I'm back from South America/Antarctica

[notsocreepylurker]

We survived a family vacation/cruise (mom, dad, bro & me) for 28 days!  I have to upload my pics and then I'll share them all (over 700 right now).  Here's a teaser from Punta Arenas, Chile for ya



Sooooooooooooooooooo all the boat had for TV was CNBC, MSNBC, Fox News and BBC.  So besides the Paris Charlie Hebdo shootings, Snowpocolypse 2015 and Deflate-gate anything interesting happen in the last 4 weeks?

OH! and good news!  I found a cat sitter the day before I left and she was AWESOME!  Kitty is happy I am home though.

 


AND I lost 11.5 pounds while away. WOO WOO! Down 73 pounds now total since May (most since surgery in Sept).

[zoidberg]

This is my dream trip. Tell me everything about the logistics. You mention a boat, from where and what company?

[twotrue]

Welcome home! I'm glad the kitty sitting worked out and look forward to hearing more about the trip.

[Deleted]

OMF fluffy penguins!

Welcome home!

[aurora]

I love your penguin hat! Welcome back.

[orangeblossom]

Sounds like an awesome trip. Glad you had fun.

Congrats on the wait loss.

[meshaliuknits]

Fantastic hat!

Sent from my EVO

[jeaniebueller]

I can't wait to hear more about this!!!

[thejackpot]

What an amazing adventure. Glad you had a ball and kitty was well loved in your absence.

[stealthmom]

This is also my dream trip. I want aaaalllllll the details.

[notsocreepylurker]

zoidberg & stealthmom -- logistical info

We used Holland America (dad's preferred cruise line). We flew to Buenos Aires, Argentina on 1/7 (got there the morning of 1/8). We stayed at a Sheraton arranged through the cruise line. We boarded the boat on 1/11. Left Buenos Aires on 1/12. Then schedule was:

Montevideo, Uruguay.
At Sea
At Sea
Stanley/Falkland Islands
At Sea
Cruising - The Antarctic Sound
Cruising - The Danco Coast
Cruising - The Palmer Archipelago
At Sea
Cruising - Drake Passage and Cape Horn
Ushuaia, Argentina
Cruising - Glacier Alley
Cruising - Beagle Channel
Punta Arenas, Chile
Cruising - Strait of Magellan
Cruising - Canal Sarmiento
Cruising - Amalia Glacier
Cruising - Chilean Fjords
Puerto Chacabuco, Chile
At Sea
Puerto Montt, Chile
At Sea
Valparaiso, Chile

Then transfer to Santiago, Chile -- stayed overnight at a Sheraton arranged by cruise line and flew out 1/31 (landed in US 2/1).


We never got off at the Falklands (seas too rough - 25 foot waves) or Puerto Chacabuco (angry fishing workers blocked roads). We were supposed to pick up people from the Palmer Station but again, rough waters prevented that. We did get to see Elephant Island but I don't recall which day that was.

We weren't allowed to STEP FOOT on Antarctica. There was a National Geographic boat that allows that I heard. However, their boats are SMALLER than Holland's was and the trip had 4-5 days where the boat was MOVING. High winds, 20+ foot waves, choppy waters - not an easy ride. Other cruise lines I think also offer a similar itinerary. It is a pricey trip. But so worth it (IMO).

One thing I really liked about Holland was that they had some experts on board. A retired Navy man who was the ice breaking expert and helped navigate the waters. 3 people who used to work at The Palmer Station (they worked for the science foundation). Very smart guys who knew their stuff. They gave lectures and presentations and provided commentary when going through the Antarctic. I don't know if other cruise lines also have those type of people on board.

[compassrose]

IIRC, there is an icebreaker ship that is allowed to land at McMurdo Station (south of NZ, not Chile) that allows tourists to disembark for a few hours and actually walk around. I can't remember the cruise line, though, and it's been...15 years since I was in Antarctica. Holy shit. I can't believe it's been that long. They may have changed the rules.
But my PhD advisor used to get paid to be the science expert onboard one of the cruises like OP was on-- I think most cruise lines have them.

[zoidberg]

Thanks for the info!