Cruising the Antarctic Peninsula

With a little anxiety and much anticipation, we pushed off from Ushuaia, Argentina, aboard the Marco Polo to head out across the Drake Passage for the southern most continent of the world. High winds and rough seas could make the Drake Passage treacherous. Fortunately it was kind to us and although we were buffeted about some, it was not as bad as it could have been--or so the captain would have us believe.

The next morning we entered the calmer waters of the Bransfield Strait and looked out upon our first iceberg. White and blue, it floated gracefully by us and was duly recorded by most of the cameras on board. A little later, we got our first glimpse of Deception Island. Mostly snow covered, the large rock formations and cliffs looked surreal in the mist that enveloped them. Luckily the wind was kind to us and allowed us to enter the inner horseshoe bay of the island and enjoy the stark images of snow and rock. One of our expedition leaders pointed out the stations that had been destroyed in 1967 and 1969 by volcanoes on the island.

Our first foray aboard the zodiacs, our link between the ship and land, occurred a little later in the day at Cuverville Island. We donned our red Antarctic Exploration 2006 parkas and lifejackets and explored from our seats on the zodiac, the cliffs and shoreline where a colony (said to be the largest in Antarctica) of gentoo penguins were raising their young. Ours was the last zodiac and evening twilight was descending. Still, the excitement of our first encounter with some of the inhabitants of Antarctica, set our appetites for the journey ahead.

As we returned, the lights of the ship made a sharp contrast to the skies that were beginning to darken. Like jewels, they twinkled and invited us to take refuge again from the damp and cold that had greeted our first day in the land of mystery and delight.

The sun shone brightly the next morning, bleaching the ice and snow with it's brilliance as we approached the Lemaire Channel. The clear skies and pure air gave the landscape a sharp definition. Where the snow had melted from the summer's warmth, the black of the rock contrasted with the cloudless cerulean sky. Glaciers met the ocean with their pure blue ice. Icebergs resembling floating pieces of contemporary sculpture passed by. Conditions were good and our captain announced that we had cruised farther south than the Marco Polo had ever been before. Still, we had not quite reached the Antarctic circle.

Midmorning, the ship turned and set course for Port Lockeroy on Wiencke Island, arriving just before noon. With a change of the wind, we were greeted by the smell of guano (the technical term for seafowl excrement). Tuxedo clad birds were roosting all over the cliffs and rock piles on the finger of the island where we would land.

And the last shall be first. We were the first zodiac group in the morning to land ashore amidst a welcome party of white and black feathered friends. They chortled at us, lifting their beaks to the sky and letting their gullets vibrate to emit their song of welcome--or warning.

We carefully trod the paths outlined by our exploration leaders and enjoyed the antics of our hosts. Some sat with little furry offspring at their feet and others free of their responsibilities waddled off to the water where they fed and bathed. No matter how guano covered a penguin was, returning from the water, he would be spotlessly clean and absolutely beautiful.

One mother penguin lifted her belly just long enough for us to see a newly hatched baby--a late arrival--still partially in the egg. Some parents had two young ones they were looking after. Soft gray feathers made the young look furry and cuddly. Their smell would cancel the cuddly, though.

Whale bones were set in place for exhibit. Bleached rib bones reached five feet into the air. This had at one time been a great whaling area.

A glorious sunset with colors more rich and pure than I have seen anywhere ended our day late in the evening. Summer time in the southern hemisphere meant that sunset was around 10:45 p.m. Sunrise came around 4 a.m. If it ever got completely dark at night, I didn't see it. Snuggled into bed at night, I only saw the backs of my eyelids.

The next day we awoke to find ourselves at Paradise Harbour. It was indeed a paradise. The weather showed how changeable it could be. We had mist, a little snow, and then beautiful warm sunshine. The changes could happen in minutes. Waterboat Point in the harbor is the site of a Chilean station. It is manned only in the summer months and, word was, only by new recruits. Gentoo penguins made their nests all over the grounds at the station. Doors needed to be kept shut to keep them from nesting inside the buildings.

The landscape was breathtaking at this stop. The sun highlighted the purity (excepting the guano) of our surroundings. The penguins put on quite a show and waddled among the guests as they made their way into the water to merrily porpoise away. As we made our way to the boot-cleaning station before boarding our zodiac, we saw the tougher side of nature. A skua (large brown predator of the baby penguins) feeding on a misfortunate little one. Only one of several predators that our comical little hosts have to fear.

In the afternoon, we witnessed two large seals (said to be crab eaters) on a large flat piece of floating ice. They lolled around, posing for pictures as zodiac groups pulled in close to their iceberg. A little while later, a hapless penguin bounced out of the water and onto the berg. He waddled up to a point where he suddenly discovered the seals. With a little jump, he immediately turned and belly-slid back down into the water.

Half Moon Island was our last stop before setting course for the Drake Passage crossing again to Ushuaia. This was a crescent shaped island with chinstrap penguins. These fellows were truly characters. I wrote in my journal that if they could talk, you would probably hear them yell, "Look sharp, boys! Here come the tourists!" The markings on these birds make them appear as though they had an old war helmet strapped to their head. They perched on sharp dark gray rocks and ledges and lifted their beaks to the sky to chortle at us. They were undoubtedly the noisiest group we visited.

