Antarctica Expedition experiences
Antarctica Expedition experience.
How do you share a trip of the lifetime? It was in my travel plans from the beginning, and as the day of departure arrived, I was excited as I packed my gear and walked down to the pier to start this new adventure. Once again starting something new and unknown. I had booked the cheapest type of room onboard to keep the costs down, so I knew I would be in a room of 4 people. As I arrived, so did all the other 98 passengers. All with the same enthusiasm and excitement.
Up the gangway.
Get my gear in my room, pick a bunk, meet my other roommates for the journey. David from UK, Michel from Holland, Arnout from Holland. Much more on these guys as they trip unfolds, but lets just say it was great to have randomly landed in the room together!
Then up to the main lounge for our initial briefing and then safety lessons!
After all the initial information, it is off to dinner and we pull out of the pier and take the Beagle Sound toward the Drake Passage which has a reputation of being one of the roughest sea’s in the world. Since I have been prone to seasickness my whole life, I am not wild about this possibility, but have take the normal precautions.
Then Dinner. It is another transition to having 3 – 3 course meals served per day.
Meet my roommates starting on the left side Aarnout, David, Michel, Suzanne (honorary Roommate from Switzerland), and Astrid from Holland who is the Ships Doctor from Holland.
This is the route that our ship the Plancius took.
The first night we started across the Drake Passage, and we had really easy crossing which is unusual…. But very glad as I can get seasick, but did not!! It changed the trip for the rest of the ship as well, as everyone was out watching the sea birds and Fin Whales. People were interacting as they got to know each other during meals and onboard. People from All over the world. Belgium, France, Poland, Holland, US, UK, Australia, Germany, Swiss, Japan, China, Switzerland. Canada, Singapore/India
Some Seabirds as we cruise south.
Our first sighting of Finn Whale.
Amazing people that all are here to experience this lifetime trip!!
Getting to the Peninsula and seeing land with snow and ice. The beauty and size gets better each day! We had an amazing time when we spotted a large group of Orca Killer Whales about 40. They were all around, swimming, blowing, diving ….. The ship was abuzz with awe and cameras snapping millions of photos ….
Really like this photo as I capture my roomate Aarnout and a whale that he did even see as he was watching others off the side of the ship.
We shared photos as others had big Digital SLR’s with expensive lens…. Here is one from Suzanne! Awesome shot!
Then back inside the ship to review photos and have a nice cup of coffee.
So much more to share with you….
