A Season Adventuring in Antarctica

March 03, 2020

A Look Back at a Summer in Antarctica

As we pulled into Ushuaia, Argentina, I realized that the Antarctica expedition was actually coming to an end. This summer I spent two and a half months working on an expedition ship cruising through the White Continent at the bottom of the world. I crossed the infamous Drake Passage eight times, soaked up knowledge from thirty other expedition team members with different specialties like geology, history, ornithology, ecology, geography, and other marine biologists. The staff also came from a dozen different countries, while the crew and guests onboard represented almost fifty countries.

Leopard seal on ice

Towering Icebergs

The ship I've been working on is called the Silver Cloud. It is a 240 passenger, ultra luxury expedition ship run by Silversea Cruises. Silversea was one of the first to combine the ultra luxury and expedition market which has since been copied by other companies. Since we are under 500 passengers we are able to go on land in Antarctica which I think is a must for any Antarctica cruise experience. Walking around the penguin colonies, glaciers, and, snow covered mountains is just magnificent. The guests are able to kayak around towering icebergs and penguin-filled islands and we offer zodiac cruises in bays that sometimes encounter whales and seals.

Typical Antarctic Scene

Penguin and ice

Every trip I cross my fingers for killer whale encounters and we usually get lucky, especially in December and January when we have almost 24 hours of light to search by. I also hope for at least one day a trip with absolutely no wind and flat calm water. The mirror-like quality of the ocean on these days reflects the towering snow-capped mountains that sprout straight up from where the water meets the shore. Those mornings are what I will remember most about Antarctica.

Wilson's Storm Petrel dancing on water

And while the photos may be stunning and the penguin antics fun to watch, the total experience is very hard to describe. It is a feeling of being at a place so isolated and inhospitable that there have never been indigenous people. Yet at the same time the beauty, size, and vastness of the landscapes have to be seen to believe. It is one of planet Earths great adventures. And even though it is over for the season I am already looking forward to coming back next year.