Yesterday, we thought we’d be able to visit the most remote post office in the world, where four women deliver mail and count penguins here in Antarctica. They beat out 6,000 applicants for the job. But, alas, we were at a different spot on the island, and didn’t get to see it. Viking did, however, give us a postcard with the Antarctic stamp on it, that we could have mailed from the post office, but we decided to keep it instead.

This morning, the science team aboard our ship, launched a weather balloon. Viking has a partnership with NOAA, and the US national weather service has sanctioned an official launch station on Viking expedition ships, making them the world’s first civilian ships to be so equipped. The weather balloons are made of biodegradable latex and are filled with helium. The balloons have a small transmitter and sensor unit attached, which will broadcast wind, temperature, and pressure data down to the ship every second. Pretty amazing.

We are now getting the hang of donning our arctic gear without any problems. My advice however is, don’t leave it till the last minute, because even when you become proficient, it still takes quite awhile to get everything on. It must be done in steps: 1. Go to the bathroom first 2. Then put the sock liners and heavy socks on 3. Now, put on the Capilene long johns 4. Next, the fleece lined pants and tops, 5. (and this step is very important), the snow pants and THEN, 6. the heavy snow boots. Do not try to put the boots on first, thinking, because of the zipper and snaps on the snow pants that allows a wide opening at the bottom, you can pull the pants over the boots. You can’t.
Then comes 7. the insulating inner coat layer which goes under 8. the red outer jacket.
Getting the 9. life jacket on was another learning experience. You first lay it down on the bed with the labels facing down, and then you put it on like a vest, carefully pulling the other side over your other shoulder. The life jacket gets belted around your waist and then another strap gets anchored between your legs. (Men…do NOT pull that strap too tightly!) Finally, don the 10. glove liners, 11. gloves, 12. woolen hat, and 13. ski goggles or sunglasses and finally Ta-dah…you’re on your way.
Hopefully, you have remembered step 1 before you began, because otherwise, good luck!
After the excursions, you have to take off the gear pretty much the opposite of how you put them on. Important note: take off the boots first (which actually is not an easy feat …no pun intended), because the snow pants will never go over them and it just makes for a very comical situation as you are all tangled up with the pants around your knees and stuck halfway over the boots. Trust me on this.

Many of the icebergs that float by are individual works of art, sculpted by the wind and the elements, and featuring shades of blue embedded in their crevices or along their walls. I have taken many photos of these beauties, and when I get home, I will have Shutterfly arrange them in a frame for a wall hanging.

On today’s zodiac cruise, the snow on the mountains looked like agate with the iron deposits and the algae. Breathtaking!

Whaling was a popular activity back in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, and when the whales were harpooned and brought onboard, every part of the whale was used – the oil and the blubber primarily.

In 1915, one whaling mission on a ship called the Governoren ended, and the crew in celebration, had a party below deck. Historians have surmised that the party had to be held below, because the deck was filled with whales in various stages of processing and butchering. The crew knew they’d soon be on their way home, hence the celebration. Unfortunately, the dancing and drinking got a bit out of hand, and someone knocked over an oil lantern. By this time, the ship was filled with thousands of gallons of whale oil, ready to be hauled back to Norway. That oil served to ignite a huge fire causing it to get out of control quickly. The captain set the ship aground and all the 85 crew members escaped without injury. They were later rescued by another whaling ship.
We were able to view this shipwreck as well as some water boats that were used to bring fresh water to the whaling boats.

We have had amazing weather. No rain, sunny skies, and mild temps for the most part. The crew keeps saying how lucky we are, since the last voyage had nothing but rain. We truly are blessed.
A fellow passenger was able to snap a picture of a whale that came fairly close to his zodiac. Wowser!!!

This afternoon we plan on attending a seminar on plankton, and tonight, dinner with friends, followed by story-time in The Hide.

