Crossing the Drake Passage: a short clip

I took a short clip from the bridge on our way back to Ushuaia.  These conditions are relatively calm and barely register as swells as per the captain and staff.  We were apparently quite lucky both on our way to and from Antarctica- if this is calm I would never have survived a rough passage!!

A quick tour of the lower decks of the ship!

For an overview of the Akademik Sergey Vavilov including deck plans and specs, see my earlier post here.
On the last day at sea, we had the opportunity to take a tour of the entire ship. It seemed strange that we didn’t do the tour on one of the first days at sea, but I guess the staff was just waiting for us to all become experts on the SV! Also in hindsight, I can’t imagine touring the ships interior while crossing the Drake Passage – I’m fairly certain several of us would have left with broken bones. (Side note: one person on board did fracture his ankle or foot towards the end of our trip when going down the stairs to the media room during a rough patch at sea.) Anyway, since I am a complete and total nerd, I really enjoyed the tour of the ship. It’s pretty amazing what takes place several decks down to keep the ship moving. The engineering below the main decks was incredible. My favorite mechanism to learn about was the ballast water stabilization system. I’m giving what is probably the worst explanation of this system but in short, throughout the day thousands of gallons of water are pumped back and forth in the hull to help maneuver and stabilize the ship. Our ship also had external stabilizers. If you’re more interested, Wikipedia of course has a pretty succinct article on ship stability. (I also read that Rolls Royce had a leading role in developing at-rest stabilizing systems for ships- random but interesting fact.)

Descending into the lower decks!

Vicky looking stylish during our tour!

Derek showing us the emergency steering wheel.  The wheel is located on the main deck and is there in case the electrical steering mechanisms fail.  

The emergency steering 'secret cabinet'...

On our way down to the engine room.  I have no idea what any of this 'stuff' is!

The mechanism behind the ship's rudder/steering system.

Calm, cool & collected for now...

Vicky communicates and emergency to the captain….

But all I see is a fashion emergency- the kayak dry suits MUST be redesigned.

Part of the hydraulic system referenced above.

One of the two engines that power the ship.

Closeup of the engine

Another angle of the engines.

This was on top of the engine - I'm not entirely sure of the purpose but it looked cool!

We also had a chance to visit the control room where the engineers and those reporting to the captain explained the old but incredibly reliable computer systems.

I'm just making sure we're on course...

Vicky found a stowaway on board!

Climbing the ladder in the mudroom because…why not!

Vicky makes this look way better than I do!

Photography in Antarctica: duck faces, selfies, and amazing friends

I'll be posting about photography in Antarctica for the non-photographer at a later date.  I'll sum up what I would and wouldn't bring if I had to do it all over again including the cameras, accessories, memory cards, and other info.  In short, I went to Antarctica with a plan to take less pictures than I usually do at home. Why? So I could be present in the moment and actually watch what was happening with my eyes rather than with a device.  The GoPro head-strap mount helped me achieve this and I think that I ended up with the right amount of great photos and tons of fun candid photos with the people that really made my trip amazing.  If you skip all of this post and only look at the photos here is the important part: have fun, don't take yourself seriously, laugh at yourself, capture moments that make you happy, share moments with friends.  I did not rip that from Hallmark.

Duck Faces, Duck Lips & Selfies?
What is a duck lip? Here is a good explanation- again it's more of a joke but still: duck lips/duck face
What is a selfie? Here is what wikipedia says: selfie
I took my first duck lip picture for one of my best friends, Nadia, who is the queen of the duck lip and selfie universe. Before I knew it the entire ship was taking selfies and duck lip pictures. I admit, I went to Antarctica planning to take selfies, but for the purpose of capturing some of the moments that I did not want to miss on film. Selfies, while usually humorous and downright ridiculous, can actually serve as a great way to capture a moment when no one else is around to take a photo of you. Plus, who wants to keep bothering other people to take your picture? Taking good selfies, however, requires some practice. May I present…

The art of selfies- this is not (really) a joke!

