Giovanna,

Funny, I lived in LA area for about 15 years and always wanted to do one of those whale watching cruise but never did. Guess I save a few bucks :)

We did get to see some whales on the trip without any "baiting" from the crew. Will have photos somewhere a long the line as I continue my posting.

Thanks for the feedback and following along.

CROSSING THE DRAKE PASSAGE

It seems as if we have found favor with the sea gods as the weather and sea conditions are quite nice for our introduction to the Drake Passage. Nothing more than a little roller coaster rocking and rolling under mostly clear blue skies.

I am content to take it all in and count my blessings.

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aqz8EwJ2rwU

LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE BIRDS

One advantage of taking this trip with Quark Expedition compared to a normal cruise line is that we are actually on a scientific research vessel. On board there are numerous experts on various aspects on life in Antarctica and marine biology. This is a major benefit for us.

As a part of our expedition various lectures are offered on our free days at sea. This afternoon I have the good fortune to attend a presentation on Birds Of The Southern Oceans. It turns out to be an enjoyable learning experience as I become a quasi part of a scientific research team.

Our wildlife sightings become a part of the ship's daily sighting report and may be useful in some of the ongoing research on board the ship.

Offers from National Geographic cannot be too far behind.

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-aoUHPEHc0

Following along and enjoying...can't wait for the next installment :)

LeslieS,

Thanks, hope you are patient. A work in progress that may take as long to complete as putting a man on Mars :)

TOURING AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE AKADEMIK IOFFE

I awake my first full day at sea and I am surprised how nice the weather conditions are. Wanting or foolishly sensing I am still in the tropics, I put on my flip flops and go for a stroll around the Ioffe. Making my way to the back of the ship I find my balance against six to eight foot waves as the Akademik Ioffe seem to maneuver them with ease.

At the rear of the ship one of the zodiacs we will probably be using later for our landings sits secure in place. Here, I can feel the ship pitching and rolling as we cross the Drake Passage.

Climbing one set of steps after another I get to explore the different deck levels of the ship. Some areas are open spaces while others are used as storage for kayaks and more zodiacs. On the upper decks a brisk wind is blowing and my glove-less hands are beginning to feel a bit numb. So much for the idea of the tropics.

Nonetheless, the weather is refreshing and the seas are relatively calm for what I expected crossing the Drake. I imagine the average temperatures will continue to fall as we head further south.

After living most of my life in the tropics, I am looking forward to experiencing some non tropical weather and saving my flip flops for Margaritaville.


Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnd34PxFqdo

A GHOST SHIP

It is just past midnight on Day-2 of my dream adventure and I am roaming the halls of what seems like a runaway ghost ship. All the other passengers are apparently tucked away in their beds, probably with thoughts of sugar plums and penguins dancing in their heads.

Being the “night owl” that I am, I use the opportunity to explore a bit more of the Ioffe. I discover a library on one floor and also the way to access the bridge without having to go outside. Visiting the bridge I find there are at least two other night owls on board the Ioffe. They are doing a fine job navigating across the Drake Passage towards Antarctica.

At the reception desk on the third floor, I enter my guess for the Ice Berg Competition. We are asked to guess what time we think the first iceberg will be spotted. With my purely non scientific “roll the ice”, 5:25pm calculation now recorded, I head over to the posted navigation chart to check our progress southbound. We are in the middle of the Drake Passage.

Near the navigation chart there is also other interesting information about Antarctica and the Akademik Ioffe. Did you know there is no sun for 182 days during the Antarctic winter?

Fortunately for us, winter is over in the southern hemisphere. We are still far enough north that our days and nights are somewhat normal. However, we will soon have the benefit of longer days as we head further south.

Looking through a nearby door port hole, I stare at pitch blackness. I step outside and I am greeted by a brisk bone chilling wind combined with light falling snow. There goes my chance to enjoy a star filled night over the southern oceans. Instead, it's a nice long warm shower and before long sugar plums and penguins are also dancing in my head.

Pictures:
http://dmbtraveler195.blogspot.com/2...host-ship.html

Worth the wait! Pictures and video on your blog are interesting too. So funny how you form an image of what a writer looks like and then the reality is way different!

