Cruise to Antarctica. How I visited the ends of the earth

23.10.2023

More than a month has passed since I returned from Antarctica, but I still haven’t gotten around to starting to write. Particularly because for a better understanding and so that there are fewer questions in the future, some explanations need to be given. And there are quite a few of them, and in this case the story becomes very voluminous. Therefore, it needs to be divided into several parts, which is what I do. This particular first part will be informative, but rather dry and not so visually attractive, since it cannot be accompanied by special illustrations. Therefore, my dear reader, I ask you to be patient and understand that below there will be a lot of letters, but few photographs. Just without some background and some explanations, my story will not be complete.

I've already been to Antarctica. In December 2010, I flew to King George Island for two days. And this, by the way, was the subject of my first story on Tourist. Those who know me well or more or less follow my travels know that I rarely return to places I have already visited before. For this to happen there had to be either some awesome reason, or I had to really, really like this place, or I “didn’t finish watching it.” But Antarctica stands out from this series.

The fact is that when I was in Antarctica in 2010, I wasn’t...

It looks like I have already confused you, my dear reader :-) But I will still try to explain what I mean. The fact is that tourists usually get to Antarctica either on small cruise ships that depart from Ushuaia, Argentina, or by plane to the same King George Island that I visited. Almost all cruises go to the same places - to the area of the South Shetland or South Sandwich Islands, King George Island, and less often they reach the edge of the Antarctic Peninsula. That is, all this action takes place in the region of 60th latitude. Which is generally quite far from the Equator. But as one of the polar explorers told me: “...to consider that you have seen Antarctica and understood what it is like by visiting only King George Island is the same as considering that you have seen Russia by visiting Kaliningrad...”. All the Russian polar explorers with whom I had the opportunity to talk, as one, argued that the Bellingshausen station, located precisely on this very King George Island, “is not Antarctica at all.” Well, that is, yes, geographically it belongs specifically to this continent, but in terms of climate, the diversity of flora and fauna, it has nothing in common with Antarctica.

“Remember, Slava, the real Antarctica begins after the Antarctic Circle“- this was the verdict of people who gave decades of their lives to this continent and saw everyone there. And although I understood that this very Southern Arctic Circle is a rather arbitrary thing, I could not disagree with them. And all the last years I have been racking my brains over how I can cross it...

There aren't that many options. And they all start from ~17 thousand dollars - by plane, for several days, in the area of the Russian Novolazarevskaya station, to ~50 thousand dollars - by plane to the South Pole. There are several more options, but the prices for them are simply atomic. It is precisely because of the high cost that most people are content with more affordable cruises or flights to sub-Antarctic latitudes. And not many people dare to take such a trip, so those who have been there are already lucky.

But I wanted more! Since my father wintered in Antarctica six times, everything connected with this continent has always been of special importance in our family. Therefore, I have always been interested in Antarctica, I know a lot about it, and most importantly, I have always had a dream to visit the places in Antarctica where my father worked. And they say that childhood dreams are some of the most powerful.

Soon the fairy tale will tell itself, but not soon, not quickly, and not just the deed is done. One dream is not enough. Something else is needed. And since all of us, born in the Soviet Union, remember that connections in our country sometimes mean much more than money, it was precisely them that I decided to resort to in order to get to Antarctica. My father is no longer alive, but my mother knows very well many of his friends and acquaintances, most of whom still work at the St. Petersburg Institute of the Arctic and Antarctic.

How could these people be useful to me?

Here's what. Russia was and still remains one of the few countries that conduct active scientific activities in Antarctica. In 1955, our first Antarctic expedition went there and since that time scientific research has been continuously conducted and the wintering staff changes every year. Some of the work is carried out using aviation. But the bulk of the cargo and personnel to Antarctica and back is delivered by the flagship of our polar fleet - the Scientific Expedition Vessel “Akademik Fedorov”.

