If you are only going somewhere once, make sure you do it right.
That’s our philosophy when it comes to planning bucket-list adventures, and that’s the philosophy we implemented for our recent trip to Antarctica.
We had written off Antarctica as a “maybe-someday-when-we’re-retired” destination, recognizing that our desire to do it right would mean a substantial financial and time commitment that was just easier to put off. There were other excuses not to do it, like worry about potential seasickness and hesitation at the thought of being on a ship for so long.
Antarctica remained on the “someday” list until a near-fatal brain bleed changed everything.
My unexpected brush with death at age 41 forced me to reflect on what truly mattered. I realized that if my time had come, one of my only regrets would have been never making it to Antarctica, a magical land at the end of the Earth that had captivated my imagination since I was five. Antarctica’s towering icebergs and desolate mountain landscapes called to me, a place that so few people get the privilege of visiting, populated by charismatic penguins, ominous leopard seals, and graceful humpback whales.
Antarctica: A fairy-tale land of penguins and ice
A Weddell seal on the lookout over its icy kingdom
A humpback whale's tail as it dives into the depths of the Southern Ocean
As soon as it became clear that I would survive my health crisis, Chris and I booked my dream Antarctic adventure, a 23-day cruise that included the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, the Orkneys, the Antarctic Peninsula, the Polar Circle, and back across the notorious Drake Passage. We put out an open invite for any interested Moraway Adventures travelers to join us, and nine intrepid travelers came along.
The verdict?
Antarctica exceeded every expectation for me and our fellow adventurers. It was a once-in-a-lifetime journey where slow, immersive travel allowed us to truly absorb the magic of our surroundings while finding comfort and community in the daily rhythms of life at sea. None of my concerns about seasickness or being on a ship for so long were valid, and our ship was so luxurious (incredible food, top-tier service, built-in stabilizers, spacious cabins, and even a self-serve cappuccino machine) that I could have easily done another week on board. It feels like we took a graduate-level course from all of the lectures presented by our exceptional guides (who included marine biologists, oceanographers, pro photographers, geographers, and more) and the expeditionary nature of Antarctic cruising meant that every single day was a true safari, where you never knew what you were going to get.
And what did we get?
We got purple and pink sunrises that radiated off the ice as the sun began its low-angled journey across the southern sky. We got up-close encounters with bustling penguin colonies abuzz with waddling, chasing, cheeping, hilarious penguins (some with adorably bad “haircuts” as they endured their annual catastrophic molt). We got to watch the dreaded leopard seal stealthily stalking and (successfully killing) penguins amidst the ice, and we also got to cruise in tiny little Zodiacs surrounded by energetic pods of playful orcas and bubble-feeding humpback whales. We got to polar plunge, stand on an island of floating sea ice in the middle of the vast Southern Ocean, and cruise through some of the most still and silent waters on Earth. We even got chased by baby fur seals (my personal favorite - all bark and no bite!).
Good morning, sunshine!
Another bad hair day for this Gentoo Penguin undergoing its annual molt
Getting the side-eye from the dreaded leopard seal, an apex predator
This unlucky penguin's encounter with the leopard seal did not end well
Who needs a spa to feel rejuvenated when you can polar plunge?
Happy travelers on a Zodiac cruise through the ice
The fur seal pups of South Georgia - all bark and no bite!
We got so much more than we bargained for in Antarctica, and we got reinforcement that it’s worth the effort and sacrifice to turn big dreams into reality. The remoteness and raw beauty of the untouched Antarctic landscapes, packed with thriving populations of birds and marine mammals caught up in the age-old daily struggle for survival, penetrate your soul and leave you dreaming about this magical kingdom of penguins and seals and ocean and ice even after you’re home.
Photos do not even begin to capture the wonder of this indescribable, evocative journey, but we do hope you enjoy these photos from our (first) Antarctic adventure.
The Falkland Islands
These wild and windswept islands provided an excellent introduction to the abundance and diversity of wildlife we would become accustomed to for the rest of our journey! The Black-browed Albatross colonies were incredible (70% of the entire world population nest in the Falklands!) and this was our only chance to see Southern Rockhopper and Magellanic Penguins, as well as myriad other bird species like the Upland Goose, Striated Caracara, Falkland Steamer Duck, and more. We visited two excellent museums that helped bring the colorful history of these intriguing islands to life, adding so much more depth to our travel experience.
A female (brown) and male (white) Upland Goose found on the Falkland Islands
Striated Caracara keeping watch over the Imperial Shag rookery on New Island
Southern Rockhopper Penguins, which are only found in the sub-Antarctic islands
The Falkland Islands host 70% of the world's population of Black-browed Albatross
Baby albatross hanging out at the nest while the parents are fishing out at sea
Hundreds of Gentoo Penguins on this New Island beach, with a couple of Magellanics mixed in
South Georgia Island
When our expedition guides, most of whom guide in the Antarctic as well as the Arctic, are asked which they prefer, they all have the same answer: “South Georgia!” This ruggedly beautiful penguin paradise has it all - storied history, dramatic landscapes, and some of the densest concentrations of wildlife on Earth - and was so incredible that we devoted an entire blog to it.
This King Penguin chick has a lot of growing to do before it can survive on its own
Over 300,000 king penguins live at St. Andrews Bay on South Georgia Island
Southern elephant seals grow to 20 feet long, weighing up to four tons
Macaroni Penguins can burst out of the water at speeds of 15mph
South Georgia's Antarctic fur seal pups are always ready to romp
Southern Orkneys, Elephant Island, and the South Shetland Islands
Taking the slow route to reach the Antarctic Peninsula allowed us to progress through different ecotones as we voyaged from temperate to sub-Antarctic to polar climates, with noticeable shifts in species composition as we moved southward. In addition to maximizing our wildlife experiences and our ecological immersion, seeing the dire Point Wild (where Ernest Shackleton’s men were stranded for 4.5 months of Antarctic winter) and traversing the choppy waters between there and South Georgia Island gave me a whole new appreciation for just how incredible the Endurance expedition was.
