Hut

We woke up to a pretty wet morning and were pleased that today would be a travel day! We needed to travel back to El Calafate to catch our flight down to Ushuaia where the Antarctic leg our adventure would begin.



The couple at the table next to us at breakfast were clearly fair-weather adventurers and were surprised to find it might rain in Patagonia… while they debated the merits of heading out in the wet, we heard the now familiar sound of the gauchos rounding up the horses.



The trip back was nearly a full day of travel, including crossing the border again. We stopped along the way to see the sights…



… and whenever we saw something interesting!



At the border crossing, we encountered a different way to travel Patagonia, a cruise on wheels!



We also saw some young Guanaco which are called chulengos…



While it was pretty wet when we began the day, on the road back to El Calafate it was improving…



… and by the time we arrived it was a lovely day – just like when we arrived just over a week ago. In keeping with the déjŕ vu feeling, we were reassigned the same room, which again was sweltering, but now being experienced in the ways of rapidly cooling our rooms – it wasn’t quite the shock it was last time. As we arrived in the afternoon, we headed into town to do some washing – however google didn’t quite get the laundry service opening status right, so we settled for a couple of drinks and some wedges at a local bar.

Our last meal was just like our first just the five of us, now reflecting on an amazing tour and remarking how lucky we were with the weather. We only got properly rained on once and on most of the days could see what we intended to see!

Hut

As our flight wasn’t until the afternoon, there was a slow start to the day. After breakfast and a lot of packing to make everything fit, we went for a walk around town. We checked out the bird sanctuary and a weird sea wall thing that had clearly been a significant investment…



As we wandered about there were a range of vehicles that had clearly seen better days…



After lunch and an ice cream we headed back to the hotel to find our transfer was waiting. When you book the Antarctic cruise and hiking in Patagonia, Aurora sort out the transfer between the two trips, so we expected something to get us to the airport, but not a 47 seat bus just for two of us… in a pre-covid world it was a bit weird to have so many seats and so few people!



Check in was quick, however one of our cabin bags was just a little too heavy – as I pulled out the camera the agent said that cameras could be carried separately – and luckily this made everything legal.



While there isn’t a lot to do at the El Calafate airport, there is a coffee shop with amazing views!



Mrs Hut and I ended up having a couple of drinks as our flight was late leaving Buenos Aires.



Boarding was pretty quick, and we re-joined part two of the two-leg flight we began just over a week ago.

Aerolineas Argentinas AR1820
Boeing 737-800 (LV-FUA)
El Calafate (FTE) -> Ushuaia (USH)
Depart 16:17, Arrive 17:33, Flight Time: 01:16

The flight was about half full once boarding was complete and we were the only ones in our row. Just before take-off the crew came through the cabin and re-seated a few people in a game of musical chairs - for weight and balance issues apparently.



Not a lot to report during the flight… it was pretty cloudy all the way and a little bumpy.



After descending in the clouds for what seemed like an age, we popped out on our very bumpy approach to Ushuaia.



Apparently, we crossed some sort of customs zone as there was a border style checkpoint and baggage scanners. It was quite a long wait for the bags, but once we had them, we easily found our transfer to the hotel – and also met two other couples who would be joining us on the voyage. Everyone was quite excited about what was to come in just a couple of days!

We ended up dropping off the two other couples in town at another hotel, before heading up the hill to where Aurora had booked us. It seems that they book people into different hotels, which I guess makes sense if not everyone can fit into one hotel.

Las Hayas Ushuaia Resort



We were dropped off the Las Hayas hotel, which seemed quite imposing as you drive up to it.



Our bags disappeared from the bus before we could even touch them, and we were escorted up to the reception area on the first floor. Most the hotel was quite modern and very different to our room.



Which was very old school, Mrs Hut seemed to think her great grandmother had the same wallpaper!



The theme was also carried though to the bathroom. It was a lovely hotel; a very comfortable room and we were super happy there – it just seemed to have a split personality!



