Arriving In Antarctica And The Antarctic Circle – Hand Baggage Solely

After all of the hoops we needed to leap to get to Antarctica (in our earlier put up), right here we lastly have been. Antarctica!

Like, this took a short time for it to sink in.

I bear in mind wanting to go to for like 10 years after which it took numerous planning to lastly get thus far and right here we have been in Antarctica.

I bear in mind considering to tempo myself after I acquired up in the course of the night time for a pee however all these although went off of the figurative window the minute we opened the literal window.

We noticed ourselves surrounded by icebergs.

Suffice to say, there was no want for caffeine that morning. The solar wasn’t shining nevertheless it simply added all of the extra to that drama.

To not point out the recognizing of wildlife which had change into much more frequent now that we have been in Antarctica.

Penguins bobbing throughout, extra seals on icebergs across the ship and the occasional whale within the distance.

We have been just about bouncing off the partitions all morning after which the captain determined to up the ante.

Because it seems, you may go to Antarctica however not get into the Antarctic Circle.

The Antarctic Circle is loads decrease down and only a few ships ever make it that far south due to the ocean ice.

As you may think about, the nearer it will get to the South Pole, the thicker the ocean ice is.

The Ocean Victory ship we took right down to Antarctica is definitely constructed to traverse the ice right here.

That being stated, the ocean ice on the journey to the Antarctic Circle is simply too densely packed and much too thick for many ships to undergo so loads by no means make it that far south.

They only don’t hassle trying it.

Our captain nevertheless determined that the climate circumstances appeared nice and the ocean ice didn’t look too dangerous so we might flip our complete itinerary on its head and enterprise far south into the Antarctic Circle.

If we left it just a few days extra, there’s an opportunity the climate may change or the ocean ice may get thicker and so we simply needed to profit from it whereas the circumstances allowed for it.

Seems, he was proper and with that, we have been the primary crusing of the season to get into the Antarctic Circle!

There have been whoops and cheers throughout with champagne in all places to have fun.

This was a milestone I didn’t even know we wanted to satisfy previous to the crusing nevertheless it was wonderful. Haha!

To be sincere, simply going to Antarctica is a large enough win with or with out the cherry on the cake that’s crusing into the Antarctic Circle.

It was completely wonderful and such a superb approach to begin the journey.

Plus now lets say we’ve been to the Arctic Circle (we did this just a few years in the past in Norway) and now the Antarctic Circle.

We spent the remainder of the day just about in awe of every thing we may see round us.

We’d already come throughout humpback whales, leopard seals, Weddell seals, Adélie penguins (that are more durable to identify than Gentoo or chinstrap penguins) and a few extremely humongous icebergs.

Then the pinnacle of the expedition group gave us a little bit of a shock announcement by saying that we’d be venturing out on our first zodiac expedition to Antarctica.

I didn’t assume it was potential to be much more excited than we already have been however seems, it is rather potential certainly.

Keep in mind, while you’re in Antarctica, your plans are topic to alter relying on the climate.

So, having nice climate to have the ability to do a zodiac boat tour felt very very similar to the massive deal that it was. This was very true as this wasn’t a confirmed plan for the day earlier on.

Oh, and by the best way, the waters have been very calm by this level.

It was calm sufficient to make us not hassle with the ocean illness tablets. Plus, these make you drowsy so it wasn’t one thing we needed to take if we didn’t need to.

Saying that although, I did take one at night time. I figured the drowsiness wouldn’t matter an excessive amount of and that may hold any sea illness away whereas crusing at night time.

That turned out to be an amazing plan as I discovered just a few days later after I didn’t take them and began to really feel slightly seasick whereas we have been crusing round in Antarctica.

Quickly sufficient, we have been referred to as to do right down to the mud room. Able to get suited up, booted up and life-jacket as much as get on the zodiac boats.

You additionally need to disinfect your common garments earlier than you go so that you don’t carry contaminants with you.

It’s not likely completed for brand new garments however for older garments and sneakers, particularly.

They don’t need you bringing invasive species to Antarctica. So, to assist with this, your boots are decontaminated earlier than and after you go on the boat (even for those who’re occurring land).

Your garments are all completed upfront of heading right down to the boats and the simplest approach to describe that is that it’s primarily like they only vacuum your garments.

The zodiac boat cruise was unimaginable.

You may inform how wonderful and the way big a few of these icebergs are from afar nevertheless it doesn’t evaluate to while you get near them.

Their sheer measurement is simply mind-boggling; and that color too!

It’s a shade of blue you’ve by no means seen elsewhere and gained’t overlook in a rush.

And yeah, that’s how we spent our first day in Antarctica.

We completed off with dinner and wine below the Antarctic midnight solar, which to be sincere, was behind some clouds however by no means really set so it was shiny all night time lengthy.