Antarctica Days 5 & 6: An Unexpected Ending & Life On Board

April 3, 2017Antarctica

We had just finished our evening recap & briefing meeting and were heading to dinner when Captain Dag’s voice came over the public address system. Two guests needed serious medical treatment, he told us, and the ship had to change its course. The upcoming morning’s planned glacier hike on Niko Island would be cancelled. Instead, … Read More

Antarctica Day 2: Cuverville Island, Gentoo Penguins & Crabeater Seals

March 20, 2017Antarctica

Gentoo penguins seemed to be everywhere on Cuverville Island. With their distinctive white stripe on the top of their heads and their bright orange-red beaks, they were quite a spectacle, climbing over the rocky terrain, waddling into the water and collecting pebbles for their nests. With 6,500 breeding pairs, it’s the largest Gentoo colony in … Read More

Crossing the Drake Passage: Antarctica Here We Come!

March 13, 2017Antarctica

“Where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars.” ~Sir Francis Drake The boom was loud, jolting us from our sleep. It was the middle of our first night in the Drake Passage, and the gently rocking waves of early evening had become more intense, with seconds between their rise and fall, like hang … Read More