The only downside to the hotel was that it was up on the hill and a bit of a hike to get into town. There was a shuttle bus, however we ended up eating at the hotel restaurant.



While mine came out a little over cooked.



Mrs Hut’s pork was much better.



By the time came for dessert, we were both a bit full – but figured we ought to share something!

Hut

The transition between the two tours, at least according to the itinerary provided by Aurora, included a half day tour in the afternoon. So, after making it to breakfast around 10, we figured there wasn’t enough time for a morning excursion. However, after meeting up with the Aurora rep at midday to get our bag tags, we found out that the tour wasn’t until the next day… At the time, it was pretty disappointing that they couldn’t get the paperwork right and we’d wasted half a day as the next shuttle wasn’t until 2:30. In hindsight, it wasn’t that bad as we had a really relaxing lunch at the hotel restaurant, a couple of drinks and then took the shuttle into town – which doesn’t need that much time to explore.



The hotel shuttle dropped us off near the port and we figured we would take a walk along the waterfront, followed by a bit of shopping.



The main street was packed with tourists coming and going, lots of adventure type shops and some eyewatering prices for good gear.



On the other side of the world, we were shocked to spot a vehicle with a West Australian numberplate driving past!



While we did a lot of looking, the luggage space situation meant we didn’t do a lot of buying. So, after stopping for an afternoon coffee we wondered back toward the bus stop along the waterfront.



Once we got back to the hotel we stopped by the bar for a drink or two and ended up staying for dinner.

Hut

We were both super excited as today we would be leaving for Antarctica! I have to say, its been a very long time since I’ve been this excited to go somewhere! The plan was to have our bags at reception by 8am and be ready to go at 12:30. There would be a bit of a tour around the city in the afternoon, before embarking around 4pm.



The morning was a case of hurry up and wait. Making all the passengers drop their bags at 8am also seemed to ensure we all arrived for breakfast at the same time! As you can see from the baggage, there were quite a few people to cater for and we just fit… After breakfast we considered heading back into town, however as the weather outside was terrible – we chose to stay around the hotel for morning. Many of our fellow adventurers made the same choice and we got to know each other as we waited for the afternoon tour.



Just after 12:00 the tour busses started arriving and you could feel a sense of excitement building.



The first stop of the tour was a visit to the local airport, where the aeroclub ironically chose a flightless bird as their mascot!



While I’m always happy to visit almost any airport…



… we were really there as it had a good view of the wharf – and our ride. Which was the white one that doesn’t quite look like the others…



Up next was a visit to the Ushuaia prison, which was mainly used like a museum to tell the history of the area. It felt surprisingly familiar with the early days sounding quite like the penal colonies in Australia.



There was also a bit of art, a wing dedicated to the history of Antarctic expeditions…



… and some other areas were a bit more authentic. Which is to say they were in their final working state and very, very cold!



By the time we were done, there was still an hour or so before we would leave for the wharf – so we headed into town.



The weather wasn’t great, so we really ended up having a coffee. We made use of the wifi and sent a few messages as we weren’t sure about the internet situation on the boat.



We were all ready and waiting at the bus well before the appointed time – clearly no one wanted to be left behind! We were even able to leave a little early and there was an excited school camp vibe on the bus as we headed to the port. Impressive, when the average age of the passengers must be in the 50s!



As there were several busses ahead of us, it was a bit of a wait…



… but once it was our turn, the expedition leaders introduced themselves and welcomed us aboard. This was followed by a photo for the boat message board so you could figure out names and faces later in the trip if you needed to… a very handy idea. Once we were aboard, we were issued with our ID card / room key and shown to our cabin.



We ended up in 614 and unlike a lot of places – it looked just like the advertising brochure suggested it would! It really was a lovely place to spend time. When we booked, we were told we got the last cabin on the boat, so we didn’t get a choice on the room type – but this one was quite unique as it was squeezed in near the main staircase. That meant it did not have the couch that most other cabins had – but we were on a boat to Antarctica and really didn’t care!



When we arrived, waiting for us on the bed were our expedition jackets, a mug and water bottle. Our bags had also made it and were sitting in the corner.



