Capturing the Moment

  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 pa...

Common zodiak tour conditions Icy day at the side gate  After three voyages spanning six weeks in the far south of planet Earth, I finally have a moment to sit down, connect to the internet, upload some photos, take a breath, and really look back and the incredible experience that was Antarctica. Several scientific bases dot the peninsula Kayakers dream day   It is on average the driest, windiest, coldest continent on Earth. 99% of it is covered in ice, the other 1% leaving a tiny opening for hardy creatures carving out a niche for themselves amongst the inhospitable conditions. While life can be tough it means that competition is limited as are the number of predators and pests. Summertime brings twenty-four hours of daylight, which in turns creates conditions perfect for massive blooms of photosynthetic phytoplankton. Practicall all larger animals, from penguins, to seals, to massive whales, all feed on the zooplankton that thrives on these phytoplankton bl...