two to Travel
  • Ahmet Erkun

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  • South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  • Brazil Brazil
  • Argentina Argentina
  • United States United States
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Couple, Cruise ship, Nature, Wilderness, Wildlife
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  • 83footprints
  • 39days
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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    The Madero Tango show is at the showroom at the local casino — Puerto Iguazú, Argentina.
    Two of the tango dancers at the Madero Tango show — Puerto Iguazú, Argentina.A clip from the Madero Tango show — Puerto Iguazú, Argentina.A clip from the Madero Tango show — Puerto Iguazú, Argentina.

    Iguazú: Madero Tango

    February 5 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F

    Our tour package included a tango show that I’d categorize more as a tango and folklore show.

    There was a bit of a communication mishap in that our tickets actually included a 7-course degustation experience. But we were told dinner was not included, so we ate at the hotel before a driver from the tour company picked us up and drove us to the show venue in Puerto Iguazú. Oh well.

    The show featured more than just tango dancers … there were also gauchos performing with boleadoras … a lariat with balls at one end … used to catch animals by entangling their legs; drummers performing with Bombo legüeros … a traditional Argentinian drum made of a hollowed tree trunk covered with a cured animal skin; and dancers who would have been the envy of Cirque du Soleil performers.

    It was a nice wrap up to our first day in the Iguazú area.    Read more

  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    The only jaguar we saw today ... yes, it was on a poster inside the Iguazú Falls National Park.
    Map showing both the Argentinian (right) and Brazilian sides of Iguazú/Iguaçu Falls.The intersection where the inbound shuttle train was waiting for us to pass by — Iguazú Falls NP.Crossing Rio Iguazú Superior ... the river above the falls — Iguazú Falls National Park.The falls at Devil's Throat — Iguazú Falls National Park.View of the falls from the Devil's Throat balcony — Iguazú Falls National Park.We managed a selfie @ Devil's Throat despite getting wet as we did so — Iguazú Falls National Park.Falls from the Devil's Throat balcony — Iguazú Falls National Park.Silky smooth falls — Iguazú Falls National Park.Glimpsing the falls through the foliage ... on the Superior Circuit — Iguazú Falls National Park.1Superior Circuit view of the falls — Iguazú Falls National Park.Superior Circuit view of the falls — Iguazú Falls National Park.Superior Circuit view of the falls — Iguazú Falls National Park.Superior Circuit — Iguazú Falls National Park.2Looking down the cataracts ... Superior Circuit — Iguazú Falls National Park.Superior Circuit view of the falls — Iguazú Falls National Park.For perspective, find the people on the viewing terrace ... Superior Circuit — Iguazú Falls.Some of the critters from today — Iguazú Falls National Park.1Coati ... visiting our train car ... looking for a handout — Iguazú Falls National Park.

    Iguazú: Exploring the Argentinian Falls

    February 6 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 86 °F

    This morning we joined 10 other people to explore the Argentinian side of Iguazú Falls.

    Once we purchased our admission to the park, Jorge (our guide) got shuttle train reservations for the ride to the last stop to see the infamous Devil’s Throat, the canyon where the Argentinian and Brazilian Falls sort of unite (see map).

    Yes, we got a bit wet from the clouds of mist billowing up from the water plunging into the canyon … how can you not when the flow over the falls today measured at 1.7 million liters PER SECOND! (That’s about 450,000 gallons per second.) No matter … it was worth it! Not to mention refreshing.

    And then off to do the Circuito Superior … a boardwalk trail that follows the top of the falls for peek-a-boo views through the heavy foliage.

    It was 94F with high humidity … miserable, in other words. We were drained by the time we got back to the trailhead. And we needed some sustenance before we could proceed with the on-the-fly plan we had made to further explore the national park.    Read more

  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Boats awaiting riders for the Gran Aventura — Iguazú Falls National Park.
    The route the Gran Aventura boats take — Iguazú Falls National Park.We'll return to this side of the falls later — Iguazú Falls National Park.And we are off to the Devil's Throat Canyon ... won't be going in too far — Iguazú Falls Natl Park.Gran Aventura — Iguazú Falls National Park.Gran Aventura — Iguazú Falls National Park.Gran Aventura — Iguazú Falls National Park.Gran Aventura — Iguazú Falls National Park.Gran Aventura — Iguazú Falls National Park.Gran Aventura — Iguazú Falls National Park.Gran Aventura — Iguazú Falls National Park.What we looked like to our new friends Van & Patrick from the Lower Circuit — Iguazú Falls

    Iguazú: Gran Aventura

    February 6 in Brazil ⋅ ☁️ 90 °F

    We knew about the boat adventure that sails up Rio Iguazú Inferior … the section of the river below the falls.