DAY 3, LUNCH AND GLOBAL WARMING


I awake on Day 3 with a sense that the temperature outside is falling which gives rise to my excitement inside. Taking my now customary walk outside, my suspicion is confirmed. This time no flip flops and just a brief visit outside.

After a late night or what some would consider an early morning of going to bed, I miss breakfast but I am up in time for lunch. For me, the dining on board has been decent and if you are not careful you can add on a few pounds just like on a regular cruise ship. Three full meals are served daily with two of them lunch and dinner offering deserts.

There is always soup, a pasta and/or vegetarian selection offered along with what seems to be a limited supply of bread (me like, bread … I'm the Bread Monster). Today for lunch the entree choices are Rainbow Trout, A Chicken Salad or Penne Pasta. I opt for the Chicken Salad which comes with a creamy but flavorful walnut apple dressing.

A part of our dining experience which I look forward to is the brief talks or demonstrations from members of the expedition staff. They are turning out to be a professional and fun group of individuals that genuinely seem concerned that we have a great experience.

Using rolls of toilet paper we get a good visual of the wing span of some of the birds we have seen so far. An albatross can have a wing span greater than six feet and that's just one ply!

After lunch I attend a presentation where I am expecting Al Gore to be present. Even with “Mr. Global Warming” himself absent it turns out to be an enjoyable discussion on global warming and it's effect on Antarctica.

I am impressed enough to think about reducing my own carbon footprint. Besides, I hate having soot on my feet so maybe cleaning up a bit is not so bad an idea.


Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF7iohg1X-0

LeslieS,

Should I get a pipe and a typewriter? :)

CROSSING INTO THE ANTARCTIC PENNISULA

Stepping outside on our second full day at sea the weather has now become what I expect for crossing the southern oceans. Gone is the heat of a tropical sun replaced with the chill of a stiff breeze and overcast gray skies.

The seas are still relatively calm and the Ioffe continues to rock gently as it heads southbound. Sometime yesterday afternoon we officially crossed into the Antarctica Peninsula. This is determined by the ship's engineer sensing a difference in the ocean's water temperature.

As we are expecting to make landfall sometime tomorrow morning there are two mandatory briefings that we must attend. The first one a zodiac briefing, the second a bio briefing. The bio briefing covers rules for landing in Antarctica. We must be careful not to introduce any foreign biological substances onto the continent.

Our clothing and anything we expect to take on land should be inspected and vacuumed. This is part of a process to keep the continent, our largest natural wilderness area pristine.

All in favor, say aye!

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwglQcTIEu4

FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR FIRST LANDING


Our collective expedition excitement is building as we approach the afternoon of Day 3 on board the Ioffe. A Bio and Zodiac briefing completes part of the requirements for us to make our Antarctic landings the first of which should occur in less than 24 hours.

Following the Zodiac briefing, we all take turns heading to the “Mud Room” for our boot fitting. Interestingly, the “Mud Room” contains a huge sonar system and is the point around which the Akademik Ioffe was built.

During the Cold War the Americans believed the ship was used for military purposes as it's sonar system could be used for tracking submarines. The Russians claimed it was used for mapping the ocean floor which in essence could be very helpful in knowing where submarines could or could not navigate.

And all I came here for was to try on a pair of boots. I sure am glad the Cold War is over.

Not sure of all the words of the song but an attempted rendition of “These boots were made for walking” along with a few of the Expedition staff makes my boot fitting exercise a bit of fun.

The “Mud Room” is point where we will make our final preparations before going outside to join the zodiac queue. Part of our preparation is to turn our room tags on a “Tag Board” as we leave the “Mud Room” then to flip them when we get back. This has to be done individually so the crew can be sure that all passengers are accounted for especially after a landing is complete.

The last step before joining the queue is to rinse our booths, tripods or other landing equipment in a chemical solution that will minimize us taking any foreign biological substances onto the continent.

With our prep work done now it is time to be patient and hope we get to make our first landing soon. This will come at the mercy of the weather, the discretion of our Expedition Leader Lynn and with the blessing of the Captain if he thinks it is safe for us to do so.

