Hi Folks
I didn't post here before my trip because I did't think of it, though I post regularly on the Africa and Europe boards.
I thought some of you might find feedback from my trip useful.
I travelled on a 19 night trip with Peregrine on a boat called the Akademik Ioffe - also marketed as the Peregrine Mariner. There were about 100 passengers + lots of crew.
At first I thought 100 might be a bit overwhelming and the shore landings unweildy but everything was so well organised that this was never the case. On most landings choices were offered between staying around the beach area, following some expedition crew on a climb up some nearby hill or going off on a walk with other crew. This meant that passengers were able to spread out and there was never a feeling of too many people around to allow one to enjoy the remote nature of each place. It also meant there were lots of great passengers to get to know as well as the ability to avoid that one annoying-as-hell passenger that most group travel involves!
The ship itself is great - built as a research vessel during the closing decades of the cold war, she was built to be quieter and much more stable than most ships in order to facilitate the acoustic research which was part of her remit. Cabins are comfortable - standard ones are small and don't have private bathrooms. We went for one that did have a private bathroom.
The expedition crew were an amazing bunch of experts - a seal expert who spent a year at an Antarctic base and turned previous knowledge of Weddell seals on its head and is still only 28, a photojournalist who has spent decades in the world's wartorn corners and is now a campaigner against landmines, a birding expert, experts on whales and dolphins, expert photographers, an expert in the stories of the first explorers of the polar regions, an expert in (get this) sea shanties and traditional maritime music... a really diverse mix of people. Our expedition leader David McGonigal is the main photographer and co-author (with his wife) of one of the best books on the contintent. So you can imagine how much we all learned about what we were seeing. Our sea days were full of presentations and we all got to spend lots of time with the crew during meals and in the bar till all hours of the night.
Because there were less than 100 of us we could go ashore everywhere - we even did very carefully controlled landings at Prion Island which was amazing.
I'd strongly, strongly recommend an itinerary that gives you the opportunity to do several landings in South Georgia as these were as much a highlight as the Antarctic Peninsula itself.
Oh, meals were excellent and desserts were outstanding thanks to a new dessert chef on board, Joseph.
If I can relate anything else, just let me know.
Kavita

Hey Kavey,
I was hoping I'd find your Antarctica trip post here. I was wondering how it all went. Sounds like an absolutely fantastic trip. (Also on my list of places to visit.)

The rest of the folks on board sound really interesting and fun. And I'm sure the Scotts thorougly enjoyed themselves too.

I'm sure the pics are coming later than sooner but I'd really love to see them if you get a chance.

See you back on the Africa forum.

Kavey--Wow and wow and wow!!

I've been longing to go to Antarctica (in fact, see my card at http://community.webshots.com/user/missalg "Feliz Navidad" in reference to that) but, of course, haven't quite figured out how to do it within the school year; I can just see me saying, "Oh, by the way, I need to take off for a couple of weeks..."

My biggest question/concern, though, is...erm...how about seasickness? From what I've read, it can be really rough, and I'm not a terribly good sailor. (I passed out on a whale watching boat in Iceland, f'rinstance.)
What are your thoughts on that part?

Thanks for posting!

Hi Divewop,
Photos will be a while (though you can find a handful of my husband's on DPC Prints, under Favelle, Pete).
The folks on board - the Russian crew, the expedition crew (experts) and the other passengers - were wonderful!

Amy
Seasickness is a big issue. I was fine. Pete was sick the first day or so but immediately went onto the meds our doctor subscribed and was pretty much fine after that - vaguely woozy occasionally at worst. I think it was called Stemetil, something like that. Good stuff. A strong dose to kickstart and then up to 3 pills a day after.
A few people really struggled with it throughout the trip, on injections from the ship doctor, but the key thing is that they suffered on sea days but that it abated immediately when we anchored near land so they didn't miss any of the shore landings. Still no ideal by any means and they did miss all the superb presentations, but at least not a complete wash out.
The movement was intense the first two days and the last two days. We went throguh force 9 the first two days and I don't know what at the end. Drake Passage was much calmer than it often is for us though.
We narrowly missed a force 12 due to our russian captain's skills though other ships weren't so lucky because of where they already were.
It is an issue.
Let me know if I can help further.
Kavey

Welcome back Kavey,
Thanks for writing up your trip report, was wondering if you enjoyed the adventure in Antarctica.
We are thinking about doing a similar trip in 2006 (Africa is 2005) and am curious about the duration and activities.
Was there enough to keep you interested for 19 days ?
How many shore trips were you able to do ?
How active was the trip overall ?
Were you able to sea kayak ?

Happy Holidays

Brenda

I would have gladly stayed at least another week or two longer. There was sooo much of wonder all around us... it was incredible.

Number of shore excursions, oh my goodness... well, when we were near land we would do a landing each morning and each afternoon, generally. In the Falklands area we did three; two landings on privately owned islands and one at Port Stanley itself. In South Georgia we did a number of landings on the mainland and at smaller islands off the coast to see king penguins and chicks in their thousands, nesting albatrosses, seals and all sorts. We also did landings at the South Orkney Islands. Then we went down to the Peninsula - we visited two different Argentinian bases down there plus a number of shore landings and also a number of cruises through glacier strewn harbours.

