We’ve been on an epic adventure for the past two weeks or so, but our ability to update you on our travels was limited by sporadic to nonexistent connection to the internet. So, buckle up—you’re about to get two weeks’ worth of news in one dose. I invite you to peruse the slide show below; the magnitude of Antarctica is impossible to capture in mere words.
Our summary of travels to and in some of the world’s most wild and beautiful regions—Antarctica and Patagonia—follows. This post will focus on Antarctica, and we’ll follow up on our visit to Patagonia (as well as Santiago) next week.
This trip has been a long time in the making. We began planning our expedition to Antarctica over two years ago. It seemed a fitting way to mark the launch of Elan. But, as with many others’ plans, the advent of C19 threw a wrench into our initial plans. Working with Silversea’s incredible expedition specialists, we forged ahead, undaunted. In total, we saw three cancellations of our Antarctica expedition, and finally saw the possibility of success toward the last months of 2021, as the date of our late January embarkation approached. We had asked others to join us, but with the schedule being a moving target some had to postpone their Antarctic ambitions.
Nonetheless, we were accompanied by three other couples on this trip. It was an immense honor to travel with them and the time we spent together gave us the opportunity to expand our “travel family.” We hope that we will be able to share future trips with those who became truly special friends.
Throughout the nearly two years from which we started planning for Antarctica, Silversea (as well as others who sail to the Seventh Continent) continued to explore ways to make it happen and ultimately found a winning approach. Changing our point of embarkation from Ushuaia, Argentina to Punta Arenas, Chile was the major factor that permitted Silversea to move ahead with our somewhat modified itinerary. So, on January 28, we flew from Chicago to Santiago, Chile to begin our incredible journey.
Without belaboring the point, the COVID protocols adopted by the Chilean government were a challenge, but with the expert guidance of Silversea we were able to negotiate the complexities without any real difficulty. By the time we were permitted to board the Silver Cloud we had completed three COVID tests and undergone an exhaustive process of authenticating our vaccinations. Was it worth it? Without a doubt!
On January 29th, after a one-night stay in Santiago and a subsequent flight to Punta Arenas, the Silver Cloud pulled away from the dock. This, in itself, struck many of us as almost surreal. After two years of planning, frequent disappointments, and negotiating the Chilean bureaucracy, we could scarce believe we were underway.
That afternoon, we sailed through the Strait of Magellan, along Tiera del Fuego, and entered the Drake Passage. Even now, I get all goosebumpy, thinking of our transit through waters that I first studied in grade school…places that seemed impossibly exotic and remote.
The Drake Passage is a notorious body of water, the place where the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific meet. Combined with sometimes impressive winds, it can be a daunting experience. Our first few hours were admittedly a bit choppy, with waves of 20-plus feet. But, the Captain forged a path that soon became smooth, even serene. The two day sailing across the Drake remained uneventful. The first evening we were introduced to our butler and learned about the extensive array of Silversea amenities, from in-suite dining to daily laundry service. While the voyage was to introduce us to untouched lands and wildlife, our time on boarded the ship was marked by comfort and gracious service. Equally important, the ship’s many expedition specialists, scientists ranging from mammalogists to botanists, were constantly available and circulating around the ship. Conversations with them brought context to what we were experiencing, and are a key part of Silversea’s expedition offerings.
Our arrival in the South Shetland Islands…at the tip of the Antarctic Archipegalo…seemed almost magical. As we approached, the first sighting of whales occurred, and we prepared for our first trip ashore via the Silver Cloud’s fleet of Zodiac boats. Many of our fellow travelers shed a tear of joy at our arrival. It seemed nothing less than magical.
There are not enough superlatives.
It seemed to take forever for our first trip ashore—base layer, mid layer, waterproofs, boots, parka, and life preserver were de rigeur. Ultimately we got the hang of it, and what seemed like an hour-long process soon became reduced to minutes. It’s worth noting that Silversea and others operating in Antarctica require each passenger to undergo a serious sanitation process before venturing ashore. Prior to the first excursion, boots, poles and clothing are checked for possible contaminants and bio-tagged once cleared. Expeditioners walk through an antiseptic tray both upon departing and returning to the ship. And, boots and overpants are washed to ensure that no contaminants are transferred. It’s an impressive display of respect for the pristine ecosystem, one that is repeated each time anyone goes ashore.
