My Travels in Pictures

  • Exploring the World
    • Uganda – the Pearl of Africa
      • Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale
      • Queen Elizabeth National Park & the Kazinga Channel
      • Exploring Queen Elizabeth NP on land
      • Mountain Gorillas – Trek 1 – Habinyanja Family
      • Mountain Gorillas – Trek 2 – Oruzogo Group
      • Mountain Gorillas – Trek 3 – Muyambi Group
    • New York City – a small bite of the big apple
    • Kenya & the Great Migration
      • The Amazing Ololo Safari Lodge
      • Nairobi National Park – a treasure on the edge of the city
      • Sheldrick Nursery & the Giraffe Centre
      • A first glimpse of the amazing Masai Mara
      • A very full day in the Mara
      • A day in (and above) the Mara Triangle
      • Helicopter Day
      • Big cats and the Masai village of Andasikr
      • Saying khwaheri to the Mara and habari to Samburu
      • A very special day in Samburu
      • A photoshoot with Samburu warriors
    • Delhi & the Wildlife of India
      • A Walking Tour of Old Delhi
      • Exploring just a few of Delhi’s many monuments
      • 3 Days in Kazaranga
      • Satpura – in search of Sloth Bears
      • Bandhavgarh – Time for tigers!
    • Myanmar and the Alluring Irrawaddy
      • Day 1 – Yangon’s Circular Railway
      • Day 2 – Touring Yangon
      • Day 3 – On the Irrawaddy River – Bhamo & the 2nd Defile
      • Day 4 – Kyun Daw & Katha
      • Day 5 – Katha & Tigyang
      • Day 6 – Kya Hnyat & Kottet Orphanage
      • Day 7 – Kyauk Myaung
      • Day 8 – Mingun & the U-Bein Bridge
      • Day 9 – Mandalay
      • Day 10 – Sagaing
      • Day 11 – Shwe Pyi Thar & a Puppet Show
      • Day 12 – Magical Bagan
      • Day 13 & 14 – Back in Yangon
      • Heading home – a layover trip to the Great Wall of China at Mutianyu
    • Cruising the Adriatic – a trip from Venice to Rome
      • Venice – Part 1 – a city like no other
      • Venice – Part 2 – exploring off the beaten path
      • Venice – Part 3 – On the beaten path
      • Slovenia – Vintgar Gorge, Lake Bled & Koper
      • Croatia – Plitvice Lakes from Zadar
      • Croatia – Dubrovnik
      • Kotor, Montenegro
      • Malta – Valetta & the Three Cities
      • Malta – a road trip to the Blue Grotto & Marsaxlokk
      • Sicily – Taormina & the slopes of Mount Etna
      • Capri, Italy
    • Galapagos Islands – Central & East
      • Quito, Ecuador
      • Tandayapa Cloud Forest – Birds, birds & more birds
      • Galapagos Islands – Baltra & Mosquera Islet
      • Galapagos Islands – Seymour Norte & Plaza Sur
      • Galapagos Islands – Sombrero Chino & Rabida
      • Galapagos Islands – Puerto Egas & Bucanero Cove
      • Galapagos Islands – Caleta Tortuga Negra & Santa Cruz Highlands
      • Plaza Sur (Take 2) & Santa Fe
      • Galapagos – Punta Pitt, La Galapaguera, San Cristobal & NY Eve
    • Victoria Falls, Chobe (Botswana) & Cape Town – an African Photo Safari
      • Victoria Falls
      • Pangolin Better Wildlife Photography Course on the Chobe River
      • EarthArk Mobile Safari – Savuti
      • EarthArk Mobile Safari – Khwai Conservancy – Part 1 of 2
      • EarthArk Mobile Safari – Khwai – Part 2 of 2
      • EarthArk Mobile Safari – The Okavango Delta – Moremi & the Xini Lagoon
      • Capetown – Kirstenbosch & the Bo-Kaap
      • Cape Town – Muizenberg, Kalk Bay & Boulders Beach
      • Cape Town – Betty’s Bay and Stellenbosch
    • Falkland Islands, South Georgia & Antarctica
      • A trip to the end of the earth – Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctica–Explorers & Kings
      • Ushuaia–Fin del Mundo
      • Ushuaia–Day 2
      • Waiting for my ship to come in…
      • Come sail away…
      • Day #1 & 2 – En route to the Falklands
      • Day #3 – West Point Island & Saunders Island, The Falklands
      • Day # 4 – Stanley–more British than Britain
      • Day # 7 – Right Whale Bay & Salisbury Plain–Kings, kings & more kings
    • Iceland – the land of fire and ice
      • Iceland – Day 1 – Arriving & Reykjavik
      • Iceland – Day 2
      • Iceland – Day 3
      • Iceland – Day 4 – The Blue Lagoon
      • Iceland – Day 5 -South Coast
      • Iceland – Day 6 – Northern Lights & Jokulsarlon
      • Iceland – Day 7 – Time to head home
  • Closer to Home
    • Fall Colours 2019
    • Sound of Light 2019 – Greece
    • Sound of Light 2019 – Italy
    • Sound of Light 2019 – Chile
    • Bonnechere Cave & Fourth Chute Falls
    • Fall colours, rapids & waterfalls
    • Casino du Lac Leamy 2016 Fireworks Finale
This post is part of a series called Falkland Islands, South Georgia & Antarctica
Show More Posts
  • A trip to the end of the earth – Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctica–Explorers & Kings
  • Ushuaia–Fin del Mundo
  • Ushuaia–Day 2
  • Waiting for my ship to come in…
  • Come sail away…
  • Day #1 & 2 – En route to the Falklands
  • Day #3 – West Point Island & Saunders Island, The Falklands
  • Day # 4 – Stanley–more British than Britain
  • Day # 7 – Right Whale Bay & Salisbury Plain–Kings, kings & more kings
  • Day #8 – In the footsteps of Shackleton
  • Day #9 – Elephants & Kings – St. Andrew’s Bay & Gold Harbour
  • Day #10 – Cooper Bay & Drygalski Fjord
  • Day #13 – Elephant Island
  • Day #14 – Setting foot on Antarctica
  • Day #15 – Whales, whales and more whales – a “Tail” of a perfect day
  • Day # 16 – Deception Island & Half Moon Bay
  • Day 19 & 20 – Buenos Aires
  • Antarctica Photo Gallery

