After 10 great days in Argentina, visiting Cordoba and Salta we are finally in Buenos Aires, ready to catch our flight to Ushuaia and board Seabourn Venture, our expedition ship to Antarctica.

I’m excited, as I’m an explorer at heart. Visiting the fifth largest continent, that’s technically a desert, (as its rainfall is only 200mm), with the world’s lowest temperatures, makes me elated.

We have sailed with Seabourn several times. However, this is the first time we have been on one of their expedition ships. Seabourn Venture, was built in 2022 specifically for the Artic and Antarctic conditions. On board are zodiacs for exploring and ice landings. There are also kayaks and two submersibles (like a submarine) that can dive to 300 metres below the sea.

Seabourn Venture is an expedition ship.

Tim and my Antarctic adventure started in Buenos Aires, staying a night at the stunning Alvear Palace Hotel, along with the other passengers. We left the hotel early for our 7am flight to Ushuaia. The four hour flight on a chartered, budget airline, did not align with Seabourn’s luxury brand. The only redeeming feature was they had two people in a row, leaving the middle one empty. On arrival we were given a short tour of Ushuaia (because there is very little to see) before boarding the ship. The afternoon was spent unpacking, lunching and enjoying all the amenities on board.

The hostile landscape of Ushuaia.

 Day 1 -2 Drake Passage crossing to Antarctica

At  7:30 pm, Seabourn Venture sets sail. Travelling through the Beagle Channel towards Antarctica, we left the rugged landscape of Ushuaia behind, the southern most city in the world.

Leaving Ushuaia.

The two days at sea are a rite of passage for those venturing to the White Continent. The legendary Drake Passage is known for its unpredictable moods, and is one of the roughest bodies of water on earth, with waves as high as 10 metres. It’s 645 kilometres and extends from the southern most tip of South America, to the northern most tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Waves as high as six metres were predicted for our crossing, however, our Captain initially reduced the ships speed, buying time for a more gentle crossing. We had a swell of up to four metres. The movement was on board was minimal, however, handrails were important while walking around the ship.

We were entertained during the 48 hour crossing with excellent “conversations” (lectures) from the experienced expedition team of scientists and historians.

One of the scientists explained the importance of krill in the Southern Ocean, as it’s the  basis of life. Whales, seals, penguins and birds all eat it. We also learnt about the different species of whales, their behaviour and the apex of the food chain, the Orca, or Killer Whale, as well as about penguins and seals.

Every day, weather permitting, we would go on a zodiac expedition, make a landing on the ice, as well as scheduled kayaking or dives in the submersibles.

Day 3 -Weddell Sea, Antarctic Peninsula

Our first day in Antarctica, we awoke to a sea of ice, as well as a gigantic iceberg. It’s was a tabular iceberg, which means it’s broken off a glacier. This iceberg was so big it has been given a name (A80a), measuring 13 by 10 kilometres.

The A80a iceberg.

Our first stop was in the Weddell Sea, renowned for its pack ice. Two explorers, Otto Nordenskjold (Swedish, 1903) and Ernest Shackleton (British, 1915) both foundered here, losing their ships, but miraculously not their men.

Our inaugural zodiac expedition was exciting. We saw white ice, blue ice, glacial ice (rectangular bergs), and sea ice (flat floes). We saw two Humpback Whales, one was surface sleeping, (logging) as they look like a floating log. The other was feeding and flicking its tail as it dived deeper. However, the best were the breaching whales. From our veranda, Tim videoed a humpback whale breaching three times.

My first viewing of a beautiful Humpback whale.

Then, we came across several Adelie Penguins on an ice floe. I’m not sure where they were floating too, but they seemed very happy. They are one of three penguin breeds around the Antarctic Peninsula, including the Gentoo and Chinstrap penguins. The Emperor penguins as are not common in this areas, although we did see two chicks.

Adelie penguins on an ice floe.

After seeing the penguins the Venture crew treated us to champagne and our first Antarctic landing on an a ice floe. The expedition team had checked the ice for thickness and stability and we were invited to walk on the ice floe, afloat in the Weddell Sea.

Floating in the Weddell Sea.

Back on board Venture, cruising towards the Antarctic Sound, we saw several orca. They were spotted about a kilometre from the bow of the ship, swimming near two large humpback whales. Despite what looked like a tussle between the orcas and whales, the expedition crew assured us the orcas would not kill these large humpback whales. However, had it been a calf with its mother, the outcome might have been different.