    We really had no plans for doing it. Instead, we were going to walk the Lower Circuit trail while we waited for those doing the boat ride. But then, it was so darned hot that we sweated buckets. Suddenly, a cool ‘shower’ or two under the falls sounded like a great idea.

    Our Iguazú Jungle Gran Aventura started with a 25-minute truck ride over bumpy, dirt roads to the boat embarkation point … which was 200+ steps down from where we were dropped off. Collecting heavy-duty waterproof bags for our valuables, socks, and shoes, we donned life vests. And off we went on a wild and woolly ride that left us soaked to the skin! I’m telling you, there wasn’t an inch of skin left dry! It felt good, though … and the 94F heat dried us out (mostly) by the time we were finished with the return truck ride and rejoined our group.

    (I included a couple of videos with this footprint. But for the real McCoy, I have to wait until Mui can process his GoPro video … my phone was safely secured in the dry bag before things got too wet!)    Read more

  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    6Gran Aventura on Rio Iguazú — Iguazú Falls National Park, Argentina.

    Iguazú: Gran Aventura in Motion

    February 6 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 91 °F

    A short snippet of our boat ride to take a ‘falls shower’ … thanks to Mui’s GoPro footage we have a record of our adventure.

  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    The Argentinian falls from the Path of the Falls on the Brazilian side of the river.
    The Argentinian falls from the Path of the Falls on the Brazilian side of the river.Map showing the Path of the Falls trail in Brazil — Iguazú Falls National Park.Looking across to the Argentinian Falls from Brazil's Path of the Falls.2Argentinian Falls from the Brazilian Path of the Falls.The Argentinian falls from the Path of the Falls on the Brazilian side of the river.Panorama of the Argentinian Falls from Brazil's Path of the Falls.This would have been us yesterday at the mouth of Devil's Throat Canyon.Looking across to the Argentinian Falls from Brazil's Path of the Falls.Rainbow time! — Argentinian falls from Brazil's Path of the Falls trail.The Argentinian falls from the Path of the Falls on the Brazilian side of the river.Left is Brazil; right is Argentina .... the boardwalk that partially spans the river.The boardwalk over the river affords an up-close-and-wet look at Floriano (L) and Devil's Throat.Looking downstream from the boardwalk in Brazil to the falls in Argentina.Panorama of Brazil's Floriano Fall (L) and the Argentinian falls from the head of the boardwalk.Brazil's Floriano Fall from the head of the boardwalk.Looking across to the Argentinian Falls from Brazil's Path of the Falls.At the end of the boardwalk ... face to face with the Devil's Throat ... as seen from Brazil.The Argentinian falls from the Path of the Falls on the Brazilian side of the river.Black vulture — Iguazú Falls National Park, Brazil.We were at that overlook yesterday.Great Egret at the Brazilian Falls.

    Iguaçu: The Falls from Brazil

    February 7 in Brazil ⋅ ☁️ 86 °F

    “Argentina has the falls; we have the view!”

    So joke the Brazilians … or so Jorge told us on our way to Brazil to see the falls from a different perspective. I can categorically say that the joke is no joke! It’s the absolute truth. Not that we didn’t enjoy the our experience yesterday in Argentina. But today, seeing the falls from the opposite bank of Rio Iguazú was an exceptional experience. The two sides of the falls complement each other beautifully.

    Following the Path of the Falls, we had spectacular views of the Argentinian falls … before arriving at the boardwalk that crosses the river for an up-close-and-wet look at Brazil’s very own Floriano Fall.

