I don’t know what looks funnier – the
waddling penguins with their little wings
stuck out to the side and quizzical looks
they give us, or us waddling tourists,
wrapped up in gigantic yellow arctic jackets,
our arms stuck out at our sides for balance
in the soft snow, pointing our cameras
towards the cute penguins. Their mystified
looks are understandable – what are we
doing here?
We have suffered a long flight from
Australia over the ocean vastness to South
America and transfer to fly south, knowing
not a skerrick of Spanish. Then a pitching,
tossing, seasick 48 hours across the
turbulent Drake Passage, and firm warnings
and instructions to stay alive in this
inhospitable climate and remote location.
This is not a trip for the frail or faint-hearted.
But we have also been blessed with a
sturdy ship and a brilliant Russian crew, and
highly experienced and knowledgeable
expedition leaders who give daily talks. My
triple share cabin with ensuite is warm and
comfortable and modern, the food is
fabulous, and our fellow travellers, only
sixty in number, share similar passions.
The ship’s common room is on the top
level – warm and cosy, with huge picture
windows, through which we see grey water
whipped into meringue tops at one
moment, and grey sky whipped with wisps
of cloud the next. Several different types of
albatross accompany the ship across the
Drake Passage, skimming the tops of the
waves, driven by the violent wind.
In calmer waters we spend ages on the icy
deck armed with state-of-the-art cameras –
so engrossed we are still wearing our indoor
flipflops on our bare feet! Too excited to feel
the softly falling snow. Relatively good
weather allows us frequent landings, with
kayaking, climbing and skiing a bonus. We
see Leopard and Weddell and Crab Eater
seals, and at least six types of penguins here
in penguin heaven. Whales surface next to our
zodiacs, and the birdlife is rich and constant.
An Antarctic cruise is not to relax and
unwind, and certainly not cheap. However,
it is a once in a lifetime opportunity that I
will never forget.
