Blog Posts From My Trip to Antarctica on Seabourn Venture
Unexpected Things I Learned on My Antarctica Cruise
What surprised me on an Antarctica cruise: wildlife everywhere, freezing Zodiac seats, endless daylight, boot fit, sunburn, and the smell of penguins.
The Long Trip Home from an Antarctica Cruise
Our last night on Seabourn Venture, disembarking in Ushuaia, a full day waiting in Buenos Aires, and sleeping the whole way home to JFK.
Watching Rockhopper Penguins Earn Their Name on New Island
Our final stop was New Island in the Falklands, a long hike out to a huge rockhopper penguin colony sharing its cliffs with more albatrosses than I could count.
Rockhoppers, Albatross Chicks, and a Beach Full of Penguins in the Falklands
A day on West Point and Saunders Islands in the Falklands, with rockhoppers and albatross chicks nesting together, tea in the garden, and three penguin species on one beach.
A Day in Stanley, the Falkland Islands' Very British Capital
Our first Falklands stop was Stanley, with a bus tour of town, fish and chips at the pub, whale bones everywhere, and the best gift shopping of the trip.
Seven Penguin Species in One Trip
Antarctica gave us three penguin species. South Georgia and the Falklands gave us four more, plus chicks at every age along the way.
Shackleton's Final Descent and Molting King Penguins in Fortuna Bay
New Year's Day at Fortuna Bay, where Shackleton came down from the mountains, and thousands of king penguins with molting "oakum boy" chicks.
New Year's Eve on an Antarctica Cruise
The closest call with a whale on our entire trip happened while I was holding an espresso martini.
Grytviken: An Abandoned Whaling Station and Shackleton's Grave
An abandoned whaling station, king penguins, seal pups, and Shackleton's grave on our first South Georgia landing from Seabourn Venture.
Two Sea Days to South Georgia
Two sea days to South Georgia meant a full biosecurity check, a rat-detection dog, and running the ship dark to protect its wildlife.
Passing A23a: The World's Largest Iceberg
It didn't read as an iceberg at all. It looked like solid land.
Brown Bluff: Adélie Penguins, a Calving Glacier, and a Leopard Seal Hunt in Antarctica
Brown Bluff, our final day in Antarctica — 20,000 pairs of Adélie penguins, a calving glacier that sent penguins running, and a leopard seal hunt caught on drone.
Doing the Polar Plunge in Antarctica: What It's Actually Like
Check with your doctor first, seriously. Mine rolled his eyes when I asked.
Whale Watching and the Polar Plunge at Mikkelsen Harbour, Antarctica
I'm a swimmer, a Scorpio, and water is basically home. There was no version of this trip where I skipped the plunge.
Christmas Day in Antarctica: Peterman Island, Port Charcot, and Santa by Zodiac
A missed landing that I didn't even notice was missing, until I went back and checked.
What does it mean to be on an Expedition Cruise?
The itinerary you're handed is a plan, not a promise. Here's what that actually means once you're on board.
Danko Island, the Lemaire Channel, and Christmas Eve in Antarctica
Snow, ice, and thousands of penguins. This was the day that finally looked like the Antarctica I'd pictured my whole life.
First Day in Antarctica: A Submarine Dive and Gentoo Penguins at Couverville Island
I've done exactly one submarine dive in my life, and it happened in Antarctica, which sounds like the start of an incredible story. Mostly it was cold and dark, and there wasn't a whole lot to see.
Crossing the Drake Passage: Two Days at Sea Before Antarctica
Ask anyone who hasn't done an Antarctic crossing what the days on the Drake Passage are actually like, and you'll usually hear some version of restful. Sea days, nothing to do, maybe a book and a nap. That is not even close to what actually happens.
Books About and Set In Antarctica
I love reading about a place before I go, it gets me excited in a way research and packing lists never quite do. My favorite kind of pre-trip reading is fun fiction that's actually set somewhere, real plot and characters, not just history and travelogue. Antarctica made that surprisingly hard to find. There just aren't many novels set down there, so this list ended up leaning nonfiction more than I expected going in. Still found a few good ones though, and here's everything I'd recommend before you head south.