The bathroom was nice enough and most importantly – although we didn’t know it yet – it had a heated floor that was awesome at drying damp clothes!



The shower was also the perfect size… not claustrophobic, but also well contained in rough seas.



On the TV was the daily schedule… which would synchronise us all for the rest of the voyage.



After doing a bit of unpacking we all gathered in the lecture theatre for our first briefing. The expedition crew introduced themselves and we learnt that the plan was to head south and see what happened! As the expedition leader put it, its not a train, there is no schedule, so – while they had an idea of what the trip looks like, the crew would watch the weather and make the best trip they could!

For the next couple of days we would be crossing the Drake Passage, which has a reputation… however, in our favour was that the ship was only 8 weeks old and the funky bow plus super expensive stabilisers meant that it was pretty good in rough conditions. While we were at sea there would be a couple of compulsory briefings on how to look after the environment and ourselves – along with lectures on a range of interesting topics to keep us busy.



After the briefing came the time to put on our lifejackets and head for the lifeboats…



… fortunately, we just looked at them!



With the drill complete we were able to leave, however it was clearly rush hour, so we had to wait for the boat in front of us to depart…



… along with its replacement to arrive.



Just after 6pm we were on our way!



As we departed, we passed the boat waiting for our berth…



… and headed out into a gloomy Beagle Channel. After spending a bit of time out on the decks, most of us retired to the bar to warm up and enjoy a welcome drink!



Welcome drinks followed on to dinner in the dining room.



While the menu changed every day, most of the dinners followed a common pattern. Choose a starter, followed by a main…



… and then finally, who could say no to dessert?



For our first meal, Mrs Hut had the Cream of Cauliflower soup…



… while I had a salad. Both were nice – nothing outstanding, but nice.



Things got much better with then main course; Mrs Hut had the Eggplant Parmesan which was delicious…



… and Halibut which I chose was fantastic.



As we ate, one of the many ships heading south slowly passed us… it was super graceful to watch as it made it’s way past.



Finally, for dessert – Mrs Hut and I both chose the very indulgent red velvet mascarpone cake.



After a big dinner, Mrs Hut and I went upstairs to watch the world go by as we headed along the Beagle Channel.



While we would only see other ships once or twice for the rest of our journey, as we headed out as just one ship in a long string… you did wonder how many ships were down there at any one time.



We spotted a bit of wildlife as we went, and the expedition crew were around to answer any questions.



We headed for bed as the sun started to set at around 11pm, and just as we were leaving the channel…



… and heading out into open water. We were both hopeful that the next day would bring calm seas!

Pausanias

I'm enjoying this blog. Wish it could be a bit quicker! Your ship, the Greg Mortimer, is one of a new breed of expedition vessels and it certainly looks fit for purpose, if not in the luxury class. Aurora got into a lot of trouble with Covid infections so the ship and its passengers and crew was quarantined for many weeks off Montevideo last March-April. Aurora itself came in for a lot of criticism about the way it was handling its response to the pandemic, especially regarding refunds.

I'd like to ask Mr Hut, did they provide parkas and puffer jackets, and what was the arrangement with wellington boots?

Ushuaia is an exciting place if you are keen on spotting ships - and they are ships, by the way, not boats.

Looking forward to the next instalment.

Hut

We awoke to find we’d made good progress over night and that the Drake was very much a lake! As we would be onboard all day, the schedule revolved around eating and entertainment.



The breakfast buffet was one of the constants of the trip, they changed a couple of the hot meals from day to day, and soon it would be the familiar start to the day.



In the morning I went exploring the ship, up the top on Deck 8 was the observation lounge. Here there was an unlimited supply of pastry, a coffee machine and also Mawsons Bar which was open in the evenings. Generally, this was the place to be for sightseeing, be it inside or out. It was also a relaxing place to read a book and watch the world go by when we were in transit. Outside was the BBQ and smoking area.



The main staircase was opposite the lifts and like most of the available wall space – covered in photos of the polar regions.



