Antarctica, the Last Frontier

Well, they weren't kidding about items shifting in rough seas; it includes passengers in bed. Although the ocean could be much worse, the ship is rocking greatly. With each pitch, another one follows. It started sometime after midnight. The boat slid down into a trough, and I slipped down to the end of my bed. Not to worry, the next swell shot me back up to my pillow. This was repeated several times, until I got up for the morning.

In order to stay upright, you have to be quick-handed, reaching from one rail to another. It's not wise to let go of one, without spying the next place to grasp. All activities require one dedicated hand to cling for stability. I learned this lesson quickly, after using the toilet. Trying to pull my pants up with two hands ended me back onto the toilet, when the boat lurched to one side. I immediately reorganized my approach for taking a shower.

During breakfast, we sat on the starboard side of the boat, from where the storm was blowing in. It snowed sporadically, while the waves crashed in dramatic fashion against the hull. Sometimes the boat turned down so far into a trough, you had to look up to see the next swell towering toward the ship. By lunch, many passengers were sick, and the dining room was only about half full. I'm one of the few lucky ones, who hasn't had any problems. Kim is hanging in there, ever so grateful for the prescription patch she wears behind her ear. She has had some nausea but nothing unmanageable, yet.

At three o'clock I joined a lecture on photography and watched several people come to the lounge clutching one, and sometimes many barf bags. The crew has placed bags all over the ship, and you are never farther than five feet from one. For me, the rocking boat is hypnotizing, and all I want to do is sleep. So, I shall. Alex says tomorrow will be calmer, as we close in on the Antarctic Peninsula.Read more

We were awakened at 0515 and were on the zodiac by 0600. We started our day early, in order to accommodate three landings. Our first, and snowy, stop was Danco Island. As we approached the landing point, a group of penguins porpoised by, gaining momentum to jump ashore. We watched them squirt from the water right to their feet. Unfortunately, some of the individuals didn't get enough propulsion to make it onto land, and they sadly slipped back into the water for another try. I could have watched this mayhem for hours, but we had to alight and move onto shore.

We used switchbacks to ascend the mountain, stopping frequently to watch the penguins. From shore, they moved upward. Some would get tired and flop to their belly for a well-deserved rest. Others, arms straight out, waddled in lines, creating "highways" of penguin transit. We had to give way several times, as the birds have the right of way here.

Kim and I spent time at the top, taking in the views and the penguin activity. We enjoyed a penguin "tiff," where the offended beat the other penguin with his flipper, then chased him off. It was comical for us, but a very serious matter for the birds.

We returned to the ship for breakfast and a pair of warm, dry socks. Our next stop was Neko Harbor. We opted for the zodiac cruise, rather than the landing. Ali was our zodiac pilot, and she provided a great deal of information about the area. She also made sure we enjoyed some limited whale watching. Another zodiac pilot had spotted a minke whale, and she tracked it down for us. It was beautiful to watch the whale glide across the ocean surface, with an iceberg as backdrop.

Although we rejoined the boat, the whale display was not over. We worked our way down the Strait and sighted some orca and a humpback whale. They made themselves available for all onboard, before diving out of sight.

We had a special "Polar BBQ" for lunch. That's right, they were grilling burgers, dogs, brats, and ribs on the deck. It was just like a Caribbean cruise, with alcoholic drinks and sassy dance music; of course, the temperature was just a tad cooler. I skipped the ice cream bar, since I was already freezing from eating outside.

Our last stop for the day was Paradise Harbor. We cruised first and got an intimate view of the Petzel Glacier. The glacier towers above the ocean, with gigantic rectangular columns of ice, now covered by snow. There were two large archways carved out at the waterline that seemed to invite us to enter. Beyond the glacier were unique rock formations, described in-depth by the ship's geologist. Please see me for more details.

The zodiac then took us to the landing point, where we saw gentoo penguins, who had overrun an Argentine science base. We hiked up to the top of the point for an amazing view of the harbor below. The ocean was a dark blue, dotted with sea ice and floating icebergs, and punctuated by our tiny little ship; all surrounded by a ring of mountains and sheer cliffs. Several people decided to slide down the slope, so I gave it a try. I was one of the last to go, so the track was like an icy, bobsled run. I tucked my coat under my bum and gave a push. About 100 feet later, at a slope of about 25 degrees, I realized I probably wouldn't be able to see a chiropractor soon enough.Read more