Either way, my size 12 and a half boots are ready for walking.

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYMZtdpzvSE

Nancy Sinatra would be pleased! lol How exciting. Look forward to hearing about your first landing and the wonderful pictures you no doubt will take.

Giovanna,

Slowly getting there. Trying to keep postings in chronological order. Appreciate you hanging in there :)

IAATO BRIEFING

With our Zodiac and “Mud Room” briefings out of the way our final pre-landing briefing is given in the lower Presentation Room. This briefing covers bio-security and IAATO guidelines, the rules by which all tourism activities are governed in Antarctica.

As a part of the guidelines we are not allowed to take any food or biological substances onto the continent.

While it may be cool to see a penguin drinking a Diet Coke or eating a Snickers Bar, it could affect life here in a way that could be disastrous.

Just as important is the prevention of introducing foreign plant life (which has occurred on occasions) or leaving non-biodegradable materials like lens caps or plastic wrappers behind. Even tissues or other items that could easily blow away must be safeguarded.

Our guidance for encounters with wildlife requires that we keep a minimum of 15 feet away from them. In addition, the animals should always be given the right of way.

With all the legalese out of the way it's time to party, although I am afraid this party is going to suck!


Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jsTmCZTNPg

Haha, yes pipe, typewriter and tweed jacket while you're at it ;)

That's great that they make such an effort to prevent contamination. I hope all ships share that protocol.

Just read about the MV Polar Star hitting a rock and having to turn back. Wow - between that and the massive wave in December I'd say you were lucky to have no problems and hopefully our trip next January won't either. I think these recent mishaps have upped the odds for us that we'll be fine!

Haha, yes pipe, typewriter and tweed jacket while you're at it ;)

That's great that they make such an effort to prevent contamination. I hope all ships share that protocol.

Just read about the MV Polar Star hitting a rock and having to turn back. Wow - between that and the massive wave in December I'd say you were lucky to have no problems and hopefully our trip next January won't either. I think these recent mishaps have upped the odds for us that we'll be fine!

LeslieS,

Then I would be styling! Should I get the jacket with the patches on the elbows?

Which outfit did you chose for your trip? From what I learned on my trip they are not all the same. Navigating in that part of the world can be challenging and experience definitely counts!

Let's hope for great weather next January, no el nino, no la nina, no el wavos grandes :)

FIRST LAND SIGHTING

Around 4:30pm on Day 3 of sailing southbound from Ushuaia, I prove scientifically to myself that it is possible to get goose bumps on top of goose bumps even when the temperature is near freezing and you are wearing a parka.

I have just become my own modern day Christopher Columbus as I have just spotted land on the northern portion of the Antarctic Peninsula. I think I have the same sense of excitement as in1492 although I am nowhere close to dancing on the deck or jumping overboard to celebrate.

The islands in the distance do not seem as hospitable as my birth country was to Columbus but they still bring a feeling of euphoria. Even without the warmth of a tropical sun there is a beauty here that is spectacular.

After days of sailing we are now maybe just hours from setting foot on the continent where the coldest temperatures on the earth have been recorded.

Yes, the continent's welcoming can sometimes be “as cold as ice”, however, I think we have found the right time of the year for a visit.


Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHa5mh5r9YU

Oh wow, I hadn't heard about the Polar Star!

A lot of those areas are incompletely charted. There have been enough ships going to these places for long enough that it's basically quite safe (I think), but there's certainly much more risk than cruising in more routine destinations.

Reading about the Polar Star -- the ship is double-hulled, and the outer hull was breached. No injuries, no leaks. The ship proceeded to a Polish research station (my ship did not go that station, but we visited another, and these are very isolated, desolate, spartan sorts of places), where divers inspected the hull. As an extra safety precaution (I'm guessing insurance reasons...) they've offloaded the passengers, who have been transfered to other ships for the return to Ushuaia, and the Polar Star will do the Drake with only the crew and expedition staff onboard.

