Through the Lemaire we go…or not…or go…

The day we passed through Lemaire Channel & the French Passage was one of ups and downs. The weather, often unpredictable in Antarctica, had reached conditions the previous night that made passing through both areas only a dream. High winds had affected our route and had also pushed ice into a crowded and likely impassable choke in the narrow strait that has always been a quintessential part of traveling by ship in Antarctica.  Additionally, we would be missing out on our stop at the Vernadsky Research Base where we had hoped to have our passports stamped after sharing a drink with the Ukrainians at their station bar.  While we never made it to the station, we did manage to make it through Lemaire and through the French Passage.  Throughout the day we heard yes and no about three different times and finally we got the official word that we would be making our passage at dusk. As we cruised the Lemaire we were told we would not be passing all the way through due to ice, but the captain pushed ahead and through the ice. The original itinerary said we would pass at sunrise, and this delay resulted in one of the most amazing afternoons I've ever experienced in my life.  I chose a few photos to illustrate part one of this amazing afternoon, our journey through the Lemaire Channel.

The Lemaire Channel was filled with icebergs floating in glassy water and was flanked by mountains & glaciers covered in pure white snow.  This is a real picture and I'm proud to say that I took it with my small but mighty Olympus T2 (may it rest in peace with the whales!).  There is no filter other than the 'enhance' function in iPhoto.   That is in fact a seal on the smaller iceberg in the lower left quadrant of the photo!

By the time we reached Lemaire, most passengers' sea sickness had passed and our moods and willingness to interact improved.  As we cruised by Lemaire we were greeted by several whales, propusing penguins and a couple seals.  Suddenly the skies began to clear, making way for a beautiful and sometimes fuzzy dusk.

Another photo that I took as we continued through Lemaire.  Snow-capped glaciers, mountains, and glassy reflective water was filled with wildlife.

As the sun moved across the sky and the clouds cleared away, the colors around us changed.  Blue ice deepened in color and the skies slowly took on a mellow orangey glow that was reflected in the water and in the snowcaps.

Our first of many whales spotted; they seemed to playfully circle the ship during our passage through Lemaire.  I'll share some of the other passengers' amazing photos of whales in a later post.

As we squeezed through the channel filled with stunning blue ice and wildlife, we had no idea what would await us on the other side.  I mean, how could it get any more amazing than this?

The story of the Skua & the GoPro

The subject of my first real post from Antarctica is (drum roll…) BIRDS! I'm as shocked as you are given my previous lack of interest in the avian species.  Of all the wildlife in Antarctica birds were not high on my list of interest prior to the trip.  I'll get into more detail, but I was shocked to find some of the antarctic birds to be among the most beautiful creatures.  My favorite bird to look at was the Snow Petrol and the most interesting bird to watch glide about was the albatross.  This, however, is a story of another bird; a more aggressive and daring creature with a wingspan and beak to match its personality.     Admittedly I did not always pay attention in bird class (yes, bird class on the ship), but I will certainly never forget this character.

 It was a beautiful and quite warm (for Antarctica in March) afternoon at Hannah Point.  We arrived to find beautiful mountains, nesting penguins including a few surprise Macaroni Penguins (quite rare for the time/location), and a few types of seals.  As I approached the trail to begin my hike along a bluff overlooking a beautiful black sand beach, I stumbled upon two large brown birds. Meet the "Brown Skua" or stercorarius antarcticus as its known to serious birders.  They were quite close so I stopped and sat on the snowy ground to take a few pictures and some GoPro footage.

The Brown Skua I encountered on our last excursion as it walks briskly towards me without fear. 

The second Brown Skua after successfully knocking over my GoPro placed in the snow to record the birds as I backed away.  I'm not going to lie - I backed away partly to observe the IAATO rules but mostly out of terror.  These birds easily stand over a foot tall and have sharp beaks and no fear.

The second Brown Skua taking hold of my GoPro camera as it prepared to make a run for it.  I am now the proud owner of a GoPro with a beak puncture in the floaty back door.  (The orange part is called a floaty back door and is basically like a life jacket for the camera.)

As the birds pecked at the camera I thought to myself, there's no way I can lose a second camera on this trip (story to follow) but I was limited in how I could approach the situation.  In short, the animals can touch you but you can't touch the animals.  I tried standing up to see if my increased size and flashy red gear would deter the giant birds.  No luck.  I watched, helpless, as the second bird took hold of my GoPro and began to walk away.  I thought, I could follow them or flail my arms in desperation, but wondered if my actions might encourage the bird-beast to take flight.  So…I talked to the birds and pleaded with them and when the bird finally he lost his grip and dropped it.  I swooped in to recover the camera and thankfully did not sustain any beak-stabbing injuries. Since the GoPro was rolling the whole time, I captured the act on film.  Here is the shortened version we used in slideshow at the end of the trip.  I'll post the full version (53 seconds long) later.

