If you believed that you were living a dream, then you would be on the MV Ushuaia making your way through the most incredible sights of raw nature on this earth. I do not need a spaceship, for I have journeyed south to the last unspoiled area on earth. I have now gotten quite adept at getting into the Zodiac boats, pretending I am white water rafting! I have seen the most graceful animals glide in and out of the sea. We have spotted leopard seals, elephant seals, crab eater seals, penguins, humpback whales, killer whales, many birds, and even a specimen of frozen krill. I am traveling with interesting people who have walked the four corners of this land, including now the shy continent, Antarctica!
After our first landing on Bellingshausen at 45 knots, we continue through the week with milder winds! We woke on Wednesday to Iceberg Alley, which is the most impressive early morning wake-up of my entire life. There were hundreds and probably thousands of icebergs. We spotted seals and penguins lounging on ice floes. We landed later in the day at Brown Bluff, where we took delight in watching playful penguins and BIG seals on the beach. We took our turn with our banners to have our photograph on the glacier. Thursday was a magnificent day once again. It was exactly one year since I met Robert Swan and was invited on this expedition. And it is my mother’s birthday, as well as the first day of the northern hemisphere spring. We climbed up to a highpoint and sat on the snow overlooking the bay. We were at Charlotte’s Bay, and we were having a Leadership on the Edge Workshop ON THE EDGE!!! Nick even brought up his whiteboard and we had to move around on this area up high, taking care not to step past the safety lines. You never know where there might be a hidden crevasse. All of a sudden, there was a massive crash, and in front of our eyes a large iceberg fell apart with a thunderous roar. The sea sloshed back and forth and water splashed over rocks and small icebergs. Robert later told me that he never saw such a large iceberg break up! So, global warming experienced first-hand! Later that night, it was time for the first overnight camping on the ice. I was part of this first group. Well, in short, I made it through the night and was glad that I was not in the shoes of Shackleton and therefore would had spent two years camping on the ice!
I awoke early this morning, Friday, and after taking down our tent, came back to the ship for a much needed refueling, as they say here, and a shower! We went through an incredible area of big mountains called Lemaire Channel. The sun and the clouds played beautiful games on the peaks. I could not comprehend how this was all really happening to me! We went out in the afternoon for a one-hour Zodiac Cruise around Pleneau Island. The colors of the water and icebergs were gorgeous shades of blues and whites. After dinner, the second group went off to camp. Boy, was I glad that I had done my camping already and I could drink without worry of lacking toilets on land and leave nothing behind! Our group then took a journey over to Locknoy Island. It is inhabited part of the year, despite being VERY tiny and covered in penguins and what THEY leave behind! But, for me, I was in my element with the birds. They jumped and played and made noise. I was in penguin heaven and could not believe how lucky I was. Then, back to our ship for a very bumpy Zodiac ride, no longer scary for me, but laugh inducing. I am writing this as our last two land days are approaching. I love this trip more than anything I have ever experienced. But no need to worry, I have taken well over 1,000 photos, so I will have memories to share and remember for the rest of my life. And…….the trip is not over yet!! Bye for now- and I am now adjusted to the sea and feel funny on land!!