Because there's a small number of ships/companies doing these trips, all these stories feel connected to me by some sort of cosmic coincidence. I had been scheduled to be on the Clelia II last year, but it hit a rock, and subsequent sailings for that season were cancelled. The Clelia II is the same ship that got damaged by the massive wave back in December. Because of the Clelia II rock accident, I got moved to the Akademik Ioffe, which is the ship DMBTraveler is on, but with a different operator, OneOcean. (OneOcean had it for that season, I think as a sublease from Quark, who usually operate it, and with whom DMBTraveler is going.) OneOcean is the operator of a different ship (the Marina Svetaeva), which is picking up the bulk of the Polar Star's passengers. I wish the best to the crew, staff, and passengers on that ship. Andrew Prossin (the leader at One Ocean) is a fantastic guy, and it's got to be tough to keep your own clients happy while you "do the right thing" to help out stranded passengers from another ship in trouble. According to their website, the Marina Svetaeva is only built for 89 passengers. I'm sure they weren't completely full, but taking on an extra 42 passengers, and probably modifying their itinerary, can't be fun.

I was reading a bit more on the Polar Star, and I remembered considering taking this ship last year: it's actually a former Swedish icebreaker, so it's probably among the most seaworthy and ice-worthy of the ships doing these trips. Because of that, though, they do itineraries that go farther south than most other cruises, including this one that goes south of the Antarctic Circle. Farther south means going into much less explored waters, and uncharted rocks and ship hulls don't get along very well. Anyway, glad everyone was OK, and there was no environmental damage, either.

Back to DMBTraveler's report! Eagerly awaiting the next installment...

SPT,

Thanks for the report on the Polar Star. With all the navigation tools available today like GPS these incidents should not be happening.

On my trip one of the expedition staff was on the ship that sank a few years ago and he provided some insights into Antarctic operations that were very interesting.

All I can say for now is EXPERIENCE COUNTS. Details at 11..!

Now back to our regularly scheduled posting :)

A PLEASANT SURPRISE

We started the morning of Day 3 at sea under gray clouds with howling winds and freezing temperatures, this evening it is a different story in many ways.

From inside my cabin I can see the weather has improved dramatically. There are now blue skies as I take in a port hole view of a frigid, rugged and snow covered island that I cannot wait to step foot on.

In a surprise to all of us, some time around 7pm a clanking, grinding noise can be heard coming from the front of the Akademik Ioffe. The Ioffe has come to a complete stop and it's anchors are being lowered to the ocean floor.

The public address system blares announcements in Russian, apparently from the ship's Captain then comes a language that most of us could understand.

With an underlying excitement in her voice our Expedition Leader Lynn announces that we will be making our first landing in Antarctica.

This will be a brief landing and it will be done shortly after dinner. However, you can only imagine the exhilaration this brings.

We will be making a landing sooner than most of us expected. A dream now even closer to coming true.

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k_Jx95tVUo

GETTING LAYERED

With our first Antarctica landing just moments away it is time to get dressed for the occasion and “I don't have a thing to wear”. OMG!

As we have been briefed earlier, part of staying comfortable on our outings is to dress using a layered approach. On the zodiacs we will be facing the elements and will need to do all we can to stay dry and warm.

The parka provided by Quark is quiet comfortable but I will have several layers of clothing on beneath it. Once dressed a special zodiac life vest is also worn.

All dressed except for shoes, I head to the “Mud Room” where my waterproof boots I tried on earlier are waiting for me.

I think like me they are ready to do some walking.

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEOaZmtGBH0

OUR FIRST LANDING

Our first zodiac disembarkation goes as smooth as ice. One can tell the Quark Expedition group here has done this many times before. No surprise to me, it is a well run professional operation.

The zodiac ride is about 10 minutes to our landing spot and most of the zodiacs are filled like cans of sardines. Initially, the sea is a bit choppy but this makes for an exciting ride as a few of us get an occasional spray of the frigid Antarctic waves.

Pulling into Yankee Harbor, named after a 1900's American whaling ship from the Boston area, the seas become calm and as our zodiac slows I can almost see straight to rocky bottom. The water is almost crystal clear.

I am in one of the last zodiacs to arrive in Yankee Harbor and most of my fellow passengers have already spread out around the island exploring. Within a few feet of our landing there are penguins along the shore being penguins. Some walking around while others enjoy a late evening swim.