This morning after breakfast, a zodiac took us over to Damoy Point, to hike over to a hut that was established in Nov 1975. The hut operated from 1975-1993 and provided shelter for operators and scientists traveling to and from Rothera (Station R) and other BAS sites, especially when ice prevented access by sea. Proposed for demolition in 2007, the hut was saved and designated an Historic Site and Monument No. 84 under the Antarctic Treaty System in 2009. It has been under UK care since October 2009.

We emerged from the zodiac and did the drill…scoot to the end of the zodiac, swing your feet with heavy boots over, step into the rocky water’s edge, and then make your way to land. We’re getting pretty proficient at it.
Going up to view the Penguin rookery and the hut was a bit of a challenge as you climbed icy “steps”, but there were people there extending a helping hand along the way.
We trekked over to view the rookery, and then over to see the hut, which was being painted.
On the way back to the zodiac, and descending over the icy steps, I said to the guide, “I’m going down like an old lady! Oh wait…I AM an old lady”. He responded, “Noooo!” I wasn’t sure whether that Nooo meant he didn’t think I was old or whether he meant, Noooo… not ANOTHER old lady to help down!! Lol

When we got back to our ship, I pulled my camera out of the case to take a photo of the decontamination system for our boots that they have, and Allan saw my key card fall out, and as luck would have it, it fell between the grids. Time stopped!! And then one of the crew took two sticks to fashion chopsticks, and carefully plucked my card out. My hero!!! We walked through the decontamination wash and then were greeted with some mulled cider, and a nice warm cloth to wipe our hands with.

After lunch, we took advantage of the launderette and washed our clothes. We loaded our clothes into the washer, and then, we pushed the button to start the cycle. In order to fill the machine with soap, there was a sign on the side that said “Press here”, to allow the soap to go in. Nothing happened. We pressed again and still nothing, although our machines were filling with water and tumbling. We called down to the desk for help, just as a lady came in who was already doing her wash. She showed us the button to push. Duh! It was nowhere near the sign that said push here. Oh well. We pushed the button and the suds immediately started to emerge. Yay!

Tonight it’s dinner at The Restaurant with friends.
Just as an aside, the crew is amazing. They know our names and greet us wholeheartedly every time we see them.

I forgot to mention yesterday, that there is a little spot called Mamsen’s on deck 5, where you can get some delicious Norwegian deli items. They serve lovely open-faced sandwiches on home-made bread, featuring Atlantic shrimp and pickled cucumber, or roasted beets with hard boiled egg, gravlax cured salmon and red onions, and roast beef and fried onions. Each sandwich comes with a sauce. Warm sandwiches like crab cake with smashed avocado or beef carbonnade with onion confit are offered, as well as some hearty and hot soups. There is a nice selection of cake and cookies, and it is perfect for a little afternoon pick me up. They also serve breakfast – waffles, oatmeal, cinnamon rolls, and sweet rolls with almond paste. It’s not open all the time, but you can check the Viking app to see what the hours of operation are.
The Viking app is very helpful while on the ship, as it tells you your schedule for the day and also sends you notices in the event an excursion is canceled.
We are now on Danco Island with huge mountains all around us. Our zodiac ride took us on shore for the first time, to set foot on Antarctica, which was pretty awesome. The day is perfect…34 degrees, no wind with slight peeks of sunshine through the clouds. The zodiac took us up to the rocks and then we had to swing our feet over and into the water and then walk onto shore. One would think it’s an easy feat to get in and out of the zodiac, but the boots are very heavy and cumbersome, and with your legs down, you really have to give them a good boost to get them up and over. The guides are always there to help you. You use the fireman‘s grip with them while entering and exiting.

The scenery is breathtaking. The mountains are huge and we asked how tall they actually are. One officer said to guess how tall you think they are…and then double it!!

And then…penguins, penguins, penguins…hundreds of them! They were walking up and down their highways, strutting along. They basically ignored us because they are intent on getting back to their nests up the mountain, after feeding in the waters. The smell of the penguin poop was a little overwhelming at first, but we soon got used to it.

