2022 Trip Reports

Trip Report SH Vega - Falklands, SG, Antarctica Nov 2022

Shackleton’s Discovery - Swan Hellenic

Nice detailed trip report by sea-lon-sf of
San Francisco, California.

www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowTopic-g1-i12337-k14191675-Trip_Report_SH_Vega_Falklands_SG_Antarctica_Nov_2022-Antarctic_Adventures.html#115788173

We were skirting a storm throughout our cruise and plans were changed accordingly. One of our shipmates had a medical emergency that required her to go home but we happened to be in Stanley at the time, so she received immediate medical help and is doing OK. Overall, we were very happy with our experience. Would love to go back.

Nov 11 - Falkland Islands

AM - West Point Island - Nesting Black-browed Albatrosses and Southern Rockhopper Penguins

PM - Saunders Island - big, brown, fluffy baby King Penguins, nesting Gentoo Penguins, nesting Southern Rockhoppers, Commerson’s Dolphins playing with the zodiacs; 3 Magellanic Penguins

Highlight Saunders: Rockhoppers coming out of the surf - jumping up and down to dry off and “baby” King Penguins as big as their parents crying for their dinner. Also enjoyed watching the nesting penguins - finding rocks, nesting materials, and trying to steal them from another penguin's nest.

Nov 12 - Falkland Islands

Port Stanley - Nature walk to Gypsy Cove - saw Magellanic Penguins in their burrows; Night Herons nesting and a couple of new-born chicks; Falkland Distillery for their excellent gin, and local Falklands beer and chips at Globe Tavern

Nov 14 - Sailed by the Shag Rocks

Nov 15 - South Georgia

AM - Grytviken - aggressive Fur Seals, Elephant Seals, Ernest Shackleton’s grave

PM - Fortuna Bay (zodiac only - too windy for landing and there were lots of aggressive fur seals at the potential landing spot)

Highlight Grytviken: So exciting to see South Georgia for the first time. The water was like a mirror as we approached Grytviken. The fur seals were no joke. One went for me as I took its photo - and I was not approaching it and kept my distance. We also saw a baby fur seal that looked to be just days old - we did not expect to see any since it’s so early in the season. It’s the only one we saw on the trip. Lots of baby elephant seals all over the place on their own since they were all weened and no longer needed to be near their mother.

Nov 16 - South Georgia

AM - Saint Andrew’s Bay - large King Penguin colony

PM - Gold Harbor - King Penguins, Elephant and Fur Seals

Highlight South Georgia: The weather was so nice I was able to have breakfast on deck. St. Andrews was our first experience of the very curious King Penguins who would come up to you if you sit still and a group of them were the welcoming party for the zodiacs. Lots of baby King Penguins molting into adults and watched the King Penguins “bathing” in the natural springs. Had to watch out for fur seals but I was better prepared to deal with them (stand firm and make noise). More baby elephant seals.

Gold Harbor was our second stop of the day and we were the first zodiac to land. My husband took video of a big brown baby penguin approach him to check him out. If you sit still the penguins will come to you. I did not approach them and always made sure to leave them their path. At one point, 7 King Penguins were taking a good look at me. I put my camera down and enjoyed the moment. We saw massive elephant seals and baby elephant seals screaming for their lives when the big ones were barreling down on them to get to another male or female. Poor babies! As we left Gold Harbor, the zodiac moved down the beach so we could see even more animal life. This day was everything I’d dreamed of since first reading about South Georgia. It was raining but who cares!

The seas were quite rough for the next couple of days and I was not feeling well, but on the 18th, we were treated to seeing the bulk of A-76A iceberg, which is 125 to 135 km by 25 km (about 78-84 x 16 miles). It took us hours to pass by it.

Nov 19 - South Shetland Islands

AM - Elephant Island (too windy for zodiac cruising or landing), cruised by Point Wild, Cape Valentine, Cape Lookout.

Nov 20 - South Shetland Islands & Antarctica Peninsula

Early AM - Yankee Harbor (after this stop, the weather was rough, so we made our way south to the Peninsula, missing the planned Halfmoon & Deception Islands landings)

PM - Antarctica Peninsula - Lindblad Cove - Zodiac

Highlights: Yankee Harbor was the first stop when we saw penguins (Gentoo) on snow. We saw “penguin highways” through the snow. On the Zodiac ride at Lindblad Cove we saw Gentoo penguins on an iceberg - jumping up from the sea and a closeup view of a leopard seal on ice. We also saw Adélie penguins but not very close. It was snowing and a bumpy, rolling, ride through loose ice - true adventure - loved it.

Nov 21 - Antarctica Peninsula (Our One and Only Continental Landing)

Early AM - Portal Point

PM - Mikkelsen Harbor (D’Hainaut Island) - Gentoo and a few Chinstrap penguins, Weddell seals, snowing

Highlights: Portal Point was our one and only chance of walking on the continent. With Swan Hellenic being a new company with a new ship, they had only this one slot available to land. We were all happy that it worked out! The pristine snow and ice was as I’d imagined for all these many, many years. Mikkelsen Harbor was a fitting last stop on our journey - Gentoo penguins, a few Chinstrap penguins and an up-close view of Weddell Seals. Many of our fellow shipmates got an up-close and dramatic view of Humpback whales but we missed them.

The ship - SH Vega: New in 2022, and this was the inaugural cruise to Antarctica. The cabins, most with balconies, are well appointed with lots of storage, a very convenient lighting system, large TV with a good selection of movies that also screens the onboard lectures if you’re not able to go in person. Loved the comfortable bed and fake fireplace complete with the sounds of burning wood. So relaxing! We were on the starboard (right side) of the ship that seemed to nearly always be the best for viewing the various sites we came upon (like the massive iceberg). There is a sauna and hot tub with a view, interesting lectures by the expedition team every day and Rene on the piano and singing every night at 9:30. The food was truly a 5-start experience and all drinks (except for the higher end stuff that you could pay extra for) were included. Also included was a 24-hour room service menu. Beautiful ship to enjoy during the many days we had at sea.

Whales: Several species of whales were spotted including Humpback, Sei, Fin and Orca but I didn’t get a close look of any.

Birds: Lots and lots of birds, including Penguins - Gentoo, King, Rockhopper, Chinstrap, Adélie; Antarctic Shags; Albatross - Black-browed, Sooty, Wandering; Petrels - Cape, Snow, more; and Prion, Sheathbills, Skuas, Gulls, Terns - I don’t have the full list but you get the idea.

Clothing: I wish I'd brought a sun hat for South Georgia and Falklands. I didn't need all of the base layers I packed. I rarely used my gloves but the ones I brought ($8 on amazon) were fine.

Feel free to ask any questions! Thank you to the regulars on this forum for your tips. I might come back with photography tips I learned from the onboard photographer and my experience, but I think this is enough for now!



Part 2.
www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowTopic-g1-i12337-k14198415-Photography_Tips_Link_to_Photos-Antarctic_Adventures.html

Photography Tips & Link to Photos

Hi everyone,

I wrote a trip report recently and mentioned that I might come back with photography tips so here they are.

Link to my trip report:

www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g1-i12337-k14191675-Trip_Report_SH_Vega_Falklands_SG_Antarctica_Nov_2022-Antarctic_Adventures.html

Photography Tips

The photographer onboard our ship, Swan Hellenic’s SH Vega, was Renato Granieri. You can do an internet search to see some of his images. He gave a couple of lectures on photography and some of the following are tips he gave us - he was very helpful and accessible. I enjoy photography but have not made a living doing it like he does so the way he views photography is different than me - he is looking, mostly, for an outstanding image he can sell. I’m looking to document everything I see.

Tips:

- Before you travel, look at images online for inspiration - decide how you would compose the image and which focal lens you would use.

- Use depth of field to isolate one penguin from the chaos that thousands of penguins can cause.

- For wildlife photography: Shoot shutter priority; shutter speed should be at least 800, but best at 1,600+; use the lowest ISO you can; set to continuous auto focus, burst shooting.

- For birds in flight, single focus point, aim for the eyes - shutter priority should be fast (I went up to 2000 when I could because of the rocking boat and moving birds). Also, for birds in flight - watch their flight patterns so you can estimate where they'll be flying.