Marine Mammals in Antarctica March 16-26: Map & Video Slideshow

I'm still sorting through the photos, videos and journal entries I kept during my amazing trip.  I am hoping to start writing some more interesting posts later today and throughout the week.  I'd rather take my time writing about particular experiences instead of just uploading thousands of images.  Below is a map charting our stops by name longitude/latitude.

Map showing our stops each day.  There were typically two excursions each day- one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  We would spend most early afternoons and most nights traveling between locations. 

In the interim I wanted to share another video created by OneOcean that includes some of the trip highlights.  I have to warn ahead of time that this video includes very graphic footage of a leopard seal catching and killing a penguin.  While this is entirely part of nature, it might be difficult to watch for some so just skip ahead of that's the case.  Thanks and I hope you enjoy!

I'm back! First Look: Antarctic Kayaking Adventures Video

I just arrived home this morning and while I have hours and hours of GoPro footage to sort through and many photos to upload, I wanted to take the time to share this short video our OneOcean kayaking leaders put together for us at the end of the trip.  I have so much to write and share; bare with me as I process the amazing journey I was so lucky to have experienced.  It's going to be difficult to communicate how incredible the last couple weeks have been; all I can say is that I can't wait to go back - hopefully that makes my point : )

Departure Day!

Today is the big day- all passengers will meet at the Hotel Albatross at approximately 3:30 this afternoon so that we can be transferred to the ship as a group.  This morning I woke up early and enjoyed breakfast at my hotel before another walk around the port and a quick workout in the gym.  I took some photos during my walk this morning.  This might be my last post until March 26th!  I hope to have some great stories, photos and videos to share when I return to Ushuaia!

I made it to Ushuaia!

A brief synopsis of my journey to Ushuaia and my first 12 hours in the town:

After nearly 24 hours of traveling, I have arrived safely in Ushuaia.  I began my journey on March 14 around 1:30 PM eastern time, when my cab arrived to take me to JFK.  There were a few moments when traffic was so horrendous I was not sure I'd make it with enough time to spare.  Fortunately everything worked out - including my intent to travel with only carry-on luggage.  My main carry-on bag was teetering on the official weight limit for Aerolineas Argentinas but I had no problems passing right through check-in and security.

I traveled on an Aerobus 330-200 to Buenos Aires- a 2-3-2 seating arrangement in which I had the window seat.  My neighbor was a very kind Argentinian man around my age who was considerate of his space and I was happy to share all of the food/desserts with nuts (I'm allergic) with him.  About 11 hours and change later, we arrived at Buenos Aires airport (EZE) and I was astounded by the hospitality and willingness to help by anyone and everyone.  Thankfully my flight from EZE to Ushuaia remained as planned- I did not have to transfer to the domestic airport.  That being said- it was a bit unnerving to pass right through airport security without having to show my ID or passport or anything more than my boarding pass lol! Once I was safely in the departure terminal around 4:30 am, I had to wait about a half hour for the one and only cafe to open.  Shortly after 5 I got some water and some local soda (owned by 7up lol!).

A more citrus flavored version of 7Up I found at the airport.

Cafe con leche and a breakfast sandwich at the airport. 

I tried so hard to stay awake during the layover but I actually fell asleep with my head on my travel pillow on the table of the airport cafe for about an hour and a half.  I woke up in a panic that I'd missed my flight but I still had time and no one really seemed to care that I was sleeping with my face planted on the table.  Finally we boarded around 8:30 in the morning.

Making our decent to Ushuaia

Once I landed in Ushuaia I waited in a taxi line with the beautiful mountains in the background.
My hotel (Celine del Faro) was less than 10 minutes by cab and I was so pleasantly surprised when I arrive to my enormous 1 bedroom suite.

Kitchenette with a beautiful few of the port.

Living area

Bedroom with another fantastic view. 

View of Port Ushuaia from my hotel window

Self-timer is a solo traveler's best friend!  Me checking out the scenery.

Wondering if that really is my ship to the left as it seems a lot smaller in real life.  I couldn't read the name even with zoom so I'm not really sure.  

When I arrived I rested a bit and then went straight to the gym located in the spa.  Look how beautiful the spa pool is.

Spa plunge pool, next to the jacuzzi.  I hope to get a chance to use the facilities after tomorrow morning's workout!

After hitting the gym and taking a nice long nap I decided to take a walk around the town to get some fresh air and pick up some Argentinian wine.  Ushuaia was unexpectedly beautiful and I am looking forward to exploring the town more when I return from the voyage.

 I scouted some restaurants and decided based on my research that I would have dinner at a place called Volver.  It's known for it's seafood, especially king crabs.

View of the restaurant Volver from across the street.

