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Home , Cierva Cove, Neko Harbour

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from out on deck or from the privacy of our rooms. We constantly kept one eye over the horizon even during the most engaging talks and discussions offered on board by specialists on the expedition THE CALL OF team. Among them were a marine biologist, a geologist, an ornithologist, a historian, a wildlife artist, intrepid kayakers, and adventure photographers. Topics ranged from glaciology and geology to photography in challenging environments. There were several spaces of interest on board to delight the explorer, writer, photographer, poet, foodie, scientist, artist, and dreamer. At times, it was enough just to gaze out and marvel at the light and reflection of sea and sky in this increasingly intriguing environment. We first set foot on solid ground in the Falkland Islands. We Antarctica is the true last ould you brave the high seas, zero-and-below trekked to Devil’s Cove where dramatic cliffs overlooking the temperatures, and venture to extreme landscapes to sea were home grounds to thousands of majestic black-browed frontier—an ethereal, icy realm, behold a destination so wondrous that it will leave you albatrosses and hundreds of rockhopper penguins. It was a windy thinking, “nature might have outdone itself?” I hope encounter that perfectly showed off the rockhoppers’ coif and a wondrous reminder of our you say yes, and worry about the logic later because there introduced us to one of many species we had yet to encounter. are very few journeys worth the plunge. Quantifying this imminent amount is astounding, as we responsibility to preserve this Antarctica and South Georgia in the sub-Antarctic would soon discover. We traversed the temperamental swells are two frontiers that promise to open up your view of the world the very second you of the Scotia Sea over the next few days. Finally, one morning planet commit to set sail. Our vessel was the Sea Explorer (since refurbished and renamed we awakened to calm, a clear vision of glaciers, on a glorious “HebrideanW Sky”), intimately elegant and formidable. It is operated by Polar Latitudes, sun-drenched day in ironic contrast. As we sailed closer, the partners of A2A Journeys, who organizes travel to this remarkable part of the world. The specks dotting the glacial islands became more visible, animated by KITTY CORTES expedition team on board is composed of seasoned naturalists, adventure guides, and and very, very audible. The steady hum turned into a staccato photographs by JOSE CORTES crew members with expertise in polar exploration; some of whom have done sailings to mix of sounds—peeps, gakkers, growls—overpowering even our photos of ship interior courtesy of Polar Latitudes Antarctica for over 20 years. We were in the best hands as we embarked on our 20-day own heaves of excitement. It was a cacophony of hundreds of journey due south. thousands of king penguins calling out, interspersed with the vocal As if taking us under their wing, seabirds including albatrosses and petrels swooped assertions of tens of thousands of elephant and fur seals. We had acrobatically above us. They glided along with the ship’s slipstream for kilometers as we arrived at our penultimate destination, South Georgia. Here, a watched the port of Puerto Madryn in disappear from sight. A few southern staggering estimated 70 million animals are known to populate its Above: The largest king penguin colony in the right whales also breached, seemingly bidding us a great journey. We were very soon out in islands and waters. It has no permanent human resident, no trees, subantarctic island of South Georgia, over 200,000 open water with no land mass in sight and quickly finding our sea legs. and the closest inhabited land was our last pit stop, the Falkands, breeding pairs. Possibly the largest bird colony by We sailed past the Patagonian Shelf over the next few days. The fascination for our 1,400 kilometers away. We were now very much left to our own mass on earth. Opposite page, right: Iceberg art at newfound environment was fueled by marine life any one of us might fortunately spot, devices. We had reached this daunting landscape that proved