Edinburgh Hill on the South Shetland Islands
A different penguin species as we make our way south: Chinstraps in the South Shetlands
Southern elephant seals are more commonly seen in the sub-Antarctic islands than in Antarctica
Views from Point Wild on Elephant Island, where Shackleton's men were stranded for 4.5 months
Antarctic Peninsula
I will never forget my first glimpse of the Antarctic continent as we arrived at Kinnes Cove after a 14-day journey across the Southern Ocean: overcast skies shrouding ice-capped mountains reflecting in perfectly still waters, with jostling Gentoo Penguins launching out of the water onto an iceberg on the starboard side of the ship and a mother humpback and her calf resting to port. The stillness, beauty, timelessness, and tranquility were overwhelming, and this was just the beginning. Antarctica’s complex topography of deep fjords, towering mountains, endless icefields, and hidden coves captivated us with its beauty and bountiful life over the coming days, each day revealing new surprises.
The still waters of Kinnes Cove are perfect for Zodiac explorations
Antarctica's waters are studded with icebergs of all shapes and sizes, each in a constant state of change
A fat and happy little Gentoo penguin welcoming us to our first landing on the Antarctic Peninsula
Adelie penguins are a true Antarctic species, with breeding colonies scattered along the coast
Although generally harmless to humans, it still makes your heart race when you get this close to a leopard seal
Polar Circle
Our furthest point south and one of the most memorable days of our journey was our Polar Circle crossing. After a sublime sunrise in an icy dreamscape that few travelers ever set eyes on, we set out in our Zodiacs on that day’s safari, which started out with a side trip to stand on a tiny island of floating sea ice, surrounded by towering mountains and ice-studded waters for as far as the eye can see. We re-boarded the Zodiac and visited slumbering seals dozing on the ice before venturing out into Crystal Cove.
Working our way through the sea ice as we reached the Polar Circle
Standing on a tiny island of sea ice below the Polar Circle means we have officially gone to the end of the Earth
These doe-eyed crabeater seals are well-insulated for life on the ice
This Weddell seal gave us a perfect pose before resuming her morning nap
Crystal Cove was a cetacean sanctuary, with dozens and dozens of humpback whales all around us, blowing, diving, spy-hopping, and waving their pectoral fins. The whales were completely undisturbed by our presence, and we even ended up in the middle of some bubble-feeding whales! The thrill of having these gentle giants dive right under our boat, and the suspense of now knowing where and when they would resurface (often uncomfortably close to the boat, with an explosive exhalation of stinky krill breath that would scare the hell out of you!), was one of the most memorable experiences of our trip.
Our first of many humpback whale sightings as we headed into Crystal Cove
There is nothing more Zen than being so close to humpback whales that you can hear them breathe
It's hard not to get the shot when the whales are this close
Each humpback's tail has a unique pattern that can be used to identify the individual
Danco Island: A Final Surprise
When we bid farewell to the Polar Circle and began our journey northward, I thought the pinnacle experiences were all behind us. I could not have been more wrong! Our final day on the Antarctic Peninsula was stellar, starting with a stunningly beautiful hike to reach a hilltop Gentoo Penguin colony on Danco Island. While we had seen plenty of curious and approachable penguins throughout the trip, these guys were especially so, and there is nothing more heart-warming than being followed by hungry Gentoo Penguin adolescents, who never give up hope that you might suddenly stop and vomit up some krill for them to eat.
View from the summit at Danco Island
It was a hoot watching these two Gentoos waddle their way from the ocean to the summit
Moraway travelers Gary and Birgit getting accosted by hungry Gentoo chicks
They can't swim while molting, but they can still follow you and beg for food
This Gentoo is almost done with the molt and ready to hit the water in search of food
Just when I thought our time on the Peninsula couldn’t get any better, it did. As we were heading northward to visit one last Antarctica site before beginning the journey home across the Drake Passage, we had an abrupt change of plans when we suddenly encountered not one, but TWO pods of killer whales near our ship. We immediately dropped Zodiacs in the water, where the orcas graced us with their energetic presence for over 45 minutes. Seeing a baby orca pop its little head out of the water to look right at us from just a few meters away was unbelievable, and after the orcas swam off, we spent the next few hours gliding through abundant and tranquil waters, dodging giant rafts of swimming penguins, resting whales, and ethereal icebergs.
An up-close encounter with killer whales on a stellar, bluebird day
I lost count in all the excitement, but there were about 25 orcas all around us
Male orcas have a taller, straighter dorsal fin than the females
We got a couple of glimpses of this baby orca catching their breath while trying to keep up with the adults
Just another rough day in the office for our talented expedition leader, Pippa
Antarctica is an experience that stays with you forever, an authentic safari at the end of the Earth, and a much-needed antidote to our increasingly stressful and chaotic world. It is the last truly great wilderness, with unrivaled landscapes, wildlife, and remoteness. I have never been somewhere that evoked so many deep emotions, from gratitude to serenity to joy, humility, and awe. The expeditionary nature of Antarctica travel means that no two trips will ever be the same, and what I thought would be the trip of a lifetime turned out to be just the first trip of a lifetime. Antarctica not only captured my imagination as a five-year-old child, but it also captured my heart as a forty-something-year-old, seasoned traveler. I’m already dreaming of my inevitable return.
A girl and her penguins - the author having the time of her life
When you are ready to plan your own incredible Antarctic expedition, please get in touch with us to help make your dream trip a reality!
Your Wild Adventure Aficionado,
