If you are considering a trip to Antarctica or are even remotely interested in the 7th continent, there are some excellent books and documentaries that will immerse you into the history of the region, focusing on some of the admirable expeditions that took place in the 19th and 20th centuries. Names like Shackleton, Ross, and Amundsen are scattered throughout the continent with islands, bays, and ice shelves having been named after the famed explorers. Learning a bit more about the hardships they faced while sailing on tiny wooden boats with canvas gear and sleeping bags made from reindeer skins will give you a whole new appreciation for your Patagonia puffy jacket and technical merino wool base layers. It will also give you some context for the places you will visit and things you will see along your journey.
1. Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing - A brilliantly narrated account of Shackleton's harrowing journey, surviving nearly 2 years stuck on the ice, culminating in an epic 830-mile journey through some of the roughest seas in the world to seek help from the nearest outpost of civilization.
2. A Short History of Polar Exploration by Nick Rennison - An excellent overview of the exploration of both poles, revisiting some of the most famed stories and the hardships encountered as the bravest of men attempted to explore and map out these unknown and unpredictable parts of the globe.
3. Erebus by Michael Palin - Monty Python's very own depicts the life of the long lost ship and its two epic voyages: James Clark Ross's Antarctic expedition and John Franklin's attempt at the Northwest Passage during which the ship and its seamen seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth.
4. "Chasing Shackleton" (documentary mini-series): Found on PBS, this three-part mini series follows a group of modern day explorers who set out to recreate Shackleton's epic rescue mission from Elephant Island to South Georgia in a replica of the small, wooden lifeboat, the James Caird, using period-specific equipment and gear.
This last suggestion, "Chasing Shackleton," is especially poignant for me as the passengers on my ship were lucky enough to have Sebastian Coulthard as our on-board historian. "Seb," accomplished sailor and engineer, is one of the explorers who participated in the re-enactment above! His storytelling skills are second to none.
Zodiac cruising with our on-board historian, Seb (Molly Hutchison) Hard to imagine this boat crossing the Drake Passage! (Molly Hutchison)
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