The vessel's operating time intervals are approximately the same each year. Since it is easiest to carry out all the work during the Antarctic summer and autumn, from December to April, the ship leaves St. Petersburg in early November and returns six months later, at the end of May.

So my plan was to somehow get on this ship and thereby join the Russian Antarctic Expedition. I will skip all the details of how and with whom I negotiated, but as you understand, it all ended successfully - they agreed to take me on the ship as a passenger! Hurray! Antarctica is ours!!!

Then I just had to decide when and to which part of Antarctica I would go. And here again I need to give some explanations in which the diagram with the work schedule of the 62nd Russian Antarctic Expedition, to which I later went, will help me.

I had two travel options. The first is to fly to Cape Town in early December, board a ship and go on it to the Molodezhnaya, Progress, Mirny and Oasis Banger station areas. This route is marked on the diagram with a solid red line. A very interesting direction and there was a lot to see there. For example, in the area of Mirny station there is, although not great at this time of year, a chance to see Emperor penguins. During the Soviet period, the Molodezhnaya station was our Antarctic “capital” and had a very large area, but the Progress station is the current “capital” and the most modern station in terms of equipment. And in general, this area of Antarctica is least visited by tourists, one might even say that they almost never visit there. In general, this was an excellent and completely exclusive trip option, but it had one significant drawback - it was supposed to last about three months. Alas, I couldn’t afford to take a break from work for such a long time.

Therefore, I began to consider the second option in more detail. It is marked on the map with a red dotted line.

Having completed work in the area of the Progress station at the end of February, the ship was supposed to go to Cape Town to disembark part of the wintering crew, as well as replenish supplies of provisions and fuel. After this, in early to mid-March, “Akademik Fedorov” was supposed to move to the area of the Novolazarevskaya and Bellingshausen stations. This route was, of course, less interesting, if only because it had only two stations and I had already been to one of them, Bellingshausen. But the undeniable advantage was that it lasted only about a month and a half. An additional advantage was that after Antarctica the ship went to Uruguay, which was also a pleasant benefit for me, but I will explain why in the last part of my story. :-)

Well, I’ve made my decision - I’m going to Antarctica in March 2017. The leadership of the Russian Antarctic Expedition agreed on this choice of mine. All that remains is to buy a ticket to Cape Town and wait until the beginning of March :-)

At the end of the first, introductory part, I would like to raise one more question that will probably arise in my readers or those who want to repeat a similar journey. Of course, everyone is interested in how much it cost. Honestly, I don’t know to what extent this is a commercial or any other secret, but I did not receive consent from those who agreed on my participation in the publication of these figures. Let me just say that this is probably an order of magnitude less than what passengers on Antarctic cruises pay. By and large, I only paid for the cost of food.

It is also worth noting that the presence of such passengers is not a practice for the Russian Antarctic Expedition. The ship does not perform some entertainment functions in the polar latitudes, but is engaged in real scientific activities. The number of seats on the ship is limited and I was very lucky that there was one there for me.

It tells about the ship on which I went to Antarctica, as well as about the rules and procedures prevailing on it.

A February trip to Antarctica for strong-willed travelers is an excellent opportunity to test their strength.

Antarctic travel options

WHEN -
HOW TO GET THERE: You can get to Antarctica by plane by purchasing a ticket on one of the commercial Latin American flights. In addition, you can reach the ice continent by ship that sails from the south of Argentina.
TRANSFER - no
TRANSPORT: The arsenal of vessels that transport passengers to the continent includes special inflatable boats. Passengers from the liner are unloaded directly onto them and get to the shore. You can move around Antarctica itself on foot or on a sleigh. In any case, it is necessary to obtain special equipment.
WEATHER: In Antarctica you will experience extreme temperature changes. You need to be prepared for this, so you shouldn’t skimp on workwear. The most comfortable and acceptable weather here is in February. In the middle of winter the temperature will not drop below -5°C.
WHERE WE WILL BE - Tierra del Fuego, Ushuaia, Lemeira Strait, Paradise Bay, Cape Horn, Drake Passage, Drake Gorge.
EXCURSIONS - according to the tour program
ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD: Some cruise ships make a short stop in Antarctica for general information, but in general this place is not very popular, so you will not find hotels or accommodation here. The maximum that they can offer you is a temporary stay with accommodation in a small makeshift camp.