If you don’t find the experience of setting foot on Antarctica for the first time to be emotional, you don’t have a beating heart. It is simply otherworldly. We’ll let our photos tell the story, but every moment of our time in Antarctica was filled with wondrous sensations. It is as far from the frozen lifeless continent that many imagine. Rather, it is teaming with life—whales, seals, penguins, and a continuous array of avian species are on display. Beneath the surface of the water, Antarctica is blessed with an abundance of krill, tiny sea creatures that form the base of the food chain for the fish, mammals and birds that call Antarctica home. It’s claimed that 20% of the Earth’s biomass is found in Antarctica and its waters, a fact that is driven home by the observation that the places we visited provided a glimpse into an abundance of life.
Every day in Antarctica provided us a continuous panorama that nearly defies comprehension—blue icebergs (some immense), rising steam from volcanic sands, huge colonies of penguins, and feeding orcas come to mind. The experience is enhanced by an impressive crew of scientists who provided context to what we were seeing, and the others serving us—not the least of whom was our own butler—making life aboard the Silver Cloud extremely comfortable. Suites are well appointed, and nearly all feature a veranda, from which passengers can take in the sights of Antarctica. The vistas are incomprehensible in their majesty.
Ultimately, after six days in Antarctica, with many trips ashore, we returned via the Drake Passage to Punta Arenas. As with our first passage, the first few hours saw us the ship rolling pretty noticeably. And, again, within a few hours we were back in calmer waters and smooth sailing.
On February 8th we arrived back in Punta Arenas. Most of the ship’s passengers returned to Santiago via a chartered aircraft. However, we opted to extend our adventure, traveling on to Chile’s famed Patagonia region. More on that in our next installation.
Before we turn to that next chapter, it’s worth offering a couple of general impressions. Exploring Antarctica is a close to visiting another planet as you can imagine. Each day you are met with a seemingly endless panorama of glaciers and dramatic mountains rising from the sea. Animal life is abundant, astonishingly so. And, it’s pristine. Apart from a few remnants from the whaling era and scattered scientific research stations, Antarctica remains a wild place.
Perhaps more than any place we’ve ever traveled, Antarctica stole a piece of our hearts. It’s a creation that tests the limits of your senses, a blend of purity and wildness that penetrates your soul. Should you ever have the opportunity to visit, do not let it pass.
Our summary of travels to and in some of the world’s most wild and beautiful regions—Antarctica and Patagonia—follows. This post will focus on Antarctica, and we’ll follow up on our visit to Patagonia (as well as Santiago) next week.
This trip has been a long time in the making. We began planning our expedition to Antarctica over two years ago. It seemed a fitting way to mark the launch of Elan. But, as with many others’ plans, the advent of C19 threw a wrench into our initial plans. Working with Silversea’s incredible expedition specialists, we forged ahead, undaunted. In total, we saw three cancellations of our Antarctica expedition, and finally saw the possibility of success toward the last months of 2021, as the date of our late January embarkation approached. We had asked others to join us, but with the schedule being a moving target some had to postpone their Antarctic ambitions.
Nonetheless, we were accompanied by three other couples on this trip. It was an immense honor to travel with them and the time we spent together gave us the opportunity to expand our “travel family.” We hope that we will be able to share future trips with those who became truly special friends.
Throughout the nearly two years from which we started planning for Antarctica, Silversea (as well as others who sail to the Seventh Continent) continued to explore ways to make it happen and ultimately found a winning approach. Changing our point of embarkation from Ushuaia, Argentina to Punta Arenas, Chile was the major factor that permitted Silversea to move ahead with our somewhat modified itinerary. So, on January 28, we flew from Chicago to Santiago, Chile to begin our incredible journey.
Without belaboring the point, the COVID protocols adopted by the Chilean government were a challenge, but with the expert guidance of Silversea we were able to negotiate the complexities without any real difficulty. By the time we were permitted to board the Silver Cloud we had completed three COVID tests and undergone an exhaustive process of authenticating our vaccinations. Was it worth it? Without a doubt!
On January 29th, after a one-night stay in Santiago and a subsequent flight to Punta Arenas, the Silver Cloud pulled away from the dock. This, in itself, struck many of us as almost surreal. After two years of planning, frequent disappointments, and negotiating the Chilean bureaucracy, we could scarce believe we were underway.
