#48 - Antarctic Experience!

This part of the cruise was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. When again will we ever come to the frozen continent of Antarctica? As we cruised south of Cape Horn, we were informed about the Antarctic treaty and the requirements that were placed on the ship and passengers (or “expeditioners” as named in the treaty) as soon as we crossed the 60 degree latitude (no smoking outdoors, outside running lights dimmed at night, no trash overboard, etc).  As we ventured further south, the first iceberg appeared large and angular off the port side, and as iceberg neophytes, we were all excited to take pictures. This was the first of literally thousands of icebergs that we were to see. First, the northernmost islands came into view: black cliffs, devoid of any flora, with stark white ice caps and glaciers descending into the ocean. Past the islands, we viewed in the distance the Antarctic peninsula, with even more whiteness enveloping the land, hidden under the blanket of ice and snow. Whales and orcas and penguins and seals appeared and the freezing weather put a covering of snowflakes on all the outdoor walkways. The Antarctic summer weather was, for us, completely tame, and with the coming days the blue sky and sunlight would give a stunning ceiling to the white icy landscape.  It was an incredible time and such a unique opportunity to be there.

 Highlights:

1. Cape Horn and Drake Passage
2. Antarctic Scenery
3. Antarctic Humpback Whales
4. Antarctic Penguins
5. Family Scriptures each morning at 8:00am

(Click below right to read more . . . )

Highlights:

1. Cape Horn & Drake Passage – We first sailed south around Cape Horn to the Drake Passage, the famous waterway between the southernmost tip of South America as it reaches down to the Antarctic continent - the famously treacherous Southern Ocean where hundreds of vessels have been lost to the wind and waves.  We were lucky to have excellent weather, so our crossing wasn’t nearly so uncomfortable, but it was scary to think of the centuries past where this was the most dangerous shipping channel in the world.
2. Antarctic Scenery – It’s hard to put into words, and even the pictures don’t do it justice. The view from the ship was simply stunning. Our days were full of pulling into bays surrounded by mountains covered with ice, glacier-filled valleys, and icebergs floating in the bay. The ship would pull in and then slowly turn around 360 degrees so that every window could access the same view. We specifically motored out of our way to get a glimpse of glacier A57, which was a 6-mile long glacier having broken off the Weddell Bay ice sheet.  In every bay, a geologist would give a short talk about what we were seeing, along with the geologic history of the continent and the specific land surrounding the bay, volcanic plugs and glaciers and cliffs, etc.  In many places we pulled in close enough to see the research stations of various countries sitting on the sparse bits of exposed land next to the water. While tendering to any of the Antarctic bases was not part of our tour, sometimes we saw people from other smaller boats walking up the snowbank seeking close encounters with the animals and the ice.  Even though it is a landscape you can see in pictures and in nature documentaries (and BBC does an incredible job), to see it with our very own eyes was an experience that we will never forget.
   
3. Antarctic Humpback Whales – We saw an abundance of wildlife on the trip: whales orcas and dolphins dancing in the waters, Antarctic birds like petrels and albatross gliding above the waves, penguins huddled by the thousands, and seals bobbing and swimming here and there.  But the nature animal stars of the week were the hundreds of humpback whales. One of our favorite memories was one late afternoon in Paradise Bay.  The sun was close to setting and the whole family went out on the balcony to see the wildlife.  It was freezing outside, and we were all in jackets, or wrapped in blankets pulled from the bed, or outside barefoot in just a t-shirt and jumping up and down from the cold (ahem . . . Jacob).  But we saw the sprays of surfacing whales out across the bay, here and there and beyond.  The backs rotating up and out of the water under the spray spout of wet whale breath from multiple whales swimming together.  Then you saw another one surface and the back curled more in rotation and the whale initiated it’s dive and ended with the tell-tale wide V-shaped whale tail fin flipping up in the air and straight down into the water.  Sometimes, we would catch them breeching, or slapping their flippers on the water. Sometimes it was a mother with her young. Time after time, we saw whales surfacing, some so close to the ship that we could see the barnacles scattered across their back. They left their “footprint” in the water, a glossy sheen amidst the more turbulent surface each time they broke the surface and retreated. We also saw plenty of sea lions, orcas and penguins fishing amongst the waters, swimming and porpoising about. But the majesty of the humpbacks were enough to keep our eyes glued to the water anytime we were out on deck, or gazing out of the balcony window.
   
4. Antarctic Penguins – The penguin colonies were another amazing sight.  While we could easily see the colonies from the boat, we were still far enough away from shore that we needed binoculars to see these birds in detail. But, through the binoculars, we could see more clearly the shore full of clustered black and white tuxedo suited birds and all of their antics.  Often, they trailed up the white hillside, and one could see the colored penguin waddling trails, stained with pink and red guano and dirt, like crimson veins in a chalky white mountainside skein.  The ship sailed specifically to a few different islands, including the Culverville island where known colonies of penguins were sheltered year-round.  My favorite sight was when an odd iceberg drifted by with penguins and seals standing or laying in groups on the sides and tops of the berg.  Sometimes we were lucky enough to see the penguins jumping on or off the ice into the chilly waters.  We learned about over 8 different species of penguins that inhabit the continent, and got viewing spectacles of many Adelie, Gentoo and Magellenic penguins colonies.
   
5. Family Scriptures each morning –  We set a family goal to come together for family scriptures each morning at 8:00, and we achieved our goal with enthusiasm and determination. Being in two separate cabins on different floors, our morning scripture time became our regular check-in time, not only to start the day on a spiritual footing, but also to plan out the day and identify our times and places where we would come together for family activities.  Each morning, Tera’s alarm would ring at 7:58, signaling it was time to drop whatever we were doing and get ready with our scriptures, scripture journals, Come Follow Me manuals, and writing utensil.  Usually, Anna, Tyler and Megan would come rushing to beat the 2nd 8:00 alarm.  It helped secure the kid’s punctual participation when we tied 30 days of on-time purposeful family scriptures attendance with a Utah ski trip in March. Bribery? . . . . No, I like to think of it as worthwhile reward for our collective hard efforts.