    By the way, the flow over the falls today was a bit heavier than yesterday … 2 million liters PER SECOND (528,000+ gallons)!    Read more

  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Our air chariot awaits to whisk us south to Ushuaia ... @ AEP — Buenos Aires, Argentina.
    As we roll down the runway at AEP — Buenos Aires, Argentina.Bye bye Buenos Aires, Argentina.Comfy in our seats, we are looking forward to re-visiting Ushuaia.Longer flight = beverage + snack.

    Bye Bye BsAs … Again

    February 8 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 91 °F

    Following a post-Iguazú Falls hotel stay in Buenos Aires [BsAs] last night, this morning we returned to AEP for our next domestic flight with Aerolineas Argentinas.

    This time we are flying south to Ushuaia. Everything went smoothly at the airport … no delays … no mishap … bags weighing in at under 15kg (~32 lbs) each as allowed by this airline … time enough to grab a light breakfast before boarding was called.

    Uneventful flight so far … two hours to go to reach our destination.    Read more

  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Glimpse of the Andes as our plane begins its descent into Ushuaia, Argentina.
    Hello Ushuaia!Can't miss the iconic photo-op — Ushuaia, Argentina.Argentina may have lost the Falklands War, but they claim Ushuaia as the capital of the islands.We are definitely quite a distance away from most of the world's big cities — Ushuaia, Argentina.Third time getting a haircut from Fernando makes it a tradition ... photo from 2015.Mural at Isabel Cocina al Disco ... our dinner spot — Ushuaia, Argentina.Cheers from Isabel Cocina al Disco — Ushuaia, Argentina.Mui deemed his Parmesan king crab delicious — Ushuaia, Argentina.Taste-testing alfajores — cookie sandwich with a dulce de leche filling ... dipped in chocolate.View from our AirBNB — Ushuaia, Argentina.

    Welcome to Fin Del Mundo

    February 8 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 50 °F

    Welcome to "Ushuaia, fin del mundo, principio de todo."

    The slogan of the city, located at the southern tip of Argentina, translates as "Ushuaia, end of the world, beginning of everything."

    Though the Chileans would disagree, the Argentinians claim Ushuaia as the world’s southernmost city. The claim is generally accepted as true. You see, although Puerto Williams, Chile is indeed further south, its population is too small for it to qualify as a city. In any event, the city's slogan, is a way for Ushuaia to promote its status as a gateway to Antarctica.

    Our flight from BsAs was uneventful; no problem settling into the AirBNB that will be our home for a few days. We’ve done our grocery shopping; we’ve wandered around the city for a bit. As has become a tradition, we’ve gotten our pre-expedition haircuts from Fernando at Staff Stylos. We’ve enjoyed a hearty meal at Isabel Cocina al Disco … watching today’s fleet of Antarctic expedition vessels heading off on their journeys. And we’ve taste-tested two brands of alfajores to sate our sweet tooth.

    Time to get some shuteye!    Read more

  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    The ubiquitous big-letters selfie — Ushuaia, Argentina.
    The wreck of the St Christopher — Ushuaia, Argentina.Magellanic penguin mural — Ushuaia, Argentina.The Gateway to the Antarctic — Ushuaia, Argentina.I see my first king penguin before we even set off for South Georgia Island — Ushuaia, Argentina.Mui's new wheels 😊 — Ushuaia, Argentina.A beautiful mural — Ushuaia, Argentina.One of the statues near government house — Ushuaia, Argentina.Mural at Club 1210 ... where we will be dropping off our bags on embarkation day — Ushuaia.Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Memorial — Ushuaia, Argentina.Detail from the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Memorial — Ushuaia, Argentina.Memorial installed for the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War — Ushuaia, Argentina.Carved statue — Ushuaia, Argentina.Reflections on Bahia Encerrada ... a nature reserve in the city — Ushuaia, Argentina.Reflections on Bahia Encerrada ... a nature reserve in the city — Ushuaia, Argentina.An immature black-crowned night heron @ Bahia Encerrada — Ushuaia, Argentina.Black-crowned night heron and a gull at Bahia Encerrada — Ushuaia, Argentina.Southern lapwings at Bahia Encerrada ... — Ushuaia, Argentina.Gunther Plüschow ... the first man to explore and film Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia from the air.View towards Bahia Encerrada ... from our apartment — Ushuaia, Argentina.Mountains in B&W — Ushuaia, Argentina.