I didn't go kayaking as a) spaces are limited and you need to sign up when you book - actually if you want to do this you need to check the places aren't all taken before you commit to particular trip and b) you would be better off with previous kayaking experience though a few without it got through and managed ok. Those who did it LOVED it and I could see why. An incredible experience. It did cost extra - you'd want to book with an Australian agent perhaps because I'm sure some passengers told me they paid £300 GBP when others paid $300 AUS.

Because I'm INCREDIBLY unfit and do have arthritic hip and crappy knees the trip was hard at times and I didn't do all the walks available on shore. I never felt I missed out because those who did the walks didn't get the time on the beach with the penguins and seals that I did. The hardest thing at first was getting in and out of the zodiacs which was scary but easy enough. To put it in perspective we had one (fit) 83 year old man who did absolutely fine.

I really can't recommend this particular itinerary and company highly enough.

Thanks Kavey..Your trip sounds incredible and I hope to see some of your wonderful photographs in the future.
All the best,
Brenda

Kavita, thank you! This just sounds so wonderful...I guess I won't put it first on my list, though, as I can get seasick just looking at an aquarium. Perhaps someday I'll outgrow it! I'll be looking forward to seeing some pictures.

Amy
Even the poor honeymooner who was sick every sea day and was getting regular injections from the ship's doctor said at the end that, whilst she wouldn't do it again, she had still enjoyed much of the trip. Obviously not the sea days and sickness but I think the wildlife and scenery outweighed that, even for her.

Hi Kavey,
Just stumbled across your post, and it's timely.
My wife and I leave in less than three weeks for Buenos Aires, Iguazu, Ushuaia and then a long anticipated trip to the Antarctic Penninsula and envrions. Glad to see your enthusiasm for the experience, and typical of those with whom I've communicated who've made similiar trips.
We too will be on a ship with approximately 100 passengers; the Orlova, booked through Quark Expeditions.
Any thoughts/recommedations that the tour operators might have overlooked?
We're probably going to have too much cold weather gear, too little digital camera and camcorder memory capacity, too many sea sickness preventative strips, and far too little time. But, we'll have an abundance of enthusiasm and eagerness for adventure and opportunity to meet new and interesting fellow travelers.
Any simple, or not so simple, tidbits of advice would be appreciated.
Thanks for sharing.
Pottle

Pottle...
I bet you can hardly wait !
Hope you will post a trip report when you return from your Antarctic Adventure.
Have been looking at the different ship options and Antarctic Expedition Companies. What made you decide on the Quark itinerary ?
Happy Travels,
Brenda

PS..Other's interested in travel to Antarctica should check out Kavey's thread on the Africa board:
"Kavey says Ola from Buenos Aires"

Kavey, I usually post on the Europe forum and rarely visit this one, but I'm so glad I popped in today. It's a rare treat to read a trip report about Antarctica. I have considered going, but every time I've looked into it it's been terribly expensive. However, it's a part of the world few people have seen so for that reason I'm considering it. Thanks for giving me some food for thought. Have you posted this on the Europe board yet? I bet our friends there would love to read this. Thanks for this report, fascinating stuff!!

Hi! I am also going with Quark expeditions, departing Ushuaia on Jan 22nd on one of their smaller ships that hold ~50. The reason that I choose Quark is that I read an article a few years ago that profiled several companies going to Antartica. I decided to go thru Journey's as not only are they very competively priced but their focus is on nature & wildlife. My husband [an engineer] choose my ship. After he reviewed the options, he felt the smaller ship was specifically designed for this kind of travel. Also, I have read that with a smaller # of passengers, one does not have to wait as long to be shuttled back & forth, although from the previous report, it appears, the larger ships handled this well. I was in a gale 8-9 storm off the coast of Norway so have an idea of rough seas & am prepared. I am doing a similar trip in SA. Leave Jan 15th, arrive in SP, down to the falls, then BA & Ush. On the return, I am stopping in Rio, then homebound. I was born & raised in Mn so have an idea of the weather reported to encounter. I have also heard that if one has experienced a northern winter, it is not too different. As I have said, this is all info, I have read or has been passed on to me but would be interested in others experiences. Don't you agree that Antartica should have it's own board? Hopefully, Fodor's will do that someday. Thx again, fodorites, your posts certainly enhance my travel experiences!

That other thread: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34546050

I think it would be great for Antarctica to have it's own board but... having done a search to see how many postings there are here on Antarctica, I doubt Fodors would feel there was sufficient interest to create one.

Then again perhaps the reason there are so few postings is that people don't automatically think to use the Latin America board for research into Antarctica?

In terms of clothes we are very pleased we went for water proof ski pants (with warm lining) rather than just the very thin waterproof trousers. We wore regular long john underpants, thick jogging bottoms and then the ski pants and this was perfect.

