I shot over 12,000 photos on this trip and have only processed about 200 now. I could be at this for months! I figured I do a quick little recap with some photos...and more photos than usual because I have a broadband Internet connection again! Some of these images, you've already seen. It isn't a trip for everyone, and whether this expedition speaks to you or not is an argument on to itself....
Itinerary Make port at Stanley, the capital of the Falklands Visit Gypsy Cove for our last time with wildlife Walk around Stanley and have a pint Disembark for Ushuaia We’re only one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time now, so I’m waking up at a normal time again – on my own clock. I was having some issues being 3 hours ahead. Sadly, the reality that this trip is coming to end is beginning to...
Itinerary: Attend every lecture – especially Kim Heacox’s story about Sir Shackleton (more on that later) Get through all photos taken so far and process a few for the slideshow-showoff later in the trip Shoot some more sea birds off the back of the ship We’ve been at sea since last night. We’ve been going with the wind and the waves, so the boat has had an even rock. I have not felt bad once....
Itinerary: Zodiacs to Sea Lion Island to see huge colonies of Gentoo Penguins and Elephant Seals Stay Dry! Zodiacs to Bleaker Island to see Rock hopper penguins, Rock Shags, and more King Cormorants (Blue Eyed Shag) Continue my reputation for being the last person back on the boat I owe you guys a full story on yesterday, but I’m sorry to tell you to wait another day. We are currently on our way...
Looks like I’m going to do two postings today. Itinerary (morning): Wake-up to our first landing at Carcass Island Finally put some food down the hatch Get my mind blown by the wildlife on Carcass Island I woke up feeling fantastic! Breakfast was a treat, and everything tasted much better than usual. Outside the ship was land and the temperature was in the low 50’s with no wind – NICE! It was...
It is time for my least favorite part of the trip - packing all my junk. I've already cut a lot out, and I'm still scratching my head on how I'm going to fit this mess in 2 bags. I think i've got everything covered on what I was told to bring, and I added a few things extra: 2 Gallon Ziploc bags and 2 rolls of waterproof duct tape. I can MacGyver anything now! In all seriousnous, the bags and...
I'm only 7 days away from hopping on a plane for the trip of a lifetime. At this point, I'm very ready to go. There are only a few minor things left to do: Haircut Buy a battery charger Format External Hard Drives Make guide for people to follow if something goes wrong at work Give Mom a key to my house so the mail doesn't pile up Pack I'm super excited! I'm also a little depressed about...
These are some of the largest birds on the planet and the Wandering Albatross has the largest wingspan in the world: almost 12 feet on a body that is almost 4.5 feet in length! The smaller of the Antarctic albatross, the Light-Mantled Sooty Albatross, has a wingspan over 7 feet! Albatross are giants whose true size is rarely shown in photographs. The name "Albatross" is believed to be an...
Places to shop Lindblad to go on an Expedition NewEgg for Laptop Gear B&H for Photography Gear The North Face for clothing and gear Amazon for books and DVD's Online Articles Luminous Landscapes attacks Antarctica in 2007 - photography trip worth reading Cool Antarctica forums - people who live, travel, and work there flikr account on the Explorer - a photo account of the M/V Explorer...
When traveling with a travel company they always provide a "What to Pack" list. In my case, it can be accessed here in PDF format. Because I had so much time (a year and half from booking to boarding) I had a lot of time to research things. I could be wrong in some of my choices, and I'll report on that after the trip. I found a great site in my Googling, called Cool Antarctica - lots of...
Borrowed from Linblad DAY 1 — U.S./Santiago, Chile Depart Miami on an overnight flight to Santiago. DAY 2 — Santiago With the soaring Andes as a backdrop, Santiago makes a welcoming first impression on arrival — as does our hotel, the Grand Hyatt Santiago, located in a gracious residential neighborhood. The morning is free. After lunch, join a panoramic exploration of the city, including a visit...
First off, I'm not actually going to Antarctica. I am heading to the Falkland and South Georgia Islands near the Antarctic converge. Most Americans think of South Georgia as a place above the state of Florida and vaguely remember the Falklands as a place where the British fought Argentina, so it is easier to tell people I'm going to Antarctica. So...why go to these remote and cold islands? ...