One of the many unique and tiny buildings scattered throughout town.  Someone actually lives in this cute ocean-front home.

Ushuaia was also filled with interesting and beautiful street art depicting the town's roots.

There are of course tons and tons of touristy gift shops- all filled with what else besides penguins!  Now you all know what I'll be bringing back for you haha.

Mate is a local 'drink' that I kept seeing around town.  The local wine shop owner offered to let me try it but I figured I should double check my long list of food and plant allergies first! Maybe when I return to Ushuaia on the 26th.

I picked up two bottles of Malbec and enjoyed a glass before heading to dinner at Volver, only 2 blocks away.

Scallops with cheese and crema, as suggested by the waiter.  I've never had anything quite like this and it was delicious!

More Malbec with dinner as a looked out onto the port.

I love that the restaurant has its name etched onto the wine glasses.

And this my friends is the main course: crab with parmesan cheese, crema, tomatoes & asparagus.  I am so trained to scoff at the cheese with seafood concept but this meal has changed my mind!  I wish I could adequately describe how amazing both dishes were.

That sums up my first day.  It was exhausting but so much fun!  I'll try to get one more post in before departure and before I lose all internet access until March 26th!

Getting to Ushuaia

My flight departs NYC on Friday, March 14th and arrives in Buenos Aires approximately 11 hours later.  After passing through customs I will hopefully be on my way to Ushuaia where I will spend the night before the ship departs on March 16th.

Arriving in Buenos Aires

The Airport(s)
There are actually 2 primary airports in Buenos Aires: Aeroparque Jorge Newbury (domestic) and Ministro Pistarini (international).  Thanks to my colleague, I knew ahead of time to be careful when booking my flights.  Flights from New York land at EZE, the international airport, and most of the connecting flights leave from AEP requiring the traveler to get from one airport to another.  While the travel time is listed as approximately 40 minutes, this time can double or even triple due to poor traffic and road conditions.  Additionally, customs can often take an hour or more depending on the line.  Suddenly a 3-4 hour layover is not enough time to make a connecting flight.  Fortunately both of my flights connect at the international airport so as long as the airline does not make changes (which is actually quite common) I should have no problem making my flight to Ushuaia.  Should the flight get delayed I still have over 24 hours to get myself to Ushuaia.


Seemingly short distance between the domestic and international airports; traffic can double or triple the travel time and put you at risk of missing your connecting flights.  I selected one of the few flights that connects at the same airport (EZE) but all I can do is hope there are no changes!

Customs and Bag Transfers
There is no visa requirement.  Instead you must register and prepay a tax, currently $160, and present the receipt in customs.  I've read that in addition to the dual airport problem, travelers also run into issues with their luggage not transferring between flights.  I think in many cases, the traveler is responsible for retrieving his/her own bags and insuring that they get on the connecting flight - add that time to what I listed above and you're probably pushing it with even a 4-5 hour layover.  For this reason I forced myself to pack efficiently so as to only have carry on items. 

I might have been a little less stressed about these potential issues if this were a normal trip, but the ship will depart March 16th regardless of my presence! Lastly I was also a bit more stressed given the recent stresses on the Argentinian financial system and stresses on the state-owned airline that has experienced strikes in the past.  I chose my flight because the price was over $1,000 less than the private carriers but if I end up having to book a last minute flight to Ushuaia because of any issues I'll probably wish I just paid the price upfront.  Hopefully everything goes as smoothly as possible!

Getting to Ushuaia
My connecting flight to Ushuaia is approximately 3.5 hours.  I think my total travel time including layover will be about 20 hours which sounds grueling, but I'll have plenty of time to rest and sleep on the ship as we make our way to the peninsula. 

 



Ushuaia is located at the souther tip of Argentina and is a common departure point for voyages to the Polar Circle.

Packing for Antarctica: Part 3 (Cameras & Electronics)

Cameras

Meet my new GoPro! 

 

The incredibly tiny GoPro

There were two reasons I decided to purchase the GoPro: 1) I was inspired by some of the amazing clips I've seen from past voyages and 2) I want to make sure I'm spending more time 'in the moment' than worrying about capturing it.  The GoPro will be attached to either my head or my kayak during excursions.  I plan to have video recording with time lapse photo capture on as well so that stills are taken in intervals.  Check out one of my favorite GoPro videos from someone else's trip to Antarctica.




