Antarctica 2020 – The Magnificence Before the Madness!

Antarctica 2020 – The Magnificence Before the Madness!

by Marsha Seekins

My husband, Doug, and I decided to celebrate our 20^th wedding anniversary with a trip to Antarctica. It has been on our list of “places we must go” since before we were married! After much research, we had chosen to travel with Polar Latitudes on the M/V Hebridean Sky. We booked the trip last fall for a mid-February departure – the end of the season in Antarctica, early fall in the Southern Hemisphere. We learned that the adventure can vary greatly with the timing of the cruise – we chose a late season departure to see fledgling penguins and whales and to have potentially greater access to the Weddell Sea.

We flew from Vancouver BC to Ushuaia, Argentina – “the end of the world.” The 24+ hour trip was not nearly as bad as we expected, but we were certainly glad to arrive at our hotel. We enjoyed a couple of days sightseeing and hiking with our fellow adventurers in town and in the Tierra del Fuego National Park. Such a lovely park and a nice opportunity to stretch our legs after all that time on the airplanes.

During our time in Ushuaia, we learned that more than 40 people who were to sail with us had had their trips cancelled due to COVID-19 travel restrictions from China. I was very pleased with the professionalism of the crew in dealing with the threat of illness, recognizing that we were going to be days away from any help should anyone get sick. Temperatures were checked three times before we boarded the ship, and lots of extra sanitizing took place during the cruise. The ship's doctor was proactive in reaching out to passengers with pre-existing medical conditions to make sure they had all the necessary medications for the journey. (We have since learned that more than 60 people contracted the virus on an Antarctic Cruise that sailed just after we returned! I feel so blessed that we were able to complete our journey and return home safely before the virus hit the US full force.)

On February 15^th, we, along with 77 other intrepid explorers, boarded the M/V Hebridean Sky and set sail across the Drake Passage – known as some of the roughest water on the planet. We were warned to take our seasickness medication and to prepare for 2 days of rough seas as we headed south toward the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula. Well, the crossing was so smooth, the crew referred to it as the “Drake Lake.” During these two days at sea, we got to know our fellow passengers over wonderful meals and time in the lounge and were educated by the expedition crew on the history, wildlife, geology, and preservation efforts that we would witness in Antarctica. 

The next nine days were some of the most special and awe-inspiring of our lives. We chose a smaller cruise vessel to maximize our time off the ship. Each day, weather permitting, we did 2 excursions from the ship – either a landing or a zodiac cruise. The schedule is fluid, and the expedition leader chooses the route and excursions to maximize exposure to all there is to see in this otherworldly place. And she (yes, SHE!) did a remarkable job!

It is impossible, through words or even photos, to describe the beauty and magnificence, scale and contrast, of Antarctica. We took 4800 photos, and not even that collection can do justice to this amazing place that brought such joy to my heart and even tears to my eyes…

Colorful Iceberg in Brash Ice

Juvenile Elephant Seal

M/V Hebridien Sky

• We saw thousands of penguins – Adelie, Gentoo, and Chinstraps. One particularly friendly fellow tried to untie Doug’s boot! The penguins were fledging and we saw lots of chick-chasing, feeding, and learning to swim.
•  We saw Orcas and cruised our Zodiacs among Humpback Whales that were feeding on krill and not the least bit disturbed by our presence.
•  We camped on a snow-covered point of land and went to sleep listening to the blows of nearby humpbacks, the shrieks of Skuas, and the thunderous cracking of glaciers.
• We visited Port Esperanza, an Argentine Research Station, and Port Lockroy, a British outpost, where we learned what it is like to live and work in this unique, and often unforgiving, environment.
• We saw several varieties of Albatross, Cormorants and Petrels and even a few Antarctic Terns.  The Wandering Albatross has a wingspan of 9 feet, yet they look so tiny compared to the immense icebergs!
• We hiked to historic huts and monuments left by early explorers who braved the unknown, journeying further south than any humans had before. The most impressive site was Deception Island. Like Crater Lake in Oregon it is a volcanic caldera, but it is open to the ocean. Because it is an active volcano, the warmer water steams on the beach. Here are the remains of a whaling settlement, including industrial equipment, bunkhouses, and even an airplane hangar.
• We saw leopard seals, fur seals, Weddell seals, and some quite photogenic elephant seals. Unfortunately for some penguins, we witnessed the violent feeding habits of the leopard seal, up close and personal.

A chorus of Elephant Seals

Camping in the Snow!

Chinstrap Penguin in a Hurry!

Humpback Whale Tail

The Ruins of Deception Island

Deception Island

The beauty and scale of the ice in all its formats is breathtaking and quite indescribable. The glaciers cracking and calving as they march toward the sea. The immense tabular icebergs, covering more than a square mile, that have broken from the ice shelves and drift silently with the currents. The countless icebergs, floating sculptures of white and blue whose color and shape change with light and position. The ten-thousand-year-old crystal clear brash ice that has splintered from the glaciers, which we collect for evening cocktails. The flat piece of sea ice where we walked and laughed and wondered at our smallness as we floated on the immense ocean only a couple of meters from the icy depths. And, even the soft silent snow that fell as we watched the whales frolic saw our first elephant seal.

The last two days of the trip were spent coming back across the Drake Passage. This time, instead of the Drake Lake, we got the “Drake Shake”! Holy Moley! Gale force winds and huge swells made for a bumpy ride. People were thrown from their beds; unsecured items rolled around the floor in our cabins; more than a few people were absent at mealtimes. Thankfully, Doug and I weathered the storm without any ill effects (better living through chemistry!).

I cannot say enough good things about the ship’s crew, the food, and the services we received. Everything was top-notch. I would highly recommend this trip, and would even consider doing it again, maybe during a different part of the season.

We disembarked in Ushuaia on February 28 and flew to Buenos Aires, parting ways with many new friends, some of whom I know we will see again! To accommodate flight schedules, Doug and I opted to spend a night at a polo pony ranch outside the city, where we were treated to a barbecue, joined a wonderful family picnic (we were the only outside guests), met Secretariat’s granddaughter, and enjoyed part of a polo match before heading back to the airport and our flights home.

This was truly the trip of a lifetime, and I highly recommend it to anyone with a sense of adventure. Please feel free to contact me if you want any information about our trip – I am happy to share. My photos are available for viewing at https://marshaseekins.zenfolio.com/p182989270 .