After a month of research, a few dozen phone calls, and hours spent with AI engines, I finally decided to go on the most extreme adventure of my life. I was going to travel to the 7th Continent. Antarctica is known by a series of names meant to scare you like The Frozen Desert, White Continent, End of the World, Southernmost Tip of The Earth and so on. Plus, the thought to visit it invited a lot of logistical and expert guidance, especially when it comes to the options of reaching the white continent.
This put me in a fix, and I hit the search engines and AI tools once again. As this was going to be my first cruise journey, I was inclined to fly the Drake Passage (one of the most infamous sea paths in the world, known for extreme weather conditions) but also feared I might miss out on a once in a lifetime experience. I knew that the choice wasn’t going to be easy for me, but thanks to Quark Expeditions, I came across an option which I felt was curated for me. It was Antarctic Express: Fly South, Sail North voyage on Ocean Explorer (one of the most advanced hybrid ships sailing between South America & Antarctica.)
I thanked myself for choosing this option as it headed directly from Punta Arenas to King George Islands in Antarctica via a charter flight where our ship, Ocean Explorer greeted us. We felt quite fresh as it was just a 2-hour flight from Punta Arenas to The Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Martin Airport. But let’s take a step back to our expedition day 1.
Day 1: This day of the expedition felt like a warm hug. I traveled almost half of the world to reach Punta Arenas and needed rest. I checked-in at Dreams Hotel (which was included in the package) and treated myself to a warm bubble bath and a hot shower, followed by lunch and an afternoon meet and greet session. Then our outer wear was checked for biosecurity, and our luggage was weighed to meet the next day’s charter flight requirements and to avoid any last-minute hiccups. We were handed our parka and expedition boots (muck boots) as per the size we chose. I must say the on-ground team was quite polite and accommodating with any size changes and special requests. Until this time, I didn’t even realise that I was away from home. The evening was at our leisure, and we met the fellow guests at dinner and went back early to get a good night’s sleep.
Day 2: There was so much planned for day 2. This was the most exciting day of the trip as we got our first glimpse of the massive continent and set our foot on it for the first time. It was truly a moment to relish. But before that happened, we checked out of the hotel and made our way to the Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport (IAATA code: PUQ). Our time at the airport was brief (or it certainly felt that way), we went through the passport control quick, waiting time at the gate was minimum as we had chartered a flight, then soon our ride appeared. This was the realization hit that I was actually flying to Antarctica. Our boarding started and I could hear my heart beating. There was silence for a moment, but soon we took off. The view of Beagle Channel was mesmerizing and just warmed us up for what was coming. After take-off, we had a cold snack and quickly changed into our parka and boots.
At this time, we could now see the Drake Passage and a few ice bergs. Before long, we saw the 7th Continent for the first time, then touched down on a very bumpy gravel runway. Now, we were officially in Antarctica. The pace at which everything happened was quick. I had to close my eyes and let in sink in, I witnessed the Drake Passage, standing on King George Islands in Antarctica and breathing in clean air at 2 degrees Celsius, on our journey from airport to the shore, we saw the Russian research base and some other structures. But the big surprise was seeing penguins on the shore. I couldn’t believe that I was standing in Antarctica and watching penguins jump in the sea just a couple of hours after leaving South America. Tears rolled down my eyes as I stood on the shore waiting for my first Zodiac ride.
Soon our Zodiacs arrived and we sailed to the ship. While boarding, heavy headwinds welcomed us with a small taste of Antarctic weather. As we embarked, the lunch was served and yes, our dietary preferences were taken care of. Starting with hot soups, warm and cold starters, a full 3 course meal was enough to cheer us up. Soon after the lunch, presentation on our voyage started as we sailed towards the Portal Point where our excursions were planned for the next day. We had an early dinner and went to sleep early to prepare ourselves for the first shore excursions.
Day 3: I woke up at 7 am sharp to the sound of the wind and went to the balcony where I witnessed the first sights of the Antarctic Peninsula. I quickly got ready and had my breakfast as I was so excited for my first continental landing in Antarctica. We began our first shore excursion and witnessed Antarctic Fur seals, plus some gentoo penguins alongside the shore. As we went for a short hike, we saw some great views and got a chance to not only step foot, but also to sit on Antarctica.