 

 

GoPro Hero3+ edition comes with many accessories including the waterproof housing

I tested the GoPro while kayaking in Puerto Rico and found the battery life to be fairly short even without the LCD screen (purchased separately) and with WiFi turned off.  Battery life ranged between 45 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes depending on settings and number of times powered on and off.  Since excursions are likely to range from 2-3 hours I purchased Wasabi backup batteries.  Here is a list of all accessories I purchased:

• Headstrap mount
• Surfboard/Extra strength adhesive mounts (I'm returning these since I will not be using them to secure GoPro to the kayak as planned)
• Teathered lanyard (in case I need to insure the GoPro is attached to something- not sure if i will need this so I may end up returning)
• Floaty backdoor (acts as a life vest for the camera in case it falls into the water)
• Antifog inserts (I wish I had these in Puerto Rico- fog became a major problem)
• Wall charger (GoPro comes with a USB charger only)
• LCD Touch Bacpac screen (GoPro does not have a viewfinder or screen so I found this very helpful when learning how to use GoPro and for taking stills.)
• Jaws Clamp Mount (in case i want to attach GoPro to the kayak or other surface instead of using the headstrap mount.)
• Micro SD cards (3 Lexar High Performance microSDXC 64gb)

After some debate, I have decided that I will bring my Nikon d3100 but will leave it on the ship.  There will be some great photo opportunities from the deck of the ship as we navigate through the peninsula.  I purchased a polarizing lens filter as suggested to help minimize issues from light reflecting in snow and ice.  I also purchased a small tripod that I hope to use to capture some of the landscape and possibly stars at longer exposures when on board and in Argentina. 

Lastly, I'm taking a small waterproof point and shoot with me so I can take some stills when we have landings in either the kayak or zodiac.  GoPro does not have optical zoom and I'd like to have the option of getting some close ups with penguins!  I chose the Olympus TG-2 based on the reviews from CNET; it seems to be the best option to take high quality photos quickly.   I also purchased a class 10 64gb SDCX memory card.  I chose the card based on my interpretation of the Olympus website; I hope I interpreted correctly!

Olympus TG-2 is waterproof and shockproof. 

Phone(s), Laptop & Other Electronics
Here is a list of a few other things I'm bringing with me:

• External hard drive to transfer photos/videos to after using up space on memory cards.
• My MacBook Air so that I can keep track of my journey, write about it, and to transfer photos and video to.
• iPhone with LifeProof waterproof case
• European outlet converter
• Mini outlet power strip so I can charge more than one device at a time if needed. (I read that outlets are at a premium)
• Sea to Summit waterproof plastic pouches to put backup cards and batteries in during excursions.
• SealLine dry bag to use inside of my backpack during the overnight camping trip.

Packing for Antarctica: Part 2 (a little fun)

More on those glacier glasses, help me pick which boots, and my obsession with the polar plunge:

I love fashion so I couldn't help but have a little fun while packing.  Yesterday I also kicked off packing with some Argentinian wine since I'll be staying there for a few days during my journey.

Argentinian wine to kick off my weekend of packing!

Polarized sunglasses are a must when traveling to Antarctica.  I've read about some people who opted to bring ski goggles for harsher weather, but they seem too bulky to bring for daily use when kayaking. The snow and ice in Antarctica cause a tremendous amount of reflection, which is why snow blindness is listed as one of the primary dangers when traveling there.  I wanted a polarized lens with as much side coverage as possible so my eyes would be protected from all angles.  Julbo is apparently the brand for "glacier glasses" and after reviewing their selection I chose their "Explorer" with Camel lenses.  I was going to go with black as usual but ended up picking the white since they seem more fun.

Julbo Explorer Glacier Glasses in white

And why not have a little fund while packing- I couldn't resist taking some selfies in my hat and glasses!

Selfies with glacier glasses! I feel like a praying mantis of sorts.

I've had navy Pajar Greenland boots for several years and they've definitely started to show some wear.  Recently I found another pair in white on sale for $53 (regularly around $200), but I can't decide if I like them or if I want to stick with my original navy ones. What do you think?  Side note: they're 100% waterproof and I'm bringing these to wear around Ushuaia and while on board.

White & Navy Pajar Greenland Boots - which should I bring?

I am also bringing my bikini and flip flops along - why?  This is why:

Polar plunge in Antarctica.  I'm hoping my tour operator let's us do this!

And some of the serious stuff: medicine & toiletries:

I'm not packing very differently than I usually do, but I'm going to make sure I double check my list to insure that every single item makes its way into my bag.  While I'm sure some items will be available on board, I don't want to risk anything.

I suffer from allergies to a long list of foods, pollens, soaps, and ingredients in cosmetics.  Something as small as the fabric softener used for the ship's laundry could trigger a reaction.  Fortunately, I've never gone into full anaphylactic shock, so I'm bringing my usual arsenal of allergy remedies.  There is also a doctor on board in case of emergencies.

• Benadryl
• Cortizone Roll-On
• Sudafed

And the usual travel-sized items:

• Shampoo & conditioner
• Facewace
• Toothbrush & toothpaste
• Mini woolite packs for hand washing any items (although there is full laundry service available on board)

Part 3 of packing will cover my electronics including my new GoPro camera!