On the deck below was the library, which was beautiful and seldom used. Most of the time it was the place to read the daily newsletter, the Penguin Post.



Behind the library was the gym, sauna and spa – all of which saw a lot more use.



On Deck 6 where our room was – it was all accommodation… so, here’s a photo of the corridor.



On the main deck (Deck 5) was the Dining room.



Along with the reception desk, shop and some seating areas for the main bar…



… the Elephant Island bar. Here drinks were served with ice chipped off mini icebergs!



This also the area for afternoon tea and socialising.



Forward of the bar was the lecture theatre where we would spend most of our day in a series of lectures.



Our first lecture was on the Seabirds of the Southern Ocean and was a fitting lecture to start with as there were a lot to be seen out the windows. With the presentation taking over an hour there was lots of information to take in. We covered how they live and are adapted to life at sea, how to tell them apart and a range of fascinating facts. There was a large group aboard from China and everything was set up a bit like the UN with live translation through little earpieces.



After a brief break, where we went out to get some photos of the seabirds…



… it was time for our next lecture, this time on Whales. Like the previous lecture there was tonnes of info and it was also very interactive with lots of time for questions.



After a hard morning of sitting in the lecture theatre, it was time for lunch. Dessert was strategically placed at the entrance – right next to the hand washing station – so that you could take a look and mentally save some space!



Like breakfast, the lunch buffet seemed to help set rhythm of life aboard. The food was excellent and the dishes changed every day.



After lunch, the expedition photographer held a photo tutorial followed by a workshop on the back deck. The aim was to get some good shots of the seemingly endless procession of seabirds that would stop by to check out the ship as they made their way across the seas. It was hard work and I only got a few good ones!



We also spotted another ship heading in the same direction we were – no doubt full of people also looking forward to a Christmas to remember!



The third lecture of the day was all about the history of Antarctica – and of Toby, the Polar Pig. A fascinating story that’s been turned into a good children’s book! It was also at this point that we discovered that doing nothing all day on a ship is hard work… so, we made good use of the coffee machine.



I generally avoid milk in my coffee, but Mrs Hut reported that the Penguin Milk tasted suspiciously like cow’s milk…



We also reenergised for the last lecture of the day with a plate, or maybe even two of afternoon tea!



Our final lecture was probably the best one of the trip. We heard the incredible story that is making a career of being a wildlife photographer and cinematographer. Spending 7 months a year overseas in some crazy places meant that there was an endless stream of fascinating backstories to just a few seconds that we’d see in a documentary. It sounded like an amazing privilege to be a part of the BBC wildlife series we all know so well, and it left me wondering for maybe a moment about a potential career change!

After a great lecture, it was time for welcome drinks and canapés – followed by yet more eating! It really was crazy how much food was put out in just one day. As we headed to bed the map suggested we were more than halfway there!

Hut

Ah, yes apologies. I, too, wish it was moving quicker! The wonders of digital photography mean that there really isn’t any good reason not to take that extra shot. However, this meant that when we arrived home there were 20,000 photos to sort through, plus you know, life. Hopefully, the rest of the trip should come together quicker – especially as I’ve recently done my first proper trip post-Covid (at least in WA) and want to share!

The ship worked really well – you could see a lot of thought had gone into the design and getting out on the water was deceptively simple. It was interesting to talk to the more experienced expedition crew who were used to the previous Aurora Ship – the Polar Pioneer. It was a much smaller ship and much more, ah functional. The cabins were very simple, there were two small dining rooms and people spent most of their time in the few common areas. You could see that the new ship was quite different for them, it was a big step up in size, much nicer and seemingly came with much higher expectations from the passengers. You could tell, although none of them would say it, that maybe bigger isn’t better. I think they realise there are less adventures in their future and maybe more luxury cruises.

While we got to keep the jackets, they obviously weren’t free!! Before we set out you got to nominate a size – with no sizing guide… however, once you are aboard on the first day they have a jacket exchange so you can go an swap it if it isn’t right. The boots were from the Muck Boot Company and remained on the ship. They worked well, keeping us warm and dry!

