It was one of my best trips ever, Antarctica on Seabourn Quest. We set sail on a stormy December night from Buenos, Argentina. From there, we cruised to the Falkland Islands, which we explored for a day, and then endured the rite of passage known as the Drake Passage en-route to the Antarctic Peninsula.
The Drake is a body of water where the currents from the Atlantic and the Pacific meet, often with tumultuous consequences. We got tossed around quite a bit – but only on one leg of our journey.You’re either going to get the “Drake Shake” or the “Drake Lake,” and likely a combination. Few people get hit by bad weather both ways.
After 30-plus hours crossing the Drake, we found ourselves on the Antarctic Peninsula. Icebergs so big they could be mistaken for land broke free and drifted past us. Penguins waddled along snow-capped shorelines by the hundreds, occasionally dodging between rusting Victorian-era whaling equipment, standing like a monument to a forgotten time, seen by almost no one.
Antarctica is sensory overload. The colors are unbearably vibrant, and sunsets inadequately described in words. The lack of noise pollution is evident; quiet has never seemed so loud. A voyage to Antarctica is an expedition made by relatively few, but the rewards for making the journey are numerous.
Also see …
Summing It Up: Antarctica Explored, A Photo A Day
