Antarctica, the coldest place on earth – frozen for 30 million years – is the largest desert in the world. While it is the highest, driest, and windiest continent, it is home to the most breathtaking wonders on earth. Less than .001% of the world’s population gets to experience the magic of traveling to Antarctica, which is only accessible 4 months a year. Antarctica is the most remote place in the world, with no human population, no official time zone, and almost 24 hours of light. The only way to get there is by crossing the Drake Passage – the world’s roughest, most dangerous waters.
Visiting Antarctica has held the #1 spot on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. I was drawn to the mystery of its extreme cold and isolation. So, it was a dream come true when I finally got to make it happen. To make the trip even more exciting, Antarctica was the only remaining continent I hadn’t traveled to, and it had long been my goal to visit all seven. My trip started on the Scenic Eclipse II – the world’s first discovery yacht on its inaugural voyage to Antarctica. It was a 2-week journey with only 120 people on board the boat. Throughout the trip, we’d take two helicopters, a submarine, and many zodiacs (inflatable rafts). When we finally arrived, it was indescribable. As I looked at the icy expanse for the first time, all I could think of was, “This is Antarctica.”
Before traveling to Antarctica, we commenced our expedition in Buenos Aires – home of Messi and the tango. We spent four days exploring the vibrant streets of the Argentine capital.
From Buenos Aires, we journeyed to the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia—also known as “The End of the World.” There, we explored for the day before eagerly boarded the Scenic Eclipse 2, which would serve as our home for the next two weeks. We sailed through the Beagle Channel, passing the majestic Andean mountains of Tierra del Fuego and skirting along the Chilean coast of Patagonia.
The only way to reach Antarctica is by crossing the most treacherous convergence of seas, the strongest current in the world: The Drake Passage. Sailing the infamous Drake Passage is an epic rite of passage as it can be an incredibly bumpy. There’s even a nickname for the roughness – the Drake Shake. Luckily, our ship had an open navigation bridge policy, which meant we could join the captain at any point for a behind-the-scenes experience and the captain’s insight into how the ship was handling – which helped to put everyone’s worries at rest. The two days of tumultuous waters were made better by the ship’s spa, where I enjoyed views of icebergs from a sauna – not a bad way to put the mind at ease. Along the way, we saw Albatross birds, some of the largest birds in the world. They’re known for making long journeys, and I couldn’t help but think about how we passengers and the Albatrosses were taking similarly long journeys. Plus, spending the two days of tumultuous waters in the spa, observing icebergs from the sauna, wasn’t so bad either.
Cruising towards the Antarctic peninsula, we spotted our first icebergs in the distance. I spent the entire day in my bed, which I pulled onto the balcony and took in the sights with a pair of binoculars – unable to believe my dream of visiting Antarctica was coming true! Soon, someone from the ship’s crew announced the first penguin sighting, and everyone rushed to the front of the ship to see a single Emperor penguin – a rare sight since they normally exist in massive groups. As the sun set, we wound through icebergs covered in penguins. Waving them goodnight as rare white snow petrel birds, found only in Antarctica, swooped in. It was just the beginning.
After battling the dangers of Drake Passage and gliding through the icy Weddell Sea, our first day unfolded a once-in-a-lifetime journey to Snow Hill Island – the northernmost emperor penguin colony in the world! Getting to Snow Hill Island is a journey that’s only been made by a handful of people in the whole world!
The remote destination is only accessible by helicopter. The island is home to the largest penguins on the planet, standing up to 4 feet and weighing up to 75 lbs. The reason so few have completed the journey is largely because accessing the island requires pristine – and rare – weather conditions. First, we had to land our ship successfully, then take a helicopter whose landing was again contingent on favorable ice conditions. Fortunately, luck was on our side. As I gazed at the largest ice sheet in the world from the sky, I spotted Weddell seals sprawled out on the ice. More magic awaited me as I stepped from the helicopter onto the continent of Antarctica for the very first time and was immediately greeted by a committee of Emperor penguins waving and squawking. It felt like a dream.
After landing our helicopter, we took a mile-long trek through the sea ice. Soon, we were surrounded by over 10,000 Emperor penguins and serenaded by the adorable sounds of emperor penguin chicks. It felt like I was in the movie Happy Feet! We spent hours marveling at the baby chicks before returning to our helicopter, spotting sleepy, yawning Weddell seals along the way.
We ended this magical day in the hot tub on the ship’s sky deck, beholding the winter paradise around us. Later, as I drifted into sleep, nature bestowed one final awe-inspiring gift—a jaw-dropping bright orange and red sunrise at 2 a.m. Antarctica is known as the land of the midnight sun, after all.
