After spending what feels like a life time down on the Antarctic Peninsula I have become compelled to spread the wonder and beauty that is the most southern continent. Since a lot of my friends have discovered my recent experiences I have been getting asked many questions about visiting Antarctica. Below I have answered a few of the most common questions I have gotten from fellow Steemians, as well as, friends and family.
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Time of year to visit?
This one is somewhat difficult to give advice on, as I had amazing weather throughout the entire season and a crazy amount of incredible wildlife encounters too. Honestly, I preferred traveling down in February and March, which is later in the season but this is simply due to the fact of my background, as a marine biologist. That time of year is incredible for whale and other marine mammal encounters. If you prefer penguins - they are on their eggs earlier in the season typically November to December - then their chicks hatch later during January. At the end of the day its all up to what type of adventure/experience you are hoping for in Antarctica.
how is the Drake... honestly?
Honestly, not as bad as I thought it was going to be. I am aware that if you look up videos of the Drake you will be met with many videos displaying just how rough and nasty that stretch of water can be. However, it's nowhere near as bad as those videos portray. It is roughly a two day crossing from Ushuaia to the Antarctic peninsula, which can be rough for some people, as everyone is different when it comes to sea sickness. The good thing is that the expedition doctor has some incredible sea sickness medication that definitely helps.
"Antarctica is the ticket. The drake is the toll that must be paid."
The best quote from one of my expedition leaders talking about crossing the Drake Passage.
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How long do you spend on Antarctica?
There are numerous different expeditions you can take to experience Antarctica, with each expedition type offering different experiences. From a "discover the peninsula" trip would be roughly 8 days with about 3 days of actual excursion in Antarctica. There are "crossing the circle" trips, which are 12 days long, as you do travel a lot further south to reach the Antarctic circle. Then there are expeditions that also visit the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, as well as, the Antarctic Peninsula - these trips can be 18 - 21 days long. Each expedition from my understanding various in cost and you would have to research the numerous expedition companies' websites to find out exact costs.
How cold is it when you are down there & what type of clothes should you bring?
The temperature varies from around 0 degrees celsius to about 8 degrees celsius. This depends on the weather of the day - if it is overcast, snowing or hailing. The wind too can be quite intense from time to time. When it comes to clothes you have to bring a good layer or two of thermals. A middle layer, such as, a sweater and YOU MUST BRING WATERPROOF OUTER LAYER!!! That I can not stress enough - it is a must!
Any company you would recommend?
Well, I was working for a company known as Quark Expeditions. They were amazing! Incredibly talented and skilled expedition staff and passionate expedition leaders. I am sure other companies are similar in many ways.
Any other questions that you would like advice on or from when it comes to traveling to Antarctica?
Leave a comment below and I will get to them as soon as I can.
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