Antarctic Peninsula

2015

If you manage to describe Antarctica, you haven’t been there. It’s true. I will give it a try though, sharing some memories from my meeting with this magical, stunning, breathtaking, mesmerizing continent. There are just not enough superlatives in this world to express what you feel when experiencing the mountains, glaciers, icebergs, penguins, and the dynamics of the smells and cacophony, all at once.

I feel extremely lucky to have spent a month aboard MS Fram as part of their Expedition Team, organizing life-lasting memories to passengers, and ourselves.

I will never forget visiting Wild Point at Elephant Island, to see the spot where Sir Shackleton’s men survived for months, waiting for their leader to find rescue on South Georgia.

Cruising around Point Lookout under illuminating lenticular clouds, while enjoying the glaciers, icebergs, and first penguins of the trip.

Chopping the largest ice staircase Antarctica has ever seen, making it possible for guests to land at Penguin Island and get up the island from shore.

Visiting the Polish Arctowski Station at King George Island to learn about their science project and way of living in this remote place.

Snowshoeing on tiny Half Moon Island amidst Chinstrap penguin colonies, ice berg-filled seas, and glacier topped mountains.

Entering the flooded caldera of vulcanic Deception Island through the narrow Neptune’s Bellow entrance, breaking through sea ice, to experience hot springs on its black vulcanic ash beaches in Whaler’s Bay, followed by hiking up to Neptune’s Window.

Hiking among 6,500 pairs of gentoo penguins on Cuverville Island, the largest breeding colony on the Antarctic Peninsula.

Sailing through the krill-rich Wilhelmina Bay to spot whales blowing and diving.

Setting foot on mainland Antarctica at Neko Harbour, surrounded by ice-calving glacier fronts.

Camping overnight on tiny Danco Island along a “penguin highway”, used by gentoos to commute between the sea and their rookery. Being woken up by penguins picking on the tent. Finding a spot at the shore, sitting in silence, watching the penguins jumping in the sea at night, and jumping back on land again in the morning, all under the midnight sun.

Sending a postcard from “Penguin Post Office” at Port Lockroy.

Sailing through the 1,600 meters narrow, 11 km long iceberg-filled Lemaire Channel, aka “Kodak Gap”, hemmed in by steep cliffs and glaciers.

Going for an ocean swim at 65°10′ south with water and air temperatures at freezing level.

Cruising around icebergs in shallow Pleneau Bay aka “iceberg graveyard”, followed by visiting even more rookeries on Pleneau Island.

Navigating through ice-packed Penola Strait, finding an entrance and opportunity to land on beautiful Petermann Island, home of the world’s southernmost Gentoo colony, as well as Adelié penguins. All with Mount Scott, a photogenic horseshoe-shaped massif on the Kyiv Peninsula, as a back-drop.

Crossing the treacherous Drake Passage between Argentina and the Antarctic Peninsula (Graham’s Land), through 9-meter high waves, several times.

So many impressions; words can’t do it justice.