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Antarctic Cruise aboard MS Andrea

By : Les Moore and Sabine Westland
Trip Begins December 31, 2004
Trip Ends January 10, 2005

Our Antarctic adventure was a travel experience unmatched by anything in a lifetime of travel, both business and pleasure, to over 50 countries.This was the ultimate. So good, in fact, that we went back again a couple of years later!
See my photos : M.S.Andrea Antarctic Cruise

Want to go? MV Orlova: Classic Antarctica: Discovering the Peninsula

I went to: Antarctica, Antarctic Peninsula
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December 31, 2004
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Ushuaia

Ushuaia, Argentina

We arrive in Ushuaia full of excitement. We check into our hotel and take a stroll around the town.

While doing that we look for restaurants to find somewhere special to spend New Year's Eve before we set out on our adventure tomorrow. Unfortunately, everything seems to be fully booked and we are beginning to despair when finally we find a restaurant that will accommodate us. Whew!

A pleasant evening and, after that, we're ready for what tomorrow brings.

January 1, 2005
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Depart Ushuaia and sail through the Beagle Channel

It's New Year's Day and we're in Ushuaia waiting to board MS Andrea. Boarding is mid-afternoon and, as we arrive on board, we are surprised at the roominess and luxury of our cabin. We've made a good choice!

We leave Ushuaia in the late afternoon and sail through the Beagle Channel before heading south to cross the Drake Passage to Antarctica.

January 2, 2005
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The Drake Passage

Overnight we have entered the Drake Passage, renowned as one of the roughest stretches of water in the world. It seems we are lucky because the ship is rolling gently in 3 metre swells, giving us a relatively comfortable passage.

The day is, nevertheless, relatively busy. There are lectures from the on board ornithologist describing the albatrosses and other seabirds which are following the ship and skimming the waters on both sides of us, as well as other gatherings to inform us of the plans for the coming days.

Mention is clearly made of the chance that weather and ice conditions may force changes to the plans at short notice.

Our photographic efforts begin with shots of the albatrosses and petrels following the ship.

January 3, 2005
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Our First Iceberg!

Penguin Island

Overnight we have crossed the Antarctic convergence, where the freezing waters of the Antarctic meet the "warmer" waters of the South Atlantic, and there is a sudden drop in water temperature to zero degrees Celsius.

Early in the afternoon the award, a bottle of champagne, was won by the first passenger to report an iceberg sighting to the bridge, and we all strained to photograph the tiny iceberg in the far distance - not realising how many, and much larger, we would encounter in the next few days.

Later in the afternoon was our first landing - at Penguin Island. The zodiacs were easy to negotiate and the expedition crew were just marvellous.

We landed on a stony beach where there were many, many chinstrap penguins. Chinstraps have a beautiful habit of throwing back their heads and "singing" at the sky although, when thousands are doing it at the same time, it can be a little overpowering.

January 4, 2005
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An Antarctic Storm - An Amazing Day!

Paulet Island

We had been warned that plans might change due to weather and ice. Today they did!

During the night we had crossed the Bransfield Strait and entered the Antarctic Sound, with icebergs everywhere. At Paulet Island we boarded our zodiac only to have the planned landing called off before we left the ship. Within minutes the wind had rached over 50 knots and it was far too dangerous to attempt our planned landing.

With no landing possible, we headed across the Weddell Sea for Devil Island, with strong winds blowing huge icebergs all around us in boiling seas. It was a spectacular day as we worked our way through massive icebergs towards our alternative landing site.

Eventually our path to Devil Island was blocked by ice - a result of the storm - and we turned and headed back through the Antarctic Sound to Gourdin Island, where we went ashore for our second landing. Weddell seals on the beach ignored us in much the same way that they ignored the dozens of Adelie penguins.

As we explored a little distance from our landing site we discovered large rookeries of Adelie, Gentoo and Chinstrap penguins.

Before returning to the ship, we were taken on a "zodiac cruise" in the waters around Gourdin Island, among some very colourful blue ice. During this cruise we encountered a leopard seal waiting for a penguin dinner - but the Adelie penguins didn't seem too concerned as they entered the water en massed and surged past the seal - repeatedly bursting out of the water as they raced past.

All in all, an amazing day!

January 5, 2005
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Deception Island, Whales and Trinity Island

Deception Island

As we woke, the ship arrived at Deception Island, where we landed at Whalers Bay. This is the site of an old Norwegian/Chilean whaling station that ceased operation in 1931. The British destroyed the station's fuel tanks and equipment during WWII to prevent German ships from using it as a base. After the war it functioned as a British research station until a volcanic eruption in 1967 led to it being abandoned.

Some volcanic activity continues - with steam rising off warm water, and some passengers actually swam at Pendulum Cove.

We then left Deception Island and set off across the Bransfield Strait for Trinity Island. On the way a pair of humpback whales accompanied us, swimming beside the ship for 10 or 15 minutes, before surging ahead of us.

Trinity is a small island with a snow covered hill in the centre and is home to a large rookery of Gentoo penguins. More wonderful photo opportunities!

January 6, 2005
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Paradise Bay and Cuverville Island

Paradise Bay

The day started with our arrival at Cuverville Island, with a low overcast which lent a special effect to the many dozens of icebergs around us.

A zodiac cruise around and between the icebergs of every imaginable shape and size, with many of them displaying that amazing blue colour, was another opportunity to give a proper workout to our cameras. Truly spectacular!

