Set off with my daughters, Katy and Becca, for a southernly adventure.- Antarctica.
Left winter in Maryland to Summer in Argentina and Antarctica. First omen - rainbow over the planes in Miami, while we wait for our connecting flight.

We arrived in Ushuaia, a town that makes its own weather. Cold, rainy, then sunny and warm. Clouds percolate over the mountains. End of the world signs everywhere. If this is the end, How come we're heading south tomorrow? Dinner and acclimate to other worldliness.
54 54.8'S
67 19.3'W

We spent the day at the end of the world- town, National park. Birds abound, amazing mountain vistas, glaciers, lakes of quiet beauty and hikes to enjoy everything up close and personal.
Back to town for a night at the Dublin Pub. Local beer and international clientele. Strangers on the streets will become friends on the cruise very …

Day at sea brings informative lectures and rock hopper penguins far from home. Lots of sea birds join us on the voyage.
59 00.2'S
64 16.7'W

Crossed the Antarctic convergence during the night,62 58.0 S , 61 51.2'W. Calm settled weather is a pleasant surprise for these landlubbers. Then the 5 humpback whales come to play with our ship. Flukes, pectoral fins, bubbling, fish scented breath out the blow holes into our faces. Mom and baby dive and surface. The blue color foretells of them …

Bright sun greets us with amazing temperatures and calm seas. Becca, my daughter and I get to kayak through Mickelson Bay and see blue icebergs, clear water and brash ice. Katy, my other daughter, sits on the landing observing the Gentoo penguins observing her. That's only the morning. In the afternoon, as soon as we get into the kayaks a Minke …

Beautiful sunny day again. Now we are wearing sweaters instead of parkas. Many Gentoo penguins, Skuas and their babes. Avalanches across the bay. Beautiful lookout view. Fun slide down the snow. We paddled around Cueverville. We saw dolphins.
This was our actual landing on the Antarctic continent. I sat on the pebble beach and enjoyed the antics …

Today is the solstice- the longest day of the year. Another sunny, warm day. How lucky we are. Went to Vernadsky Landing and had a homemade vodka and visited the southernmost gift shop on the world. Oh yes, this is when the rest of the kayakers got to experience my thrill of the other day. We were admiring this big beautiful blue bridge iceberg. …

Today we visited Port Lockroy. Mailed letters at the post office. All of us have a bit of sunburn on our faces. We saw beautiful icebergs from water level in the kayaks and played sponge tag.
Saw shags and their chicks, gentoo penguins and their eggs, and whale bones from a time past.
This is the day Katy took the Polar plunge. Brrrr! Brave …