I can’t, in words or even pictures! But I will try
First of all, I will never say we took an Antarctic cruise! This is not a cruise! It isn’t for cruisers! It’s an expedition, with real science going on, scientists on board with expertise in geology, sea birds, marine biology, cetaceans, animal behavior, …. they cover every aspect of the things you will see and experience here!
Second, we learned right away that flexibility is the only way to face the Antarctic. We were a bit disappointed on boarding to find the Drake was really shaking, and our Captain Maggie made the decision to wait for calmer waters to cross…. giving us 2 full days to explore around Ushuaia, our port. We did a bus trip across the mountain pass to a beautiful valley and lake, getting a small taste of what Patagonia will be (our next section of this adventure). We actually got that bonus most Viking customers don’t get. She left port early on the 2nd day so we passed through the Beagle channel in daylight, getting to see glimpses of our first penguins, a colony of Megellanic penguins.
On top of that, our captain made up the time crossing the smoother Drake waters in record time, about a day and a half! We immediately began 5 days full of adventures.
Third, the Expedition team worked very hard to give us the best experience. They were up early, began preparing the vehicles, the landing site, and scouting a perfect kayak location. They mark the trails for best way to see the penguin colonies or view the sights. They often worked late, until everyone had a chance to do the exercise. For instance, when we had a chance to put foot on the solid peninsula, not just the islands of the Antarctic, the team drove zodiac “taxis”, zodiac cruises, with a mini stop. In order to extend our experience there, they drove us around a chinstrap penguin coloney on the point and nearer a beautiful glacier in the bay.
They also have prepared great lectures and videos presented in the Aula, the “theater” on the rear of decks 2 and 3. This space is named after the auditorium at the University of Norway in Oslo. Where the Nobel Prize was first awarded. They also have presentations for individuals or small groups in Expedition Center and the Studio. Sometimes, we were even invited to see some of the science in the lab or watch the weather balloon release on the bow
I will leave the summary of animals and birds for another post, as that is another aspect of this adventure that is beyond imagination! To summarize in a word? Impossible!
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