The Trip

The adventure begins with a short flight from Ottawa to Toronto, followed by a longgggg flight to Buenos Aires via Santiago.  I leave Ottawa at 7pm and arrive in Buenos Aires at 3:25 pm the next day (1:25 pm Ottawa time)- 10,479 km and 18 1/2 hours later.

The next morning I’ll be southbound; en route to the departure point for my expedition.   Another 3 1/2 hours and 2,348 km and I’ll arrive in Ushuaia, a city that bills itself as the “fin del mundo” (end of the world).  Until recently, it was the southernmost city in the world at 54° 48′ 0″ S, but Puerto Williams, Chile, slightly farther south at 54° 56′ 0″ S , now has a large enough population to be called a city.

The Hotel Arakur, located high above the city in a nature preserve, will be my home for 2 nights after which I’ll be meeting up with my shipmates for a night at The Albatross Hotel in downtown Ushuaia, and then the true adventure begins!

The ship – Quark’s Ocean Diamond

My ship is Quark’s Ocean Diamond, one of the bigger expedition ships in Antarctica.  She is 124.19 metres in length, has 5 decks and an ice-strengthened hull.  She has 2 stabilizers and carries a maximum of 189 passengers and 144 crew.  Hopefully her size and speed will translate into smoother sea days.

My home for the next 19 days is a single porthole cabin on Deck 3, mid-ship.

The Ship’s Itinerary

The ship will set sail from Ushuaia on December 20, heading north east to the Falkland Islands.  After a day at sea, we’ll arrive at the British overseas territory (a status which is still disputed by Argentina) where I will see my first penguins.

After 2 days exploring the Falklands, we’ll head south east to the South Georgia Islands, also a British territory.  This journey will take 2 days over what could possibly be very rough water.  Our reward will be 4 days spent exploring this remote outpost and the large King penguin colonies.

2 more sea days will bring us to the Antarctic Peninsula, the 7th continent.  Although it is the coldest, windiest and driest continent, it will be summer and average temperatures here in January average slightly below freezing.  With any luck, the weather will cooperate and we’ll have several landings!

After 4 days on the Peninsula it will be time to set sail back to Ushuaia – the 2 day crossing of the dreaded Drake Passage.  Will I experience the “Drake Lake” or the “Drake Shake”?  Personally, I’m hoping for the “Drake Lake”, but if not, I’m well stocked with sea sickness meds.

Once back on land, it’s straight to the airport and back to Buenos Aires where I’ll be spending 2 nights in the “trendy” Palermo Soho neighbourhood.   My plans include a photography tour on my full day there which will give me a great tour of the city and hopefully some amazing photographs.

 

Related

Related Posts

  • Antarctica Photo Gallery

    April 1, 2018July 21, 2019
  • Day #14 – Setting foot on Antarctica

    January 2, 2017July 16, 2019

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Recent Comments

  • Joyce:

    Super shots of Prince Rupert ...looks like a wonderful place
  • Joyce:

    Thanks for sharing your wonder experience and the photos
  • Joyce Benham:

    Thank you and keep those photos coming ...amazing
  • Kathy Preston:

    Thanks Joyce - this trip was with Wild-Eye .
  • Joyce Benham:

    Wow you certainly got a trip of a life time

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