Allan climbed up to where the nests were, tucked in the rocks. He did a great job getting back down as well. I got halfway up and saw people slipping and sliding on their butts on their way down, and I also realized the ice was preventing my poles from getting a good hold, so I turned around and waited by the water, content to watch the penguins. It was just a fabulous excursion.
Allan was very happy that we canceled our kayak adventure, and today after talking with a lady that had just come back from kayaking, I was happy we canceled as well. She said while paddling all around, some whales decided to swim under the kayaks. They were concerned the whales would overturn the kayaks, so the guide had each kayak go back to the ship individually. Pretty scary stuff. And the other day, a penguin jumped into one of the zodiacs and slid down into the front of the boat and the guide had to give him a boost from underneath to get him back into the sea. Wish we could have been there for that!
Had a delicious lunch at Mamsen’s and then it was off to the submarine dive. They gave us special boots to wear and they took us out to the sub via a zodiac.
Transferring from the zodiac to the sub wasn’t too bad. The problem is, you are very restricted with all the under layers and the life jacket. Bending your legs is pretty tricky, but before we knew it, we were descending by a ladder, thru a rather small hatch, and taking our designated seats inside the sub. We were assigned seats so that the weight was balanced so the sub wouldn’t dip forward or backwards. We had to practically crawl to our seats because the space was very small. Our yellow submarine was named Paul, (who actually was my favorite Beatle).
After a safety check, we began our dive, going down to about 270 feet. We saw lots of sunstars, coral, sponges, and krill. At one point a whale swam over, but we weren’t able to see him. Our pilot said we are the first to see that part of the ocean floor in the area he piloted to and actually, there have only been about 2,000 people who have had the opportunity to explore the Antarctic sea by submarine. It was an amazing opportunity and we are so glad we finally took the plunge!

This port was not on the original itinerary, but we are so happy it was added. Majestic, awe-inspiring, beautiful, breathtaking…God.

What an amazing day.

We arrived in Melchior Islands – a group of many low, ice-covered islands lying near the center of Dallmann Bay in the Palmer Archipelago of Antarctica. The scenery is stunning and we just can’t believe we are on this amazing expedition.

After breakfast, we had to get ready for our Special Ops boat ride. It takes so long to gear- up, that the thought crossed my mind to just sleep in all the polar clothing when we have an early expedition departure!! 😂. We are getting more proficient putting on everything, but it takes a good 15 minutes before we are really set to go… And that’s with already wearing the long johns and fleece pants when we went to breakfast.

I decided I will not be wearing gloves anymore; too much of a pain taking them on and off with the liners. Mittens are the way to go since you can pull them off and snap a pic and put them back on. The wearing of ski goggles is essential since the snow and sleet pummels your face as you zoom along in any of the boats. The heating closet has been doing a fair job of drying everything for the next adventure.

Today on our Op boat, we saw a lot of seals and many Arctic terns that were flying by looking for small fish to dine on. We also passed by Melchior Base, an Argentine base and scientific research center.

After lunch we went on our first zodiac ride and saw lots of fur seals and some amazing ice formations. The sun came out during our ride, and the temperature was much warmer than it was on the special ops boat this morning.

We came back and I took a dip in the infinity pool which was nice and warm.

Tonight we’re meeting friends for a drink and dinner.

We finally made it to Antarctica, a day ahead of schedule. We entered into the Fournier Bay around 1:00 pm and we all went to the outside deck at the bow of the ship to photograph the event. It was pretty windy and snowy, but not terribly cold. We were handed Irish coffees as we looked through the snowflakes, gazed at the icebergs, and spyed a faint glimpse of the land beyond. Magical!

Our cabin window is a huge picture window and the top half opens to the outside, so we were able to take pics of the icebergs that floated by as well as watch all the kayaks and zodiacs cruising by. It felt really nice with the wind and the snowflakes blowing in as we stood there and drank some coffee.