- In bright snow, up the exposure by +1 or +2 stops.

- Check your images as you shoot. (I saw Renato do this a lot and realized I need to do that more - I get way too excited to bother with helpful things like that.)

- Think about a different perspective than the norm.

- Try slow spanning - follow one penguin at a slow shutter speed (1/30 or so) so that that one bird is in focus to distinguish from all the others.

- Take your time to get the shot.

My experience:

- The tips from Renato about birds in flight photography was very helpful - especially about how to set my camera settings and to watch the flight patterns of the bird. I got better as I practiced the first couple of days on the ship. It’s a bit like catching a wave when surfing - I’d focus on one bird as it approached the ship and had a good idea of where it would be going.

- I do not set my camera on burst shooting. I don’t have the patience to delete thousands of photos and do not backup or look at the images much as I go (see below for more about that).

- The first experience of seeing thousands of adorable penguins was overwhelming and I spent too much time trying to get the perfect single penguin shot. I tend to do this in general though, focus on one item instead of looking at the whole picture, so we all have our tendencies. I tried to remember to step back and not zoom in so much. For others, they might need to remember to zoom in.

- I did not take my camera out when going to land in the Zodiacs, but I did take it out when we were on a Zodiac only. I have a thick microfiber cloth I would hold over the camera when I wasn’t shooting.

- When the snow was really coming down, it was a challenge to keep my lens clean so think about that when you’re packing your camera gear and what you bring to a landing.

- You can’t kneel or lay down when on land because of bio security - keep that in mind as you visualize the shots you want to take.

- As much as you can, take time to breathe, take it all in and give yourself time to get the shot - or put down your camera. Enjoy every second.

My camera gear - file storage:

- I have a Pentax K-3 III. It’s a lovely camera that I very much enjoy. One photographer on this cruise, said, “I didn’t know Pentax was still making cameras,” when he saw my camera. They are, and Pentax are great in inclement weather.

- I don’t have a massive zoom and I don’t think one is necessary for Antarctica. I used my 55-300 zoom most of the time and had a second Pentax body with a 10-20 wide angle lens. My camera is not full-frame so 300 is a good size zoom for very little weight to carry around.

- If I had a lens that goes from wide-angle to 300, that would have been even better - 55 isn’t that great for landscapes - but I took what I have. My 10-20 lens is not weather sealed, so I didn’t feel comfortable taking it out in rain and snow, so didn’t use it that much.

- I did not bring a tripod and didn’t miss it.

- I do not like to travel with a computer so my backup system was to use two SD cards in my camera, both storing the same RAW and .jpg of each shot, that way I have doubles of everything in case one of my SD cards goes bad. Usually, I would store the two SD cards after every day when we had landings rather than keeping them in until they filled up.

- I use my iPhone for videos, not my camera, to save space on my SD cards and to save my batteries.

- More cowbell! (Some of you might get that reference.) That’s my way of saying, you can’t have too many SD cards. I also brought 4 camera batteries.

Overall notes:

- Don’t worry about getting a great shot - you will. I think it would be impossible not to get a great shot. People with phones were getting great shots.

- We went in November so were able to watch the penguins tend to their nests and got to see the big brown “baby” King penguins. Also saw many in the awkward molting stage. I think it would be great to be there when the eggs hatch, but I think any time is a good time to go. I loved watching the penguins do their thing.

- Please be respectful of the wildlife and other photographers. Give all of the animals their space and leave their paths open - especially to and from the water or nesting areas. King penguins will come to you if you stay still - you do not need to approach them. It was very annoying to be watching and waiting for penguins to have someone barge in and scare them away. People also would get WAY TOO CLOSE to elephant and fur seals. We had a couple of people on our trip who repeatedly got too close and were asked to step back. A sleeping seal is just that until they wake up and they are a lot faster than you. And I saw that the animals feel encroached upon when you shove a selfie stick in their face. People with phones were typically the ones who got too close - they would've been better off buying a telephoto lens for their phone or bringing a camera.

- Phone cameras are great for landscape or difficult lighting situations so I'm not against whipping out my phone instead of my camera in certain situations. I also will save still photos from videos on my phone and use the phone to process the photos the way I like.

- One of my favorite stops for photography was Saunders Island in the Falklands. I’ll remember that day for the rest of my life.

I’m sharing a link to my photos - these are quick screenshots from my .jpgs. I haven’t started processing my RAW files - that will take some time. I hope you enjoy the photos! I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.

photos.app.goo.gl/nWmR6mNsFnZT8Vdi7

At this stage we have not had any trip reports for Viking Polaris or Octantis as they are still very new.

But as there has been very high profile dual incidents including a death on the Polaris last week I am posting articles here as I locate them. They may be out of date order.
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havarikommisjonen.no/Sjofart/Undersokelser/22-661

The google translate version says:
Investigation of very serious marine accident south of Cape Horn
The Norwegian Accident Investigation Board has decided to investigate the maritime accident with the passenger vessel Viking Polaris. On Tuesday 29 November 2022, the vessel was south of Cape Horn, when the ship was hit by a large wave and several windows to the passenger cabins were smashed. One passenger died and four others were injured.
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www.luxurytraveldocs.com/2022/12/viking-polaris-has-tragic-accident.html?fbclid=IwAR028RqReuUwnc1sCJkv-bL1DK7KK5rMKm0qviSaYTy95OtkypB2Qnf3TaE&m=1&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

Thursday, December 1, 2022
Viking Polaris Antarctica Expedition has Tragic Accident during Storm in the Drake Passage

Reports are coming in about a Tragic Accident on the Viking Polaris Antarctica Expedition during the Drake Passage portion of the sailing, off the southernmost portion of South America. By all accounts the company is handling the event with professionalism and compassion. There is a report of injuries and loss of one life. The cause is allegedly a rogue wave. Our thoughts and prayers are with all who are affected by this tragedy.

The Viking Octanis is returning to land to avoid the storm as well without any incident.

From a Viking spokesperson:

"There was a rogue wave incident involving the Viking Polaris on November 29 at 22:40 local time, while the ship was sailing toward Ushuaia, Argentina. The ship sustained limited damage during the incident and arrived in port in Ushuaia without further incident on Wednesday afternoon local time.

It is with great sadness that we confirmed a guest passed away following the incident. We have notified the guest’s family and shared our deepest sympathies. We will continue to offer our full support to the family in the hours and days ahead.

Four other guests sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the incident and were treated by the ship’s onboard doctor and medical staff.

We are investigating the facts surrounding this incident and will offer our support to the relevant authorities.

Our focus remains on the safety and wellbeing of our guests and crew, and we are working directly with them to arrange return travel.

After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the ship’s next scheduled departure, the December 5-17 Antarctic Explorer itinerary; all impacted guests and their travel advisors have been notified directly by Viking Customer Relations."

According to National Geographic, "a rogue wave is usually defined as a wave that is two times the significant wave height of the area. The significant wave height is the average of the highest one-third of waves that occur over a given period. Rogue waves can disable and sink even the largest ships and oil rigs." A rogue wave can generate thousands of tons of force.

The rogue wave affected the Polaris after another incident on one of the expedition ship's Zodiac boats. According to Larry Mah's Facebook page one day ago (public post), "There was a major accident with a zodiac with injuries. Evacuation options are limited, and the weather is deteriorating. So, we are returning to Ushuaia at top speed. The Drake Channel has gale force winds (30-60 MPH) with waves 15-20 feet high. The next 600 miles is going to be a very rough ride!!" There were many ships in the channel and according to passengers, the female captain of the Polaris performed well.

The area of the ship affected was the port side forward. Our sources tell us several rooms were affected on a lower deck, with broken and missing cabin windows witnessed from many guests when tendering to and from the ship in Ushuaia. The broken and missing windows led to significant water and debris intrusion into the affected cabins affecting passengers' ability to get out of their cabins. Most passengers’ personal belongings were left behind in the affected cabins (which are actually 8 rather than 6 as we reported earlier) and many are without anything, including passports. Fear of a second wave was paramount and passengers felt evacuation from the cabins immediately was necessary. Viking is assisting with local embassies to secure transport home from Argentina and some passengers are just getting back their belongings that were underwater for days. The crew actually gave shoes to some of the passengers whose belongings were underwater. Salvage of the affected has been performed by the submarine captain on board who is a salvage expert.