After an hour-long hike, it was time for the Zodiac cruise to watch wildlife in their natural habitat. As we hovered through the Portal Point, we saw huge mountains of Mesozoic granite stand before us. On this ride, we saw Weddell seals and fur seals before returning to the ship. Post lunch, our ship headed to Bancroft Bay where our afternoon excursion was planned, and this turned out to be extraordinary. While we sailed through, we saw three humpback whales swimming around us. As we stopped our Zodiac and grabbed our phones, one of the whales breached right in front of us. We never expected to see a breaching whale in Antarctica, yet there it was right in front of us. And not just once, we enjoy five or six instances of it happening one after another. It was literally something else. After this magical afternoon, we came back on the ship and spent our evening with another set of presentations by marine biologists. It also consisted of briefing for the next day’s excursions.
Day 4: We woke up at Danco island and quickly got ready for the day’s adventure. And waiting for us was a complete colony of gentoo penguins. I enjoyed our morning landing at the island where we spent an hour among gentoo penguins. We also witnessed the British research Station O and admired the beauty of Antarctica. On our cruise back to the ship, we spotted two chinstrap penguins hiding among the gentoos. This was really shocking for us as sighting a chinstrap penguin here is very rare.
On our afternoon Zodiac cruise at Useful Island led to another series of wildlife sightings including humpback whales and seals, and we were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a crabeater seal. We were also lucky enough to get a glimpse of a minke whale. Some penguins followed us back to our ship and the day ending the day with a playful memory. We even had some orcas join us on the starboard side of the ship and watched as they displayed some great moves.
Day 5: Our time at Neko Harbour was brief. We enjoyed continental landings and more penguins. Here paddling excursions and sea kayaking were the talk of the town. The sea was still enough for paddlers to make the most of this time while people glanced at the scenic beauty through the observatory as the ship sailed towards Paradise Harbour.
Once we reached that destination, the expedition leader announced that we had the best weather for the traditional polar plunge and excitement ran through everyone’s feet. This was the only time we could literally immerse ourselves in nature and feel how extreme it could be. In those 10-15 seconds, you could swim in the same waters where penguins, seals and whales exist. Those 15 seconds couldn’t be put down in words. Post this immense experience, we soaked ourselves in the dry sauna to get back to our senses. As usual, evening was spent with a la carte dinner, glass of champagne, and brief presentations.
Day 6: We awoke to the view of Deception Island and there was so much to soak in. From the sad history of whaling stations and sealers to witnessing an active volcano. The Neptune’s bellow hid a completely different experience in Antarctica which hit us hard. I stood speechless by the beauty of the landscape, saddened by the reality of whalers. To add to this, I also had the sorrow of leaving such an amazing continent (as this was our final day in Antarctica) with a sense of excitement and fear to sail the Drake Passage.
With mixed feelings, we concluded our morning excursion. Spent the afternoon at ease and took some much-needed rest, ready to depart from an unforgettable experience. By evening, we joined other guests for dinner followed by the special Drake Passage briefing and medical consultation.
Day 7: At sea. Sailing through the Bransfield Strait, we started making our way to Ushuaia. Although the climate forecast for our trip clearly indicated Drake Lake, sailing through the massive 1,000 km/600-mile passage was tough. Mother nature was kind to us, but the next 24 hours were difficult. We did not have any shore landings or Zodiac cruises for two days and it was silence around the ship. I took this opportunity to rest well and prepare myself for Ushuaia.
Day 8: After roughly 18 hours, we visited a site which was 3 nautical miles from Cape Horn and witnessed the famous wandering albatross statue. Catching a glimpse of it with the scenic beauty of the hills was outstanding. After this, we made our way through the Beagle Channel to Ushuaia, Argentina.
We docked our ship ay 8 pm following paperwork and passport control. Our ship was okayed by 10 pm and some guests took this opportunity for an evening walk in Ushuaia. I rested in my cabin for one last night before disembarking the next morning. I left the ship with the ship’s card as a souvenir and tons of memories. I explored the city’s cemetery along with the famous Iglesia parroquial de Ushuaia (church which dates back to 1898). Checked in at the hotel and grabbed my lunch at Hard Rock Café. The afternoon saw some drizzle and heavy winds. I spent my evening stargazing from the window in the clear sky prepping up for the next day’s departure.
The saddest part was, after the amazing scenic beauty, wildlife sightings, windy chills and a great time on the ship, everything came to a stop, and it was time to leave the most extreme, raw and least experienced place on earth. Time came to a stop as I departed Argentina and after a couple hours of flight, I reached home. But the experience never left me, and I left a part of me in Antarctica. I hope to visit again soon and see myself experiencing it again. A question is much awaited, are 8 days enough to experience Antarctica and the answer is – you can make memories in 8 days but even if you stay 800, your heart will always demand more.
