Stonington Island in Marguerite Bay is the site of two early research stations. East Base, the oldest American Antarctic station, was built starting in 1939 but hasn’t been used since 1948. The British Base, Station E, was used for many historic survey missions in the 1940s and saw use until the mid 1970s. From Red…
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Ensenada Grande on Isla Partida to San Evaristo
During the night, the wind shifted to come from west, where this anchorage had no protection. When we woke up on Monday morning January 23), it was very uncomfortable. We got Kosmos ready to go and pulled up anchor at 0700, … Continue reading →
Red Rock Ridge
After our second night at sea through the Drake Passage, we woke up in Antarctica. Massive icebergs floated everywhere, some surprisingly close to the ship, in an endless variety of fantastic shapes and sizes. Ashore, steep and snow-covered slopes soared straight up from the water. Antarctica is much more mountainous than we were expecting. Taking…
Second Trip to Ensenada Grande on Isla Partida, Day 3
Sunday (January 22) was another rolly morning. First thing in the morning, we coordinated with the other families to go for the big hike. We encouraged everyone to meet onshore ASAP so we could all get a reprieve from the … Continue reading →
Second Trip to Ensenada Grande on Isla Partida, Day 2
Here was the sunrise on Saturday, January 21 The wind picked up overnight and was screaming by the morning. The wind caused a lot of noise — the wind itself was loud, the anchor chain/bridle moved a lot, waves slapped … Continue reading →
Drake Passage Southbound
Our two-day crossing of the infamous Drake Passage from Ushuaia to the Antarctic continent was wonderfully calm. We passed the time at the bridge, taking in several educational seminars, and just enjoying being on board the National Geographic Endurance. The ship’s public areas are comfortable and generously laid out, never feeling cramped despite a full…
Playa Pichilingue to Ensenada Grande on Espiritu Santo
On Thursday, January 19, the little sliver of the moon was again in the east as the sun rose underneath it. We left for shore at noon. Our plan was to walk over to the ferry terminal to catch the … Continue reading →
Keith’s Perspective on Ensenada de Gallo, Playa Bonanza and Playa Pichilingue/Le point de vue de Keith sur Ensenada de Gallo, Playa Bonanza et Playa PichilingueKeith’s Perspective on Ensenada de Gallo, Playa Bonanza and Playa Pichilingue
I liked Ensenada de Gallo. We went to the beach there, and went on a dinghy ride to a beach in another anchorage that you cannot anchor near. I played D&D with the kid group. J’ai aimé Ensenada de Gallo. … Continue reading →
Ushuaia Arrival
Ushuaia, at the southern tip of Argentina, is the departure point for the majority of Antarctic cruises. Our flight there from Buenos Aires was delayed by the overnight return of the victorious Argentinian World Cup team. Over a million fans had traveled to the airport to greet the players, abandoning their cars and walking when…
Third Trip to Playa Pichilingue, Days 3 – 4
Sunrise on Tuesday, January 17. The crescent moon looks fuzzy in this photo because it was blurred by a cloud. The waves built through the night, and it was another uncomfortably rocky morning. After we finished our morning chores, we … Continue reading →
