A charter flight took us from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia. After exploring Ushuaia we boarded the MS Roald Amundsen for our expedition to Antarctica and the Falkland Islands.
Here is a video of our expedition to visit Antarctica in November
Antarctic Expedition Video
Drake Passage and Pancake Ice
The journey across the Drake Passage is often regarded as one of the most challenging voyages due to its notorious rough seas. However, we were fortunate during our crossing. The waves were relatively mild, and we only needed to grab a handrail occasionally to steady ourselves.
This crossing has the nickname the ‘Drake Shake’ or the ‘Drake Lake’. This relatively mild ‘Drake Lake’ weather made our passage smoother than anticipated, and we could enjoy the journey without too much discomfort. We only needed to take travel sickness tablets twice.
We encountered the first signs of sea ice surprisingly early. The initial patches of ice were sparse, but as we progressed, they became more frequent and dense. By the afternoon of the second day, we found ourselves navigating through a mesmerizing expanse of pancake ice. These circular, flat pieces of ice floated on the surface, creating a surreal landscape that stretched out to the horizon.
We made our way to the bow and listened to the sound of the ice crunching and breaking beneath the hull was both eerie and fascinating. It was a testament to the power and resilience of the ship as it pushed through the icy barriers.
Later in the day, the intensity of the ice increased, and we spent the rest of the day and night moving through this frozen maze. The scenery was otherworldly, with the white expanse occasionally interrupted by the sight of a seal or a group of penguins perched on the ice. The air grew colder, and a sense of anticipation filled the ship as we knew we were getting closer to our destination. We went to bed and listened to the ice scaping the side of the ship beneath our window.
Icebergs and Antarctica
By the next morning, we had reached the edge of the ice and caught our first glimpse of the Antarctic Peninsula. The towering icebergs and the pristine, untouched landscape were breathtaking. It was a moment of awe and wonder, realizing that we were about to set foot on the seventh continent.
As the ship slowly made its way navigating around the icebergs to our landing site at Peterman Island, the excitement among the passengers was palpable. Cameras clicked, and binoculars were raised as everyone tried to capture the beauty of this remote and magnificent place. The journey across the Drake Passage and through the ice had been an adventure in itself, but nothing could compare to the thrill of arriving in Antarctica.
Zodiac Cruising Peterman Island Antarctica
By the next morning, we had reached the edge of the ice and caught our first glimpse of the Antarctic Peninsula. The towering icebergs and the pristine, untouched landscape were breathtaking.
As the ship slowly made its way navigating around the icebergs to our first landing site at Peterman Island, Cameras clicked, and binoculars were raised as everyone tried to capture the beauty of this remote and magnificent place. The journey across the Drake Passage and through the ice had been an adventure in itself, but nothing could compare to the thrill of arriving in Antarctica.
The ships program of activities is only published the night before as things can change very quickly depending on the weather. We checked our program for today and we are allocated to the group ‘Orcas’. Our group were on a zodiac ride around the ice in the morning followed by a landing on Peterman Island later in the day.
Dressed in all of our cold and wet weather gear we headed down to the zodiac launching platform where 9 of us were helped by the crew into our zodiac for the one-hour observation cruise around the icebergs and ice flows.
Penguins also joined us swimming swiftly through the water. They showcased their remarkable swimming skills by using their flippers to propel themselves forward with amazing speed. Every so often, they would leap out of the water in graceful arcs to take a breath before diving back in. This characteristic behavior, known as porpoising, allows them to maintain their momentum while ensuring they get the oxygen they need. The sight of actually seeing these agile creatures close up effortlessly navigating the icy waters in the wild was wonderful.
It was nice to return to the ship to warm up for a while enjoy the view from the sauna and observation lounge while having a hot chocolate and some lunch before our next excursion, a landing on to Peterman Island.
Petermann Island Landing
With our cold and wet weather gear back on, a zodiac took us to the landing point. We slid off the side of the zodiac into the shallow water and carefully made our way over the smooth boulders and up the snow ridge onto the island. Trish and I took up the offer of hiking poles which were available to make walking over the snow and ice much safer.
