Fulfilling a Life-Long Dream of Visiting the Antarctic
Chinstrap Penguins and a Snowy Sheathbill share some Antarctic gossip. Visiting the continent was a life-long dream come true. Image: ©Larry Blau
Photographer, Team member, Larry Blau and friend. Larryseyes.com
By Larry Blau
My Trip of a Lifetime
Ever since I was a young boy and dreamed about being a photojournalist, one place that constantly held my imagination was Antarctica, Earth’s southernmost continent and site of the South Pole, virtually uninhabited and ice-covered. I had so many questions about the continent and its wildlife and even how to get there. Over the years, thoughts of Antarctica continued to run through my mind. So when at last an opportunity presented itself, I immediately signed up.
Is a Journey to The Ends of the Earth
✔︎ Trip Tips
Where: Antarctica When: October to March
How: Begin From Ushuaia, Argentina. A smaller rather than larger specialized boat, small group, with a naturalist guide.
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I traveled from New York, arrived in Buenos Aires, and spent one night there to sleep off jet lag. The next day's flight landed me in El Calafate Airport in the middle of Patagonia. I planned to spend five days in Patagonia, working my way to the city of Ushuaia in *Argentina's Tierra Del Fuego archipelago, where I would board the boat for Antarctica.
Located at the southernmost tip of South America, Ushuaia earns its nickname: "End of the World." The city is on a steep hill looking out onto the Beagle Channel or "the gateway to Antarctica." The word Ushuaia comes from a local language meaning "deep bay."
The city itself has a varied history. The indigenous Onas or Selk'nam and Yamanes or Yáganes lived there when the first Spanish arrived in 1580. Anglican missionaries arrived next, and in 1873 the first Argentine citizens followed. By 1911 the indigenous people had all but disappeared in epidemics of typhus, measles, and pertussis.
In 1881, Chile and Argentina signed a border treaty dividing the Tierra del Fuego archipelago into Chilean territory on the east and Argentine on the west and formally establishing Ushuaia as an Argentine city. By 1896, it served as a prison colony. The convicts helped build many of the structures and facilities that exist today.
After visiting the prison, which closed in 1970, and spending two days in Ushuaia, I was ready to board my boat to Antarctica.
Boarding the Ship - The Real Adventure Begins!
The SS Ushuaia observing the “small town’ life of some Gentoo penguins Image: ©Larry Blau
The "SS Ushuaia" was initially built in 1970 for the US National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as an ice-strengthened polar vessel. With a capacity of ninety passengers, the ship is one of the smallest ships operating in Antarctica.
We boarded the ship, and I found my assigned cabin in its middle. I decided not to have a roommate for this adventure.
We were instructed to put all our gear on the floor and rearrange our furniture to prevent it from sliding around the cabin.
Just as I noticed guard rails on my bed and wondered why we'd need them, an announcement came that we would be leaving port quickly. A storm was brewing, and we needed to get out before it hit.
We sat down to dinner as we began our journey through the Beagle Channel, the ship’s doctor handed out sea sickness pills with our meal.
You Never Know How the Drake Passage Will Greet You
The Beagle Channel leads into the dreaded "Drake Passage." We were advised beforehand that the "Drake" could behave like an immense calm lake - or a roller coaster. You never know what the Drake will give you.
The Drake Passage is the body of water located between Cape Horn at Chili's Tierra del Fuego archipelago, on the southernmost tip of South America, and the South Shetland Islands in Antarctica. This is where the Atlantic and Pacific converge. The currents meet no resistance from any landmass nearby and could form some of the choppiest waters in the world. I reminded myself that this was part of the adventure and that my ultimate reward was to visit and see Antarctica.
At about midnight, I was woken up by being thrown out of bed but thankfully not hurt. I should have used the bed rails.
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Gentoo penguins using what nature gave for their nests. i watched the birds picking up stones one-by-one with their beaks adding to their nest mounds. Image: ©Larry Blau
The ship seemed like a roller coaster that rocked up and down every five seconds. Water was spraying onto my porthole, and I was in the middle of the boat. I lost control of my physical self and could not even make it to the bathroom next to my bed. Eventually, I ended up sitting on the floor in a sort of fetal position and riding up and down. Finally, at about 4 AM, I decided to leave my cabin and try to make my way to the meeting area. I slowly navigated down a steel stairway, holding fast to the railing, eventually making my way to the common area. As the boat topped off at a forty-five-degree angle, I held on for dear life.
At about 8 AM, the staff tried to serve us breakfast in the dining area only to have all the coffee and food they placed on our table come crashing to the floor when we hit the next wave. At that point, we were told to go back to our cabins to ride out the remainder of the Drake.
I had no sooner worked my way back to my cabin than I heard a weird crash followed by lots of voices outside but was so tired that I did not move and eventually fell asleep.
We Survived The Drake’s Challenge - Mostly
Nature showing off her sculpting skills. i was amazed at the color of the ice. Image: ©Larry Blau
When I awoke, the waters were much calmer, so I decided to go out and look for my first iceberg. It was then I discovered that the crash I'd heard was my next-door neighbor falling down the steel stairway onto his leg. So I went next door to visit him. His fracture had broken skin, and the doctor was trying to keep him comfortable with limited resources. The tour leaders had to make a decision. How do we get him off the boat to proper medical care, or do we turn around and go back before even reaching Antarctica?