An Argentine station is on the southwest side of the island but is rarely occupied. The contrast of the orange buildings against the blues and whites and dark grays of the landscape emphasized the monochromatic landscape. Our cherry red expedition jackets looked even more red as well set against the backdrop of the Antarctic environment.

The sun graced our day with brilliance and warmth and I unzipped my parka a bit and removed my hat and gloves. I found a place to sit and quietly take in the beauty of my surroundings. It was hard to believe that in a few short weeks, the area would become frigid and harsh. The water would freeze and these creatures we had visited would be moving toward the open sea, migrating away from their lovely summer home in search of food and survival at the very bottom of the world--Antarctica.

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©Karen Robbins 2006

All text and photos on this page are copyrighted in my name. Please obtain permission for use.

Page updated 10/18/2008 05:41 PM -0600

(2007 Update: 2008 will be the last year the Marco Polo will be in service. Other cruise lines such as HAL also serve Antarctica.)

The Marco Polo is a beautiful ship of the Orient Cruise Line. It is a little over 22,000 tons and just under 600' long. Normally the ship takes up to 826 passengers but for the Antarctic cruise, that number is limited to 500 because of the logistics of giving everyone an opportunity to go ashore aboard the zodiacs. It was built in 1965 and rebuilt 1991-93. While it showed some signs of age in the stateroom, it was very comfortable and had an amazing amount of storage space.

All of the main public rooms are on one deck. The dining room was comfortable and served some of the best cruise food I have ever had. The entertainment was wonderful. While the stage was small and scenery sparse, the entertainers put on outstanding shows. A small casino offered a few hours during the afternoon and evening for other entertainment as well the ever popular bingo sessions.

The pool was left empty for this trip but the hot tubs were full, hot, and bubbly. The spa provided the usual massages, hair and nail care, etc.

While this was labeled an "expedition," it was also a remarkable cruise experience. The ship's expedition team was made up of 18 people--all experts in their own areas including, sea creatures, birds, geology, history, art, and zodiac operation. Lectures were provided throughout the sea days and team members were always out and about to answer questions and help with spotting animals and points of interest.

The crew and officers of this ship were truly a family. I have never been on another cruise ship that has shown its passengers such a consistently pleasurable attitude. They were happy to be there and made us feel that they wanted us to enjoy every minute as well.

Shore excursions were organized by group color and number--we were white 3. Each color group was given a time to report to the lounge and then each of the three sub groups would be sent to the loading area in turn. At the loading area, you were fitted with an inflatable life jacket and loaded onto the zodiac (held 14 passengers). The process was smooth and efficient as long as the passengers followed procedure. We were allowed an hour on shore which was more than enough to wander the permitted areas and photograph wildlife and landscape.

Normally it took about 7 hours to give everyone a turn at going ashore. Weather interfered at our first stop and they halted operations for an hour until it cleared enough to allow us to go again. Weather is very changeable and happens quickly. All excursions and itineraries are subject to change because of it as well as the ice flows. Be flexible. The people in charge are very good at what they do and experienced in providing for your safety.

Some Helpful Packing Tips:

• In addition to the waterproof pants for shore excursions, take a pair of nylon pants that can act as a windbreaker while aboard ship. The wind on deck makes you cold when the ship's moving. The parkas are great windbreakers but you need something more than jeans on your legs.
• There were two formal nights. Most of the men brought sport coats rather than tuxedos. Ladies had simpler formal dresses--nothing that took a lot of space in a suitcase.
• Fleece is your friend for warmth and layers help you keep up with the ever changing climate.
• Waterproof boots are sold at Walmarts for around $12-14. We left ours behind on the ship like many other people. They pass them on to crew or other passengers. (Don't count on that if you are on the first couple of cruises though. Bring your own.) There was one landing where we had to step into the water and we stood in water to have our boots cleaned before boarding again, so be sure they are at least 10-12" tall.
• Take a covered travel mug for coffee or hot drinks--saves running back for refills and keeps it hot.
• Buenos Aires (the beginning of your trip) will be very warm and if you do the side trip to Iguazu Falls expect it to be hot and humid so pack accordingly..
• There is no laundry aboard ship but we found that the prices for sending out your laundry weren't bad. ($1 each for men's undershirt or underpants).
• Glove liners or thin gloves that can go under mittens or heavier gloves would be helpful for working cameras and binoculars. Also clips to attach gloves to your parka sleeves would help when you are juggling cameras and attachments.
• Inside the ship is nice and warm but if you are someone who gets chilled easily you may want to have a sweater for the evening's dinner and activities--if you sit near an exit to the deck it could be drafty.
• DON'T FORGET YOUR SUNGLASSES! OR YOUR SUN SCREEN.
• Binoculars are a must! Whales don't get too close to the ship usually.

Some of the instructions we received were a bit cryptic and finding out the information was difficult. That is one of the reasons for this post. Hopefully it will help you a bit if you are planning an Antarctic cruise. Feel free to contact me with questions. If I can't answer them, I will consult with the Robbins Expedition Team.

"Penguins only beyond this point"