Petermann Island
Petermann Island, located just off the northwest coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, is a small yet captivating island known for its stunning landscapes and abundant wildlife. The island is home to large colonies of Gentoo and Adélie penguins, as well as various seabirds like skuas and imperial shags. Its rocky coastline, interspersed with ice cliffs and pebble beaches, provides a picturesque setting for visitors. The island also features a notable historical site, Port Circumcision, where early explorers once wintered.
Off we trudged, passed the gentoo penguin colony and the Groussac Refuge and up and over to a lookout on the other side of the island. Stopping quite often to give way to penguins crossing. Penguins have the right of way here and we must stop and wait to let them waddle, slip slide and fall as they pass. Penguins are fun to watch no matter what they do. The lookout provides an amazing vista which currently includes an iceberg graveyard which have been pushed here by the wind.
On the way back we went via a hill with an Adélie penguin colony. Penguin colonies can be surprisingly high up.
The Groussac Refuge
The Groussac Refuge, also known as Refugio naval Groussac, is an Argentine shelter established on February 6, 1955, and operated by the Argentine Navy, this refuge serves as a seasonal outpost in one of the most remote regions of the world. It is situated amidst a colony of gentoo penguins, making it one of the southernmost breeding sites for this species. The refuge consists of a wooden building with a warehouse capable of storing supplies for three people for up to three months. Over the years, it has been used for various scientific and meteorological observations. Despite periods of inactivity, the refuge was reopened and repaired in January 2018, ensuring its continued operation.
The Lemaire Channel and Damoy Bay
Heading North from Peterman Island the plan was to go through the Lemaire Channel. On the bright side we arrived at the entrance to the channel in sunshine and the views were stunning. Unfortunately, there were two huge icebergs blocking the channel entrance. So we had to backtrack and go around.
Damoy Point
Our next landing was at Damoy Point the Northern entrance to the harbour of Port Lockroy. Port Lockroy was still closed however the ship dropped off the staff by zodiac. The staff had to dig it out and open the ‘Post Office’ and stay there for 3 Months.
We could not land in the Damoy bay because of the ice so a landing site was selected nearby and a hiking route to the historic Damoy Hut was created by the expedition team ensuring we do not fall into any crevasses and marked out with red flags.
After the zodiac ride to the shore we alighted the zodiac into shallow water and with the help of the expedition team clambered up onto the ice, collected our hiking poles and headed up the first hill to a Gentoo penguin nesting site. We continued on a much longer hike over the snow over a ridge and down to the Damoy hut.
Damoy Hut, was built in 1973 and was used by the British Antarctic Survey as a summer air facility and a personnel transfer station, but hasn’t been used since 1993.
The interior is in excellent condition and almost looks as if it could be put back into use straight away. There are even tin cups hanging on the kitchen wall as if ready to give travel-weary scientists a restoring cup of tea!
Just outside Damoy Hut is another refuge built by Argentina in the 1950s. This is not open to visitors and is still in use as an emergency refuge should the need ever arise.
Apart from these historic buildings, we saw plenty og Gentoo penguins who breed here, as well as a couple of seals and sea birds.
Port Lockroy near here is the UK’s most southerly public Post Office – affectionately known as the Penguin Post Office. Around 70,000 cards are posted each year to over 100 countries.
Exploring Palaver Point on Two Hummock Island!
Our journey to Two Hummock Island was a snowy adventure, with the ship blanketed in snow by the time we arrived. Thankfully, the snow stopped just in time for our long zodiac ride to the shore.
We had another wet landing, sliding off the zodiac onto the water covered rocks and climbing steps carved into the ice by our expedition team. The hike up the hillside was steep and challenging, especially with fresh snow covering the underlying ice.
Trish made it to the first chinstrap penguin rookery and lookout but wisely decided against the longer, steeper climb to the higher rookery. It was a slippery trek, and our hiking poles saved us from several falls, especially on the way back down.
Palaver Point is famous for its two chinstrap penguin rookeries, and the experience was absolutely worth the effort!
Deception Island Crater – Antarctica
Surviving Kayaking in an Active Volcano
We have our names down for the Antarctic Kayaking experience. We collected our gear four days ago and have practiced getting dressed into a drysuit system with a full body thermal underneath and protective booties to brave the cold waters. Unfortunately, we have got dressed and ready twice only to have the kayaking cancelled due to weather. But Kayaking is on today! (little did we know what we were in for!)