Our next adventure was a short trip across the Weddell Sea to another island off the Antarctic peninsula. An inflatable boat called a Zodiak took us from the ship to Paulet Island – made up of lava flows and rocks, with no visible snow on the land. There, we experienced crystal-clear blue skies and sun rays dancing on cobblestone rocks. Paulet Island is home to a massive Adélie penguin colony. The Adélie penguin only exists in Antarctica, the smallest species on the continent. As we neared the island, I spotted Weddell seals wiggling their way to the water among the 200,000 breeding penguins. While some of them were jumping over pebbles, others were diligently incubating their eggs in the midst of their hatching season. Witnessing this pivotal phase in their life cycle was extraordinary.
Filled with joy from our penguin adventures, we set out toward the Antarctic Sound. As we sailed into the Bransfield Strait, an imposing sight awaited us head-on: the largest iceberg on the planet, known as A23a. The iceberg is more than double the size of London and triple that of New York City, boasting a colossal 3,900 sq km area, stretching 42 by 30 miles long, and standing an impressive 400 meters thick. I took in as many views of the iceberg’s magnificence as possible from the front of the ship and the comfort of my jacuzzi. I was sure not to take the views for granted since A23a is gradually eroding and drifting away from Antarctica.
As we turned away from A23a, an announcement reverberated through the ship: a new visitor had joined us. Large pods of killer whales – orcas – swam alongside the ship. It was a captivating moment that reminded us of Antarctica’s endless wonders.
Heading toward the snow-capped mountains of the South Shetland Islands, guiding us to Half Moon Island. We experienced our first snowstorm on the trip as we landed our zodiac on Half Moon Island’s rocky terrain, marking the beginning of our journey across penguin highways., We started with a steep hike and ascended icy mountains, reaching a panoramic view of the land of ice. Gazing over the cliff into this frozen landscape felt like I had momentarily escaped from reality. Then I laid eyes on my first Chinstrap penguin. Chinstraps are named for the distinct strap under their chin and take an astonishing 10,000 micro naps daily. They are famed for their aggressive and incredibly loud nature.
This trip has brought a cascade of unexpected wonders, including the discovery that we were sailing through a volcano… Yes, you heard that right.
To reach the mystic Deception Island, we navigated a narrow 500-meter channel known as Neptune’s Bellows, one of the few places on Earth where ships can sail directly into the heart of a volcano. After Cruising by Zodiac through Whalers Bay, I set foot on this active volcano and was welcomed by my fourth type of penguin companion – the Gentoo penguin. Gentoos are the world’s fastest underwater bird and the third-largest penguin species. Before the eruption 50 years ago, Deception Island was a whaling station holding an old fisherman’s village and a historic milestone – the first-ever flight into Antarctica in 1928, marked with an airport hangar. Exploring Antarctica’s human heritage and encountering history museum pieces that will degrade over time made this day feel so special. Many more adventures and discoveries await as the journey continues through the Gerlache Strait.
The ship gracefully sailed into Wilhelmina Bay, a place I now endearingly call “WHALEhelmina Bay.” The tranquil journey to the bay unveiled the most stunning glaciers and offered us enchanting encounters with Humpback whales. From the front of the zodiac, I marveled at these immense creatures, reaching lengths of up to 60 feet, weighing a staggering 80,000 pounds, consuming 3,000 pounds of food daily, and boasting a lifespan of up to 90 years. Each humpback carries a unique fin pattern, and I made a personal contribution to the identification and tracking efforts on happywhale.com – a tangible piece of Antarctica to carry home.
I learned that humpbacks’ songs can be heard up to 20 miles away! The day concluded with a bumpy yet exhilarating zodiac cruise back to the ship.
In the remote and icy wilderness lies an Antarctic hidden gem—Neko Harbor, known for having one of the most breathtaking backdrops in Antarctica. In a land that never really gets dark, I lost track of time. As the clock struck midnight, the captain silenced the engine. As I stepped onto my balcony, I was greeted by a surreal scene – Humpback whales encircled the ship. I could hear them feeding and blowing in the distance; the sounds of every exhale, and the crackling of ice on the water echoed in the profound silence. Surrounded by the untouched beauty of the planet’s most remote realm, I stood in awe and thought – how could the most remote and silent place on Earth feel so alive simultaneously? Soon, gentle snow began to fall, only serving as a mere preview of the magical day awaiting me.