We watched the Covid situation quite closely and it looks like it was very difficult for everyone involved. One of the crew died and several people had extended stays in ICU, both there and here. Fortunately, Uruguay allowed them in and the stories from the passengers are full of praise for the kindness, compassion and support of their hosts.

I’m sure we will eventually find out what happened, but when I saw they had chosen to go when others hadn’t, I wasn’t surprised. Something never quite sat right with me about how they operated. We had an event on this trip where it didn’t appear, at least from a passenger’s perspective, that the team were quite as practiced as you might expect in how to respond to it. It left me wondering about they manage the multitude of risks in their business.

13901

Not a super fan of cruises (and I sure as hell won't do the Drake Passage) but I'm really liking this report. I just have to pace myself through the Patagonia bit because I'm starting to drool like my dog when I open up a tub of yoghurt... I so much want to go there!!!!

offerendum

Penguin milk is a funny idea The ship looks nice

Pausanias

The Drake is often a Lake and its terrors are exaggerated. Modern ships, such as Mr Hut's Greg Mortimer, are designed for stability and it's generally true that the smaller the ship the rougher the ride. I've done it on bumpy 100 pax expedition ships and also Seabourn Quest which just glided across the water and did the placid Drake in a day. Oddly, I felt quite cheated because in calm conditions you see far fewer birds, especially albatross which need high winds. The roughest seas I have ever experienced were between Pitcairn and Easter Island and also between Tristan da Cunha and South Georgia.

13901

It all depends of how much of a sea dog you are... I'm on the puppy end of the scale. I've been able to go whale watching in Sri Lanka and Iceland and that was it.

HAF

We just booked an expedition cruise for Feb 2022 with Ponant - Of course under the current circumstances and uncertainty with covid and travel restrictions we do not know if it will happen....

We sailed from Buenos Aires to Santiago around cape horn, 15 years ago, and we got a good taste of the drake shake (even on a 100+K tonnage ship!) - but it was more of a drive-by Antarctica cruise.

We have been wanting to actually visit up close and land on Antarctica for many years, reading through your detailed report gives a great insight of what to expect.

--HAF

Hut

With our first excursion planned for the afternoon, the schedule looked a bit different. There would be a mandatory lecture followed some time to prepare our gear to go ashore.



The morning saw our first mammoth iceberg, which even on the horizon was able to be seen with the naked eye. I’m not sure I’d want to get too close to what must be a towering wall of ice, so maybe its best seen from far away.



After breakfast, we spent a bit of time outside, accompanied by the seabirds…



… lots and lots of seabirds!



Plus, whales. The captain was awesome and whenever we saw something there would be an announcement (both in English and Mandarin) and he was happy to stop the ship so we could watch! According to some of the expedition crew this wasn’t the case on all ships.



We saw some Orcas and the morning briefing was pushed back by 15 mins as we all watched the Humpbacks feeding. Apparently, we were right at the point that the sea floor goes from ~3km deep to 300m deep and its an excellent place for the whales to forage for food.



Once everyone was accounted for, the mandatory IAATO briefing got underway to take us through the do’s and don’ts of visiting Antarctica. The places we would be visiting are remote and have fragile ecosystems that could be easily and inadvertently destroyed.

The take home message was clear, this is a privilege and must be careful. To avoid transmitting any disease between colonies the crew would scrub our boots between landings. To be extra sure we would also need to scrub them in the disinfectant baths as we came and went.



Along with the environmental aspects, we were run through the process of getting on/off the ship and then getting ashore.

We learnt that there was a hard limit of 100 people ashore at any one time. Apparently, Aurora normally ran the tour with 100 passengers + the kayakers. This meant that everyone could leave the ship at every stop, however when the kayakers went ashore the team needed to manage the numbers. This trip was a little different as one of the owners was aboard with his family and some friends, so there was more like 126 passengers. We never really noticed them having to manage numbers as the extras were often kayaking. Every so often we would do an extended tour of whatever bay or harbour that we were in. It wasn’t a hardship, in fact, I found it just much fun as the landing!



