By Loh Yunn Hua
A trip to Antarctica, the white continent – from Ushuaia, Argentina, to the Antarctic Peninsula, February 25 to March 7, 2023.
To go or not to go? I was debating with myself. ‘What is there to see? ‘I asked myself. It would be very cold, and I am from a tropical country. Eventually, eight of us signed on, despite the dreaded Drake Passage crossing.
The next challenge was getting ready for the trip. After choosing a suitable date with reasonable weather conditions, the next big question was what to pack for the trip. The list was basically the same: Protection from the cold, wind, and solar radiation.
More facts about Antarctica.
The name comes from the Greek word anti-Arctic, as it is situated on the other end of the Arctic region.
The Drake Passage is a turbulent seaway due to the meeting of the cold currents from the South Pole with warmer waters from the equator. Due to the turbulence, I was more engrossed looking at the waves, which had an average swell of 2 meters.
One can see albatrosses and Cape petrels circling above the ship. I saw other bigger cruise liners in the distance. We were on the last cruise of the cruise season before winter approached at the end of May. After this cruise, this ship will be heading for the Arctic region.
Expedition briefings
We went out in groups of ten on a zodiac or small boat. Each boat had an English-speaking expedition leader. Ponant is the leader in serious and responsible expeditions of the polar regions. The expedition leader and his team of nature guides ensure the safety of guests during outings and disembarkations and activities like zodiac boat trips, kayaking, and hiking. The guides specialize in ornithology, marine biology, climatology, geology, and glaciology.
There are strict rules regarding the number of guests allowed to disembark, the distance from wildlife, etc. The expedition team is also trained in emergency medical evacuation.
The journey
The sheer isolation and the lack of homo sapiens, except for the over 200 persons on the cruise ship, made us a closely-knit family for the cruise. Many social activities and fine French dining made this trip remarkable and enjoyable. Unlike the traditional bigger cruise ships, which only visit the periphery of Antarctica, our ship was smaller so that we could venture deeper into Antarctica using small zodiac boats. Landings and cruises were dependent on the ice conditions.
We were lucky to have good weather throughout and did not miss a single outing, unlike some previous cruises.
Interestingly, a French doctor, Jean Baptiste Charcot (1867-1936), son of the famous French neurologist, was one of the early polar explorers.
Antarctica escapades:
Never too old
Never too cold
Luck was on our side
Drake passage wasn’t too bad
With seasickness pills
Conquered we 10-meter waves,
Scaled snow, volcano slopes,
Waded in the cold Antarctica waters,
French fine dining
Zodiac cruises, excursions
Chacha , bingo , salsa , Abba dances
We did them with our creaky spines and knees.
Icebergs, dirty and clean,
Crunching sounds of icebreakers
Pistol shots of calving glaciers
Escorted by seals
Watching and being watched by penguins,
Humpback whales somersaulting and snorting
Birds, beers, krills
Deception island
Paradise, Whalers Bay
What enchanting names
What a thrill
We did it 💪👏👍
Dr Loh Yunn Hua
Yunn Hua is still practising in Primary Care and Occupational Health and Safety in Miri, Sarawak, when not traveling. Her interests are exploring, reading, writing, and music.
Her favourite quotation is, ‘Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.‘