Flandres Bay was the epitome of a winter wonderland. As white fog covered the skies and a serene calmness, I found myself in profound peace. I cruised through Flandres Bay, laying at the front of the zodiac, witnessing the mesmerizing blue icebergs drifting by, catching snowflakes, and taking in this white continent. It felt like a dream. To top off this fairytale, a Weddell seal was hiding in an iceberg on the way back to the ship. Despite its adorable appearance, this seal is renowned for being one of the toughest animals on the planet, claiming the southernmost residence of any mammal throughout the year.
We sailed through the famous Lemaire Channel, bringing us to the southernmost point of our adventure. We arrived at Pléneau Island, marking our final landing on the continent of Antarctica by foot. We hiked through the slippery snow before seeing Gentoo penguins gracefully sliding towards us. Soon, a truly special moment unfolded before my eyes– a Gentoo penguin proposal. In the proposal ceremony, the male carefully selects a pebble to offer to his prospective mate. I also encountered a penguin highway, observing a Gentoo penguin on one side and a rare baby elephant sleeping on the other.
We sailed through the Neumeyer channel to reach Fournier Bay, where we would stand up paddleboard across the largest ice sheet in the world. We knew this would be epic enough paddling by beautiful ice and glaciers, taking in our last day of views. But, we had a wild surprise, where we found ourselves surrounded by Humpback whales swimming around us. To make it all the more special, the captain of our ship delivered us champagne. Laying on a paddleboard in the Antarctica waters, a few feet away from Humpback whales singing and blowing water, while drinking champagne – I don’t think it gets any better. We ended the day with a celebratory jump in the water (with our dry suits) before taking in some of our last sights of Antarctica on our way back to the ship.
Life is an adventure; you only live once. Take the plunge. At least, that’s what I was saying to myself on our final day. Like every other day of this trip, I’ll never forget it, especially because I jumped in below-freezing waters for the Antarctic polar plunge in just my swimsuit—not once or twice, but three times!
As the announcement crackled over the ship’s speaker, I leaned against the balcony rail, watching in awe as Humpback whales surrounded the ship. Despite feeling a little uncertain, I wasn’t about to let a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity slip by. So yes, I decided to plunge, knowing that humpbacks were everywhere. We sought some “liquid courage” in preparation – downing a few shots before gathering at the back of the ship’s top deck – everyone dawning their robes as they waited their turn to jump. The atmosphere was electric as we danced, screamed, and cheered, fueled by anticipation and a bit more alcohol.
When our names were called, we went to the ship’s bottom floor, where a bar awaited us with shots lined up. After my initial plunge with my mom, I decided to jump with two staff members. With safety belts strapped on and hands held tight, we walked towards the ledge, bidding everyone farewell before taking the plunge into the frigid 30-degree water. It was a shock unlike any other, my body freezing up instantly. Confused and disoriented, I realized later, watching the video, that I had plunged the wrong way (face-first) amidst the chaos of yelling spectators.
But the moment I emerged, my lips blue and body shivering, my first words were, “Let’s do it again!” I then took a backward plunge with one of the managers and another with the bartender, enjoying a brief swim afterward. Spending over 2 minutes in the icy water and doing back-to-back plunges prompted a quick retreat to the jacuzzi.
Receiving official Antarctica Polar Plunging certificates, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride at having taken the plunge three times, setting the ship’s record. It was a “cool” experience, indeed, and one that will forever be etched in my memory as a thrilling rite of passage in Antarctica.
On our final day, our captain and the discovery leader recapped our voyage. Hearing it gave me goosebumps. It was incredible to hear how lucky we had been these last few weeks. Wildlife sightings and the weather in Antarctica are so unpredictable that expeditions are never guaranteed, but we truly lucked out every step of the way.
We sailed back to Ushuaia through the Drake Passage again but arrived a day early to avoid a storm that was going through. I reflected on the great friendships I made with the passengers and crew members on board and spent the last night going out to several bars at the end of the world (Ushuaua) with these new friends! It was the perfect end to a perfect trip.
Traveling to Antarctica was truly the trip of a lifetime. I am so fortunate and grateful to experience it. Every single expedition is different, and every person on the expedition has an entirely unique experience. You can watch one thousand videos and never have the same experience. From the Drake Passage to the immaculate sunsets and all the fantastic icebergs & wildlife in between, it was the most awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, teary-eyed, surreal experience of my life – 2 weeks of unforgettable memories frozen in my heart forever.
No video, photo, or story will fully encapsulate the magic of a trip to Antarctica.
If you’re thinking about visiting Antarctica, reach out to me to help you book your own once-in-a-lifetime journey!
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