After the briefing it was time to visit the mud room and sort out our muck boots. The space was huge, and every cabin had its own locker with space for our jackets, boots and life preservers. We nominated a boot size during the booking process, so we were really just verifying that the boots were the right size.



Behind the mud room was all the special activity gear. On our trip the only special activity was kayaking, which Mrs Hut and I had initially decided to do. We eventually bailed out as it was impractical to kayak and take photos, plus Mrs Hut doesn’t love wet exits!

Another key activity was cleaning our expedition gear. We needed to ensure we cleaned everything – paying particular attention to seeds which love zips, seams and fleece. Once everything was cleaned, it was inspected – a lot like the quarantine inspection you get in Australia when you go into a highly protected Class A nature reserve.



After a busy morning, the excitement was building, especially as way out on the horizon we could clearly see a chain of islands!



Lunch was again, fantastic…



… and with our impending adventure in the cold – maybe a cheese plate might be appropriate!



As we continued our approach, we were all called to the lecture theatre for a briefing on our upcoming landing at Barrientos Island. Fortunately, for our first landing the weather conditions were looking good!

The team reinforced the importance of respecting the ecosystems and highlighted a moss we would encounter. It was easily disturbed, so the general rule of thumb was don’t step on anything green!



Normally, briefings would be about the weather, safety plus any special conditions (like the moss) but wouldn’t include too much about what else to expect as they prefer us to arrive and explore. However, this landing was a bit different as the middle of the island was closed due to the impact of people walking from one side of the island to the other.

We would need to make the decision to visit either the east or west side. Either way there would be Penguins. Lots and lots of Penguins!

The East tip of the island has a large penguin colony and some of it was closed off to study the impact of tourism. The west side would likely have seals and we would see lots penguins on the move as they were heading to/from a smaller colony we wouldn’t be able to see, as it was inside the closed area.

After a brief deliberation, we chose the west side – not that there were any good or bad choices!



After the briefing, everyone was out on deck as we made our way towards the islands.



Everyone was excited to see Penguins porpoising – something that would become a regular feature of the rest of our trip.



As we came closer the mountains appeared from behind the clouds and we got our first good look at the South Shetland Islands. Soaring cliffs of ice and rock, whales and penguins. We’d definitely arrived!



I’d always thought of it as a desolate place with few signs of human activity. As we made our way between Robert and Greenwich Island, we spotted three bases – this one from Ecuador (Pedro Vicente Maldonado)…



… along with the Chilean bases Arturo Prat Antarctic Naval Base and Risopatrón, which I didn’t get a photo of.



As you’d expect on a purpose-built expedition ship, all the gear to get us ashore was well thought out.



The two cranes soon had the zodiacs in the water, and you could see that despite this being only the 5th voyage, the crew had it all sorted.



The kayakers were normally the first in the water, especially when the weather was a bit rough.



As the passengers heading for the eastern end were called down for boarding, the landing parties headed out to get ready.



When we were shuttling back and forward it was normally 10 passengers to a zodiac. It was soon time for the western end, and you could tell everyone was super excited!



After putting on our gear, getting scanned out and scrubbing our boots in disinfectant – we found ourselves in the zodiac.



It wasn’t too windy, however it looked like the kayakers were working hard as they headed for land…



… while our zodiacs did the distance in a couple of effortless minutes! It was smooth all the way – until we hit a rock just before we arrived at the beach. Apparently, that’s normal down here!

Barrientos Island
62°24′22″S, 59°44′53″W



As with all our landings, on arrival, we were given quick briefing with all the essentials. Things to watch out for, time of the last zodiac and any restrictions. Here, that meant avoiding the moss and staying out of the closed areas.



The first impression of the island is how desolate it is. In recent human history, it was used as by whale and seal hunters – and it must have been tough!



Our briefing had prepared us to see penguins, lots and lots of penguins. Which is what we saw!

