I carefully stepped down the gangway of the cruise ship then waited for the waves to take a break before I did anything. Taking a quick leap, I finally settled in a little rubber boat. Within just a short period of time, our small exploration group bounced through a napping seal and chunks of floating ice that shimmered blue. My boat stops finally at a rocky shore so I put my legs above the zodiac to get to the northern area of the Antarctic Peninsula. Read this site if you want antarctica cruise review information.

My senses were overwhelmed by a pungent smell and an extraordinary sight as I walked along the beach, ridden with blocks of ice. Around where I stood, adorable adelie penguins waddled. As far as what I could see, their numbers rose up a craggy slope. Needless to say, our first day of landing at the continents know to be the farthest is great and this two day cruise from Ushuaia, Argentina is exceptional even as it holds the dangers of infamously rough seas. This wilderness of crystal glaciers no matter how far or risky has been able to mesmerize tourists all around the world.

Around 26,000 were the number of guests last year and the number of visitors grow each year. Lectures dedicated to penguins are able to break patterns of the cold blue. This may be known to be the coldest continent of all, but then during the austral summer’s December days, the weather is remarkably pleasant. Achieving 40s on the peninsula, there can be times when temperatures grow extremely freezing. Trips are usually held from November up to March.

This cruise ship is often at sea for 11 days, with its strong body of 100 meters able to carry around a hundred passengers. The comfortable ship is not fancy at all. People enjoy its amenities which include a bar and lounge, a small library and even an auditorium. Going on a trip to Antarctica can be done with tiny yachts. Come Friday night, we leave port. The next morning, we got the chance to behold a spectacle of marvelous southern sea birds as they glide, especially the remarkable albatrosses. Visit this site for further information on adventure antarctica cruises.

Passing time at sea entails the tour guides making creative presentations spearheaded by different experts from a geologist, a bird specialist, marine biologist, historian even a creative visual artist that makes tourists draw or paint icebergs and adorable penguins. Lectures on global warming are surprisingly absent on this trip, though, but the topic is usually discussed.

Events in the nearby islands as well as during the landings on the continent is mostly where the highlights of the trip were. It is truly unforgettable to hear the loud crack of a calving iceberg or witness an avalanche in motion from afar. Much can be seen from the decks of the vessel. Thanks to little hours of darkness during this time of year, many of the travelers are able to get more of what they came for.

Just as long as you’re heavily dressed to stay warm from strong, cold winds, it is extremely easy to spend a couple of hours on the ship watching a marvelous array of icebergs sculpted by the wind drifting by, in either various shades of blue or oftentimes, white. We pass pristine landscapes of high mountains laden with big hanging glaciers. Once in a while, whales would show themselves. A long glorious sunset paints the sky with bright hues of red and orange.

We were alarmed to hear that an elderly passenger was ill and had to be evacuated, as soon as we got back on the ship. This means that we will need to get an airstrip at the South Shetland Islands after a long overnight detour. Instances like these, evacuations that cost so much money give travelers a reason to ponder on getting that medical evacuation insurance before anything else.

The passenger, after being evacuated to Chile, we found ourselves going to Ardley Island where newly Gentoo penguins are nourished by their penguin mothers. An adult penguin delicately puts in the head of its young chick to regurgitate a snack of krill unto its mouth and a gooey strand from beak to beak follows after.