We went to the lounge after breakfast where all the guides and scientists were milling about to answer any questions you might have about the wildlife on Antarctica or about the excursions. Bloody Marys and mimosas were served as well as cookies.

There would not be any landings on shore today – but because we arrived a day early, they offered sea excursions and we immediately signed up for the Special Op Boat. Then we saw that they moved our submarine adventure from Thursday to today. We were so excited, but unfortunately, the excitement dampened (no pun intended) since the weather worsened and the sub excursion was cancelled. They said they will sign us up for another day as soon as possible.
We went to a lecture about Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton who was an Irish Antarctic explorer who led three British expeditions to Antarctica. The story is fascinating and it was amazing how the crew survived in the worst conditions when their ship became stuck in ice and then crushed. The crew was forced to camp on the ice for months.

When it came time to leave for the Special Operations boat…it took longer than we thought it would take to get into our gear. Underlayers, fleece layers, snowpants, hat, goggles, boots, gaiters, socks and liners, gloves and liners, and then the life jacket!! We were a little late getting to the boat, but it all worked out ok.

It’s been snowing all day and it really was coming down as we boarded the boat. Our boots are very heavy and walking and climbing stairs was a little tricky.

We zoomed out in our boat in search of some aquatic animals, and we weren’t disappointed. We saw seals and many whales… One was huge and the guide said we were so lucky as she’s never seen one that big in these waters. The snow was pelting us from all angles, but we really were cozy warm. Apparently, it’s unusual to see snow this time of year. It usually rains.

We came back and took off our winter clothing (Allan had to help me get my boots off) and we hung everything in the warming closet.

We went to hear a lecture by an environmental scientist from Oceanites, about counting penguins, which was very interesting. The scientist spoke about global warming and the impact it has on the penguins. Viking has allowed a group of these scientists to sail on the Octantis, so that they can go on land and count the penguins. I thought that would be an unattainable task…(wait Mr. Penguin. Stand still. Did I count you?… Oh no… Now they’re all moving around. I think I already counted him. Wait…Come back!!!! I didn’t get to count all of you!!!!! Or did I… Who knows?) But in actuality, they don’t count the penguins, but instead, they count the nests. Pretty clever!

We then went to the lounge and enjoyed an after dinner drink while listening to some classical music played by a pianist and a violinist.

Tomorrow will be a busy day.

The waters are getting a bit rougher now, but not like the Drake shake we feared. The crew said this has been a wonderful crossing… probably in the middle of lake and shake. That said, while standing in the shower this morning, I had visions of bouncing off the walls like a ping-pong ball, but alas, I was able to stand rather steadfastly, hold my ground, and got out barely scathed. (I did have to be very careful with eye make-up application so as not to poke myself in the eye.)

Walking to breakfast, was a challenge, as we staggered like drunken sailors from our room to the buffet, careening from one side of the hallway into the other. One crew member told me to walk in a squat position with my legs spread far apart. Looks rather weird, but it did help to keep my balance. Once you had your tray of breakfast selections, it was tricky carrying it back to the table without dumping it on someone’s head as you passed. It’s unbelievable that during the last sailing, apparently the waves went almost up to the 4th deck. So glad our crossing has been relatively smooth.

After breakfast we attended the mandatory briefing by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operations, IAATO, which was founded in 1991, to advocate and promote the safe and environmentally responsible private-sector travel to Antarctica.

When going ashore, you must always be aware of what’s around you and not run, shout, or walk in the penguin “highways”. (The “highways” are how the penguins traverse back and forth from their nests.) Also, make sure you don’t ever come between a mom and her offspring as that can cause aggressive behavior as well.

You not only have to be cognizant of the penguins. Some seals can be aggressive or more easily disturbed than others, which can make them dangerous. They bite. Stay 15 feet away.

