I've finally started my gap year. And after years of talking about going, of wanting to put foot on the vast wilderness of Antarctica, I have finally made my way. There is no way I can even begin to put into words how unbelievable it was to experience such wilderness but in this two part blog I hope to be able to put some of it in words, though I am certain to ramble at times.
I left Sydney on Australia day for Buenos Aires, staying there overnight before heading to Ushuaia (End of the World). The evening before departure I checked into the pre-trip hotel in town where I met a few of the fellow passengers. We finally boarded the MS Expedition for Antarctica on the 30th January.
On Saturday afternoon we made our way out of the Beagle Channel. Those first few hours on board I quickly met a number of truly wonderful people crossing generations and numerous geographical locations. A few people however I would not see again for 2 days until we passed the Drakes Passage.
The Beagle channel was glorious. Cruising between Argentina and Chile, watching dolphins Bow ride and keeping an eye out for whales. We entered the open sea later that night and the ominous rocking of the Drakes passage began. But at mere 4-5m swell the majority of us were able to still make it to dinner where we were greeted to chairs and tables firmly bolted to the floor, and unbelievable staff, and a fabulous starting dinner.
On day 2, those who were able to, sat through briefings and lectures about the impending arrival on Antarctica. At 2233hrs that night we crossed the convergence and entered into Antarctic water and in the early hours of day 3 our first icebergs were spotted and finally the South Shetland islands were spotted shortly after breakfast. Passengers suffering from sea sickness were also finally reprieved and rose to the outer decks to get their first glimpses of land.
With the new engines on the MS expedition combined with a favourable tail wind we arrived in Antarctica earlier than planned and this allowed for us to make an early landing in the Shetland Islands in an area called Aitcho.
Though we had not yet arrived at the Antarctic continent, the expedition leader organsied for a zodiac landing at two islands, Barrientos and Cecilla. And it did not disappoint. From the first steps on land it was awesome.
On the Island Barrientos we were greeted with Colonies of Chinstrap and Gentoo Penguins as well as 2 fur seals.
Meanwhile on Cecilla we were able to hike to a short peak to get a look out at the Shetland Islands sprawling ahead of us.
This little taste. A landing that was not meant to happen except we made such good time to sail through the Drakes Passage. There is no way I can describe the level of excitement on the ship having been able to experience these animals, this beauty that surrounded us, and the thought that the following day we would arrive on the Antarctic continent itself.
15 411 Kilometers traveled since Sydney. ANTARCTICA (Part Two) to follow.......