November 2019  [by Bill]

On the morning of November 25, we were now in the Antarctic, as you could see small ice formations in the water, icebergs, and land. After sailing for 2 1/2 days, to finally get into the Antarctic, well, the excitement on board was very apparent, including myself.  I was pumped up.

November 26

Today we took a Zodiac rubber boat, which holds 10 people, from the ship to the first of 2 different locations.

In the morning, we heading to Orne Harbor (kinda like a cove/bay type of area), where we hiked 25 minutes, zigzagging/switch backing up to the top of a moderate snow covered hillside.

From this vantage point, the views were amazing, looking over the 2/3rds protected cove area, plus we could also see the next place we’d be going, Cuverville Island.

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One of the rules you learn about is not to block or get too close to the penguin highways, which are basically pathways penguins follow after each other creating a clear natural “highway”. We were told to give the penguins at least 15-feet of space, but if the penguins come closer to us, that was fine, as they are naturally curious.

The weather was fairly nice today, not very windy in the protected 2/3’s cove area, ideal for a day on the snow and ice.

November 27

We took the Zodiac boat to Paradise Harbor, visited Brown Station Base, hiked straight up to the top (with a fun slide down to the bottom), and Skontorp Cove.

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November 28

Went to Port Lockroy. Visited Britten’s old Port Lockroy Research Station which is now a museum & contains the most southern post office in the world. Visited Jougla Point, Damoy Point, and Dorian Bay.

Tossed a Frisbee around – 7th continent for this frisbee (former property of Diamond Comic Distributors) and my 132nd country visited…so far!!!

Turkey and ham for dinner to celebrate the US Thanksgiving Day

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Antarctica Voyage by Bill: 2019

• The Ship
• Getting There: the Beagle Channel & the Drake Passage (Day 1 – 3)
• Antarctic Peninsula (Day 4 – 7)
• South Shetland (Day 8)
• Return Journey (Day 9 – 10)

November 2019  [by Bill]

It takes from the evening of November 22 through the morning of November 25 to sail from Ushuaia, Argentina to actually get to the Antarctica.

We first sailed through the Beagle Channel on the evening of November 22, which carries in width from 1/2 to 2 miles.

As soon as you get through the Beagle Channel, you enter into what most consider some of the roughest oceans in the world, the notorious Drake Passage. We had been told on several occasions that we should either start to take our sea sickness pills, put on patches, or something fairly new, special wrist bands, to hopefully help fight off getting nauseous. I had brought pills with me, even though I can’t ever remember getting sea sick, just in case.

As it turned out, both the Beagle Channel and the Drake Passage were fairly calm, much to everyone’s absolute joy. The expedition leaders all commented that usually the waves are rough, and it gets very windy. We were so lucky.

Antarctica Voyage by Bill: 2019

• The Ship
• Getting There: the Beagle Channel & the Drake Passage (Day 1 – 3)
• Antarctic Peninsula (Day 4 – 7)
• South Shetland (Day 8)
• Return Journey (Day 9 – 10)

November 2019  [by Bill]

We boarded the Hondius ship around 4:00 PM, with a 6:00 PM departure from the port of Ushuaia, Argentina. The first 2-full days on the ocean include sailing through the Beagle Channel, and the infamous Drake Passage, known for its unpredictable weather, rough seas, and strong winds.

I’m going to document the boarding process, cabin area, and a few other features of the amazing Hondius ship. While this won’t be nearly as exciting as the other photos and videos I’ll be sharing, some of you may be wondering how this process works, as well as what the cabins look like.

I’ll reveal the total cost I paid on my last Antarctica posting, which will be a few days from now. I know everyone wants to know about the costs involved, as it’s not cheap, but once your expedition is over, and you depart the ship, you come to realize it truly is one of the few pristine areas left in the world, you’re at a loss for words to attempt to explain the grandeur, the scope, the beauty, the images, the animals, the mountains and ice, the water, and Antarctica is absolutely, 100% worth every penny you spend. 

After getting on board the Hondius ship, you’re given a plastic card and zip cord, which you attach to your belt. This is used to swipe each time you depart or enter the ship, for on board purchases, as well as for safety drills or emergency situations. 

We watched a safety video, and also went through a safety drill, including putting on a life vest, and gathering in a pre-determined meeting area, based on what level your cabin is on.

The cabin I was assigned accommodates 2 passengers, so I shared this space with another guy. While the actual bed was small, there was an abundance of storage area, so much so that, even after unpacking, I had several bins left completely empty. The decent sized bathroom includes a nice sized shower. I didn’t feel crowded at all. 

During one of the introductory talks, the passengers were invited to fully explore the ship, including the bridge (they asked that you request to visit a short time in advance, just in case they are navigating through a difficult waterway). 

The bridge is really impressive, very large, great lines of site, and the captain couldn’t have been any more generous with his time, explaining what a number of the complex controls do or how they work. 

Each day there were optional lectures on different subjects, including what types of wildlife and plants we might encounter, photo critics, messages about how to keep the Antarctica pristine, which is an absolute must, as well as many other informative topics.

Our ship held 197 passengers, and about 80+ crew members. Because of its overall small size, they call this an expedition ship. 

 Approximately 45,000 people visit Antarctica each year, according to the last set of statistics taken.

Antarctica Voyage by Bill: 2019

• The Ship
• Getting There: the Beagle Channel & the Drake Passage (Day 1 – 3)
• Antarctic Peninsula (Day 4 – 7)
• South Shetland (Day 8)
• Return Journey (Day 9 – 10)