The deceased passenger was a 62-year-old woman who was hit by broken glass when the wave broke cabin windows late Tuesday during a storm, Argentine authorities said.

Passengers on the nearby Ponant ship described 8 meter swells and over 50 knot winds.

Most of the cabins affected on Deck 2 have this appearance on Viking Expeditions' website.
(ADMIN NOTE: Photos of broken windows and cabin walls all along what I assume is 2nd or 3rd deck - I will see if I can add these).

December 1, 1800 PM

The Viking Polaris returned to Ushuaia and is now moved out of the port. Passengers are being disembarked and flown home. Passengers we know are reporting good support from Viking. We will not provide their entire ordeal to respect their privacy. Here is the Viking Polaris position at approximately 1800 ET today courtesy of cruisemapper.com.

While the ship has moved away from port, the current sailing and the one following, to depart December 6, 2022 are canceled.

This occurs after two US passengers drown during a zodiac excursion less than two weeks ago on another expedition cruise line. Additionally, the Scenic Eclipse has a lesser known incident, without injury, when a expedition submarine was unable to surface for two hours.

When we sailed Viking last, in the Summer of 2021, we felt the crew were exceptional in dealing with the COVID-19 issues our ship experienced. Certainly this is no comparison to what the affected passengers on board the Polaris experienced. This story is important to us because we have been considering this itinerary with Viking Expeditions.

Respectful updates as we hear them. This incident reminds the two of us how we take our safety and health for granted sometimes, and we are truly grateful for our health and each other.

December 5, 2022

All affected passengers' passports have been returned. A large amount of their possessions have been returned, and passengers are drying them out as best they can, using heated floors and boot warmers. Many electronics are beyond salvaging due to water damage. Most passengers who were not affected have flown home, others who had passport issues, about 30 passengers, have now been flown from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires.

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www.cbsnews.com/news/cruise-ship-death-rogue-wave-kills-passenger-antarctic-viking-polaris/?fbclid=IwAR1GSpUAzv6XV4o_sTvFfOk3tdXX_B6rBA9sTPJKgIqRacJB4GQCpKyuCqc&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

WORLD
"Rogue wave" kills American woman, injures four others on Antarctic cruise ship
UPDATED ON: DECEMBER 2, 2022 / 7:15 PM / CBS/AFP

A U.S. woman died and four other passengers were injured when a massive wave smashed into an Antarctic cruise ship during a storm as it sailed off the southernmost tip of South America, officials said Friday. The 62-year-old woman was hit by broken glass when the wave broke cabin windows late Tuesday, Argentine authorities said.

The Viking Polaris cruise ship was sailing toward Ushuaia in Argentina — the main starting point for expeditions to Antarctica — when there was "a rogue wave incident," a representative of the Viking cruise company said in a statement.

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gcaptain.com/rogue-wave-kills-passenger-on-vikings-newest-polar-expedition-cruise-ship/?fbclid=IwAR0lLKrGJ7_E0FchzNQVrVZiOWf-Q8hUaCLN43Y3QPqqwsJzV2Z9k8Gb8VQ&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

Rogue Wave Kills Passenger on Viking’s Newest Polar Expedition Cruise Ship
Mike Schuler
Total Views: 67617
December 2, 2022

One person was killed and four others injured after a Viking expedition cruise ship was struck by a rogue wave off the southern tip of South America this week.

The “rogue wave incident” happened on Tuesday, November 29, on board the Viking Polaris, which Viking only recently took delivery of in September, as it was sailing towards Ushuaia, Argentina, Viking Cruises confirmed in a statement.

“It is with great sadness that we confirmed a guest passed away following the incident. We have notified the guest’s family and shared our deepest sympathies,” the statement said. Four other passengers sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were treated on board.

The ship suffered limited damage, reportedly with several broken windows, and arrived in port in Ushuaia on the afternoon of November 30.

Waves are generally classed as ‘rogue’ when they are over twice the height of the average sea state around them.

The Drake Passage, extending between Cape Horn at South America’s southernmost tip and Antarctica, is notorious for its extreme weather conditions and turbulent seas.

“We are investigating the facts surrounding this incident and will offer our support to the relevant authorities,” Viking’s statement said. “Our focus remains on the safety and wellbeing of our guests and crew, and we are working directly with them to arrange return travel.”

The deceased victim has reportedly been identified as a 62-year-old American woman.

Viking Polaris is Viking’s second purpose-built “Polar Class” expedition ship and was delivered by Fincantieri’s VARD shipyard in Søviknes, Norway in September. Both Viking Polaris and sister ship Viking Octanis, delivered in December 2021, are spending the austral summer in Antarctica, before traveling to the Great Lakes for a series of voyages starting next spring and summer. The vessels, with a length of 205 meters and a beam of 23.5 meters, have a passenger capacity of 378 people.

As a result of the incident, Viking has cancelled the ship’s next scheduled departure on December 5.
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www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-04/rogue-wave-kills-us-passenger-on-antarctic-cruise/101731482?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=messenger&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web&fbclid=IwAR3gCYCqGu0po6cPjCmCR7Z_i1PXlT7dv50FXmlMN3TXiHknbgIbwEnonlw&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

'Rogue wave' kills US passenger on Antarctic cruise ship, injures four others

Posted Sun 4 Dec 2022 at 9:25am

One person has died and four have been injured after a massive wave smashed into an Antarctic cruise ship during a storm, while sailing off the southernmost tip of South America.

Key points:

Authorities say a 62-year-old woman from the US was hit by broken glass when a wave broke cabin windows
Four other tourists sustained "non-life-threatening injuries" and were treated onboard
The ship suffered minor damage and was anchored off Ushuaia, 3,200 kilometres from the capital Buenos Aires
The 62-year-old woman from the US was hit by broken glass when the wave broke cabin windows late Tuesday during a storm, Argentine authorities said.

The Viking Polaris cruise ship was sailing towards Ushuaia in Argentina -- the main starting point for expeditions to Antarctica -- when there was "a rogue wave incident," a representative of the Viking cruise company said in a statement.

"It is with great sadness that we confirmed a guest passed away following the incident. We have notified the guest's family and shared our deepest sympathies," the statement said.

Four other tourists "sustained non-life-threatening injuries" and were treated onboard.

The ship suffered minor damage and was anchored off Ushuaia, 3,200 kilometres from the capital Buenos Aires, with several windows smashed on the side, AFP journalists reported.

A federal court has opened a case to determine what happened. Viking said it was also "investigating the facts surrounding this incident."

Scientists often refer to rogue waves as extreme storm waves that surge out of nowhere, often in an unpredictable direction, and can look like a steep wall of water, up to twice the size of surrounding waves.

These rare killer waves were once seen as a myth reported by mariners or explorers.

The polar explorer Ernest Shackleton wrote in his book of a "gigantic" freak wave he encountered in Antarctica in 1916.

However, scientists have learned more about them in recent decades, studying how they emerge and how to predict the wall of water that can surge up even in calm seas.

The Viking Polaris was launched in 2022 and is the newest ship in the company's fleet, with a capacity for 378 passengers and 256 crew members.

The incident comes two weeks after two tourists died on another Antarctic cruise.

The two men, aged 76 and 80, had left the World Explorer ship for an excursion on an inflatable zodiac boat that overturned near the shore.

AFP/AP

Posted 4 Dec 2022
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www.cjonline.com/story/news/local/2022/12/04/viking-polaris-cruise-accident-wave-antarctic-trip-topeka-passengers/69695346007/

Topekans rocked by blast and rogue wave during Antarctic cruise. They share their story.
Tim Hrenchir
Topeka Capital-Journal
Dec 4 2022.

One second, Pam Trusdale was sitting in a heavy-duty inflatable boat happily taking video of penguins in Antarctica.

The next, the Topeka woman was thrown into the air by an explosion.

