Antarctic 2014

[wanderer44]

I am looking for adventures who either have traveled to the Antarctic or have it on your "bucket list". After much research and an eye on my pocketbook, I have booked an expedition with Quark for Feb 2014 and would love to have other Villagers join me in conversation to heighten my already high anticapation.

[dadspet]

I am looking for adventures who either have traveled to the Antarctic or have it on your "bucket list". After much research and an eye on my pocketbook, I have booked an expedition with Quark for Feb 2014 and would love to have other Villagers join me in conversation to heighten my already high anticapation.

My wife and I did a cruise into Antarctic in Jan 2008. We started our cruise in Ushuaia Argentina and then into Antarctic with several landings by Zodiac. We saw enough Penguins to last us a life time. Ushuaia was a nice and interesting city. We were very fortunate our weather was great for the complete trip. We talked to others on a previous trip who had more "interesting weather" and unplanned events. We had an Airline strike leaving in Buenos Aires back to US that was a horror story. Will try to send you email with contact info if you would like more information.

Jerry

[kittygilchrist]

I'm getting chilled reading your post...not me.

[dadspet]

Some more detail for those interested.

Best parts of the trip were: the zodiac landings and walking among the penguins, seeing all the ice burgs and their different shapes on the way back.
Our weather was great. Very mild and calm for January. One day we were actually able to use the hot tubs and walk on the deck in our bathing suits in the middle of Antarctica. Other days were like a cold but mild day in NY, we could walk around in our parkas and hats without really getting very cold - watching birds. However we visited another couple that went in Dec and they showed us photos of ice on the ship railings that must have been over 3" thick. Our passage through the drake passage (supposed to be the roughest body of water in the world) was very smooth the captain called all the passengers out on the deck - we were in long sleeve shirts and a bit cool but comfortable. So I guess you never can know what the weather might be like. Not sure how to check the weather ? perhaps call the cruise line your going with and ask them how to check > there are no cities once you leave Ushusas and you will probably only stop at some explorer outposts that only have a 1/2 dozen or so people on them.
Not sure what gear your cruise is recommending but our cruise line provided: very heavy red down parkas that they let us keep with a antartica label on it. They can only have 100 (if I remember correctly) people on shore in Antarctica at a time and they keep track of that count by the red parkas everyone wears. Not something you will need in The Villages (I Hope). We had to bring a warm jacket and hat (good idea), gloves (good idea), sweater, and long waterproof boots up to our cafes. It turns out that people had left their boots from previous cruises and I think we could have got away without them but I don't think its worth the chance. We got ours at Walmart for a very reasonable price. You do need boots since you get off the zodiacs and have a good chance of stepping in water or being splashed. Shorter boots would have worked but I guess the waves could get higher. We tended to stop in a sheltered cover for most of the landings. The ship washed out boots before we got back on the zodiac and then we left them off before we got back on the ship and they washed them again before they brought them to our room. We took formal ware (Tux and what ever lades ware) and had a few formal nights on the ship. I think our ship had about 400 or so passengers on it.
Of course make sure you have good trip insurance. One couple on previous trip had to be air lifted out and it was very expensive. We have major airline issues since the Argentine airline went on strike and we were stuck in Buenos Aires for 3 days on the way back waiting in line with thousands of stranded people each day while the airline lied to us. We understand from the Argentine people its common for the airline to go on strike when there is peak traffic.
You won't need a lot of money in Antarctica since there is no place to shop and nothing to buy except post cards or some very small things at the explorer posts.
We really like Ushuaia (worth a extra day ) and Buenos Aires (take a Argentine tango lesson there) and would recommend spending time in both cities if given the chance.

[EnjoyTheVillages]

1911 was a historic year in terms of exploration in South America. Earnst Shackleton raced to Antarctica, and after loosing turned his attention to being the first man to walk across Antarctica via the pole. But pack ice surrounded his ship, eventually crushing it, sinking it and then leading to one of maritimes most heroic rescues. Also in 1911, Hiram Bingham, Yale professor, discoverd Machu Picchu. Pick up books on both, they are fascinating reading. I visited both locations in 2010 and would go back in a heartbeat.

[alemorkam]

Spend the summer in Antarctica aboard a Coast Guard Icebreaker in 1972. What an awesome place. The sights are unbelievable. Of course I was on active duty at the time breaking the ice so the supply ships could get into Mcmurdo Sound. However, we still saw all the sights. I would highly recommend it to anyone who could get there.