What it’s like to step onto Antarctica

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What it’s like to step onto Antarctica

One of the highlights of my life was our 10-day cruise with Quark Explorers to Antarctica. Antarctica is one of the most remote destinations you can travel to, and there are strict rules that surround tourism there. It’s also incredibly far.

Let me paint a picture for you of what a first sighting is like. First, one has to brave a flight from Buenos Aires, Argentina to the end of the world, a small city known as Ushuaia. It’s also at the end of the Pan American highway.

After the flight, one must embark on a large cruise ship that will take you through the infamous Drake Passage. The Drake passage can challenge even the best motion sickness medicine. Then, finally, after days of travel through a seemingly endless ocean where your only visitors are mysterious birds and choppy seas with blistering winds…. you awake to the sound of your caption telling you that you are approaching Whalers’s Bay, the first stop.

You jump out of bed, it’s still light outside but the clock says 5 am. The sky viewed from your little cabin window is light blue with streaks of orange surrounding faint clouds.

It doesn’t matter because you have no concept of time anymore, so you throw on your long johns, pants, sweater, hat, and gloves and you proceed to the deck to witness your first sighting of the most remote continent in the world.

Once outside your breath crystalizes before you, and your bones stiffen from the cold as you glance around and… My God… it may be the most beautiful thing you have ever seen in your entire life.

In the distance are mountains covered in glaciers, sheet ice surrounds you, and you spot gigantic blue icebergs in the distance. As the ship glides toward the bay sheet ice scratches its sides, sometimes with a loud boom, sometimes like nails on a chalkboard. The sound makes you think of the Titanic a bit. But still, with all of this, nothing compares to the view.

In the distance is a solitary seal laying casually on sheet ice. It’s your first animal spotting, and everyone rushes to one side of the ship to see it. It’s new for everyone, and you are all excited about your little Antarctica safari.

But yet, still no penguins. You wait to spot them from the ship reliving all the times you rewatched Happy Feet 1 & 2 to prepare you for the cutest creatures ever in their natural home.

Finally, the ship docks in the middle of nowhere with Whaler’s Bay so far in the distance you can barely make it out. You get called into your groups. They tell you only 60 people will be on land at a time. 60 will cruise in these little dinky boats made of rubber for an hour. Then after an hour, you will trade-off.

Don’t fall in the water because it will ruin it for everyone”

Before getting in these boats the crew gathers all of the guests for a final safety lesson. “Don’t fall in the water because it will ruin it for everyone” is the going lesson and you look around hoping there is not a person foolish enough to ruin it for us all. Then you go back to your room to begin the process of getting ready.

Getting ready is a process that requires disrobing and then getting dressed properly for the cold.

First, you put on long johns. Then you put on jeans. Then over your jeans, you put on waterproof pants. Next, you put on your sweat proof undershirt. Then another shirt. Then a long-sleeve pullover that’s meant for cold temperatures and body regulation. Next, your scarf to shield your neck and a headband for your ears. Finally a hat. You grab your large yellow waterproof coat that everyone has – all matching like preschoolers on a school trip going out to the zoo. But it’s too bulky to put on before you put on your shoes. So, you put on your socks, two pairs. One regular and one also for cold weather. Then you slip on your enormous waterproof boots. They make a suction noise as they go over your feet.

Last but not least, you wrap yourself in the yellow coat. It’s so bulky that you can barely put your arms down. You stumble to find a comfortable place to put your camera with its waterproof bag, and you walk out your cabin door toward the dock – looking much like the kid brother in A Christmas story.

If you were to fall, you question if you could get up. You stand in line at the dock, single file, excitement overcoming you, and you step into a solution with your boots before walking down the dock stairs to the dingy boat. You throw your legs over the rubber side, and one of the guides help you. The boats are circular boats that feel like rubber. The sides are round and the only thing you can use to stable yourself is a large rope and pure willpower. You feel clumsy and the water is green and cold. You thank your trainer friend back home for forcing you to focus on your arms – even when you complained.

“Hold on” the dinky boat captain demands. “It may get choppy so I’d put the camera away for now if it’s not in a waterproof container.” He warns.

You comply because you can’t afford to get your camera wet in case of a defective bag.

Now there are 10 of you, including the guide, in the boat and you are all speeding off toward the shore with your spouse and eight other curious souls. The ocean is relatively calm, but still, the ride is a bit bumpy. You hold on tight and shoot look at everyone to do the same. Some water splashes on your face, and it smells of ammonia, and a bit of it drips on your lip. You shamelessly lick it. It’s salty, just as you had expected.

The water is entirely green and the sun highlights little under the surface. In this distance is sheet ice, or maybe icebergs? It’s hard to tell always. But as you get closer sometimes the icebergs give themselves away by shifting the water up and down to reveal brown and green kelp and this shimmering blue. As you get closer to the island, you see clearly for the first time.

There’s smoke rising from the shore and a group of people standing around. There are actual abandoned buildings on this island. Blue, red, and brown warehouses greeting you in stark contrast to the complete white ice.

Once close to shore, you victoriously take your first step on the island of the continent, and you sigh with utter satisfaction. You’ve finally made it to your 7th continent.

“Look” You husband calls out to you! “Penguins!”

You slosh over to live out your dream.

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jasmine

jasmine

6 Comments

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    May 19, 2022 at 6:06 pm
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    November 17, 2020 at 11:20 am
    • jasmine
      jasmine

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      November 19, 2020 at 1:15 pm
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  • Christine Van Hook

    I can feel the cold on my face while reading this! What an adventure!

    December 7, 2018 at 6:40 pm
    • jasmine
      jasmine

      It was such a highlight! I can still feel it sometimes

      November 19, 2020 at 1:25 pm

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