Two other passengers also went airborne after the blast beneath the boat's floor.

One woman suffered a badly broken leg.

The other passenger spent perhaps two minutes in the water before he was pulled back onto the boat.

Trusdale, her husband, Tom, and the boat's other occupants subsequently learned that the Viking Polaris, the ship on which they were taking a cruise, wasn't capable of providing the medical attention the woman needed.

So the cruise ship headed north through gale-force winds and rough waters toward South America.

En route, it was struck by a giant rogue wave, which killed one passenger and injured four others.

Trusdale shared that account of her experiences Friday in a telephone interview with The Topeka Capital-Journal from Ushuaia, Argentina, where she and her husband were waiting to return to the United States.

"We've had a little bit of excitement that we hadn't anticipated," she said.

The trip to Antarctica was the eighth on Viking Cruise Lines for the Trusdales, who are retired and have been married for 10 years.

"We've seen a lot of the world," Pam Trusdale said.

She is the widow of Col. Mike O'Toole, wing commander of the 190th Air Refueling Wing of the Kansas Air National Guard, who died in 2003 in a plane crash on takeoff from a private airport in northeast Shawnee County.

Pam Trusdale and their adult daughter, Shannon O'Toole Mason, survived after being hospitalized for injuries suffered in that crash.

After her husband died, Pam reconnected with Tom Trusdale, her high school sweetheart.

They've enjoyed numerous adventures, including climbing Africa's Mount Kilimanjaro.

Pam Trusdale said she had been particularly excited about the couple's cruise to Antarctica.

The Trusdales booked passage on the Viking Polaris, identified on Viking Cruise Lines' website as a 665-foot-long cruise ship that was built this year and has the capacity to house 256 crew members and 378 guests.

"It was kind of our 'trip of a lifetime,'" Pam Trusdale said.

Though the Trusdales hadn't known it, others on the Antarctica cruise included Shawnee County Treasurer Larry Mah and his wife, Ann Mah, a member of the Kansas State Board of Education.

The couples spent time together on the cruise, though the Mahs weren't with the Trusdales on the excursion that turned dangerous.

The Trusdales were among three couples who made plans to ride Monday morning in a small, yellow submarine. Neither of the other couples were from Kansas.

They all got into a heavy-duty inflatable boat known as a Zodiac.

The weather was nice for Antarctica, with overcast skies and temperatures around 30 degrees, as the Zodiac's pilot took the three couples to the area where they were to board the submarine, Pam Trusdale said.

They learned they would have to wait 20 minutes, and the driver started "cruising around," she said.

At the time, Pam Trusdale was sitting at the front of the Zodiac, with her husband next to her.

As she was holding onto a rope attached to the boat with one hand and taking cell phone video of penguins with the other, she said, a "pretty significant explosion" took place beneath the floor between the front two passengers.

The woman sitting directly across from Trusdale took the brunt of the impact, suffering a badly broken leg.

Another passenger on that side was thrown from the boat.

Pam Trusdale managed to hold onto her phone. She and her husband crossed over to the other side and helped to stop the boat. Tom Trusdale, another male passenger and the Zodiac pilot pulled the man back into the Zodiac on his back, Pam Trusdale said.

"Tom knew exactly what to do," she said. "I just stayed on the floor and waited for help."

Meanwhile, a woman who was sitting on the opposite side of the boat moved over to the side the Trusdales had been sitting on to make sure it remained balanced.

"We couldn't have been with better people, because everyone was calm under pressure," Pam Trusdale said. "Everything was under control."

The Zodiac pilot responded calmly and professionally, and Viking got them all the help they needed immediately, she said.

Pam Trusdale was wearing an ankle brace Friday because of minor injuries suffered in the accident.

"It just hurts to walk, because I bruised my heel," she said. "My left leg is worse than my right."

Pam Trusdale said while she feels lucky to be alive, she never felt the experience was life-threatening.

"It was just scary," she said. "It could have been so much worse."

The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.

Ann Mah wrote on her Facebook page about the blast and its aftermath.

"They couldn’t helicopter (the woman) out in the weather, and she needs attention the boat can’t provide," she said. "So we are headed back to Ushuaia, Argentina."

The Drake passage, the body of water that lies between South America's Cape Horn, Chile, and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica, was mentioned in a message Larry Mah put Tuesday on his Facebook page.

"Evacuation options are limited, and the weather is deteriorating," he said. "So, we are returning to Ushuaia (Argentina) at top speed. The Drake Channel has gale force winds (30-60 MPH) with waves 15-20 feet high. The next 600 miles is going to be a very rough ride!!"

The cruise ship was bound for Ushuaia Tuesday when it was struck during a storm by a giant "rogue wave," which killed one person and injured four, USA Today reported.

"The rogue wave hit the side of the ship where our cabin is, but it mainly impacted Deck 2 at the front," Trusdale said. "We were on Deck 4 at the back."

Ann Mah said she and her husband were in bed in their room on Deck 4 at the front when the rogue wave struck.

"I understand water came in on 3, but nothing like 2," she said. "We had furniture get knocked over in our room, but no damage."

Viking released a statement confirming one of its guests had died.

"We have notified the guest's family and shared our deepest sympathies," it said, adding that four other passengers were treated for injuries that weren't life-threatening by the ship's onboard doctor and medical staff.

The ship "sustained limited damage during the incident," and arrived in Ushuaia on Wednesday afternoon, Viking added.

Trusdale said she learned afterward that if they hadn't been on the Polaris, which has "all the latest technology," the damage from the storm could have been much worse.

The damage from the storm caused Viking Cruise Lines to abandon its initial plans to cruise along the Chilean coast for a few days, and to instead drop off all its passengers at Ushuaia.

The Trusdales and Mahs remained in Ushuaia on Friday, and it wasn't clear when they might be able to fly back to Topeka.

Still, Pam Trusdale said Viking Cruise Lines has shown the "utmost professionalism" and done a good job of coping with what happened.

She said she trusts the company to provide a refund for the trip.

More:KU-based team conducts research in Antarctica

Pam Trusdale added that she and her husband plan to make separate future trips with Viking to Norway and the Mekong Delta, after which they'll have traveled with that cruise line to every continent.

"This won't slow us down," she said.

Contact Tim Hrenchir at 785-213-5934 or threnchir@gannett.com.
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www.cjonline.com/story/news/local/2022/11/30/larry-and-ann-mah-take-antarctica-trip-on-which-woman-is-badly-hurt/69687733007/

Larry and Ann Mah on trip as rescuers try to get injured woman to Argentina from Antarctica

Tim Hrenchir
Topeka Capital-Journal
30 Nov 2022

A woman suffered a badly broken leg during an accident on a large, heavy-duty inflatable vehicle called a "Zodiac" Monday during a trip to Antarctica in which participants included Shawnee County Treasurer Larry Mah and his wife, Ann Mah, Kansas State Board of Education member.

"They couldn’t helicopter (the woman) out in the weather, and she needs attention the boat can’t provide," Ann Mah wrote on her Facebook page. "So we are headed back to Ushuaia, Argentina."

She added, "Prayers for the injured passenger and guidance for the crew!"

The Drake passage, a body of water between South America's Cape Horn, Chile, and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica, was mentioned in a message Larry Mah sent out Tuesday on his Facebook page.

"There was a major accident with a Zodiac with injuries," he wrote. "Evacuation options are limited, and the weather is deteriorating. So, we are returning to Ushuaia (Argentina) at top speed. The Drake Channel has gale force winds (30-60 MPH) with waves 15-20 feet high. The next 600 miles is going to be a very rough ride!!"

Larry Mah wrote about 6 a.m. Wednesday that the boat carrying the couple had finished going through the Drake passage after "a VERY rough ride" and was expected to arrive in Ushaia later that morning.

He posted shortly before 8 a.m. Wednesday: "The plan was to return to Ushuaia to evacuate the injured passenger. Then tour the Chilean coast for the next few days. Unfortunately, the ship hit a rough wave in the Drake Channel and sustained significant damage so we will be getting off the ship in Ushuaia."

Larry Mah, a Democrat, is in his third term as Shawnee County treasurer, having taken office in 2013.

