In 2006, Brett and I embarked on what was to be a journey of a lifetime.
Geared up for the Cold!
We flew from Perth to Buenos Aires in Argentina, South America, and wow what a flight; It’s such a long way. After a few nights to Enjoy the colorful La Boca, Argentinean Tango and the food we were off to the very tip of South America to a place called Ushuaia.
Ushuaia is a quaint city, where you will definitely need your thermals. A great place to visit the Terre Del Fuego National park, and to stock up with that Fantastic Argentinean Wine, before embarking on your expedition.
We set sail one afternoon leaving the Beagle channel to enter the infamous Drake Passage. This is the moment I has been dreading since booking the journey many months before. I had such a fear about the ocean and being stuck under the water so I was scared about the journey down to the Antarctic Peninsula.
As they say there are two ways you can encounter the Drake Passage, the Drake Lake or the Drake Shake! On the way down we had the Drake Lake. Not so much a Lake like that you have in your mind but more a big rolling swell. It was enough to put in bed for a couple of days. Brett on the other hand was up and about, going to Lectures on the Antarctic wildlife that we would encounter, lectures on the geology and History and even Photography lectures.
After the 2 day crossing we were there! I was in Antarctica. Wow. It truly was beautiful. For the next 8 days we visited so many places including the Volcanic Deception Island and the UK and Russian Antarctic stations (if any of you have my business cards, this is where I posted the letters home from, expensive process…but heaps of fun !)
Stunning Icebergs!
We were off the ship every day either going whale watching and following Orca’s, Minke’s or Southern Right Whales, going ashore and being amused by the Gentoo Penguins (they are so inquisitive!) We even got close one afternoon in a bay to a Leopard Seal hunting for its food, needless to say that penguins were flying through the air!
We had the most amazing food onboard the ship. Every afternoon or morning when we got back from being on the Zodiacs, we always had fresh Tea, Coffee, Hot Chocolate and Cookies to come back to. Not to mention the 3 courses for lunch and dinner every day! We had an ongoing joke about the ship pulling into bakeries along the way because the rolls and the break were to die for!
Our Journey back was a sad one, not only because for me it meant another 2 days in bed but our experience in the Antarctic was coming to and end. Oh and by the way, you know how I mentioned about the Drake Passage…we had the Drake Shake coming back. 10 Meter swells and waves crashing left right and centre over the ship. I was glad to get back to the Beagle Channel.
I could talk for hours about my journey and experience but you are probably not all going to sit there and read the whole thing! So if you have any ideas about visiting this amazing destination and need some help please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Until my next story…Travel Safe
Kell
Kelly Spinks
Travel Planner