You cannot bring anything back with you from the land except your memories and your photos. Rocks, eggs, feathers, flora must all remain. And you are not permitted to make any marks on any of the buildings or wrecks that are on the shore. In other words, no writing “I WAS HERE! 2023!”

Lastly, cannot sit, kneel, or lie down on the ground or snow, or leave any equipment on the ground, close to animal activity or fecal matter.

Since the beginning of 2022, the increasing intensity of avian influenza outbreaks has resulted in the death of hundreds of thousands of seabirds in the Northern Hemisphere, around the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and southern Africa. It has also caused elevated grey and harbour seal mortalities in the United States. The IAATO is working with diligence to prevent avian flu from impacting Antarctica. With the start of this year’s tourist season, experts fear it’s only a matter of time until the virus impacts the bird and seals on Antarctica. Hence the strict procedures that are currently in place. Antarctica would be closed to tourists for many, many years if the flu threatened its avian population.

These strict procedures require us to ensure that all of our clothing and equipment, and anything that may come into contact with the Antarctic environment, is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before going ashore. Our boots must be hosed down thoroughly with water, the bottoms scrubbed and then they are treated with disinfectant spray that we walk over upon leaving or returning to the ship.

After lunch, we went down to the lowest deck to get our outdoor gear vacuumed for any pods or seeds and also to pick up our snow boots. They had already delivered our coats, coat liners, and snowpants to our room and they are a perfect fit, so we’re all set to traverse Antarctica.

They made an announcement in late afternoon, that we made better time traveling the Drake’s then originally predicted and so they would be offering excursions for tomorrow that were originally not possible. We were lucky to be able to sign up for the Special Ops boat for tomorrow at 6:40 pm as most of the spots filled up quickly.

We went to the Captain’s welcome presentation and then met our friends for drinks and on to dinner… Sushi, sashimi, lobster tail and filet.

Tomorrow we might check out the pool before our excursion. The weather is beautiful and the seas, while still making it difficult to walk around the ship, are making for a wonderful experience.

Before dinner last night, we met a couple in the Explorer’s Lounge for a pre-dinner drink, and had a lot of fun getting to know each other as we sailed closer and closer to the Drake Passage.

They had early dinner reservations, so we said goodbye, and Allan and I went to the World Cafe for a little sushi before going for our 8 o’clock dinner reservation at the specialty Italian restaurant, Manfredi’s. While at the World Cafe, (on the advice of numerous crew members that I had been polling concerning the Drake passage the minute I boarded the ship), I picked up some breadsticks and a green apple, and brought the plate back to our cabin to help in case of nausea. The crew also mentioned sipping ginger ale, and fortunately, our refrig had a few bottles stocked inside already.

We went to dinner, and happened to sit next to our new friends, so we continued the laughs and the conversation. While dining, a pod of hourglass dolphins swam by close to the ship, and our friend was fortunate to snap a pic.

The football game was on in the Living Room after dinner, and many people were watching the game, but we decided to call it a night and turn in.

About 12 am, the mountain range that we were following ended, and we entered the Drake passage. I read for awhile as the waves began to build, but soon fell asleep as did Allan. I woke up numerous times during the night to the swells, but I’m happy to say the scopolamine patch did its job and I felt fine. Getting up to use the bathroom was a little tricky as the ship was really rolling, but all in all, life in the Drake Passage was going much better than I had feared.

Morning dawned and the waves were still rocking, and looking out our picture window as the sun was beginning to peek over the horizon, made for a beautiful photo op.

And the plate of seasickness remedy still sits, untouched.