Before booking passage to Antarctica, you must obtain and show proof of medical and rescue insurance. The leaders reached out to the insurance company via satellite telephone. They decided that we'd divert to King George Island, where the injured guest would board a plane and be transported back to the mainland for proper medical care. I remember docking in the harbor at King George Island and seeing an old-looking Russian church on the Island and wondering who would make such a place their home.
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After the Drake - Sunlight and Ice Bergs
I took this image from a safe (dry) distance after running from a wave created by a large chunk of ice falling into the water . Image: ©Larry Blau
It was now back to our adventure. Our ship once again turned south, and we continued our voyage into a bright sun.
You can only book a trip to Antarctica from November until March since there is too much ice and not enough light the rest of the year. However, my adventure was in December, when it never got dark.
I patiently waited to see my first iceberg, and then it happened. The first thing that struck me was the color; I had never seen ice with such a bluish tint. As we worked our way further south, more and more icebergs appeared, distinct colors and shapes giving each a unique character.
Meeting the Wildlife of Antarctica
A Snowy Sheathbill with seals, possibly Weddell’s, working on their summer tans: ©Larry Blau
Antarctica is home to colonies of eight different penguin species. As we got closer, one of our tour leaders gave a lecture on the penguins we would be visiting.
The following day, we all boarded Zodiacs for our ride to visit the local penguin colonies. I quickly learned the difference between Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins. We were allowed to wander amongst the penguins and were constantly reminded not to step on their highways. Penguin Highways are soft muddy trails that the penguins use to navigate around. Many of the females were sitting on nests incubating eggs. Nothing grows in Antarctica. There are no trees or grasses, so the penguins use small pebbles and stones to make their nests, and you constantly witness penguins collecting them in their mouths.
Sprayed by a Whale
We spent six days traveling around Antarctica, making two landings per day. One after breakfast and one late in the afternoon. One day, after returning from our afternoon excursion, I spotted a school of whales following the boat. I went to the railing to look when one of the whales sprayed me with water from its spout. How lucky I was to experience this moment!
And Saved By Penguins
Follow the leader on a penguin highway with Chinstrap penguins. Image: ©Larry Blau
Another day, we landed on the actual continent of Antarctica and were told that we could wander about - but stay close. As I walked towards a group of penguins, I heard a loud crash and saw a huge chunk of ice fall into the water. Immediately the throng of penguins took off running past me, scrambling up a rocky incline. When the ice hit the water, it had created an enormous wave - and it was coming right towards us. I ran after the penguins towards higher ground, barely missing being toppled over by the surge.
After exploring this tiny piece of the continent of Antarctica, we all boarded the zodiacs and returned to the SS Ushuaia.
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Deception Island Lives Up to Its Name
Deception Island felt a little creepy. A few of the other visitors and I felt like something was watching us. Image: ©Larry Blau
It was time to leave Antarctica, As our ship turned north, thoughts of the "Drake" started to creep back into my mind. What would it be like going back? But before we took on the Drake, we visited Deception Island. Deception Island, one of the South Shetland Islands, has a large natural deep water harbor. It got its name due to its outward appearance as a typical island, but in reality, it is a ring around the flooded caldera of an active underwater volcano.
For a few years beginning in 1819, Deception Island was a base for fur-sealing, then it evolved into a whaling base until the industry collapsed due to over hunting by 1931. During World War II, the Allies used the Island as a listening post for German ship and submarine movement. After the war, posts were set up for long-term scientific studies. Prior to the Antarctic Treaty System, signed in 1959, both the British and Argentine governments took turns claiming Deception Island. The volcano's last two eruptions in 1968 and 1970 caused a lot of damage and disrupted research, however, every year scientists from many nations return during the summer months.
We boarded our Zodiacs and landed on Deception Island's black volcanic beach. We were allowed to explore the abandoned warehouses and living quarters. There is an old cemetery on a hill that we could see. Wandering around the buildings, I got the impression that I was being watched, but by whom and why? It felt like someone, or something did not want us there. Who would live and work in such a forbidding place?
What stories this boat could tell! The sleeping seals do not seem interested. Deception Island. Image: ©Larry Blau
Facing the Drake Passage, Again
Finally, we again boarded the boat for our return trip to Ushuaia and prepared to experience the "Drake" one final time. I can only tell you that the return trip was rougher, but we all handled it better. We knew what to expect and took the punches the Drake gave us.
During our last dinner, we were all presented with certificates signed by the captain attesting that Lawrence Blau stepped on the continent of Antarctica at the stated longitude and latitude. This keepsake is framed and proudly displayed in my home.
I will never forget Antarctica. The colors and shapes of the icebergs seem to bring this desolate area alive. You can get near to the wildlife, and they readily accept you as part of their world. If you are willing to chance the Drake, an adventure into Antarctica is well worth it.
A “major city” of Gentoo penguins on the Antarctic peninsula. Image: ©Larry Blau