Ann Mah, also a Democrat, has served since 2017 on the Kansas State Board of Education. She previously held the 53rd District seat from 2005 to 2013 in the Kansas House of Representatives.

The two have recently shared information on their Facebook pages about a trip they're taking to South America, which included a planned excursion to Antarctica.

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Ann Mah wrote on her Facebook page that she had "no idea what comes next" after Monday's accident.

"In the meantime we have a cozy boat with a well-stocked kitchen and bar to keep us busy until we dock tomorrow," she wrote.

Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.
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Viking Polaris Nov 2022.

This is a trip report from a Facebook account. It was a public post so appears in search results, however I have chosen to not put the persons name here.

Posted 7/12/22

My Antarctica Trip
Yes, I was on the Viking Polaris hit by a massive rogue wave.
I am fine even though my cabin had some water come in around the window.
While I would normally be posting many pictures, I have a few, they are coming. Attached is my photo of the damage.
This is an account of a truly memorable trip in so many ways.
November 22 I arrived in wonderful Buenos Aires. I enjoyed that great city.
Flew to “The end of the Earth” Ushuaia, Argentina, Tierra del Fuego.
The Viking Polaris Expedition boat left that day bound for Antarctica.
After and uneventful crossing of the notorious Drake Passage we arrived in Antarctic waters.
We did not start shore excursions until the next day. I had booked all my landings as early as possible to have better light for photography.
I was in the first group of 12 that landed. We saw some Penguin colonies nearby and visited a former research “shack” Damoy Station, that has weathered many storms.
After hiking around enjoying the experience, we headed back to the ship.
One or two of our other groups arrived at this location.
Once we were back on board, it was announced that all operations would be suspended for the day.
The Zodiac that was transporting people to one of the two 6-passenger submarines had some sort of forceful event that propelled one lady about 5 feet in the air and knocked another person in the water. The lady sustained a broken lower leg from the force of being propelled in the air. The man that was thrown in the water was recovered into the boat, cold and wet. She was treated in the infirmary, and friends indicated she was OK and in good spirits. This was her 19th Viking Cruise, ironically the most of anyone else on board. I am very familiar with Zodiac style inflatable boats. The inflatable tubes of the boat are low pressure. If they were ruptured, they would not violently deflate, not explode. This was something else, and it is still under investigation.
At this point, it was determined that the ship should return to Ushuaia so her leg could be operated on and the fleet of Zodiac boats could be investigated.
Drakes Passage.
Viking Polaris was crossing Drakes Passage the night of November 29th, when the large wave struck. I was still awake and marveling at the waves of Drakes Passage from Stateroom 2028. Just aft of the staterooms that had Nordic Balcony windows that were breached.
As a lifelong sailor, I enjoy and respect the power of the ocean. At no time felt apprehensive or that the conditions were too severe for the Polaris. In fact, I felt, and still feel confidence in the vessels capabilities.
From my stateroom forward, on the port side, I watched the rolling swells come at the ship. Most of the day the consistent swells were at about 35-45 degrees angle off the port bow.
Previously, the Nordic Balcony window would get occasionally sprayed with water. This was a result of the ships bow wave colliding with the oblique swell. It was spray and only contacted the window at a glancing angle.
The seas had turned from a consistent swell approaching 20-25 feet from trough to peak, to a mixed sea, with no general direction.
After dinner I returned to my stateroom and continued to marvel at the force of the ocean. The balcony window continued to get sprayed, but it was not forceful by any sense.
The sea became more “Nautical” as I like to say. As I was preparing to go sleep, I was contemplating what things in the stateroom I should secure.
Just as I was about to secure the water pitcher, by putting it in the trash receptacle, the powerful “Rogue” wave hit with great force.
This wave was not at an angle off the port bow, it was directly at the port side of the ship.
It covered the Nordic Balcony window completely with what seemed like a huge quantity of forceful water.
At the same instant the Polaris was jolted with a very powerful bump that seemed to displace the vessel to starboard.
Unfortunately, the wave breached several staterooms with larger amounts of water, my cabin’s window was intact, but a few gallons of water seeped in aloud the perimeter due to the wave volume and pressure.
My cabin was on deck 2 just a few cabins from the lady that succumbed to her injuries from the large amount of water that entered her stateroom.
Deck 2 is really the third deck from the waterline. Deck 2 is about 25 feet above the waterline. A minimal amount water entered all the way up to deck 4, 45 feet above the waterline.
The Viking crew was on site within 30 seconds and were assisting the 26 passengers that were affected by the wave. My cabin had minimal impact and all my belongings were recovered. Many people were not so lucky.
I am in Ushuaia, heading to my post trip extension to Patagonia. It is a land tour.
There are no words that can express how fast, efficient and caring the entire Viking crew and corporate responded to any passenger needs.
These two freak incidents were beyond their control but with full transparency they arranged alternate activities, replacement clothing….whatever was needed. All while insuring great expense, fully refunding all passengers fees, refunding the next cruises fees and significant repair costs to a ship that was new in September.
In conclusion: Finally, thanks for indulging me, it is cathartic to write about the experience.
The way Viking stepped up showed the true colors of what they is their family. They have earned my loyalty. The Viking Polaris is a capable ship that performed better in the gale force winds with 25 foot swells, than any vessel I have ever sailed on. I would, and will likely, cross cross Drakes Passage on Polaris again. Structurally, the Ice Class 6 vessel is incredible. The force, size and volume of this rogue wave was more than can be designed for. Two other ships from other fleets sustained damage that same night. I just learned that another smaller vessel did a 360° pivot, but all are fine but rattled.
As myself and the 25 other people that were displaced by the damage said goodbye Viking crew (our Family) for the last time last night, it was extremely emotional. A lifelong bond that will last forever. Thank you to everyone involved and Rest In Piece #27.

www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowTopic-g1-i12337-k14245137-Intrepid_Christmas_NYE_Trip_Report-Antarctic_Adventures.html

Intrepid Christmas/NYE Trip Report

flyingsolo of New York, USA travelled on Ocean Endeavour Dec 22 2022 to Jan 3 2023 with Intrepid.

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Antarctica Trip Report

I traveled on the Intrepid Christmas/New Year’s Journey and got back a couple weeks ago. I am still in a “vacation hangover” missing this amazing experience so I am going to relive it by sharing this trip report with you all. This was Intrepid’s first season managing everything themselves so hopefully it will be useful to some.

Overall

My biggest takeaway of this trip is advice I read in this forum and decided to ignore. You do not need the extra activities to have a mind-blowing, phenomenal trip. I planned this trip 2 years in advance so I was able to book all the extra activities I wanted, but on the trip they did not matter. In general, you will not regret booking extra activities like camping or kayaking (I do not), but my trip would have been equally as great without them. Just walking on Antarctica, whether an island or the mainland, seeing the wildlife, and riding in zodiacs is spectacular. If/when I go back, I will not be booking camping, kayaking, snowshoeing…I will just be trying to maximize my time on excursions.

Some context for my packing list review: We were very lucky to have great weather on our trip, so it’s very possible some of the gear I brought would have gotten more use in worse weather. Intrepid provided an outer jacket, boots, and a puffy midlayer jacket that we got to keep.

Prep/Financials

In December 2020 I received a small inheritance after my grandparent’s passing and decided I wanted to spend a portion of it on a dream trip- namely, Antarctica. For the next 6 weeks I researched on this forum and other sites for a cruise with the following criteria:

- maximize my time seeing ice

- a “reasonable” price with no single supplement and up to one roommate

- over New Year’s Eve

- a company with a good track record

- a cruise between rugged and total luxury

- ability to book activities like kayaking and camping in advance but not completely activity-focused

- a good exit strategy in case Antarctic cruises became completely obsolete (this was deep covid times and I am paranoid)

- in the 22/23 season because I thought the 21/22 season could still be affected by covid

With these as my criteria I landed on the Intrepid Christmas/New Year’s Journey to the Antarctic Circle, and put down my deposit in February 2021. I believe that being in my mid-twenties, I was the youngest person on the ship who paid my own way (versus traveling with family).

