ArgentinaUshuaia54°48’12” S 68°18’22” W 10 de fevereiro, Argentina ⋅ 🌧 43 °F
Kaupé = We are home … in the local indigenous language.
Having dinner at this family-owned and operated restaurant is one of our pre-Antarctica expedition traditions. The ambiance is warm. TheLeia mais
ArgentinaUshuaia54°48’23” S 68°18’35” W
10 de fevereiro, Argentina ⋅ 🌧 37 °F
Ortelius — the Oceanwide Expeditions vessel that will be taking us on our polar adventure — is snug in its berth at the pier in Ushuaia.
Embarkation day is nearly upon us. One more sleep on landLeia mais
ArgentinaUshuaia54°48’31” S 68°18’51” W
11 de fevereiro, Argentina ⋅ 🌬 39 °F
Rat-a-tat-tat! Throughout the night heavy rain pounded the picture window.
What we didn’t know until we pulled open the drapes when we woke up was if that rain had changed to snow at some point. ItLeia mais
ArgentinaUshuaia54°48’26” S 68°18’15” W
11 de fevereiro, Argentina ⋅ 🌬 41 °F
If the ice conditions allow it once we cross the Antarctic Circle, this is where we will be going!
Red is not a good color for us!
ArgentinaBahía Ushuaia54°48’58” S 68°15’36” W 11 de fevereiro, Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 41 °F
Embarked Ortelius … ✅
Settled into our cabin … ✅
Got reacquainted with the ship … ✅
Completed the mandatory safety briefing and muster drill … ✅
Enjoyed the sailaway from the openLeia mais
Viajante
You booked this with Oceanwide? Have you received good service from them?
Two to TravelYes, direct with Oceanwide … but thru their US office in Houston. Excellent service … this is our second unique itinerary with them. They are a strictly expedition focused company. No luxuries … just comfortable.
ViajanteThanks.... Good to have another option to look at. We are currently very keen on NatGeo/Lindblad, but are open to other ideas.
Two to TravelIf you have never been to the Antarctic, I don’t know that I would recommend this itinerary or the Ross Sea one. They have a lot of days at sea because of the distances to be covered and they are risky, remote itineraries. The best itinerary for first time IMHO is one that takes in the Peninsula and South Georgia, and then branch out from there if you want to return for more. That itinerary is the standard tour. You also need to weigh your wants and needs with what the operator offers. If you want a straightforward no frills itinerary, Oceanwide, for example, is good. If you want a bit of luxury (drinks included with meals, heated floors in the bathroom, etc) then Quark is good. More luxury … well, then you get into the Silversea category. I’m not sure where NatGeo/Lindblad fall these days, but you can use what you know about them for comparison. You also want to keep your ship as small as possible … 100 or less is ideal. Happy planning!
ViajanteThanks, I particularly want to see the Falklands and South Georgia, so the "standard" three week itinerary seems like the best one for our first time to Antarctica.
South Atlantic Ocean54°45’37” S 61°7’24” W
13 de fevereiro, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 45 °F
“One must never be in haste to end a day; there are too few of them in a lifetime.” ~~ Sir Francis Drake ~~ (from the Daily Program)
It was a rollin’ kind of night as we left the Beagle ChannelLeia mais
South Atlantic Ocean54°50’6” S 49°29’23” W
13 de fevereiro, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 37 °F
“A journey is like a person, no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policies, and coercion are fruitless. We find after years of struggle that we do not take a trip, a trip takes us.” ~~Leia mais
ViajanteI love the idea of changing the clocks at noon! As we progress eastward on our around-the-world journey we are regularly losing hours, always in the evening. Doing it mid-day would be great.
Two to TravelI know some cruise lines do this on TransAtlantics … but I don’t think I’ve ever encountered it on Oceania.
South Atlantic Ocean54°35’38” S 45°7’15” W
14 de fevereiro, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 36 °F
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” ~~ St Augustine ~~ (from the Daily Program)
Sighted our first icebergs of the voyage today! Many, many more to come.
TheLeia mais
Ilhas Geórgia do Sul e Sandwich do SulShag Rocks53°32’52” S 42°1’12” W
14 de fevereiro, Ilhas Geórgia do Sul e Sandwich do Sul ⋅ 🌬 37 °F
Shag Rocks are exactly what the name says they are … rocks that some might call islets. Part of the British Overseas Territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, they are 150 milesLeia mais
Ilhas Geórgia do Sul e Sandwich do SulBarber Cove53°59’29” S 37°39’6” W
15 de fevereiro, Ilhas Geórgia do Sul e Sandwich do Sul ⋅ ☁️ 36 °F
“Sailors, with their built-in sense of order, service, and discipline, should really be running the world.” ~~ Nicholas Monsarrat (from the Daily Program)
When we visited South Georgia Island inLeia mais
Sonia Gelman
Delicious!
Two to TravelIt definitely was.
ViajanteYum!