On top we didn't need as many layers as we took. Pete wore a Tshirt or occasionally a polo neck top and the very warm coat. I wore a long sleeved underwear top, and sometimes nothing more under my coat, but usually also the polo neck on top of that. Our coats were amazing - we both had Landrover coats approved for polar use.

Neither of us were cold enough to wear our balaclavas though people did. I saw a few that had a little cut out for the nose (meaning you could pull them higher) and tiny holes by the mouth. More practical than the ones we had.

What we wore though were hats with a warm lining that came down over our ears and had draw strings to keep them on AND had a sunvisor thingy to keep out the sun a bit. Nice and warm. Also instead of regular scarves we went for those looped ones and they were superb. And of course we had our coat hoods that we tended to put up only when gping fast on a zodiac.

You do not need smart clothes at all. Forget them. I think maybe 10% of people dressed for the Captain's Dinner and the rest of us wore our absolutely normal stuff.

In terms of shoes I had my waterproofs (instead of wellingtons/ gumboots we went for Sorel Caribou boots which were amazing), my regular Brasher walking boots and a small pair of black plimsoll like shoes for indoors. Pete just took the waterproofs and his walking boots which he also wore indoors.

The waterproofs stayed in the mudroom during the trip, not back in your cabin.

For some stupid reason Peregrine's literarure on packing advises not to bother with a polarising filter for your camera. I decided that was rubbish and ignored it and am glad I did - I definitely needed mine and it made a difference and none of the pros could believe peregrine suggested not to bother with one!

I'd suggest taking less clothes than you think (there's laundry on the Peregrine boats at least) and leave space to buy books, fleeces and Tshirts from a few places. We're not crazy shoppers and bought one book, one Tshirt and one fleece between us. One couple bought 2-3 fleeces and 12 (yes 12) Tshirts from various places!! And many people enjoyed shopping for leather and cashmere in BA.

Oh, do put in some Tshirts. I only put in 4 but was wearing them (thank god for laundry) a LOT of the time.

Kavita, Thank you so much for this wonderful report.

- Sharon

You're welcome, Sharon!

P_M, I used to be a much more active poster on the Europe board some years ago and if I still were I'd probably post something there too. But given the infrequency of my posting there these days I didn't think it appropriate to post on that board. Especially given that Antarctica is so far from Europe!

Kavey,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about clothing. You've confirmed our suspicions; long johns, jogging pants and waterproof lined outer garments, with similiar T shirts, sweater and tops it is. We hadn't intended taking dressier clothes for the Captain's Dinner, and your comments are reassuring. We'll pack a few extra T shirts.
If used, how did your digital camera/s operate in the cold? Because of luggage limitations, I'd prefer not taking 35MM equipment.
Thanks too for the comments about boarding the zodiacs. A very recent occurance has caused some concern, but your experience is reassuring.
I hope, and feel sure, we'll return with as much enthusiasm for the adventure as you've shown.

Brenda.........You're very right. We're really excited as the time is fast approaching to leave on the venture that we commited last March. Time really does fly!
We chose Quark because of it's experience and perceived reputation; a quality experience with emphasis on the beauty of the natural environment, value for money, and relatively small managable numbers of participants. There are many significantly less expensive tours operating in Antarctic waters, but we wanted more than just a cruise in cold water. We're informed that all the vessels used by Quark in this area are converted Russian research ships designed to operate in Arctic conditions. We'll post a trip report probably late in February.

ateabag...........We're leaving the same date! Portland, OR to Dallas to BA to Iguazu to Ushuaia. Wear a funny hat, and I'll look for you at the Hotel Albatros on the 21st. We'll be conspicuous; we'll be the only ones there who look too old to be away from the nursing home. Fair winds!

I was wondering if anybody knows if it is too cold for digital cameras and video cameras!

No it's not too cold - ironically, from what I have read, digital camera sensors prefer cold to hot environments.

However, SOME (cheaper) SLR lenses can freeze up a little in the cold. My zoom lens froze up occasionally (couldn't change the zoom) but only maybe 3 or 4 times and I just warmed it with my hands. The autofocus died regularly for at least 10 minutes each time but that happened with this lens in Africa too and is unlikely to be weather related - it's a cheap, crap lens.

ANY zoom lens that extends and retracts CAN be affected by the cold but... most seemed fine. A LOT of passengers had digital. There were a couple of camera problems I heard about but one was for a film camera and one for a digital... so I don't know that it's very helpful in terms of deciding what to take.

DO be aware that the cold will hammer batteries and they will last a LOT less time than usual. Take spares, rechargers and adaptors to recharge them onboard or take LOTS of spare ones.

Re luggage, we both took our SLRS with 2 lenses each PLUS a camcorder and the various recharging cables PLUS an extremely bulky and heavy OLD laptop.

All this was in our hand luggage in two bags - each was about 6 kg. We took Lowepro rucksack camera bags into which we could also put a book to read each and all the normal hand luggage bits and pieces.

We took a regular case each and these were less than 20kg each - and as I said, we didn't wear all the warm clothes we took - especially given the reasonable price of laundry on our ship.