• The iPhone selfie function is not always your friend.  The regular camera takes better photos but you have to practice at home in a mirror.  Have a drink or two and you'll get better at taking selfies in not time.
• It's all about the angle.  Hold your phone or camera out as far as possible and always angle it down- trust me - you'll look thinner and sexier.  Further, if anyone ever tries to take a picture of you from a plane below your eye level, run away. It's simple physics.
• Take multiple photos and pick the best ones later. Click away, try different smiles and poses and then throw away all the embarrassing ones later.
• Get a good grip on your phone or camera before you start clicking away - or you'll end up with blurry pictures, or worse, drop your device. 
• Taking selfies with big cameras is not advisable.  Unless you buy one of those camera sticks and timers designed for this purpose- and then that's just weird and it's no longer a selfie, it's a production.
• Don't be afraid of the duck lips.  A little pout never hurt anyone. If anything it will give you something to laugh about when you're looking back on your camera roll.

We did a little bit of duck lip pouting for some regular pictures too.  I was desperate to make this kayaking gear look somewhat chic.  I love this photo because it's me - it's purely me and my smirky eyes and I think Stacey just happened to be around to capture me mid-pout.  Having friends with awesome photography skills is awesome.

Captured: a duck lip pose in kayaking gear.  My mom will definitely recognize this look- I've had it since I was about 5 years old.  

It also helps if you have friends around in moments of despair. For example, my dear friend Vicky used her expert kayaking skills to quickly paddle over to capture a moment with me after my Olympus fell into Wilhelmina Bay.

This is called a reverse sad duck face.  I was extremely sad to see my camera fall to the bottom of Wilhelmina Bay but couldn't help but crack a smile when my kayaking friends paddled up to console me.  Niki (my kayak partner for the afternoon) is also practicing what is known as a "photobomb" in which a third party surprise-attacks your photo with an unexpected move or by entering your photo uninvited.  This is such an awesome picture : )

I even had my roommate taking selfies.

Kay's first selfie! I believe this was taken at beautiful Neko Harbor.  That may also be Joe Fox "photobombing" in the background!

I also convinced Derek, one of our fearless expedition leaders, to take a joint duck face selfie during the happy hour on the night of his birthday!

Happy birthday Derek! I feel like he's done this before- somehow I fail to believe that a first-time selfie taker would throw up the peace sign.  Derek may or may not remember this afternoon/evening but he did a great job taking selfies.

Stacey and I prolifically practiced our duck faces.  I think by the time we got back to Ushuaia we perfected our selfies but I'm not quite sure...

Stacey and I capturing a quick selfie in the mudroom before heading out on an excursion.   Bonus points for having the GoPro strapped to my head!

Kayaking selfie? Why not.  I took a ton. Most of them are at the bottom of Wilhelmina Bay with my Olympus but I like this one of me and my "bergy bit" taking a time out.

Vicky and I having a moment in the ship lounge.  

Congratulations Joe Fox on your first selfie!  Vicky and I took Joe to selfie school while we passed through the Lemaire Channel.  We seriously have about 15 of these- I'll spare Joe and only post one.

Joe tried the other side of the camera as he took his first selfie.  Vicky and I got the duck lips in and Joe just struggled to keep an eye open- I guess there isn't a lot of sun in Belfast so we should give him a break. 

By the end of the trip Joe was a pro at selfies.  We took this one at our surprise outdoor BBQ on the ship after our morning excursion at Deception Island.

Jordan (sorry for cutting you off!), Vicky, me & Joe taking a selfie at the surprise BBQ.  I think we did a great job in spite of the cold and snow!

I took a ton of kayaking selfies. I love the ones with my kayaking colleagues. Sophie photobombed me here and I love it!

A kayaking selfie with our guide Sophie photobombing in the back.  

I'm not sure if this qualifies as a selfie, but I captured some photos using the time-lapse setting on my GoPro.  I turned it around and secured it to my kayak and used the setting that takes a photo every 30 seconds in addition to capturing video.

A quasi-selfie captured with my GoPro time-lapse setting.  This excursion was our second to last day- i think this was at Mickelsen Harbor, where we experience some actual waves for the first time!

I put together a little montage of our selfies.  I chose an Abba song that we listened to at least once a night in the ship lounge!

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!