That afternoon, we sailed through the Strait of Magellan, along Tiera del Fuego, and entered the Drake Passage. Even now, I get all goosebumpy, thinking of our transit through waters that I first studied in grade school…places that seemed impossibly exotic and remote.
The Drake Passage is a notorious body of water, the place where the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific meet. Combined with sometimes impressive winds, it can be a daunting experience. Our first few hours were admittedly a bit choppy, with waves of 20-plus feet. But, the Captain forged a path that soon became smooth, even serene. The two day sailing across the Drake remained uneventful. The first evening we were introduced to our butler and learned about the extensive array of Silversea amenities, from in-suite dining to daily laundry service. While the voyage was to introduce us to untouched lands and wildlife, our time on boarded the ship was marked by comfort and gracious service. Equally important, the ship’s many expedition specialists, scientists ranging from mammalogists to botanists, were constantly available and circulating around the ship. Conversations with them brought context to what we were experiencing, and are a key part of Silversea’s expedition offerings.
Our arrival in the South Shetland Islands…at the tip of the Antarctic Archipegalo…seemed almost magical. As we approached, the first sighting of whales occurred, and we prepared for our first trip ashore via the Silver Cloud’s fleet of Zodiac boats. Many of our fellow travelers shed a tear of joy at our arrival. It seemed nothing less than magical.
There are not enough superlatives.
It seemed to take forever for our first trip ashore—base layer, mid layer, waterproofs, boots, parka, and life preserver were de rigeur. Ultimately we got the hang of it, and what seemed like an hour-long process soon became reduced to minutes. It’s worth noting that Silversea and others operating in Antarctica require each passenger to undergo a serious sanitation process before venturing ashore. Prior to the first excursion, boots, poles and clothing are checked for possible contaminants and bio-tagged once cleared. Expeditioners walk through an antiseptic tray both upon departing and returning to the ship. And, boots and overpants are washed to ensure that no contaminants are transferred. It’s an impressive display of respect for the pristine ecosystem, one that is repeated each time anyone goes ashore.
If you don’t find the experience of setting foot on Antarctica for the first time to be emotional, you don’t have a beating heart. It is simply otherworldly. We’ll let our photos tell the story, but every moment of our time in Antarctica was filled with wondrous sensations. It is as far from the frozen lifeless continent that many imagine. Rather, it is teaming with life—whales, seals, penguins, and a continuous array of avian species are on display. Beneath the surface of the water, Antarctica is blessed with an abundance of krill, tiny sea creatures that form the base of the food chain for the fish, mammals and birds that call Antarctica home. It’s claimed that 20% of the Earth’s biomass is found in Antarctica and its waters, a fact that is driven home by the observation that the places we visited provided a glimpse into an abundance of life.
Every day in Antarctica provided us a continuous panorama that nearly defies comprehension—blue icebergs (some immense), rising steam from volcanic sands, huge colonies of penguins, and feeding orcas come to mind. The experience is enhanced by an impressive crew of scientists who provided context to what we were seeing, and the others serving us—not the least of whom was our own butler—making life aboard the Silver Cloud extremely comfortable. Suites are well appointed, and nearly all feature a veranda, from which passengers can take in the sights of Antarctica. The vistas are incomprehensible in their majesty.
Ultimately, after six days in Antarctica, with many trips ashore, we returned via the Drake Passage to Punta Arenas. As with our first passage, the first few hours saw us the ship rolling pretty noticeably. And, again, within a few hours we were back in calmer waters and smooth sailing.
On February 8th we arrived back in Punta Arenas. Most of the ship’s passengers returned to Santiago via a chartered aircraft. However, we opted to extend our adventure, traveling on to Chile’s famed Patagonia region. More on that in our next installation.
Before we turn to that next chapter, it’s worth offering a couple of general impressions. Exploring Antarctica is a close to visiting another planet as you can imagine. Each day you are met with a seemingly endless panorama of glaciers and dramatic mountains rising from the sea. Animal life is abundant, astonishingly so. And, it’s pristine. Apart from a few remnants from the whaling era and scattered scientific research stations, Antarctica remains a wild place.
Perhaps more than any place we’ve ever traveled, Antarctica stole a piece of our hearts. It’s a creation that tests the limits of your senses, a blend of purity and wildness that penetrates your soul. Should you ever have the opportunity to visit, do not let it pass.