Antarctica is a place where you can merge with nature!

Anyone who has visited at least once in their life will never forget it. The impressions from the excursion are so intense that words cannot easily describe it. A cruise allows everyone to see and feel incredible natural wonders with their own eyes. The northern part of the continent is considered the most picturesque and colorful. It is there that you can meet huge whales, as well as many threatening icebergs. What is really interesting and fun to look at is the fur seal rookery. Having seen this, you will clearly not remain indifferent to these cute and slightly clumsy creatures.

Desperate adventure lovers should definitely go on such a trip in their lives, which can give a huge amount of positive emotions. The process of disembarking is also very interesting and exciting, because you take a boat trip from a comfortable liner to the shore. The view of ideal landscapes, accompanied by fascinating stories from the guides, will be remembered by you for the rest of your life. Going on such a trip in February, you will have a unique opportunity to see shaggy penguin chicks with your own eyes. However, in any case, having visited Antarctica, you can see the Gentoo penguin. It's funny that his habits are very human-like, so watching him is a pleasure.

If you want to see colorful king penguins, you will have to work hard, as you need to get into very hard-to-reach places. The photographs of such birds are simply magnificent. From November to March it is summer in Antarctica. That's when we can go on an excursion with the group. The majestic views are worth the price and your attention. The wild region is incredibly beautiful in February. Accordingly, trips are the most expensive during this month.

An international treaty was adopted in Washington on December 1, 1050. According to its contents, Antarctica was governed by twelve countries, and all decisions regarding it were made through collective decisions. Currently, thirty-eight countries are members of the governing structure. The Russian Federation can also join the governing states, because it was this country that opened the continent of Antarctica to the world.

The weather in Antarctica is very unstable, so choose several different sets of clothes.
The waters in the Drake Passage are rarely seen as calm, so it is better to have seasickness medication with you in advance.
You should make sure to pre-order tickets in a timely manner, as early booking will provide you with a discount.
Some tour operators provide clients with high-quality, special insulated jackets - parkas.

At the ends of the earth

Day 1 - Tierra del Fuego, Ushuaia

After arriving in Ushuaia and checking into the ship's cabin, we will walk around the city, taking time to visit Tierra Del Fuego National Park.

Day 2 - Drake Gorge

From the boat we can observe a variety of birds - petrels, greedy noisy seagulls. Perhaps we
even meet an albatross. Drake's Gorge is known for its very capricious temperament, but if we are lucky, the waves will be calm.

Day 3-6 - Antarctica, Lemeira Strait, Paradise Bay

We land on the mainland and see colonies of penguins. If the weather is favorable, we can stop at islets where there are gentoo penguins and enjoy the volcanic landscape and rocky Half Moon. We will also admire Paradise Bay and the Lemeira Strait.
Then a stop awaits us at the Chilean research and scientific base, where we will find a lot of new interesting information.

Day 7 – Cape Horn, Drake Passage

On the way back we go around Cape Horn - the junction of the oceans, and again pass through the Drake Passage. The guide will tell us the story of the legendary polar explorer Ernest Shackleton and many other interesting facts.

Day 8 – packing for home, shopping

Before flying to Buenos Aires, we still have time to purchase souvenirs in local shops. Let them always be the memory of your trip to the harsh continent of Antarctica.

