From the Ship

This Expedition Vessel “Akademik Shokalskiy” has given us the most wonderful voyage to the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula. With only 45 passengers we have become one big happy family, made up from all round the world. Have no complaints, food is excellent, shore excursions are so well organized and the weather has been absolutely perfect. The leader tells us we have been the luckiest group of the season. We had a couple of overcast days on the way down over the Drake Passage, even with a little sleet, and a little rocking but the minute we touched land, the sun was out. And as I type this we are on our way back up the Drake, and definitely the swell is a lot higher, but Poo and I are going great guns. Probably nice to experience the Drake a little rough, ‘cause no doubt that’s the way it mostly is.

Poo and the sleet on deck

Entering the Lemaire Channel, a most beautiful sight

So many icebergs, this one reminded me of a fibreglass swimming pool

On one of our trips ashore we landed at Port Lockroy , this is an old British Antarctic Base, and now acts as a museum. In this old survey hut is the most southernmost Post Office in the world. We bought our postcards and british stamps and posted them home in the bright red British Post Box. Will be interesting to see just how long they take to reach us.

You can imagine how good it was to take a look at this sled seeing of our interest in sled-dogs

Now this is the place where we first stepped foot on the Antarctic Continent. Graham and Lisa take note, this is my sixth continent, so please get busy and start organizing Africa.

Then would you believe it, here we are back on the boat in this frozen land and we are sitting on the front bow enjoying a real aussie-style bar-b-que, and its not even cold. How many restaurants have a view like this!

Seals , Lots of them

We have seen lots of seals down here, Fur, Leopard, Elephant, Crabeater. They are all down here and they too didnt seem to be worried about us

Isn.t this one just gorgeous

Perhaps not

What do you think these two are saying?

Whales and of old

We have been doing lots of whale watching, and its incredible that you can be in these waters and have the whales so close to you

See what I mean, they are so close, especially when you are in a zodiac and down at their level

Of course ,scattered over these islands, are the remains of the whaling stations of the past



A stark reminder of how they lived and died

Camping on the Ice 5 below

As our best holidays are always camping, how could we come to Antarctica and not do it.

Our tent

Our tent and the view

And not even cold enough yet, to don my bright yellow parka

There were twenty campers able to spend the night on the ice, and there had to be one who had to build the garden path

How could you not enjoy an experience like this when we had views like this to gaze upon.

Penguins, Penguins and more Penguins

Land of the penguins. We have never before seen so many penguins.Thousands of them. We have found ourselves sitting on a rock just watching the way these cute little things interact. Different types and from all ages, the older ones down to the little chicks. Even one sitting on an egg. Sadly the little chicks that have recently hatched have no chance of survival. Hatching so late in the season means they are just not going to make it.

This one has twins, know just how she feels

This little fellow is dying to get rid of his fur coat so he can go swimming too

Now we were given a briefing on the ship before we went ashore for the first time, and told in no way were we to go within 15 feet of the penguins, Fair enough, but problem is that nobody has given the penguins the same briefing

This one really took a liking to Poo

Notice that Poo is dressed in his dry suit and skirt, more about the kayaking later

On our Way 6th-17th February 2009

After spending a few hours looking at the old prison and buying the obligatory souvenirs we gathered for our bus ride to the dock to join our ship the “Akademik Shokalskiy” for our trip south.

The next two days were spent sailing the Drake Passage, well known as one of the roughest pieces of water in the world, but we were lucky, the boat rocked a little, but nothing too much. The saying here is “expect the worst and hope for the best.”

Slowly we noticed more and more ice appearing as time went on

The Southernmost Town in the World

Today we flew into Ushuaia after a very early morning start from Beunos Aries. This is the jumping off point for our Antarctic Cruise. This afternoon we met the other forty three people who will be our sailing companions for the next eleven days and we have a mixture of nationalities from all round the world. Went down town today and then wandered round close to the hotel. A couple of shots and this is the Beagle Channel we will be sailing out of tomorrow afternoon.

Its a nice little town and we will now talk again when we return

The Brazil Side of the Falls (Thursday 5th February)

This morning we ventured over to Brazil to take a look at the falls from their side. Wow. Argentina may have got the falls but Brazil sure got the view. It was the same feeling that you get when you see the Grand Canyon for the first time. Just breathtaking. We thought the view was good yesterday but to wander along the path and at every turn another waterfall comes in to view. No ordinary photo does justice to this . Hopefully I can makesome panoramas when I get home. These falls are just so wide, and the different levels. So much water. Just amazing.

This morning we flew back to Buenos Aires and at some terrible hour in the morning we fly to Ushuaia to begin the Antarctic sector of the trip. I doubt whether we will have anymore access to internet for some time now so be good and talk to you as soon as possible.

Another Day at the Falls (Argentina side) Wednesday 4th February

We were up early again today to join our guide for a tour of the falls. First was a walk to the train station where we hopped on a “”Cane train” and made our way to near the top of the falls and then walked along a long walkway over the very wide river to a most spectacular site as the water toppled over.

Then the walk back and a very peaceful boatride down the Iguazu River looking at the flora and fauna of this amazing area. We were lucky enough to get our first picture of a Woody Woodpecker.Well there was two of them actually.

Then another long walk along the higher trail stopping at the the many lookouts of these amazing falls. They are just so wide. Being a big horseshoe shape there is no way you can get them all in one picture. We even got so close we easily could have reached over for that pot of gold.

After more walking and many picture stops we boarded an old Blitz open truck and made our way over 4kls through the rain forest to the river where we boarded a jet boat for a ride to the bottom of the falls.

Then we got completely saturated as we rode right up and under the falls. What a wonderful feeling, (thank goodness for the Canon waterproof case for the G9

And even clearer view of the falls from our room this afternoon