The first ones we encountered were some Chinstrap Penguins. They were just visiting as there isn’t a colony here and remained near the beach.



There were also a lot of Gentoo Penguins. We have so many penguin photos. Its insane.



Almost like ants, they formed a long stream, heading up the hill towards their colony. One of the many guides was standing near a ridge towards the top of the hill that marked the boundary line of the closed area. So, we headed in that direction.



The rules required us to avoid standing on/in the trails the penguins made or approaching any wildlife, however if they approached, we didn’t have to retreat. So, sitting on the hill, several penguins stopped by to take an inquisitive look.



We were also impressed by how agile they seemed to be on land, gracefully hopping over rocks and walking up the steep slope with ease.


It was interesting to see the fat penguins returning to spend time on the nest while the less fat ones left to go in search of food. While we couldn’t see the colony, the expedition team reckons that the chicks should be hatching anytime now.



As we continued to explore the island, we came across lots of whale bones, which our guides reckon must be 100+ years old.



Along with the penguins, we also saw some Weddell Seals…



…and Elephant Seals. Every year the seals molt, in the summer to refresh their coat for the winter. This process takes about a month and during this time – they are stuck on land.



Along with a few seals on their own, there were a couple of large groups of juvenile males who didn’t really move a lot.



At other landings we saw some play fighting, but these ones seemed content with an idle life while we were there!



On this landing, like most of them, we were left to explore on our own. The guides generally marked out some limits and circulated amongst the passengers pointing out things or answering questions. The last zodiac was at 18:45 which gave everyone 2.5 hours.



Quite a few of the passengers seemed to head back around 17:30. This meant the guide to guest ratio was very low and a group of four of us ended up walking around the island for an hour with one of the naturalists. I know they are professional scientists and its literally what they do for a living… but it’s amazing how much they know!



We were ready to go at around 18:30 and looking forward to returning to the ship to warm up and have dinner. The temperature hovered around 0şC however with the wind picking up it felt colder. Mrs Hut and I were both happy with our layering, but after a couple of hours in the wind – its nice to be back inside!



With one last look at the island we jumped on a Zodiac and were on our way.



Arriving back was very much the reverse of departing. There was a scrub of the boots, followed by scanning back aboard and then swapping our muck boots for shoes.

The atmosphere back on board was amazing. Everyone was animated and describing their adventures, the east enders hadn’t seen any seals – but they got to see some penguin chicks! Reinforcing that nature is mental, they also got a graphic, natural geographic style close up of a chick stolen and eaten by a Skua. Those of us who travelled to the west end described the seals and penguins. The kayakers thought they saw a leopard seal, maybe.



We continued our replay over dinner in a noticeably louder dining room. The food was great, and it was amazing to see how a little adventure could bring us all together. As we ate the anchor was raised and we headed off for our next adventure – stepping foot on the continent itself.

Hut

We were also quite apprehensive about the Drake Passage, picturing soaring waves and us rolling around in the fetal position. We may have even procured a range of potions that were to aid with motion sickness, as neither of us were sure how it would go. Plus that meant that while we couldn't turn back, at least we still had options to try! Fortunately, the weather was great and half a scopolamine patch got us through with no issues. Might not have needed it at all!

Apparently, Rolls Royce make ship stabilizers and the Greg Mortimer has the absolute top of the line ones. One of the expedition crew had done well over 100 trips and the return journey on the last one had atrocious conditions - he said it was the best ship he'd ever been on and couldn't believe what he was seeing out the window. I'm on the whole very happy to be unable to attest to its performance in terrible weather, however a very small part of me is just a bit curious...

Hopefully, by Feb 22 we have all moved past Covid... We looked very closely at Ponant and the whole product looks fantastic. Hope you get there to enjoy it!

henrus

I'm enjoying the trip report so far.

A few questions from myself:
Was there internet/wifi on the boat (and was it expensive)?
What did people mainly do during the crossing?
Ignoring the cost, would you do this type of trip again (cruising in ultra remote places like arctic etc) or would you call it a once-off (not enough to do etc)?