An old friend of mine, let's call him Savely, has always been an adventurer. Since childhood, he looked for snake holes, climbed mountains and rocks in search of caves, and at a more mature age he mastered diving. He tied sea knots with his eyes closed, easily absorbed everything that a normal person can and cannot eat, knew every star by name, the names of almost all plants and animals, hoarsely sang songs with a guitar, and had a bunch of other advantages that are unique only to the real traveler. But his main trait is curiosity and the desire to see everything with his own eyes. As soon as he heard a story about some mysterious place, he immediately grabbed his always-ready backpack, took off, and only through rare phone calls could we track his movements around the globe.

Our Savely really dreamed of visiting Antarctica. To fulfill his dream, he got a job on a research ship and went to the icy continent for six months.

After arriving, we gathered in his bachelor’s apartment and bombarded him with questions. Savely was filled with impressions and was in a hurry to tell us everything. One of his stories amazed us all. I'll try to retell it.

“We arrived on the shores of Antarctica three weeks later. There are 14 crew members on the ship and 20 from the expedition. We had to land them, drift along the coast for a couple of weeks, then take them on board and land them again, but at a different point. The weather was sunny, the landing was successful, and the captain allowed several crew members to accompany the expedition to its destination. I was lucky to be on this team. You have no idea what Antarctica is! I won’t describe it for a long time, I’ll just say that my expectations were much more modest than reality! The air, the sky, the rocks covered with centuries-old ice floes, Everything here was more than beautiful! And penguins, those slow birds on the shore and fast-moving birds in the ocean! In general, I made my wish come true, having walked tens of kilometers along the land of my dreams.

The next ten days were quite monotonous, but then... After the watch, I woke up from hearing some strange noise... Jumping out onto the deck, I saw a strange picture: thousands of penguins, overtaking each other, rushing to the shore. The ocean boiled and hissed from them. But what the team members and I saw next was simply inexplicable - something was rushing behind them! It was huge, looking either like a snake or a long killer whale. Penguins jumped ashore, stumbled and fell. The shore was far away, about a kilometer away, but we saw how the creature got out of the water and began to scatter the penguins in different directions! The captain contacted the station, everything was normal there. Soon everything calmed down on the shore, and the captain gave the command to lower the boat.

What we saw defies any description: torn carcasses of birds lay scattered for several tens of meters around, the ice and stones were red with blood. We were attracted by the track in the snow - as if a bulldozer on one caterpillar had furrowed everything around. We expressed different guesses and versions to each other, but we could not find a normal explanation. Soon the guys from the station arrived. They brought photo and video equipment, began taking measurements and taking samples. Everyone was confused and worried. After returning to the ship, we discussed what we had seen for some time, and then went our separate ways.

A day later, history repeated itself. We were already ready to lower the boat. This time we were luckier: the creature’s traces were clearer, we even discerned traces of fins or paws - it’s difficult to explain. The arriving researchers combed the place far and wide and found a broken tooth! Its size was amazing! We all held it in our hands. And some time later, someone brought several scales of an unusual dark green color interspersed with pale yellow. The scales were the size of a palm. We realized that we were faced with something still unknown to science.

I hope my review of the trip to Antarctica will be useful to someone; I will try to convey the atmosphere and unforgettable impressions that capture all participants in the Antarctic expedition. And I really want someone to get excited about this unique journey and make their dream come true.

Firstly, it is very important to choose the ship and operator on which you will take your cruise. Since the outcome of the entire journey will depend on this. Fortunately, there are now many options for every budget. These are luxury ships (Sea Spirit, Ocean Diamond, Silver Explorer), and real expedition ships (Ortelius, Plancius, Ocean Nova), and so-called economy class ships (for example, Ushuaia, Polar Pioneer...), on which I would not recommended traveling because... Tourist reviews and price-quality ratio leave much to be desired. And such a trip as to Antarctica should be remembered only by the most positive emotions. Therefore, I recommend choosing operators with many years of experience and a professional expedition team.