Orcas pursuing humpback whales.

Day 4- Deception Island, South Shetland Islands.

Settling into the cruise, I loved my days, as they were my own; no cooking, laundry, admin or phone calls! After a light breakfast, I would plan my day around zodiac adventures, ice landing and kayaking. I spent little time in our suite, mostly attending lectures (although you could watch these on TV in your suite), whale watching and finding peaceful places on the ship to write.

The unpredictability of the weather in Antarctica, means cruising needs to be flexible. One day into the cruise, the expedition team and Captain were already hatching plan B. We had woken to icy conditions which meant Seabourn Venture needed extra time to reach its destination.

Meanwhile, we were entertained with a conversations from the historian, on Shackleton and his expedition. While I knew about Shackleton’s trials and tribulations, it was timely to be reminded while in this harsh environment.

Having left the Weddell Sea we headed to a very different environment, a volcano. The mountain chain forming the Antarctic Peninsula is essentially a continuation of the Andes, so it stands to reason there is some evidence of volcanic activity in the region. We landed at Stancomb Cove, on Deception Island, a small bay within the greater caldera of the volcano. Black volcanic slopes, similar to Mount Ngauruhoe, reminded me of New Zealand’s Central Plateau. We didn’t attempt the hike to this summit, but had a good walk around the island.

Deception Island.

On route to Deception Island, we stopped and observed a colony of Chinstap penguins. Before we could see the penguin colony, we could smell the stench of their poop. It’s called guana and is a reddy, pinky in colour. The penguin colonies are large, and they nest in the same location for generations. As a result, the poop builds up on the rocky and icy surfaces.

A colony of Chinstap penguins.

Day 5 – Spert Island, Antarctic Peninsula.

We were one of the first groups to cruise along the shores of Spert Island, early morning. The raw, untouched beauty of the narrow channels, and jagged icebergs on this snow-covered island were unreal. The glistening sunshine added to the hues of blue on the ice, making for some great photography.

The icebergs at Spert Island were exceptional with their beautiful blue colours.

As we ventured deeper into the channels, a sudden splash caught our attention as group of humpback whales surfaced just metres from the boats. Their enormous bodies broke the surface with gentle grace, their spouts creating misty plumes.

Back on board after an exhilarating morning, I couldn’t resist more than my fair share of caviar with a little champagne. (I was kayaking in the afternoon and didn’t want to be that person who fell in!)

Meanwhile, the ship had repositioned to Mikkelsen Harbour and D’Hainaut Island, for our afternoon of exploration.

The afternoon weather was perfect for my kayaking expedition. I dressed warmly with thermal layers, then a dry suit. In the ocean, we carefully transferred from the zodiac to the double kayaks.

An incredible afternoon kayaking, watching the humpback whales fill their tummies with krill.

Within seconds of getting into a rhythmic paddle with my kayak partner, Steve, we saw two humpback whales surface, shooting a misty plume of water and whale snot into the air. They were completely undeterred by our presence, feeding on krill. Krill are a tiny shrimp, about six centimetres long. Humpbacks eat about 2,000 tonne a day, talking big gulps and sending the water back out of their mouths through their baleen. Once they have expelled the water, they swallow the krill slowly, as their throat is only the size of our fist. The clarity of the water was exceptional, and I could see the krill in the water, in their millions.

What I really love about the humpback whales is their song. Close up, it sounds like haunting moans, cries and howls with a musical over tone. Only the males sing in this manner, although the females do make noises too. Scientist believe this is how the whales communicate with one another.

Day 6 – Melchior Islands, Antarctic Peninsula.

This morning we awoke to a snow covered veranda and chilling conditions so the morning plans were abandoned.

The snow settled on the ship’s bow and a two metre snowman was built. Then, miraculously the sun came out, the snowman melted, creating perfect weather for an impromptu zodiac cruise. As the zodiac set off from the ship, we had a fleeting visit from a lone humpback whale. These animals are captivating to watch, whether it’s your first or 100th encounter.

Stopping near Gamma Island were a large gathering of Antarctic fur seals, basking in the sunlight. Their thick fur provides great insulation in the freezing temperatures. They can dive to impressive depths in search of fish, squid and krill.