Than a landing on the island, with many Gentoo penguins making their way through the snow to and from the water was a wonderful experience.

From Cuverville Island Andrea headed into the Errara Channel, but there were too many large icebergs for safe passaage, so we turned back to sail to Paradise Bay via the Garlache Strait.

At Paradise Bay glaciers flow down steep rock slopes to the sea and there is a lot of floating ice. A zodiac cruise around the bay was spectacular and, during the cruise, we encountered a large crabeater seal sleeping on floating ice. More photos!

Our visit to Paradise Bay finished with a stop at Almirante Brown, an abandoned Argentinian research station. There are a few huts painted a brilliant red, a couple of radio masts, and a large snow covered hill that many passengers climbed to slide down again.

January 7, 2005
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Port Lockroy and the Neuermayer Channel

Lemaire Channel

We arrived early morning at Port Lockroy, which was a British research and weather station but which, in truth, now only functions as a museum and British Post Office. It is manned by three people for five months each year - they came aboard for a hot breakfast and a shower before we went ashore to visit them at their station and post our cards and letters to family and friends.

A few minutes in the zodiac from Port Lockroy is Jougla Point. Here we found a virtually complete whale skeleton, some Weddell seals asleep on the ice, and many more Gentoo penguins.

Another full, amazing day in this wonderful trip.

January 8, 2005
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Elephant Seals at Hannah Point

Hannah Point

We are now headed north, but we are making one last stop at Hannah Point, which is renowned for its population of elephant seals.

Unfortunately this landing is at 4 am, when it is barely light, but it proves to be well worthwhile as the elephant seals add another spectacular aspect to our trip.

There is a large group of elephant seals, at least 30 or 40, huddled together near the beach. At this time of year, elephant seals must come ashore for a week or two to shed their old layer of skin. They gather together in very large groups for this period.

Elephant seals are heavy - up to 4 tonnes - and what we see is truly a very thick carpet of elephant seals! The Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins in the rookeries right beside the seals don't seem at all disturbed by their massive neighbours. A pair of Macaroni penguins was also sighted among the Chinstraps.

Like teenagers in our world, young male elephant seals need to satisfy their aggressive urges in sporting contests. At Hannah Point they pair off along about 800 metres of beach, for one-on-one "friendly" fighting matches, which provide another opportunity to give the cameras a good workout.

January 9, 2005
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The Drake Passage

We are now truly on our way home and once again in the Drake Passage.

This time, however, the Passsage is not quite so kind to us, and many passengers spend most of the day in their beds.

Those who can manage to do so attend the final lectures on board and spend as much time as they can at the rail watching the amazing performances of the albatrossess and petrels that surround the ship.

But we've all had such a truly amazing travel experience that nobody really seems to mind a day of inconvenience on the way home. It's been wonderful!

January 10, 2005
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Ushuaia and Heading Home

Ushuaia, Argentina

We dock in Ushuaia early morning and leave the ship to make our air connections home.

Farewells to friends made during the voyage, with whom contacts will last for years, and that amazing feeling that one gets when an experience has been so good that it's more than just "special".

This was one of those trips that come once in a lifetime, and we're so lucky to have had the chance to enjoy it.

My Photo Album: M.S.Andrea Antarctic Cruise
1. Andrea in Paradise Bay2. Black Browed Albatross in the Drake Passage3. Our first penguins - Chinstraps at Penguin Island4. Chinstrap penguin singing at the sky.5. Chinstrap directing the traffic at Penguin Island6. A massive iceberg in a storm in the Antarctic Sound7. More icebergs in the Antarctic Sound storm8. Another iceberg in the Antarctic Sound storm9.Another massive iceberg as the storm begins to calm10. Adelie penguin and Weddell seal on Gourdin Island11. Adelie penguin with chicks on Gourdin Island12. Adelie penguin feeding chicks on Gourdin Island13. Penguin rookeries on Gourdin Island14. A Gentoo discussion on Gourdin Island15. Chinstrap penguin on Gourdin Island16. Adelies ready to enter the water at Gourdin Island17. Adelies entering the water at Gourdin Island18. Adelies heading out to sea at Gourdin Island19. Weddell seal resting on rocks at Gourdin Island20. Humpback whales in a snowstorm in the Bransfield Strait21. Gentoo in the snow on Trinity Island22. Icebergs at Cuverville Island23. Blue ice at Cuverville Island24. Blue ice at Cuverville Island25. Icebergs at Cuverville Island26. Iceberg at Cuverville Island27. Blue ice at Cuverville Island28. Icebergs at Cuverville Island29. Blue ice at Cuverville Island30. Gentoo penguin at Cuverville Island31. Two beautiful Gentoo penguins at Cuverville Island32. Two Gentoo penguins at Cuverville Island33. Glacier at Paradise Bay34. Glacier at Paradise Bay35. Crabeater seal on ice at Paradise Bay36. Blue ice at Paradise Bay37. Almirante Brown station38. Boatshed at Almirante Brown station39. Two Gentoo penguins at Jougla Point40. Elephant seal at Hannah Point41. Elephant seals at Hannah Point42. Elephant seals at Hannah Point43. Elephant seal at Hannah Point44. Young male elephant seals fighting at Hannah Point45. Young male elephant seals fighting at Hannah Point46. Elephant seal saying Go Away at Hannah Point47. Elephant seals at Hannah Point48. Elephant seal and Gentoo penguin at Hannah Point