Secondly, the timing of your trip to Antarctica also matters. And it's not just about cruise prices. It is clear that during the peak season (December–February) the cost is higher; the factor of the New Year holidays also comes into play here. At the beginning of the season (November - early December), nature is just waking up, ice conditions are still difficult, ships cannot always enter small bays, and penguin babies have not yet hatched. At the end of December - beginning of February there are much more sunny days, icebergs shine, snow blinds your eyes, and you can already see cute fluffy penguin babies. And at the end of the Antarctic season (end of February - March), although the weather is not always pleasant with sunny days, you can watch a whale safari from the decks of the ship. The snow in many bays has already melted, many broken icebergs have appeared, the penguin babies have grown up and are showing their lively nature, and walruses and harbor seals pose for tourists without any fear. Of course, it is impossible to predict the weather, especially in Antarctica, sometimes nature throws up surprises (both pleasant and not so pleasant), but you still need to understand what to expect, at least roughly.

My Antarctic cruise was in mid-March. Honestly, I expected the worst: a force 10 storm in the Drake Passage, constant snow, squally winds and boring pensioners on board, but everything turned out to be exactly the opposite! Well, maybe, except for the storm on the way back (and then, of course, not 10 points). Well, it was a little rocky, the doctor on the ship fed everyone pills, but I had a great night’s sleep. By the way, I highly recommend stocking up on anti-sickness pills in advance. Moreover, do not bring them from Russia, but buy local ones in Ushuaia. They are much more effective and help better!
Since the cruise was one of the last of the season, the price was low, and there were almost only young people on board! This surprised me greatly, because... I expected to see wealthy American grandparents. It turned out that mostly nice Australians, British and Americans aged 25-40 years. Our Russian group did not disappoint. The atmosphere was very pleasant and friendly. The expedition team did everything possible to ensure that landings were as frequent as possible. It was also pleasantly surprising that there were Russians on the ship’s crew. So we were provided with an individual tour of the ship and sea stories. It’s a pity, of course, that we were never able to swim on the island. Deception due to heavy fog, but until the last moment there was no hope.

After the first two days in the Drake Passage, where we were only entertained by whales, the first rocks with ice caps and drifting icebergs seemed something extraordinary. Land at last! We waited for the first landing on the shore like manna from heaven. There was so much joy and delight at the sight of the penguins! Everyone was happy like little children, posing and flirting. But the members of the expedition team strictly ensured that they did not touch them under any circumstances. Rules of conduct on the White Continents must be strictly observed by tourists!

After a couple of landings, the colonies of thousands of penguins no longer brought us calf delight. Everyone got used to them and took them for granted. Well, a little penguin ran by your side, well, okay, let him run on. But leorpard seals are something new! And on a delightful turquoise iceberg! While cruising on the Zodiacs, we came so close to them that we could see them in every detail. It was a photographer's paradise!

Another tip for those who go there: after disembarking, do not forget to take a piece of the purest iceberg with you on board the ship. An exotic cocktail is guaranteed at the bar.
There is also another myth that in Antarctica it is constantly -50 degrees. Of course, in the depths of the continent this is true, but cruises are carried out only along the Antarctic Peninsula and only in “summer” (i.e. our winter), when the temperature is about 0-5 degrees. So you don’t need to stock up on five sweaters and two down jackets to be comfortable there. Well, if you decide to climb the mountain to photograph the amazing view, then you will have to work hard. In general, don’t be afraid of the brutal cold and buy special clothing. All tourists are given insulated rubber boots for landings, and some operators give branded polar jackets.

Those who collect stamps in international passports will be pleasantly surprised by the unusual stamp with a penguin. This is a completely official seal about visiting Antarctica. It is affixed at the port of Lockroy. So don't forget to take your passport with you when you disembark!
I think it's time to call it a day, because... You can write about Antarctica endlessly. Remembering the expedition now, I relive all the emotions again and again. From photographs it is impossible to appreciate the full scale, beauty, silence, spirit and atmosphere of such a distant and harsh continent. I wish everyone to visit there once, and Antarctica will forever remain in your heart.