The wind is howling and the temperature is pretty cold, a fitting welcome for our brief visit. The animals seem not in the least bothered by our visit. Standing still a cute little penguin just waddles by me. In the distant, elephant seals seem just as curious about me as I am about them.

The cold temperatures and practically barren land are part of what I expected to see on our visit. What surprises me are the isolated areas of growing green ground cover. As low as the thermometer is now reading, it hard to imagine it is the beginning of spring here.

It is also an active part of the mating season and a couple of birds are not too embarrassed to remind us of that fact.

Walking near the shoreline some artifacts from the 1900's “Whaling Industry” still remains. Barrels that were used to boil and separate the animal fats can still seen in a rusting state of decay. Fortunately, there is now a somewhat active program to clean up these areas.

It is now about 9:30pm and there is still a fair amount of daylight remaining. We have traveled far enough south that we are now getting the benefit of longer daylight hours.

Our return to the Ioffe is a fun ride as we navigate the swelling waves of the open seas. Behind ski masks and hooded parkas, I think there are lots of smiles as we have just experienced a small piece of what Antarctica has to offer and it was quite amazing, wow!


Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmEK0vuFXmA

How exciting! Thank you for taking me with you, at least through the video. I assume the penguins were Gentoo. Is that correct? One of the best experiences of my life was walking among the Magellanic penguins at Punta Tombo, Argentina. What amazing creatures.

Aren't the elephant seals incredible? We live not too far from Ano Nuevo State Reserve where they congregate annually. We toured the area once years ago and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the old bulls, the "mothers" and the blobby weaners.

So glad you're having such a wonderful trip. Thanks again for the penguins, they're favorites of mine.

Giovanna,

I think you are correct, Gentoos. They sure were fun to watch especially when they just flopped over every now and then.

The Elephant Seals seemed to be such "Gentle Gaints". I almost felt like they wanted to get up and give me a hug.

More penguin pictures and videos to come :)

I look forward to them!

DMBT - Quark was my first choice but sticker shock made me go with Hurtigruten instead. If I could've dealt with sharing a bathroom the Quark pricing would've been easier to handle but...I guess I'm weird that way, need my own, especially if I potentially could be dealing with seasickness! TMI - sorry!

Would you consider sharing your packing list at some point? I know there are some things I still need to buy but wonder if certain items would really be used - -like a balaclava?

Love hearing about the goosebumps on top of goosebumps!
I can picture everyone on your zodiac on the ride back with huge smiles under their scarves.

I've always thought elephant seals were seriously homely but I'm going to try to adjust my attitude and not judge so harshly especially on their home turf! They probably think we're not too pretty either.

SPT - Interesting additional info on the Polar Star. And having the passengers picked up by the Marina Svetaeva - nice that there is company down there and you're not totally alone if something goes wrong a la Shackleton.

Leslie,

I will make a posting about my packing and suggestions soon. I think you are adventurous enough that crossing The Drake Passage and being on the open seas with the right meds will be a walk in the park for you.

Interestingly, I had the shared bathroom to myself most of the time. It did help taking showers when everyone else was dining or at midnight :)

HALF MOON BAY, OUR SECOND LANDING

The day begins with an early get up, however from being outside I can already tell it is going to be rewarding. The seas are as calm as can be while the air is cool and fresh. Isolated white clouds move against a rich deep blue sky as the morning sun shines a blinding reflection on the surrounding white landscape.

As if absorbing the scenery is not consolation enough, we are soon about to embark on our second Antarctic landing. Although the first zodiac will be leaving around 6am, I am in no hurry to be first in line. I am more comfortable getting to the “Mud Room” after the first or second wave of passengers have cleared out.

Boarding one of the last zodiacs, we are soon crossing the open waters traveling around 20-25 miles per hour. The cool wind whips the unzipped flaps of my parka but otherwise I am cozy for the boat ride. The zodiac produces an occasional spray as it is maneuvered, racing away from the Akademik Ioffe.

Yellow spots are spread over a bright white background as we approach our landing spot on Half Moon Bay. We are welcomed by Lynn our Expedition Leader and told to have a good morning while being free to enjoy the island. I set off to join up with a few yellow spots.