While I originally booked a shared room with a window, when Intrepid added a fuel supplement I noticed that they had discounted single interior rooms to be cheaper than the room I had booked (single rooms had not been discounted when I originally booked). I reached out to Intrepid and they were willing to switch me to a single interior, which I was extremely happy with. The savings with the interior room ended up canceling out the fuel supplement increase.

From the time I booked the trip, I read and posted in this forum to come up with a packing list, bought new suitcases, and waited for sales for winter clothing. I traveled with one personal-item sized backpack (Patagonia Mini MLC) and a checked rolling duffel. I used sites like Poshmark to buy used merino top base layers and ski pants, and looked on discount outerwear sites for my waterproof gloves and my duffel bag suitcase. I also shopped typical brands like REI and North Face sales. For me, planning and purchasing over 2 years was a fun way to look forward to the trip and to spread out the costs. I also met people on the trip who booked 6 weeks in advance though, so to each their own!

The gear I loved:

- My North Face rain pants. I ended up wearing these and not the ski pants I brought most days as it was easier to layer. On the morning after camping our zodiac ride back got hit by katabatic winds and we all got soaked- my top half had a V-shaped wet spot all the way through 5 layers since I hadn’t zipped up my outermost layer. However, these rain pants kept my bottom half completely dry and I was walking around in my second layers on the ship the rest of the day, while everyone I spoke to had gotten completely soaked through.

- My Black Diamon Heavyweight Screentap Gloves. Based off recommendations in this forum I traveled with 4 pairs of gloves- 2 waterproof pairs, this pair, and then Black Diamond lightweight gloves. The few times we had bad weather I wore my lightweight gloves and a waterproof pair as they fit better, and when camping I wore as many layers as possible. Other than that I only wore these- when standing on deck, riding to land, walking around. They worked great on my phone, fit in my pockets, and kept my hands perfectly warm.

- My camera- I bought a used Canon Powershot G3 X Digital Camera. My only wish would be that it was weather-resistant. Since it wasn’t, I was too worried about using it on zodiac rides so I stuck to my phone in a waterproof case around my neck for that, and only took my camera out from the dry bag when we were on land. But otherwise it was great on zoom, and I am so glad the members of this forum reminded me that the zoom is why you take a camera over a phone. My iPhone was great for landscapes, but this camera was required for those wildlife shots.

- My LL Bean vest. I almost cut this before traveling as I was slightly overweight for the flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, but I am glad I kept it in. Most days walking around the boat I wore a merino base layer, this vest, and then the puffer provided by Intrepid. Occasionally I added an additional layer if it was colder, but mostly that worked great. For excursions I would just add the outer jacket provided by Intrepid.

- My buff and ear cover. I carried these in my pockets along with my gloves around the ship so I could go out on deck on a moment’s notice. The hat I brought was nixed by the biosecurity standards for shedding wool fibers so I didn’t wear it even on the ship. I ended up wearing just the ear cover for the entire trip and had no problem.

- Straps for everything to go around my neck! I had sunglasses straps, binocular straps, phone straps, camera straps…by the end of some days my neck was sore. But it was great for mobility and accessing everything.

Trip Overview

We embarked on December 22 and disembarked on January 3. This meant we had December 25-December 31 with 7 full days by the Antarctic Peninsula. During this time we had 6 landings, and any time we had a landing canceled (mostly due to swell) our expedition leader replaced it with activities so great no one on board even cared about the canceled landing by the end of the day. On December 26 we crossed the Antarctic Circle, and stayed below it until December 30. There was a G Expedition ship with the same embarkation and disembarkation days as us, and I believe we had a very similar first few days. However somewhere around Stonington Island they returned north of the Antarctic Circle before us to go further up on the Peninsula and ended up returning to Ushuaia a day early due to bad weather.

Day 1-3 (Embarkation, Drake Passage)

Our first day on the Drake started off with a bang- we were told the Drake was expected to be a 1/10 but according to guides it was more of a 3/10. This ended up being an unfortunate misprediction as 3 waves larger than expected hit our ship in a row, letting water enter through an open ventilation shaft and flooding part of a lower front deck. Luckily however all affected guests were able to be moved to dry rooms and we were able to continue. The rest of our Drake passage was very smooth. These days were filled with the mandatory orientations, and during the kayaking one it turned out they were hoping some kayakers would opt out as one of the cranes that lifts zodiacs and kayaks was slightly damaged and could not lift its full weight. I ended up opting out and getting a refund plus a free day paddle. I had been having second thoughts about kayaking as it takes away from land time so was very happy with my decision.

Our last day on the Drake Passage was Christmas Eve and the ship threw a fun celebration- some guides organized a talent show and the night devolved into poorly singing all sorts of songs around the piano. Really an amazing way to spend a holiday.

Day 4 (Lemaire Channel, Hovgaard Island)

Christmas morning we woke up off the coast of the Peninsula, approaching the Lemaire Channel. After breakfast I ran down to the bow and promptly fell on my ass- this is why they tell you not to run on deck. We had gorgeous weather as we entered and all the guides were out on deck- a great sign you are seeing something special. That afternoon we had our first landing at Hovgaard Island and by the end of the day everything on my Antarctica wishlist (great views, penguins, whales, seals, hiking on Antarctica, zodiac ride) was done, and we even got a little bit of snow to make my first white Christmas. They ended the day by playing the movie “Elf”.

Day 5 (Crossing the Antarctic Circle, the Gullet)

Our second day started off with another great occasion, crossing the Antarctic Circle. They ship provided champagne, mimosas, and orange juice to cheers the occasion. That afternoon we were supposed to have a landing at Detaille Island but although we had great weather, the swell was too dangerous for us to disembark. So instead we changed course and spent the afternoon going further south through the Gullet, which we were told before that day had not been traveled through in 5 years (although the G Adventures ship had traveled through that morning, which is how we knew the ice conditions were acceptable for us to follow). The Gullet was an amazing highlight- we watched our ship break sea ice and the wildlife watching on sea ice was just phenomenal. This day I had my favorite orca sighting and also we saw beautiful ice formations. Again the weather was great and I spent about 12 hours out on deck that day just taking it all in. Our guides were all out on deck taking photos and videos, and we saw tons of snow petrels.

Day 6 (Bongrain Point, Horseshoe Island)

Day 6 the location was good for day paddling, so that was my activity for the morning. Those that went on land though saw an Adelie colony and were lucky enough to actually see chicks. In the afternoon we went to Horseshoe Island which was cool but more about the historical building than a viewpoint, so not my favorite stop.

Day 7 (Neny Fjord, Stonington Island, Camping)

Once again the swell was too much for us to disembark in the morning like planned at Neny Fjord, but instead our ship did a full circle of a gorgeous iceberg (it took about an hour) and then we did the polar plunge. We had great participation among the passengers, and an iceberg calve in the distance added some fun excitement. This is also where our ship turned north again. That afternoon we disembarked at Stonington Island which also has a historic building. We could see the paths and footsteps left by G Adventures, which I later learned had visited and camped there the day before. The zodiac ride after exploring Stonington was one of my highlights of the trip- the ice was completely gorgeous and our driver had us and surrounding zodiacs stay still for several minutes to give us a moment of silence.

That evening 60 passengers including myself camped on Stonington Island, and as another guest said later, “This is one of the stupidest things I ever paid money for.” There is nothing anyone could have said to stop me from camping- I was hellbent on doing it so I have no regrets. However, once we got there, dug out our sleeping areas (we used bivy bags), and set it up, I stood back and said “now what”. Due to fear of the avian flu we could only sit on our bivy bags and were not allowed to drag them around. Also a quiet time was started around 10:30 PM so those who wanted to sleep could, so you could not chat with friends for very long. The guests I talked to who had the best experience did not sleep and just enjoyed the views- however that was never going to be my plan. I do not mind sleeping in snow or the bivy bag, but as many others have said this experience is really one you just do so that you can say you have done it. In the morning we ended up having to wait about an hour for zodiacs as katabatic winds had come in and our ship had to move spots so that the cranes could lower the zodiacs, which also made the zodiac ride longer. On the way back we had quite a ride with waves crashing in every direction, although it was honestly the most exciting part of the camping experience.

