Antarctic Buffet

(click on any photo to see it full screen)

When I got on the upper deck of our ship on my first Antarctic trip to take this picture, it suddenly reminded me of a certain, very long movie. "Hey, people, why are you dining and partying? Can't you see what's going to happen?!" Fortunately, our Russian icebreaker could handle the ice and so instead we got the most amazing on-deck buffet-style meal one could expect.

In a few days, I will be boarding the same icebreaker again and start my second trip to Antarctica. I am very excited as this will be like watching a great movie for the 2nd time: you know the big picture already so you can focus on the details, the little beauties. We will be around 40 people from all over the world, plus several guides from Aurora Expeditions and of-course the Russian crew. 

There will probably be several groups among us: the normal (stay on the ship and get on shore for short hikes and photo ops); the strange (jump on kayaks and paddle the Antarctic Ocean); the brave (go on day mountain and ice climbs); and perhaps some weirdos (divers? Skiers?) too. You must notice that I gave the kayakers a mild definition - that's because this is what I'll be doing.

Here's the approximate route we'll take:

That part in-between the two continents is called the Drake Passage, where three oceans collide and the currents create a swell of over 30 feet, and often times huge storms. Most of us will be seasick for about 36 hours, lying in bed (or rather rolling in bed with the swell), asking themselves important questions such as "why did I let my spouse take me on this trip?", and refusing to eat.


But then, one morning, we will all get up to calm water and this view: 

This will immediately make everybody happy and full of energy, and after a healthy meal some of us will jump into our kayaks. "Jumping" in not the exact term. It's quite an operation whereby a crane puts a Zodiac into the water, kayaks are being handed over to two people who climb down a ladder to the Zodiac, and then the lucky kayaker is helped into his or her kayak.

That's when the non-kayakers will look at us with a mix of wonder and amusement. BUT, once we're in the water, they will all take their cameras out to make views like this eternal:

We will paddle each day for several hours, and also land on shore and hike. 


Ever saw a penguin daring to poke a whale? Here:

Well, sort of.


So, I'll be away for nearly three weeks until I get back to report. You can check on the weather by coming back to this blog and looking at the right hand side bar.  Sign up for updates (upper corner) to get a note when I'm back! 

On my way there, I'll review my post about Kayaking Antarctica and The Arctic: 9 Tips , although I sure hope they will give us more serious instructions! 
Wish me luck.