“Kayaking in Deception Island Crater is an exhilarating experience that combines the thrill of adventure with the stunning beauty of Antarctica. Deception Island, a volcanic caldera, offers a unique and challenging environment for kayaking.”
The journey begins with us heading down for a practice session on the Zodiac platform, where we adjust our equipment, kayak footrests, rudder pedals and get accustomed to the kayaks. I had a bit of trouble with my long legs getting into the kayak. Best to get this sorted now because the next time we get in the kayak it will be on the water from the side of a Zodiac. A maneuver Trish and I had not contemplated before now!
We got into the kayak without falling into the water and set off without incident and paddled out to join the group where we were all pulled together in a row. The wind at this time was around 9 to 10 knots our instructions were to paddle upwind using some disused wailing oil tanks as a reference point. Note: kayaking in the Antarctic it’s not without its risks.
We headed off and soon realised this was not going to be a leisurely paddle. We had to use all our strength to make headway against the increasing wind and steering the kayak was becoming quite difficult even using the rudder pedals. The weather changes quickly here our 10-knot wind was now 25-30 knots gusting to 40. (60 to 80 Kph). After about half an hour we could hardly push against the wind and the waves were getting bigger. Two kayaks could not make any headway and had to be rescued. The rest of us (7 Kayaks) got together in another group (like a huddle hanging on to each others kayak). The instruction from the expedition leader was now quite simple as he did not want us to be swept out to the open sea. ‘just paddle as hard as you can to the sheltered bay and beach the kayak’. This still took quite an effort against the wind.
The gear kept us dry and not too cold however our hands were frozen, almost literally, the neoprene gloves on the paddles, to our surprise were not actually gloves and you still held the paddle pole with your bare hands through the ‘glove’ this is with -1deg water temp and 25 knot winds at -2 deg!
What an experience! The rapid weather change made for a very memorable adventure. The wind did die back down after we reached the shore but no one was in the mood to go back out so they sent a zodiac to take us back to the ship.
Apparently, they are going to refund us half the cost as our Kayaking turned into a one way survival exercise.
Deception Island
Deception Island is an active volcano in the South Shetland Islands, off the Antarctic Peninsula. Its unique landscape comprises barren volcanic slopes, steaming beaches and ash-layered glaciers. It has a distinctive horse-shoe shape with a large flooded caldera. This opens to the sea through a narrow channel at Neptunes Bellows, forming a natural sheltered harbour. It is one of the only places in the world where vessels can sail directly into the centre of an active volcano. Historical eruptions occurred in 1839–1842, 1967, 1969, and 1970. Not today though.
The Weddell Sea
Trapped in the ice!
Yes we were really trapped in sea ice!
Today’s plan A was a landing at Browns Bluff. It was soon apparent that this was not going to happen with the biggest icebergs you have ever seen blocking the way. These are ice shelf icebergs flat on top 10 to 15 stories high out of the water and can be kilometers long.
Plan B was put into action with a landing on an ice flow followed by a cruise around the icebergs in the zodiacs.
We landed on an ice flow about the size of a tennis court surrounded by some ocean ice. Just as we got off the iceberg 6 penguins popped out of the sea onto the iceflow. Looked at us wondered who we were and decided to pop back into the ocean.
The zodiac cruise around the icebergs was awe inspiring. We stuck to the patches of open water and turned around to head back to the ship. It is amazing how quickly this ice can move and close in around you. Inching our way through the sea ice by pushing it out of the way as best we could until it was no longer possible to make any progress. There were now 5 zodiacs completely stuck in the ice with no chance of freeing ourselves. The outboard motor propellers would also become ice bound and have to be cleared.
We had to be rescued by the ‘mother ship’! The Roald Amundsen started making its way towards us breaking up the ice. Interesting experience being in a small zodiac being rescued by a huge ship crunching through the ice getting closer and closer. As the ship got nearer to us it started using its bow thrusters to move the ice away and make a patch of clear water next to the side of the ship.
By careful use of long boat hook and the engine we managed to move some of the now broken up ice out of the way and get to the clear water and dock with the ship.
