Day 2 began with a 4 am wake up call and an early morning charter flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, the southernmost tip of Argentina, and the gateway to all Antarctic voyages. After 4 hours flying straight south, we descended into the foothills of Patagonia.
Descending into Ushuaia
It was a gorgeous day; a rarity in Ushuaia, as the weather here tends to be blustery and rainy most of the summer. But we lucked out, and got to enjoy a day of mild 55 F degree sunshine for a few hours before embarking on the next 800km leg of our journey, where the temps would be less forgiving.
Ushuaia, Argentina
With half a day to spare before embarkation, we traveled to the nearby Tierra del Fuego National Park to enjoy some sprawling views over mountain ridges, verdant valleys, and harbors of the Southern Atlantic.
The southernmost post office in the world. That's the marketing claim anyway, not sure it's factually true, but it's undoubtedly cute.
back in Ushuaia, with a few minutes to spare before embarkation, we walked around the tiny port town. Just like Lukla in Nepal at the base of the Everest, or Aguas Calientes in Peru at the foothold of Machu Picchu, Ushuaia is a gateway to something bigger, a beckoning unknown, and the whole town buzzes with the electric current of anticipation and restlessness that precedes a great adventure.
Our ship, the World Voyager, glimpsed from the streets of Ushuaia.
Heading up to what would be our home for the next 11 days.
We've never been on a cruise before so we had no frame of reference, but we LOVED the World Voyager the minute we set foot on it.
Not only was it stylish, brand new, and impeccably appointed, but the staff and crew were also the nicest people we've ever met in hospitality. The level of service from the minute we walked on board to the minute we (grudgingly) walked off for the last time, made us feel like some kind of oligarchs.
The Dome - one of the lounges on the Voyager
a toast to casting off!
Cruising through the Beagle Channel. Named after Darwin's famous ship, the Beagle is a long channel between Argentina and Chile that leads to the Southern Atlantic. It takes several hours to traverse it, and since we cast off at 6pm, we entered the Drake passage close to midnight.
the last continental sunset for the next 3 days as we approach the Drake, around 10pm
The next two and a half days were spent at sea, crossing the infamous Drake passage, known for some of the roughest waters in the world. But we were lucky here again, we got calm conditions known the "Drake Lake". By early morning of our second day of sailing, we started seeing icebergs in the distance, and as the day wore on, they became larger and more numerous.
If you've never seen an iceberg up close before, let me tell you, it stops you in your tracks. Coming face to face with something so colossal and ancient (many are thousands of years old) can only be described as otherworldly.
It became like a meditation for me over the course of the trip - simply observing them in mute stupor as they slowly drifted by. Some were the size of a bus, others the size of a small island rising hundreds of feet above the water. All were majestic, elaborate, and imposing. In their presence I felt my mind slow, like being pulled into a trance, the constant static of thoughts dissolving into simply being present.
Of course there was also a ton of whales and seabirds to spot along the way.
When I wasn't staring slack jawed out the window, we kept ourselves busy on the very-well equipped ship. Inevitably, amazing food was being served non-stop at every corner.
There was also a great educational program. We had regular lectures about the history, geography, geology, and fauna of Antarctica, along with mandatory IAATO (International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators) trainings on what to expect, how to behave on land and on the water, protecting the environment and native species, tips for not dying, along with gear fittings, fitness testing, and thorough gear and clothing decontamination to ensure we didn't bring any foreign material onto the continent. We certainly were never bored!
Down in the mud room, getting fitted for our parkas and wetsuits (for kayaking)
Naturally we took advantage of the amenities :D