Day 8 (At Sea)

After camping luckily we had a sea day on the ride back up to recover. We could not travel back through the Gullet due to ice conditions so we had to go the long way around Adelaide Island. On sea days including the Drake Passage we had lectures from the guides that I found quite interesting, citizen science programs, yoga, and in the evenings games hosted by the guides. I found the days quite engaging and did not have much time with nothing to do. I also enjoyed the conversations with other guests and solo travelers.

Day 9 (Fish Islands, Barilari Bay)

This morning although we were supposed to land on Fish Islands, we could not get close enough to land due to ice conditions so we instead did a zodiac exploration through the ice. I did not find this lacking in experience and enjoyed the long zodiac rides- our driver asked us which direction and then headed off. They drive in pairs and have trackers to return to the ship so there is no worry about getting lost- it was great to have that dedicated time to explore and look for wildlife. Everyone had completely unique experiences in the morning so lunch was great to hear what everyone had seen. In the afternoon it had been planned to just be a zodiac exploration, but our expedition leader also threw in a sea ice landing for guests. I had no clue this was even a thing so it was super special being able to walk on a floating piece of ice. We also had some close minke encounters as we explored after.

Day 10 (Neko Harbour, Danco Island)

This was New Year’s Eve and our final day along the Peninsula. Several other passengers like me had missed the Adelie penguin colony on the first day, either day paddling or kayaking, so this day was all about the PENGUINS. Both Neko Harbour and Danco Island had Gentoo penguin colonies- no penguin chicks but lots of eggs and nest making. They also both had gorgeous viewpoints. Danco Island in particular had one with a full panorama of the bay- for me it was super worth the walk to the top. On Danco Island there was also a snowshoeing activity- while this was something I had been excited about doing before the trip by this point I just wanted to walk around and enjoy the penguins and the views so did not sign up for the lottery. Overall it was a great last day, and ended with a NYE celebration which has to be one of my top New Year’s Eves ever.

Day 11-13 (Drake Passage, Disembarkation)

And then we were sadly heading back home. Personally I found the Drake Passage a great way to ramp up for Antarctica and then ramp back down, but I was lucky enough to not get seasick. I survived on ginger tablets the whole trip, and we had a pretty calm passage back. On the trip back it was a great time to exchange contact information with passengers and guides, recap the trip, and start mentally preparing yourself to return back to land.

On disembarkation Intrepid and G Adventures provided luggage storage, which when picking up my luggage is where I ran into some G Adventures passengers and got information about their trip. They had highlights like pods of orcas and going further north along the peninsula, but I also got the impression that they were not very strict about biosecurity standards so I am happy at the end of the day with choosing Intrepid.

Intrepid is a B Corps and all the staff were very environmentally conscious which to me is not something I would want to compromise on when traveling to such a sensitive environment as Antarctica.

Other Thoughts

Our excursions were typically 2-3 hours, half zodiac and half on land. I thought this was a great combination. Our guides always provided viewpoints where possible which were some of my favorite parts- I am used to more active trips so always trekked the full way, although I would say most guests chose not to.

Although a pool was advertised on the boat, it was only filled once and took the full day to warm up, and before they could open it we hit choppy waters and all the water splashed out. I never saw it with water again. The hot tub however was frequently filled and was a great way to warm up after excursions.

I am really in awe of all the logistics it takes for the guides and ship crew to make everything work for guests. Our team clearly had a ton of experience, and even new guides were professional, excited, and knowledgeable. Often times when I was at a viewpoint I found myself staring at the motion of the cranes on the ship, the zodiac drivers, and the guests making their way around the continent. The lengths we go to in order to travel safely to Antarctica are almost as awe-inspiring as Antarctica itself.

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Hi PipPaul-

Yes it was on the Ocean Endeavour!

"Was there much sign of luggage being weighed/sized at the BA departure?"

They are strict on checked luggage but I did not see any carry-on or personal items being weighed as long as you are not also checking bags. I was super wary after traveling in Europe where my carry on did get weighed.

"A potential highlight of our trip is the WWF-Australia are due on board for whale research."

That will be great! I met someone on my trip who had originally booked that trip but due to delays and such she ended up on ours.

"Any comments / summary about the catering."

The food was delicious. Breakfast there was an omelette station that always had a long line, and then buffet style fruit and hot foods, as well as cereal and yogurt. Coffee and tea would be served to you once you sat down. Lunch was also buffet style and had good options including a salad bar. On sea days when my stomach wasn't feeling 100% I would typically just eat bread and a salad. They also have good soup options. One thing to note for the dinner menu is you can order multiple things off of it- I often had two desserts, and friends would order an entree as an appetizer or vice versa. Our executive chef was a super friendly guy- the night I was camping some other solo travelers I fell in with who weren't camping ended up spending the evening chatting and sharing a cheese plate with him.

"And the tea/coffee/snack station that I understand is available."

Oh yes! After morning expeditions hot chocolate was provided, and after afternoon expeditions soup was provided in the main lobby. Every day around 3 PM or so was snack time. There was tea/coffee/hot chocolate provided in the "library" (really just a hallway with books) all day, and cookies most of the time. Around 3 PM the staff would set up tables and set out pastries like cake and meringues and brownies. Honestly most days I missed the snack time but it was definitely a highlight and a routine for many. When I did partake it was delicious!

"Did you spend any time in Ushuia?"

Yes! I got in Sunday evening and met up with Intrepid on Wednesday. I went to the park one day but honestly it was not the highlight of my days. I really enjoyed hiking a glacier with the group Taun Ushuaia. I found them through my hostel- they do not have a TripAdvisor page and just use instagram, WhatsApp, and then Western Union for payment. It is all run by a local guy called Nacho and it was really a highlight of the trip. If you can and are interested I highly recommend reaching out and seeing if you can book something with him. As far as food in Ushuaia, I was pleasantly surprised by the Chinese food place Asia Gourmet (better than many of my takeout options in NYC) and then liked Tante Sarah for wifi, orange juice, and a casual breakfast. It was hard to find restaurants with vegetables.

"Did your BA to Ushuia and return trips go to plan?"

Yes! I flew back with Aerolineas and I think we had maybe a 40 minute delay but it was not a huge deal for my travel plans.

"Any 'hassle' over final tips? Or did you just pay up at the recommended level?"

I paid at the recommended level plus a little bit more. Around when you are returning on the Drake Passage a paper is left in your room by the attendant with recommended tip rates. You basically just write your amount on the paper and check whether you are paying in cash or card. Not to do with tips, but I know there were some people who had issues with drinks on their final receipt that were not theirs, but I had no issues. Reception was really very professional and calm when dealing with all the passenger complaints.

Some other thoughts I had that may be useful:

- After our first excursion there were some passengers who no longer wanted to walk on land due to issues getting in/out of the zodiac, so Intrepid started offering zodiac only options. I thought this was a great way to be flexible to the clientele. They were just called down last to the mud room.

- There were some covid cases on board but they were handled very well. Those with positive tests were quarantined, and their roommates were allowed out with a negative test and masked (and were tested every couple days). If they were feeling up to it, they were also given private zodiac cruises during our excursions by guides who had had covid in the past few months so effectively immune. My impression is that all the covid on the boat was caught beforehand- it did not seem to spread on board except between roommates. If it did spread on board, it was definitely not rampant as we were on the "green" status all trip.

Not Intrepid specific but just a general thought:

I found the wildlife viewing perfect for my level of interest. It was rare enough that every time we saw something it was interesting, but common enough that every day I saw several whales, penguins, seals, and birds. Honestly this is all luck and up to personal preference, and I obviously would have loved to see a pack of orcas, but I knew that "Crossing the Southern Circle" was less wildlife focused!

Oh another thought. I am not sure how common this is among cruises but on the trip back over the Drake Passage Intrepid has an auction where funds go to charities like the WWF and something to preserve the historic buildings in Antarctica. On our trip the flag at the front of the ship sold for around $4000. I walked away with a bottle of glacial water from Neko Harbour that was harvested on our trip for $150. There were smaller items as well and then a map of our trip that you could get signed by the crew/guides if you wished. So be prepared if that is something you are interested in, it was quite fun!

