Our Journey to Antarctica with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions
In December 2024, Linda and I were given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel to Antarctica with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions. I had booked Antarctica many times for clients, but nothing could have prepared me for the true experience we were about to have.
While the Drake Passage, often referred to as the Shake or Lake Passage, may not have been the most pleasant experience I have ever had, waking up at 6 am to a sunrise over a sea of glistening ice and giant icebergs was a sight to behold.
Each day exceeded the one before, with captivating landscapes, colours and wildlife spotting.
Some of Our Most Memorable Experiences
Some of the most memorable experiences onboard and ashore with Lindblad Expeditions were:
Taking the polar plunge in minus two degrees. Wow, that was cold!
Sitting in the sauna or infinity-edge pool, watching icebergs and wildlife go by.
Kayaking at Marguerite Bay and being so close to the water and the ice.
Parking the ship in fast ice, walking on the ice and coming face to face with an inquisitive lone emperor penguin.
Taking countless Zodiac rides surrounded by mountain-high glaciers, glistening seas and wildlife.
Experiencing 24-hour daylight during the summer solstice.
Enjoying a quality Malbec on the deck of the ship while it snowed, watching breaching humpback whales.
Having access to the ship’s bridge, where the captain and expedition team enthusiastically welcomed guests and provided interesting information.
Listening to captivating lectures by the worldly expedition team, with special mention to photographer Tommy Heinrich. Look him up!
The scenic passage through the Lemaire Channel.
The Wildlife and Landscapes That Captivated Me
I personally had never seen whales before, and to see humpbacks and orcas was spectacular. Adélie penguins were by far the prettiest of the penguins.
Most of all, though, it was the landscape that captivated me.
After spending a lot of my adult life travelling, followed by a hiatus with a young family and the pandemic, it had been a long time between truly inspiring travel experiences. This trip reignited my absolute love and passion for travel and what I do each day.
Travelling Aboard the National Geographic Resolution
We were very fortunate to travel on one of the best ships in the market, the National Geographic Resolution.
Not only is she a beautiful ship with all the comforts onboard, but her capabilities to explore further than most brought a new understanding of expedition travel and exploring.
Our journey involved four days below the Antarctic Circle, where most expeditions do not stay. We did not see another ship for days, and many of the places we explored were simply untouched and truly felt like the ends of the earth.
Less than one per cent of the population has travelled to Antarctica, and we feel very grateful to have had this experience.
Our Antarctica Itinerary
Ushuaia
Embarkation day. We boarded the National Geographic Resolution in Ushuaia, and from here we set sail for Antarctica.
Drake Passage
We crossed the Drake Passage and the Antarctic Convergence, passed our first tabular iceberg and crossed the Antarctic Circle, with a celebration onboard.
Jenny Island and Boromir Point, Marguerite Bay
Landings at Jenny Island and Boromir Point, with time to explore ashore and visit penguin colonies.
Calmette Bay and Gullet Channel
We explored bays throughout Marguerite Bay, with landings, kayaking and Zodiac cruising. This was also where we took the polar plunge, spotted wildlife and enjoyed scenic sailing through the Gullet Channel.
Gullet Fast Ice and Surrounding Channels
The ship parked in fast ice, giving us the opportunity to walk on the ice and come face to face with an emperor penguin.
We also went Zodiac cruising, enjoyed a barbecue on the ice and sailed through channels and past research stations.
Fish Islands, Penola Strait, Lemaire Channel and Paradise Harbour
We went Zodiac cruising around the Fish Islands and watched humpback whales before making the scenic passage through the Lemaire Channel.
We then explored Paradise Harbour by Zodiac, with more whale watching, including orcas.
Antarctic Peninsula
Our exploration continued by Zodiac and ship, with more wildlife spotting and scenic cruising among glaciers and ice.
Spier Island and Drake Passage
We went Zodiac cruising at Spier Island and visited a gentoo penguin colony before beginning the return crossing of the Drake Passage.
Ushuaia
We arrived back in Ushuaia early in the morning before disembarking and bringing an incredible journey to an end.
Thinking About Travelling to Antarctica?
After reading this, if you find yourself putting Antarctica on your wish list, or perhaps it was already there, put it at the top and make it happen.
If you have any questions about travelling to Antarctica, Linda and I would love to help and share what we learnt from our own experience.