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sovereignty in history. But hope sprung gloriously as we landed at St. Andrews Bay, home to the largest king penguin colony in South Georgia and possibly the largest bird colony by mass on earth, estimated at over 200,000 breeding pairs. Words evaded us, replaced by repeated gasps of disbelief at the magnificent and overwhelming sense of it all. Conditions could not have been more favorable as the sun shone brightly and winds all but disappeared. We were starting to peel off layers of clothing as if we were molting along with the penguins. We’d like to believe that our determined collective will to explore respectfully and gratefully was rewarded with ideal weather. That Mother Nature heeded our wishes and acknowledged graciously. We took every opportunity to chart our progress from the ship’s bridge, which was open to passengers. We were now well on our way through the to our final frontier, the . A pod of orcas surprised us with a generous appearance heightening our sense of the realm we were soon approaching. The second engineer on the ship was Filipino (as were most of the ship’s crew) and articulated the finer points of ’s leadership and tested his men’s endurance in navigating through what was increasingly filling our view and their failed polar exploration in 1914 . path: icebergs. As bergs and sea ice increased in both density and Our expedition leader deftly calculated logistics to ensure proximity, our excited chatter inversely decreased to give way we could safely anchor, maneuver zodiacs, and blaze our trail to focused concentration by the crew. The recognition of how on rocks and glaciers. We learned the need to watch out for the powerful these natural ice sculptures are, and how our ship was but downslope of intimidating katabatic winds in strategizing our a speck against their dominance, left all of us in awestruck silence. approach. We landed at Salisbury Plains, South Georgia’s largest We finally found anchor in the stillness of the Antarctic area of level land with 60,000 breeding pairs of king penguins; also Sound that lies between the very tip of the peninsula and the a breeding area for Antarctic fur seals. We found our feet on Prion gateway to the . The silvery sky with lenticular clouds, Island, an important nesting site for petrels, prions, and wandering mirrored by glistening turquoise water, joined seamlessly to form albatross (the largest seabird in the sky with a wingspan of 3.5 a magical cinematic dome around us. Even more breathtaking meters). Both wind and snow flurry picked up, casting a dreamy was being surrounded by gargantuan icebergs and the knowledge veil as we explored Fortuna Bay among more penguin colonies that only 10 to 20 percent of each berg is visible above water. Our and territorial seals occupying the beaches. We went ashore on ship reverently sailed by the 22 kilometer long by 3.7 kilometer Stromness, where an abandoned whaling station still leaves an wide tabular iceberg known to scientists as B15Y. It is a remnant unpalatable eerie spell in the air—remnants of misguided human of the iceberg (once larger than Jamaica) that broke off from the Antarctic shelf in 2000. We spent the next days navigating the peninsula—through Above: Chinstrap penguin courtship ritual at Half Moon Bay, South Mikkelsen Harbor, Cierva Cove, Neko Harbor, and Cuverville Shetland Islands. Below: The tabular iceberg known to scientists as B15Y Island. The bays were splendidly scenic and filled with towering —remnant of an iceberg once larger than Jamaica that had broken off the Antarctic shelf in 2000. and castellated icebergs, ethereally blue in hue. We hopped on Opposite page from top: Though gargantuan in plain sight, only 10-20 to zodiacs for 10 and kayaks for two to more ably negotiate our percent of an iceberg’s full mass is visible above water; the red-orange surrounds. Hand on heart, it remains to be the best “museum” I beaks of ‘gentoo’ penguins add contrast to the monotone of black, white, and ice.

