Our first day in the Antarctic will be forever etched into my mind. We first set foot on the 7th Continent at Portal Point. This was what I had been waiting for – to step onto this continent where so few have been. It was everything I had dreamed of, and more than I could ever have wished for. It was blindingly magnificent and so incredibly pristine. All around was the whitest snow – no pollution or man-made objects to pollute and discolour it. I was also beginning to like the colour of our very bright expeditions jackets given to us by Quark, as the yellow was a striking vision against the white and grey. From a distance it looked like a painter had flicked his brush, heavy with paint and all these yellow dots were scattered around a white canvas.
I had come to get images of icebergs and glaciers so my main focus was on the zodiac trips around the ice masses instead of the hikes that had been planned daily.
However after each zodiac trip, we were taken ashore to get a few images and spend some time looking around. This suited me perfectly as the long treks were extremely hard due to my leg and lung injury. The ship’s doctor would not allow me to do the hikes as the cold air was playing havoc on my breathing and the very deep snow and ice made it very hard for me walk with safety. I became quite anxious after my first attempt at a hike and had visions of my accident in Costa Rica and the pain I went through. There was no way on earth I could go through that again, so I became very cautious in my daily trips.
As the weather changes so suddenly in this area, there is no way of knowing what the next days routine will be. Even the same day brings sudden changes, and one minute you may be getting ready to hit shore, and the next you are not able to go as the weather has changed, or the ice packs start moving. However we were extremely lucky and most days we did two land drops and even did three on the one day. I was amazed at the amount of planning that goes into each of these trips and the general running of the expeditions during our 12 days. Even getting in and out of your clothes for these trips was a mission in itself. You are guaranteed to lose pounds doing this daily, but then you put them all back on – plus more – with the amazing food that it served.
Days were spent zipping around in the zodiac learning about icebergs, glaciers and wildlife, then heading off with the whale watchers club to find the gentle giants of the sea. Once on land you could spend all your time watching the penguins antics and their curiosity with us human beings. We went from fascinating place to another, each with their own unique story of bravery and crazy challenges. We visited a floating whale factory ship, fell silent at the grandeur and size of the Lemaire Channel where our amazing captain steered us through this treacherous strip of water and pack ice to get us to Vernadsky, the Ukrainian Research station.
Lemaire Channel
The team at the station had not seen human beings in almost 8 months and we were their first visitors bringing them fresh vegetables and fruit. They spend their days researching the ozone and other meteorological studies. We were invited to the Faraday Bar inside the station for homemade Cherry vodka which was needed after the walk to the station. Didn’t think I was going to make it, but sure as hell was not going to give up. The cherry liquor was worth it.
Vernadsky Station
Another fascinating stop was the Port Lockroy British Antarctic Survey Hut where there is a fascinating museum with old food supplies, clothing, machinery and daily living implements from the first explorers. There is also a little post office where you can post mail to loved ones.
That afternoon we prepared for our camping trip which was to be at Damoy Point/Dorian Bay. Here a lucky group of 30 were allowed to land in the bay and camp on the ice for the night. i was one of the lucky few to be chosen for this. We had our dinner and headed to shore to set up our tents and prepare for the cold night ahead. No food or drink is allowed on land so everything was consumed before leaving. We each shared a tent with one other person and we marked out our little spot which had to be trampled down so as to minimise the cold. Then a quick lesson in putting up a tent for us amateurs.
As it only gets slightly dark this far south, it looked like afternoon at 1am. By 2am it was slightly darker for an hour or two and then bright again. I have to admit that this must have been the coldest experience for me yet. I got to sleep fine, but a little while later my sleeping bag zip came down and I awoke with the sensation of an ice block on my back. Nothing was going to get rid of that feeling after that, even when I wrapped myself up again. But once we were back at the ship the next day, a warm shower took care of the circulation and warmth back in my body. The toilet was also a great experience. A blue bucket placed behind some snow and a simply device of two flags to let people know if it was in use. This was interesting to say the least.
Having to remove that many clothes in that weather to go do the business what somewhat painful. To top it off the ship was in sight of the throne and I had these mad thoughts of the Captain and crew sitting in their warm control tower with binoculars, watching us on our throne and laughing their heads off. Sorry but the cold air does something to the mind – hallucinations I think it is called.
Last stop was Deception Island which is an old whaling station. It was closed many years ago when the volcano erupted and put an end to its former life. We were meant to go ashore here but a sudden weather change hit and it was batten down the hatches. We landed up in a full-scale hurricane and could not leave the shelter of the harbour.
Deception Island
Later that night we set sail again for the Drake Passage with many people concerned about the prospects of another rather turbulent journey. However it was not as bad as our crossing over and there were a lot more passenger up and about on the trip back.
We got into port early in the morning and bid our farewells to an amazing crew and staff aboard the Sea Adventurer. After exchanging phone numbers, addresses and details, our new-found friends parted ways at the hotels and airport. This was truly the ultimate in travel experiences. I would go back tomorrow if I had the funds. For anyone who has ever had any inclination to visit this remarkable place, don’t wait, do it now while you have the chance. Your life will be forever changed from the experience – and for the better.
I am putting in the breakdown of where we visited for any of you that might like to look into each place in more detail.
Moira Lawson 