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Adelie penguins are the smallest of the penguins living on the Antarctica continent. They are about 70 cm tall and weigh about 4 kilogram. These penguins nest and breed on the rocky, ice-free beaches in large colonies of ten thousands of birds. There are over 2.5 million breeding pairs living in the Antarctica region.
Even in the middle of the Antarctic Ocean it was possible to keep in touch with family and friends and with events in the outside world, because the Marco Polo had an Internet Centre. This was a small room but well-equipped with computers and open 24 hours a day. We paid a one-off fee to get a password and could then use the facilities as much as we wanted. So we were able to email friends and family and keep them informed about our adventures – one of my friends in particular was really thrilled to get an email I’d written while surrounded by icebergs and penguins! We also used the centre to keep up to date with news of the outside world, including those all-important football scores!As an alternative to Internet access to news etc., the ship issued a couple of daily papers, which summarised news picked up by satellite from “the world’s foremost newswires”. These could be picked up free...
Before I went to Antarctica I assumed that all icebergs were much the same, though varying in size of course, and that they were more or less white. So I was stunned by the variety of shape and even more of colour. The white is variously streaked with wonderful shades of blue, from turquoise through to deeper shades, and many of the bergs are shaped like beautiful sculptures.There are many types of iceberg, categorised by both size and shape. For instance growlers are small, less than 1 metre by 5, and bergy bits just a little bigger, about 1-4 metres in height and up to 14 metres long. Tabular icebergs have steep sides and a flat top (see my second photo). Other shapes include Dome (with a rounded top), Pinnacle (with one or more spires) and Wedge (with a steep edge on one side and a slope on the opposite – possibly the shape we saw most frequently). Then there is pack ice (just what...
When we first decided on a trip to the Antarctic the one thing that concerned me a little was how I would cope with the cold, as it’s something I really don’t like. But I needn’t have worried. OK it was cold but there was probably only one occasion when I felt too cold – standing in the bow of the ship as we approached Deception Island - though that was well worth it for the experience. The rest of the time, while it was of course cold, it really wasn’t too bad – nothing a few layers of warm clothing couldn’t keep out.In fact, after the first trip off the ship, the zodiac cruise at Culverville Island, I found the silk thermals I’d brought were more than I needed, and left them off for future shore landings. Most days the temperature was just a degree or two below freezing – and we were amazed to find out that back home in London there was a cold snap with temperatures well below that! So...
There’s so much to do on board ship that it could all get a bit bewildering! But everyday you wake up to find a four page brochure slipped under your door – the “Daily Program”.This tells you everything you need to know about the next 24 hours. The first page gives you the main headlines about the day’s highlights; the second a full timetable for the day, including any shore landings, describing the main features of the islands etc; the third covers the programme of entertainment planned for the evening; and the fourth describes some special offers (“drink of the day”, “spa specials” and so on), the opening times of the various restaurants and bars, useful phone numbers on board etc. On one typical day on our cruise the programme featured such diverse activities as:- a dance class- circuit training- golf putting- two lectures (ecology and seabirds)- an art auction- choice of evening...
One of the main highlights of any Antarctic cruise is the chance to set foot on shore, of course, and on a large ship like the Marco Polo these events are carefully co-ordinated. Incidentally, if booking a cruise on a larger ship do make sure that landings are part of the deal. Some of the bigger companies take you there just to gaze on the sights from the deck - but would you really want to go all that way and not be able to say you walked on the Antarctic?Our cruise included three landings on shore (two on islands, one on the Antarctic mainland itself) and a zodiac cruise without landing in a fourth location. All these are subject to weather conditions of course – we were lucky and had no disruptions to the schedule, but this is the Antarctic so don’t count on everything going according to plan!On landing days we were allocated a time slot, and these were rotated fairly so that...
If you're thinking of taking this charter flight, just enjoy it for what it is, a joy flight! Enjoy it, don't just sit in your seat, get up and move around! Lean and look through the windows and marvel at what you are lucky to see! There are t.v. screens in front of your seat and you can watch the view from the camera on the nose of the plane, but that's just like sitting on a chair in your lounge room! The better the seat, the more you pay, but be warned, you are expected to 'swap' seats during the flight, so the others next to you get a turn. If you get up and move around, you can see the bits you might have missed, over and over again. And the plane food isn't that bad! Champagne a plenty, for those that want to celebrate the views! Just seeing the Antarctic, from way up high, is an amazing experience, so if you are not going to get the chance to get there for real, do this instead,...
It was never boring on board the Nordnorge:first of all we seemed to be constantly eating - which was VERY delicious (please see my restaurant tip!). Then we had the chance for excursions along the coast of Patagonia and daily zodiac landings in Antarctica.Furthermore there were interesting lectures (both in German and in English) throughout the day plus some "serious birdwatching" offered by our ornithologist.The ship was designed in a way that you have the chance of almost always finding a window seat to sit back and relax, enjoy the scenery, read a book (great library on board as well) or do a puzzle.So it really NEVER go boring one bit!
During the Antarctic summer months you will be able to see quite a few species of whales, that go to Antarctica to get a good meal of krill (small prawn-like animals). A few months later, when it gets really freezing and ice begins to cover the sea, they return to the warm waters off the coast of South America, South Africa or Australia, where you can do whale watching then! Seeing dozens of whales (at least 70 - 80) all around us on our way back to South America, while crossing the Drake Passage.I will never forget the sound of the whales blowing out the air - phhhhhhhhhhhht, phhhhht, phhhhht!!! Breathtaking!!!I still have not managed to distinguish the different types of whales, but I found this neat little website, that gives you some clues.
There are currently 17 species of Penguins (some scientists divide them in 18). Fossil records indicate that there used to be more in the past. We did see the Magellanic, Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adelie penguins - and they are now my very favourite birds!!!
Reviews and photos of Antarctica attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Antarctica sightseeing.
Q: Hello, I'm so excited about my trip to Antarctica on 2/19 on Quark. Questions for those who've been there - 1. packing -...
A: There is a tiny place on Deception Island, where the ground is so hot that you can dig out a hole and let the sea-water in that will allow you to take a bath in hot...
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