I forgot to mention yesterday…we were the only couple met by Viking for the ride to the hotel from the domestic airport. (Most people arrive from the US at the international airport). We had a delightful guide who was very proud of her country, and she kept up a running commentary about the sites along the way. We arrived at the hotel at the same time as a bus that had transported Viking passengers from the other airport. Those passengers all lined up in a queue to check into the hotel, but our guide whisked us to the front of the line and the hotel agent literally stopped helping one of the other passengers and checked us in, much to the dismay of the people on the line. (How to win friends and influence people on our first day of meeting fellow passengers! Yikes!) I knew I would eventually have to wow them with my scintillating conversation and flawless dance moves once onboard, (haha) but all worked out fine since, as I have already mentioned, we have been in the company of some lovely folks and have enjoyed their company.

Our chartered flight to Ushuaia was excellent and they even served a sandwich and snacks along with beverages during the almost 4 hour flight. Wearing masks has been mandatory on all the flights in both Brazil and Argentina.
We flew into Ushuaia and saw the mountains sprawled out in all their majesty, and we couldn’t help but be awe inspired. Situated on the Beagle Strait, Ushuaia is the largest city in Argentine Tierra del Fuego, and the southernmost city in the world. It had been both a penal colony and a naval base as well, and the naval base is still functioning.

Once on board, we received our room key as the room was ready and we immediately had to go thru a safety test for our upcoming submarine excursion. They had to make sure we could squat and hold that position for 2 counts so as to be able to enter the hatch and then they had us lift one leg and place on a chair to make sure we could balance ourselves without falling over. The person giving the safety test was one of the sub pilots and he said we all passed. I quipped…I’m just glad you didn’t ask us to count backwards from 100 by 7’s as part of the test. Lol. Then we had to sign waivers and they weighed us to make sure that the weight will be evenly distributed in the sub. This is important as weight on the sub must be evenly distributed so it is heavy enough to submerge, but light enough to resurface.
Our excursion jackets were on our bed when we finally entered our room. My fits perfectly, but Allan’s was the wrong size. Our cabin steward will bring him a new one.
We had a delicious lunch and at 2 pm, we went to a mandatory safety video for the sub excursion. There are two yellow submarines on the ship that they use, and of course one is named John and the other is Paul. (The sister ship to the Octantis, the Polaris has two subs named Ringo and George.) The video showed us that there are actually two green buttons to press in the event the pilot loses consciousness. One is to power the sub to the surface and one is to talk with someone above after putting on the headphones. There is also an emergency kit for each passenger that has a breathing apparatus and you put that on your head in the event of a decrease in oxygen. He also said if you are prescribed medicines that, without which, you could be in serious trouble, bring enough for 96 hours. (But later on he said the battery on the sub only lasts 8 hours. Hmmm. Where would we be during those other 88 hours? Probably bobbing along until someone rescues us I guess. Hopefully, someone would have pushed that green button before the battery died.)
He said that only about 1,000 or so folks have had this opportunity – to view Antarctica from the depths of the sea, and we might see aquatic life that has never been seen before. We’re really excited and hope when our time comes for the sub adventure, the weather will be cooperative.
We met a nice couple from the Philly area and so we’ll meet them at 6 for drinks and at 8 pm, Allan and I will have dinner at Manfredi’s, one of the specialty restaurants on board.
At 6 pm, the ship departs for the Drake passage. We have placed our sea sickness patches behind our ears, so hopefully we’ll be okay. Say a prayer for us that’s it’s the Drake Lake.

Our flights went well and we arrived at our hotel. The only interesting thing to report (which was a little disconcerting, if truth be told), happened on our last leg on Latam airlines. Before we disembarked the plane, they made an announcement that they would be “spraying the cabin, but not to worry, it’s non toxic.” Say what now??? Well, good it’s not harmful, but before we had a chance to ask what the spray was for, we could smell it, as it began to permeate the air. So hopefully, when you see us again, we will not have sprouted horns or a third eye.

The Hilton hotel was quite nice, and we had a tapas dinner with a glass of wine before turning in early because we had a 3 am wake-up call to catch our 6:35 flight.
We’ve met some really nice people so far, so it looks like the trip will be a lot of fun.
Next time I post, we will be in Ushuaia and boarding the ship.