Fur seals basking in the sun.

Venturing further into the narrow channels, we encountered a large group of Wilson’s Storm Petrels. These small seabirds were busy feeding. Like fairies, they fluttered down, appearing to walk on water before taking shallow dives.

Day 7 – Port Lockroy and Damoy Point, Antarctic Peninsula.

In the zodiac we stopped at Port Lockroy, famously known as the “Penguin Post Office.” It’s the southern most post office in the world. This historic site, was originally established by the British in 1944 during Operation Tabarin (a secret British expedition to Antarctica during WWII). During our expedition, we saw many huts, some still in opertion carrying out scientific research, others abandoned.

Not far away, we stumbled upon whale bones scattered amongst the rocks, a somber reminder of the region’s whaling history. Since whaling has been banned, the number of humpback whales has increased, but there is still only 25 % the population of these mammals, pre whaling days.

Day 8 – Petermann Island and Winter Island, Antarctic Peninsula.

Our morning expedition took us to Petermann Island. Clambering out of the zodiac over rocks, we were greeted by numerous Gentoo Penguins. They are recognisable by their distinctive orange beaks and stiking white markings. The general rule with wildlife is to get no closer that five metres, yet these penguins were the ones breaking the rules!  

Like the other species of penguins, the Gentoo penguins come ashore early summer (November) to breed. A couple would build their nest from pebbles, then sit and nurture their egg.

Gentoo penguin sitting on its egg.

When we saw the fledglings, they were about seven weeks old, and would soon be leaving their nests. Before they do so, they will moult and lose their downy feathers, replacing them with adult waterproof plumage.

A Gentoo penguin and her chicks.

Likewise, the adults will moult too. The moulting process is a slow and laborious. The penguins looked dishevelled with feathers flying in the wind, a contrast to their usual sleek appearance.

Once their new feathers have grown in preparation for the colder months ahead, they will all leave the ice. They will move further out to sea, away from the frozen ice, so they can feed through the winter.

Moulting penguins.

In the afternoon, Seabourn Venture sailed to Winter Island where we saw Vernadsky Station. Vernadsky Station is the only Ukrainian research base in Antarctica. This station had not always been occupied by the Ukrainians. Initially, it was built as a British Research Station in 1947. It wasn’t until 1996 that the National Antarctic Scientific Centre of Ukraine took over the operation from the British. The British sold Ukraine the base for a symbolic one pound sterling. They did it to welcome Ukraine as a signatory of the Antarctic Treaty. They perform rigorous, year-round projects studying climate science and more. The station can accommodate 24 scientists.

Vernadsky Station.

Still, the afternoon was filled with more than just fascinating Ukrainian stories. Crabeater seals were spotted reclining on icebergs, basking in the sweltering Antarctic sun. These seals are so well insultated, they do not leave an imprint on the ice as we would, if we lay there for several hours.

Crabeater seal.

Just a short distance from the Crabeater seals, was a solo leopard seal. She was enormous, about three metres in length and weighing roughly 400 kilograms. Leopard seals are Antarctica’s second largest seals, second only to the massive elephant seal. Her face had an unusal look, a little prehistoric, like a dinasour.

The Leopard seal provided a special sighting.

Day 9 – Portal Point, Antarctic Peninsula.

Today was our last landing on Antarctica. We felt like intrepid explorers in the windy, snowy conditions. It was our chance to set foot on the actual Antarctic Continent, as our previous landings had been on islands and ice floes.

On landing, we walked around, enjoying a few fur seals and penguins, but most important was getting our photo taken with the Antarctica flag.

Before we set sail towards the Drake Passage that afternoon, all passengers were offered the opportunity of a polar plunge. I declined, however, nearly half the guests jumped. Some said it was invigorating, but the more honest, said it just hurt!

The polar plunge.

Heading toward the Drake Passage, the cruise was coming to an end. The experiences I had on the ice floes, islands and Antarctic Continent were exceptional. I saw so many penguins, seals, birds, orca and off course my favourite, the Humpback whale.

Antarctica belongs to no one and the claims made on parts of the continent have been frozen under The Antarctica Treaty. The continent is governed and protected by an international Antarctic Treaty system. It was signed in 1959 by twelve counties, including New Zealand. Its purpose is to limit exploitation, and preserves its wildlife. Long may this last as this continent is a very special place.