Crossing the Drake Passage and Port Stanley – Falkland Islands
Well the way back from Antarctica was definitely the Drake Shake! I pretty much confined myself to bed for one whole day and night not a good place to be if you suffer from motion sickness. Tablets kept the worst symptoms away, a sailor I will never be. Trish shone here though! Able to get around the ship albeit holding on all the time and even bringing me some sustenance in the other hand, amazing. Must have been all that practice Trish got from suffering from vertigo a while ago.
The captain kept the speed up so the night before reaching Port Stanley would be calmer and we could ‘all’ get a better night’s sleep. I appreciated the ‘all’.
Indeed we pulled up near Port Stanley in the late evening and were much better rested for our day in port.
Port Stanley
An odd place in some ways. A quaint town offers a unique blend of British charm and remote island spirit. Very English of course cold, damp, with the red phone and pillar box outside the post office, oddly most houses are made of weatherboard not bricks or stone.
We took a highlights of Stanley bus tour which went around the town pointing out shipwrecks, church, school. Museum etc. Had a fish and chip lunch at a small restaurant overlooking the harbour.
We did get to wander the streets all afternoon, is was nice to spend time at the Dockyard Museum and learn more about the place. Particularly its strategic importance with the battle of the Falklands in the first world war and of course the poignant reminders of the more recent 1982 Falklands war.
Saunders Island
While here we have 4 landings by zodiac in more remote areas. All but three are ‘wet’ landings that involved sliding off the zodiac into the ocean waves and walking up the beach. The first was Saunders Island where we did a beach landing with black and white Commerson’s dolphins playing in the small waves right next to us as we alighted from the zodiac.
Saunders has five species of penguin and colonies of magnificent, black-browed albatross.
We waded onto the white sand beach at the ‘neck’ of the island to be greeted by Emperor Penguins on the beach with their large fluffy looking chicks. A short hike along the beach and up to the top of the cliffs took us to two different albatross/rock hopper penguin colonies they nest together here. The penguins and albatross were sitting on eggs. We got to observe first hand the birds hovering around and just above the penguins waiting for them to make a mistake. Sure enough one penguin turned around and left the egg exposed for just long enough for a skua to duck in and start eating it. The penguins make a bit of a fuss but don’t seem to do anything like chase the bird away. The bird just stays there takes its time and eats the egg.
Saunders island is populated 4 in the winter and 5 in the summer along with 6000 sheep. A working sheep farm since the 40’s this is reflected in the short grasses and vegetation.
The beach at the neck looks very tropical but it is still cold around at 6 deg.
Carcass Island
Our next landings were on Carcass Island and West Point Island both landings were to observe the wildlife. One of the highlights of the trip was the albatross and penguin rookery on West point Island.
Carcass island has also been a sheep farm for more than a century, but still rich with songbirds, waterfowl, magellanic and gentoo penguins. It is recognized internationally as an “Important Bird Area”.
Another wet landing wading ashore from the zodiacs this time over rocks along with ducks and chicks toward a small settlement with 3-4 houses. The hike here was a long coastal hike over grassland with ruddy headed goose everywhere.
Of course the birders and twitchers among us were again in high states of excitement. A birder I will probably never be. We cut our hike short at 4km as I have not been feeling so good to conserve some energy and headed back to the ship.
West Point Island
The Captain drove the ship over to West Point Island over lunch time. Stepping off the zodiacs here onto a dry boat ramp. A nice change!
There are a couple of houses here and the owner is putting on afternoon tea when we get back from the hike to the rookery on the other side of the island. There is a land rover available to take those not able to walk the 5km or up the steep hill to start.
The rookery is well worth the walk. When there the path winds around the edge of the rookery through the tall tussock grass. I would have never believed you could get so close to the albatross and penguins. It was like you were in the colony with them. Not meters away, not even feet away but in places as close as inches away!! They have no fear of humans and just go about their business as if we are not there.
The hike out had taken its toll on Trish so she opted for a land rover ride back to the farm house.
I hiked back and joined her and some of the expedition team for a delightful, very English, all home cooked afternoon tea. It was nice completing this part of our adventure sitting outside in a farmhouse garden with tea and cake quite comfortably at 7 deg.
That was a summary of our trip to Antarctica and the Falkland Islands. An amazing experience. We now head back to Buenos Ares and a day trip to Iguazu Falls and return home.
