After our first day of excursions, we were looking forward to more, weather be damned.
Day Four:
Today we had our first landing on Danco Island at a colony of Gentoo penguins. The weather was still overcast and cool, with occasional light rain, but no one cared. We were finally walking around penguins.
That afternoon we were scheduled for a second landing at Paradise Bay, but at the last minute the excursion became a zodiac cruise only. We saw a few penguins, and a seal, but mostly just took in views of the bay.
Everybody wants to see blue skies with fluffy clouds. But overcast, gray, and light rain is often the reality. Around mid-afternoon a sliver of blue sky appeared and everyone got excited for the five minutes that it lasted.
At dinner, a whale was spotted on one side of the boat. It was a miracle the boat didn’t roll considering that everyone ran over to one side of the dining room just to see a whale.
Another very good, but not quite great, day.
Camping on the continent was held tonight. We could see the camping area from the ship. It looked like about 20 people paid $750 each to go camping.
So around 10:00 PM, those 20 people and 3 guides went to the camping area, dug snow holes large enough to fit a sleeping bag below ground, unrolled their waterproof sleeping bags, climbed in, and settled down for the night.
Each sleeping bag fully encloses its occupant, having a mesh screen to see and breathe through.
Around midnight it started raining. It rained all night. According to several campers, when the rain hit the mesh screen it created the sensation of being waterboarded. It’s hard to see and breath through a constant cloud of water blowing through a mesh screen an inch from your face.
The campers could do nothing but laugh about the experience the next day. They basically got no sleep, and were wet and miserable the whole night.
One the final day of the cruise, each expedition guide took a minute to say what his or her favorite moment was on the cruise. The guide who led the camping trip said that his favorite moment was not paying $750 to get waterboarded all night. I couldn’t believe he had the nerve to say it, but it was damn funny.
Day Five:
Last night at the Daily Briefing, the expedition leader was really excited that we were going to pass through the Lemaire Channel this morning, calling it the most beautiful passage on the peninsula. Maybe it is, unless you pass through it when there is a low fog bank and it is snowing.
This was the only morning we did not have an excursion planned, given the time it takes to pass through the Lemaire Channel.
In the afternoon we did our first landing / zodiac cruise combined excursion around Plenteau Island. The weather was still gray and overcast.
The zodiac ride was basically through an iceberg graveyard, a relatively shallow area between several islands where icebergs tend to become grounded.
After talking with other passengers, we realized something that should have been obvious from day one. What you see on a zodiac cruise depends on what time you cruise and where you go. Who is driving the zodiac dictates where you go. Some expedition guides follow others to promising areas; others go a different direction altogether. Most, within reason, will abide by a loud passenger’s request to go a certain way.
During this afternoon’s zodiac cruise, some folks saw a fur seal trying to play with a leopard seal. Others saw a pod of humpback whales pass by. We saw neither. Instead we watched penguins line up and go for a swim:
Our landing was at another colony of Gentoo penguins. We never tired of seeing penguins.
We paid a lot of money to be in Antarctica, and the scenery is beautiful notwithstanding the overcast and dreary weather. We’re braving the elements and making the best of it. But after several days of not seeing the sun, we are itching to wear our sunglasses. We’ve had enough gloomy days.
It was around this time that I started paying more attention to the music playing in the mud room. Someone has control of the speakers. Maybe the expedition guides take turns? I never found out. Anyway, today’s music included songs from The Beastie Boys, Queen, Kiss, The Clash, and Joan Jett.
The nightly movie was Happy Feet 2, which was largely hated by those who wasted two hours of their lives to watch it.
Tonight (at 3:15 AM to be exact), we crossed the Antarctic Circle (66° south). We only know the details because in the morning everyone got a certificate confirming the crossing. It sounds cool, but really it was a non-event.
Day Six:
We woke up again to another cool, overcast, gray morning.
Our morning excursion was a zodiac cruise in Crystal Sound. There was a Macaroni penguin sighted on a rock outcropping, but we did not get a good view of it. Several zodiacs were already there and our driver did not want to barge in.
Today’s zodiac cruise was also the roughest. The swells were a couple of feet high, creating a lot of spray in the zodiac. Those sitting in front, thankfully not us, were rewarded with an opportunity to test their waterproof pants.
I actually found myself a bit jealous of the folks wearing ski goggles. Wind + rain + swells + zodiac cruising is challenging enough without water blasting your eyes.
Just before lunch was polar plunge time. A little over half of the passengers participated, including Stephanie. I did not. I don’t jump into ice water at home and I don’t see a reason to do so at sea. Those taking the plunge got the added benefit of doing so in a driving snow storm.
For her efforts Stephanie got a certificate and a shot of tequila.
This afternoon we had a combination landing / zodiac cruise at Detaille Island, an abandoned British research station from 1950s. This was Stephanie’s spa day, so she skipped the afternoon excursion.
The research station is left preserved just as it was in the 1950s. Canned food, cookware, newspapers, books, scientific instruments, bedding, and so on. Everything you need to live remains there. We were allowed to walk through the small building but, of course, were instructed not to touch anything.
Leaving the building I actually put on my sunglasses for the first time. Ten minutes later I took them off. Sigh.
I remember this landing best for the number of birds flying around more than the research station. Many of my favorite bird photographs were taken this afternoon.
At night the ship turned around crossed the Antarctic circle heading north.
Since arriving in Antarctica, we have had four straight overcast, gray days with occasional light rain and/or snow. In total we have seen blue sky for maybe 20 minutes.
Next up … blue skies are coming.
Garrett and Stephanie
If you have not already done so, read our other posts about our expedition cruise to Antarctica:
Antarctica (January, 2026, Part I, Atlas Ocean Voyages Cruise Overview). The World Navigator; our itinerary for the expedition cruise.
Antarctica (January, 2026, Part II, Cruise Days One to Three). Crossing the Drake Passage; gray day excursions.
Antarctica (February, 2026, Part IV, Cruise Days Seven to Eleven). We have blue skies! Repeat, blue skies!
For additional posts about our travels elsewhere in the world, check out our Travel Blog. It contains collected links to all of our travel posts.
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