For the most part, I am fortunate that a trail has already been made in the fresh and mostly untouched snow. An occasional misstep and I find myself sinking up to my knees in fresh powder. At first, this is fun then it becomes exhausting. I quickly learn to stay on the beaten path as much as possible.

A bright sun warms the clear air and ironically I am almost beginning to sweat on Antarctica. As if to keep my expectations in line, gray clouds in the distance are producing snow showers on a nearby island. The winds are kind enough to send some of the snow flakes our way.

Our walk this morning will take us on a semi circle tour of Half Moon Bay with a brief stop at an abandoned Argentina Scientific Research Center at the midpoint. Along the way we pass a few seals basking in the sun and groups of penguins wearing helmets. On the waterway next to the island, kayakers from the Ioffe are taking in another view of the stunning scenery.

By the time I reach the Argentina Research I am near the point of exhaustion from climbing a hill while seemingly not being able to avoid frequently sinking up to my knees in snow. However, there is a reward in climbing up a snow hill, I get to go down it, sliding on my butt. Now, that was fun!

A short trek across more snow and I am listening to the sounds of gentle crashing waves on a pebble covered beach. I can feel the beach pebbles beneath my insulated feet as I walk along the water's edge. A quick commotion and a few tails break the water surface then a black and white body emerges a couple of feet from me. I stand still and watch. Not finding too much of interest, it's a brief visit on land then the cute black and white creature makes a graceful return to the sea.

Enough of walking, I spend the last of my time on Half Moon Bay sitting on the snow half way between the water and a colony of penguins on a hill above me. I watch as a few of them take a ritual walk up and down the hill. Sometimes solo, sometimes in pairs.

Going downhill most of them are dirty from standing in penguin “orange red” poop which comes from eating krill. Returning they smell like roses.

Interestingly, a few of them come back carrying pebbles from the beach below. These are used for nest building.

I know there is more of Antarctica for us to experience but it is so comforting here that our 9:30am last zodiac departure seem to come too quickly.

I reluctantly make my way down to the launching area and look forward to our next landing on Deception Island this afternoon.


Slideshow (1:43 Minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od5ac_dR1W4

Video (8:29 Minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG_teu_8TXo

Another great landing. Chinstrap Penguins this time I think. What a wonderful time you're having DMBtraveler.

Keep up this great trip report! I'm loving it... I'm impressed you've made little videos of everything.

@Leslie_S -- I read your thread about choosing itineraries, so I guess you were looking at the Polar Star as an option, too... I really really really need to do a trip report, but don't have time at the moment. DMBTraveler's report, and eenusa's before that, do a fantastic job of capturing the feel of the place and the trips. Maybe I can find time to do a report just on the gear I brought, what worked, what didn't... Specifically for the balaclava -- you don't need one per se, but I brought two and wore them a LOT (only one at a time -- one was spare). If you don't bring one, definitely have something else to keep your face warm (like a scarf -- but be careful not to lose it, as it can be windy), as well as a warm hat. Sometimes, as DMBTraveler noted, if it's sunny, you might be sweating and overheating; but other times, this icy wind cuts through you.

@Leslie_S -- When you mention "having company" and "Shackleton"...

For the most part, you feel totally isolated, but often we'd see other ships on the radar, beyond visual range. Antarctic tourism actually is getting kind of crowded, but the various ships work together so that you don't have more than one ship at a landing site. And given the realities of the environment, people try to help each other out. On my trip, we were trying to navigate a much larger area of ice than forecast and ended up hooking up with an 800 passenger cruise ship on the other side of a floe of ice. They had a Canadian ice pilot onboard, and the two ships turned to parallel headings for a couple hours, to help each other look for leads through the ice. In an emergency, things CAN be bad, but so far, other ships have always been able to provide assistance. Back in the Shakleton days, wow... I did a South Georgia itinerary, and we had a replica of the James Caird aboard (DMBTraveler, was that still on the Ioffe? I don't know if that goes with the ship, or with One Ocean, or one of the guides). Tiny ship, and I can't imagine sailing from Antarctica to South Georgia, and then hiking across the glaciated peaks, after months of starvation...