    A-wander in Ushuaia

    February 9 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F

    This is our fifth time in Ushuaia. We’ve pretty much seen and done much of what the city and area have to offer visitors.

    The main reason we give ourselves extra days in Ushuaia prior to embarking an expedition vessel to Antarctica goes back to our first time here … in 2006/2007. On that occasion, one of our gear bags didn’t make it onto the flight from Washington, DC to Buenos Aires … a nonstop flight, no less. It took three days for us to be reunited with it in Ushuaia … just 12 hours before we were to head south to the White Continent. (It’s also why I make an inventory of the contents of each bag … in case I have to shop for missing items.)

    Anyway, all went well with yesterday’s flight … nothing went missing. So we used our free time today to relax and just wander around. And also to find the luggage drop-off point for embarkation day.

    (P.S. I always take a photo of the St Christopher … today was no exception. Here’s the story of the wreck of the St Christopher for anyone interested … https://ushuaiatravel.com/en/the-saint-christop….)    Read more

  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Panorama of Ushuaia from Bahia Encerrada.
    Crested Ducks ... Bahia Encerrada — Ushuaia, Argentina.Crested Duck ... Bahia Encerrada — Ushuaia, Argentina.Kelp Gulls ... Bahia Encerrada — Ushuaia, Argentina.Kelp Gull shooing off an immature gull ... Bahia Encerrada — Ushuaia, Argentina.Blackish Oystercatcher ... Bahia Encerrada — Ushuaia, Argentina.Blackish Oystercatcher ... Bahia Encerrada — Ushuaia, Argentina.Shag & Gull ... Bahia Encerrada — Ushuaia, Argentina.Shag ... Bahia Encerrada — Ushuaia, Argentina.Shags ... Bahia Encerrada — Ushuaia, Argentina.Shags with a Gull ... Bahia Encerrada — Ushuaia, Argentina.Blackish oystercatcher with a Crested duck ... Bahia Encerrada — Ushuaia, Argentina.Gull ... Bahia Encerrada — Ushuaia, Argentina.Chimango Caracara ... Bahia Encerrada — Ushuaia, Argentina.Chimango Caracara ... Bahia Encerrada — Ushuaia, Argentina.South American Terns ... Bahia Encerrada — Ushuaia, Argentina.South American Terns ... Bahia Encerrada — Ushuaia, Argentina.

    Ushuaia: Birds @ Bahia Encerrada

    February 10 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 46 °F

    The plan for today was to go back to Bahia Encerrada, the nature reserve in the city … to visit with the birds and take photos, but also to circumnavigate it for exercise and sightseeing.

    But Ushuaia’s notoriously unpredictable weather put paid to those plans.

    I was happily taking videos of the South American terns that were fishing at an outflow channel when suddenly the temperature dropped at least 10 degrees and an icy-cold wind started blowing seconds later. Mother Nature started spitting sleet … and then rain … and then snow … and then rinse and repeat.

    Time to find some shelter.    Read more

  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    I can't resist a photo of the ubiquitous big letters with flowers and sunshin.
    Our lunch spot ... Doña Lupita — Ushuaia, Argentina.Our lunch spot ... Doña Lupita — Ushuaia, Argentina.Our lunch spot ... Doña Lupita — Ushuaia, Argentina.I find more penguins — Ushuaia, Argentina.Mosaic mural — Ushuaia, Argentina.Mosaic mural ... Ushuaia was founded as a penal colony.Mosaic mural — Ushuaia, Argentina.Mosaic mural — Ushuaia, Argentina.Mosaic mural — Ushuaia, Argentina.Birds of a feather — Ushuaia, Argentina.Ushuaia, Argentina.Ushuaia, Argentina.White chocolate penguin — Ushuaia, Argentina.Parilla being prepared at a local restaurant — Ushuaia, Argentina.

    Ushuaia: Empanadas & Murals

    February 10 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F

    To get out of the chill and wind that developed suddenly, we headed up to Doña Lupita, an empanada place that came highly recommended. We were not steered wrong.

    After a casual, but tasty lunch, we wandered some of the side streets to check out the murals we had glimpsed on our way to the restaurant. The bonus? The sun came out briefly and helped to warm us up.Read more

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