JezzaMac of Macclesfield, United Kingdom travelled with their grandson on Oceanwide's Plancius for a Basecamp itinerary over the 2022 Christmas - New Year period.
Trip report in post 12 of this thread.
www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowTopic-g1-i12337-k14208575-o10-Oceanwide-Antarctic_Adventures.html

#12 of 12 ·
My grandson (15) and I (70) travelled with them on Plancius on the Basecamp trip - 12 days to the South Shetland iIslands and the Antarctic peninsula over Christmas and New Year, both celebrated on board. We had the cheapest cabin available and not was comfortable clean and as we didn't't spend much time there, except to sleep, quite enough for our needs. There's a bar, and a pleasant lounge, spacious dining room and the food was very good. Plancius is a former Dutch Navy research vessel so it's not a luxury cruise ship - and all the better for that! You feel like an intrepid explorer! . With only 100 or so passengers taking part in all the activities is pretty much guaranteed even if you hit a patch of bad weather. (Zodiacs can be used in winds over 40 knots). The experts knew their stuff and were very approachable, so too the ship's captain and crew.

In the Basecamp trip all activities are included a reasonable level of day to day fitness is needed but don't stress about it. The only activity of concern is the mountaineering and the guides will check and assign you to a group based on ability and experience. Again don't stress about or the boots requirement. My group claimed to about 350m (just over 1150ft) above sea level. It was a steady uphill walk in snowshoes - RIGID climbing boots were NOT essential as the Muck Boots supplied by the company were quite acceptable for use with snowshoes. Only one very small group needed specialist footwear. (I hired a pair in UK before travel but needn't have bothered) Nor did we need Polar down jackets, but the weather was good. I wore a Merino base layer, mid-layer fleece and Goretex shell jacket and that was more than enough most days. On a sunny day the air temp was around 12º as long as there was little wind. On windy days it was colder but the shell jacket prevents its worst effects. The muck boots provided onboard are well insulated but I wore Merino socks too and my feet were never cold.

Remember to bring swimming trunks for the optional Polar Plunge! Always good for bragging rights! Most rush in, submerge, jump up gasping and screaming and rush out. Be brave walk in as deep as you dare and swim back. So much more impressive. The doctor and zodiacs are on hand so no worries. As they say "we bring the towels, you bring the courage".

When camping on the ice remember to bring an eye-shade as it's light all the time (and a pee bottle if you're a chap. I'm not sure what advice to give to women who wake up in the night, except there is a portaloo but it usually mens a walk!)

Kayaking is in highly stable twin kayaks - novices can be paired up with someone more experienced. Don't stress about it. Our leader was a really cool guy who made everyone feel confident.

The daily landings/activities are always wind/sea state dependent, but they work like this: First group are put ashore, second group tour the area in zodiacs, after allotted time, swap over then return to ship.

If you have a barbecue on board (I think each trip has one) my advice is to take very little hot food. Eat it and return for more - otherwise you'll be eating cold cuts by the time you are halfway through your meal !!

I have no experience of other trip providers, but I am full of praise for Plancius her captain and crew and the expedition staff. Our passengers were a particularly gregarious group - though I suppose most people on such voyages have a lot in common.

We were very fortunate in seeing orca twice - the second time attacking a humpbacked whale which was both shocking and exhilarating. We realised you can never ever see too many penguins - they are so cute and funny and will always cheer you up!

The Basecamp trip on Plancius went beyond what I was expecting and I'd have happily stowed away for the return.

* Do use a scopolamine patch (anti seasickness) for the Drake Passage. Prevention is far better than taking a chance!!!)

6OfThe7Continents of Scottsdale, Arizona USA traveled with Oceanwide on board MV Hondius from 23 December to 4 January doing the Basecamp itinerary.

Back from the ice! Report from guy that helped create forum! (Admin note - ahhh no - he didn't !).

www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowTopic-g1-i12337-k14237571-Back_from_the_ice_Report_from_guy_that_helped_create_forum-Antarctic_Adventures.html#116279893

www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g1-i12104-k2369521-o20-Why_is_there_no_forum_for_Antarctica-Help_us_make_Tripadvisor_better.html

I posted this 14 years ago! Anyway, finally made it to Antarctica, I read countless posts here leading up to it, and some of these things may have been mentioned, but here's some standard things I wish I knew (maybe missed here) going in!

-Make sure all your pockets have zippers, you will be carrying little things like batteries, handkerchiefs etc that shouldn't ever touch the ice

-think carefully about a window suite, I paid extra, saw the railing of the ship, and didn't factor in the eternal days of Antarctica Summer that made sleeping difficult

-Make sure your day bag is large enough for snow shoes if applicable. Mine was not but luckily I had extra velcro straps to clip them on during mountaineering, speaking of which...

-Make sure you bring the right boots if you are doing it, the company will send a list of acceptable boots, many people on my voyage didn't have the right ones and were not able to do technical mountaineering.

-I'm not a big photographer, people who are will know what they are doing but for us non photography people if you have a point and shoot go over a few quick YouTube videos on white balancing

-pack gaiters. I live in the desert, I thought gaiters were an animal in the swamp in Florida but when my pants started riding up trudging through snow and ice that eventually got in my boots, I thought about those gaiters!

-In case that happens, pack an extra pair of socks on your landing days. My feet got wet mountaineering, several other people got wet just getting off the zodiac even with the high boots. An extra pair of socks for the polar plunge day also would have been nice.

-Book with a company that specializes in Polar Cruises. I went with Oceanwide, you will get guides that are polar guides year round, captains on the ship that are polar year round, etc. Safer and more involved in the Arctic and Antarctic than ships who say spend a lot of time in the warmer waters.

-I think everything else would be standard. I was on the MV Hondius over New Years eve. I highly recommend this ship and the company Oceanwide. 14 year ago I really never thought I'd make it to continent 7... As my user name implies, but the crew and staff of Oceanwide and Hondius helped make it happen.

-Cost: $12,000 (shared window room in twin suite) included everything but alcohol (spent about $150) and laundry (done twice $70) 13 days. 2.5 at sea and 2.5 coming back. We made landings all days but one due to weather. Camping, kayaking, hiking, snowshoeing, mountaineering, all included. If you weren't on a landing you were on a zodiac cruising the seas and seeing countless wildlife. Very little time was spent on the ship once we arrived.

-While in Ushuaia, the last minute deals still exist, I saw cruises with landing for as low as $4,000, but of course these are last minute, the one I mentioned was a week from the day I saw it.

I got to Ushuaia two days early which I highly recommend just in case. I left on the 5pm flight the same day we got back, which if I did it again, I'd feel safe with the 2pm flight.

Those are some of the big things I can think of, feel free to message below, happy to answer any questions.

------------
Additional info about Basecamp provided in a response on this thread.
www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowTopic-g1-i12337-k14208575-Oceanwide-Antarctic_Adventures.html

#8 of 14 ·
Did you get to do all of the activities included? Yes. However we had flawless weather which would be your obstacle to worry about.

If so, how were they and how long is each excursion?

Only activities that were more than 3 hours were camping (4/5) and technical mountaineering (6) make sure you have the correct boots if you want to do technical, 60-75 percent probably didn't have the right ones.

I am particularly interested in mountaineering so if you did that, then please let me know how it was.

Challenging but if you have some experience it's a good time. One person had to turn back because they were not in shape for it.

I really debated on whether we should choose the Hondius or one of Oceanwide's smaller ships because we may be able to go on more excursions. I understand that weather is the main factor on how many excursions occur, but did you feel that most people got to experience the activities that they wanted to? Absolutely

I personally skipped kayaking because if you kayak there is a chance you miss a normal zodiac landing and I wanted as much time on the continent as possible. Anytime anyone is doing anything all groups will be doing something, for example if one group is mountaineering the other is zodiac cruising. You will not be sitting on the ship bored.

#10 of 14 ·
Experience no, they will ask you about fitness level and definitely be honest. I will note about 50 percent of people did not bring proper mountaineering boots. If they can fold they are not proper should be like roller blades and fairly expensive I got mine luckily used on eBay.