Speaking of crowding, and hiking on South Georgia: our planned itinerary included a short hike duplicating the last leg of Shackleton's hike, from one bay over to the next one at Stromness. As we approached our landing site, we discovered that another ship had broken the pre-arranged schedule, and instead of going to Grytviken as scheduled, where we had just left and was gorgeous, they grabbed our next spot, blocking us out and thwarting the plans for the hike. Grr... That ship was the MS Delphin, and I made a mental note to never travel with that company, whoever they were. When looking up the Polar Star the other day, I stumbled into some stuff about the Delphin -- looks like a great trip they had, but then the operating company went bankrupt a few months later, with the ship stranded in port with no power, no fuel, no money to pay bills. I have to admit a bit of schadenfreude: Don't mess with Doctor Tripod! :->

SPT - yes, poetic justice that...

I know what you mean about writing trip reports - I always vow to and then can't find the energy when I get home. Thankfully DMBT is doing a great job with his!!
Sounds like a balaclava might not be a bad investment.

Sliding down the hill sounds so fun - hope we get that opportunity.

SPT,

Could not have done the videos without help from my little friend "Flip". I recommend everyone have a friend like "Flip". He is affordable (about $100) and makes a great travel companion :)

In hearing the stories about ships getting into trouble in Antarctica, I wonder how many of them have been ships involved with Quark Expedition.

I cannot say enough about their professionalism during my trip and it seems like their experience in the Polar Regions really pays off for their passengers.

Yes, they are a bit more expensive but I certainly felt I got my money's worth and would definitely recommend and cruise with them again.

As SPT alluded to there are a lot of operators in Antarctica and research into the companies behind them would be worthwhile.

I understand most ships are leased by various tour operators who then provide the expedition crews. Sometimes the ship's crews and expedition crews actually work for different companies.

Combined with language and cultural differences this can present a problem during emergency situations. This I am told occurred on the ship that sank in Antarctica a few years ago. There was initial confusion between the ship's crew and the expedition crew.

This ship got into trouble in part because it was the Captain's first trip in the region. Research and choose your Antarctic Tour Operator carefully.

EXPERIENCE COUNTS WHEN THERE IS NOT MUCH ROOM FOR ERRORS.

THE ZODIAC DIFFERENCE

One of the unique things about visiting Antarctica on a ship like the Akademik Ioffe is the ability to actually land on the continent. Zodiacs make this possible.

Regular cruise ships also visit the Antarctic region in season but they are often limited in their ability to put passengers ashore. Zodiacs allow passengers to be taken to locations not accessible by other types of vessels.

Our landings at Yankee Harbor and Half Moon Bay gives us a good exposure to zodiac operations. On the Ioffe the zodiacs are stored on the stern (back) of the ship and they are placed in the water ahead of us lining up in the queue.

Boarding is done via a gangway on the right side of the ship after the zodiac is carefully secured in place. For safety reasons, there is a minimum of standing in the zodiac and most movement is done with a butt slide.

A fully loaded zodiac become quite cozy and I have discovered there is usually some advantage to being the last one in line, like a time or two of almost having my very own private zodiac.

Leaving Half Moon Bay we enter the zodiac by sitting on the edge and swinging both feet towards the engine. Then it's backpacks off and do the butt slide.

With calm seas it's a fast ride back to the Ioffe where we are unloaded one at a time with backpacks on and both hands free. Only three passengers are allowed on the gangway at a time.

Once back on board it's a quick decontamination of our boots and any other items that may have come in contact with the continent during our landing. Then it's to the Mud Room where another important step is suppose to be completed. A visit to the Akademik Ioffe Tag Board.

Here, we must individually turn our own tag so that the crew is aware of our status. Green on board, Red still ashore.

Announcements are made not by name but in general for those who have forgotten to turn their tags. I think these will become less frequent as we all get accustomed to the process.

A procedure in place to make sure “No Adult Get Left Behind”.


Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbfEMcU1AoU

SPT,

Don't remember a replica of the James Caird aboard the Ioffe but "I'm Old" :)