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have ever experienced—one of ice sculptures, soundscapes, watercolor impressions, and wildlife. The “best” because every bit of it was naturally created, sculpted and put in place by divinity. We waddled and went tobogganing along with adelie, chinstrap, and gentoo penguins. A lost macaroni penguin was spotted communing with the chinstraps finding safety in their numbers. We beamed back at smiling weddell seals. A curious seven to nine-ton minke whale swam inches below our zodiac (which suddenly felt extra small). A leopard seal momentarily surfaced, making its presence felt. We ceremoniously set foot on a tenuous outcrop of rock on the peninsula itself, and celebrated touching ground in this otherworldly place on earth. We had come to appreciate that in the right season, we could explore further and march alongside emperor penguins one day. We vowed to this and raised our glass of whisky filled with 50,000-year-old black ice (pure water so tightly compressed over time that all air and impurities have been removed. It refracts light and looks pitch black in water yet crystal clear in our hands). We had reached a most geographically distant part of the world that fights to stay resilient despite its underlying fragility. A place that increasingly struggles to survive and find balance as a result of our human actions from across the oceans. I often say that nature travel makes one an accidental and most willing custodian for the natural world. Here that statement is exemplary and necessary. We began the journey back north through the South Shetland Islands. A few of us took the plunge into this expedition further, well deeper. A stop at Deception Cove saw some of the brave or foolish strip down to their swimwear and take an actual polar plunge in the icy waters. With a final wave goodbye and a humbled nod of thanks Clockwise from Clockwise from right: Our zodiac sails close to an ethereally blue iceberg; above: Base the purposeful steps of king penguins on their way to reunite with their towards our adoptive refuge the last few days, we sailed back home. The prevalent Esperanza, the chicks; our ship anchored between brash ice and sections of the iceberg Argentinian known as B15Y. mood of sadness at leaving was lightly eased by spirited hourglass and Peale’s research station; dolphins that accompanied our return, surfing the ship’s bow waves. ship passengers outnumbered by the Once again, our collective will must have worked its way into Poseidon’s island’s permanent heart. We crossed the Drake Passage, infamous for high winds and rough seas, inhabitants of hence its nemesis’ nickname: the Drake Shake. It is the shortest route from the elephant seals and penguins; our favorite Antarctic Peninsula to Cape Horn and our return to solid ground in Ushuaia, iceberg of the trip, Argentina. The passage was calm, representing what to some is its more desirable all air and impurities alter ego: the Drake Lake. In either case, we would have been grateful, as the eliminated from thousands of years of Drake is a true rite of passage that commands respect, humility, and a deeper compression; appreciation for our world’s might. A fitting final swell of wave punctuated our a ‘gentoo’ penguin transports a precious disembarkation to nudge us back into our reality. But nothing is the same after pebble in its beak to this polar voyage. build its nest; ‘gentoo’ Our view of the world has grown much bigger, and we feel more connected penguins shield themselves from to it now than ever. We are cradled in its care daily, and it selflessly rocks us into wind beside a small peaceful slumber every night. It does assert its powerful authority on us whenever Argentinian refuge hut we callously assume we are more superior. But it remains fragile and trusting on Mikkelsen Harbour. of our human choices. We returned from the journey heeding its call; not only to share the experience, but also to educate ourselves on its preservation and protection. The yearning to return one day is deep, far beyond that initial idea of taking just a plunge. It’s now a constant current of longing that we will gratefully circumnavigate until that soulful reunion comes.

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Clockwise from right: The Hebridean Sky after a US$6 million refit in spring of 2016; the library offers a full rear view of the ocean; a suite on the promenade deck; bar and coffee lounge where many stories are shared and songs sung; an always well- stocked bar on offer.

Clockwise from top: Remains of a failed ancient vessel in pole exploration history; triple suite on deck 3; owner’s suite on the penthouse deck; a cinematic and ever- changing view as you dine out on deck. Getting to Antarctica from Asia: Flights from Asia to Buenos Aires are offered by airlines such as Emirates and Qatar Airways. Or you can opt to travel via Australia, Europe, or the US.

From Buenos Aires, fly to the ports of ship embarkation at Puerto Madryn or Ushuaia with airlines such as Aerolinas or LATAM Airlines.

Kitty Cortes traveled as a guest of A2A Journeys. For tailor-made itineraries, contact A2A Journeys at www. a2ajourneys.com. A2A Safaris has an office in WH Unit 10-B Lapanday Center, 2263 Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati City, with telephone number (02) 952-7414 and website, www.a2asafaris.com.

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Clockwise from top, right: Azure blue sky and turquoise water seamlessly meet at ; outdoor dining like no other at sundown in Antarctica; private balcony of a penthouse deck suite; (all remaining photos) world-class cuisine on board with nothing less than the warm and caring service from one of many Filipino staff throughout the expedition.

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