Well i will start by saying that the below is partly taken from a log put together by our guides.

Our ship was initially meant to be the Maryshev but as you know it failed to pass the Russian surveyors checks. So, the Professor Multanovskiy it was after an extremely painfully two days of we might be going, were not going, were going, and finally WE WENT woohoo!!

12/03/08

We boarded in Ushuaia, known as "El fin del mundo", "The end of the world". The rugged spine of the Andes mountains stretches the entire lenght of the South American continent, coming right down to meet the sea here at the southern tip of Chili and Argentina. We set sail around 7pm and being dark headed to the bar for our first briefing and safety and a beer!

13/03/08

The Drake Passage

Woke up this morning to some rough seas in the Drake passage and a stomach that was not too keen on breakfast. But to breakfast i went, ate, and then marched straight back to bed in order to keep my breakfast. This became the process for lunch and dinner too so other than sleep and eat there was nudder.

My nausia was mild to moderate and good when laying down but standing and looking out the port hole seeing a whole lot a sky followed by a whole lot a ocean was a big no no! Also, hearing the person in the next cabin heaving every 5 minutes dosn´t help. The dinning room was quite empty at dinner time!

14/03/08

Still The Drake Passage

Well today was very much like yesterday except i decided to skip dinner. Still crossing the Drake passage and the edge of the storm where passing around is not helping. Dinning room numbers very low!

15/03/08

Whalers Bay, Deception Island

This morning around 4-5am i woke to discover the sea had calmed. I was very happy about that! As a result the dinning room numbers had swelled and the mood was very boyant as we had arrived at the Antarctic penisular.

At 9:30 Deception Island came into view and at 10:30 we entered the caldera of Deception island, Port Foster. The entrance to Port Foster is Neptune´s Bellows, for the fact that the wind can really blow through the narrow gap. The Bellows are narrow enough, but there is the added challenge of also avoiding Ravn rock, a submerged rock in the middle of the channel that makes navigation even more difficult than it appears. The remains of the Southern Hunter, a beached wreck on the port side as you enter Port Foster is testimony to the fact that two ships cannot safetly pass each other in the bellows.

It was grey, wet, and cold but ashore we went to meet our first Fur seals and a couple of Gentoo penguins. It was a very surreal day standing on the beach with Fur seals. They approached us a few times as they were all young males with something to prove - pretty similar to the human race :)

As Ian and i cruised along the beach a Gentoo (our first)penguin popped out of the water just in front of us and headed up the beach right passed the macho Fur seals who didn´t seem to notice.

We headed back to our landing point where some of the more energetic had dug a hole near the shore to take advantage of the volcanic heat. Basically, about two to three feet below the surface of the beach the water temperature is toastie warm. A Fur seal who´s home we had unknowingly invaded came out from under a human structure to investigate. A great scene, the tourists with a fur seal in the middle of the group.

We headed back around 6pm for dinner and a few "I still can´t believe where in Antarctica" photos!

16/03/08

Cuverville and Danco Islands, the Errera Channel.

As we sailed towards Curverville Island we saw several humpback whales and after breakfast we boarded the zodiacs for a landing on Cuverville Island. Well, if you ever wanted to overdose on (Gentoo) penguins then this is a good way to start. Cuverville island, set in the beautiful scenery of surrounding islands and glaciers, is home to four thousand pairs of Gentoo penguins in the middle of summer.

Penguins are just plain funny creatures. There number one´s and two´s leave you gagging but you just can´t help but love em. We watched adults and chicks moulting and even managed to spot our first lone Chinstrap penguin in the crowd.

After lunch we went zodiac cruising with the intention of landing on Danco island, a bit to the east of Cuverville, but were distracted by a pair of Humpback whales that came to check out our Zodiacs. The water was so clear that you could see the whales pass about 3 meters under the boat. They surfaced many time all around the boat and gave us more than we could have ever hoped for.

When the whales departed we went iceberg cruising and a short while later spotted our first Leopard seal who seemed more curious about us as he darted under the boat popping up in random locations all around us. He looked hungry and as you leaned over the edge of the boat he would swim rather quickly straight towards you. It was like a game of chicken with a three meter Leopard seal. I lost every time!

As night approached we headed back to the ship for dinner.

17/03/08

This morning we cruised through the Errera Channel, one of the most scenic parts of Antarctica. At 9am we were in Neko Harbour and ready for our first excursion of the day. Neko is named after a Salvesen fleet whaling vessel that was known to use the area from 1911 onwards, and is a small rocky outcrop of land with a big glacier looming over it. This most impotant feature of the spot for us though was that it was the Antarctic Continent proper! Continental Antarctica and i was standing on it!

From the beach we walk up the snow covered hill to the top of another Gentoo colony and outstanding views of Andvord Bay. The views were breath taking yet again but my feet were kept firmly on the ground by that all to familiar ode penguin smell. After a time enjoying the amazing views and the penguins just doing there thing we headed back to the ship for lunch.

After lunch we went zodiac cruising. While waiting to board the zodiacs a Minke whale made an appearance, investigating our ship and zodiacs. Once in the zodiacs we were again very fortunate to have this curious Minke come up to us to say hello. The Minke stayed around for about 40 minutes which felt like 40 seconds afterwards. Minkes are on of only two whale species thought to over-winter in Antarctica, with the other being the Orca, another on of the smaller whale.

All day the views had been stunning, with glaciers dropping into the water all around. Once back on board our ship we raised anchor and sailed for what is said to be the most beautiful place in the Peninsula, Paradise Harbour. We anchored in Leith Cove and then relaxed for the evening.

18/03/08

The Lemaire Channel, Vernadsky Station & Wordie House in the Argentine Island Group.

This morning we set out for Vernadsky Station (Ukranian) formerly known as Faraday Station (British) via the Lemaire Channel. On the way, between Wiencke Island and Menier Island we spotted 15 - 20 Orcas. Well i saw about 4 very briefly and only once.

The Lemaire channel is a waterway which is 11km long and 1.6km wide passage which runs northeast to southwest from Splitwind Island and False Cape Renard in the North to Roulin Point and Cape Cloos in the south separating Booth island from the Antarctic peninsula. The channel was first navigated in 1898, and ever since then, the mountains looming over the ships and the ice that can clog the channel makes it one of the most exciting and spectacular waterways in the world.

The Lemaire passag offered more than just landscapes today as the floating ice was full of Leopard, Weddell, and Crabeater seals and the water full off Gentoo penguins. We also had a flock of Antarctic Terns flying above us. As we reached the southern end of the passage we saw Humpback whales chilling out on the surface of the water. These whales were ´logging´which means sleeping as in this position they look very much like a log floating on the surface of the water.

We continued sailing until we reached the Argentine Islands and out next stop, Vernadsky Station. As we went ashore we were greated by some frindly Ukranian scientists. We were given a tour of the station and a brief insight into the research they do which includes monitoring the ozone. Fairly important given that this is where the hole in the ozone was first discovered. They were also kind enough to let us sample some of there locally brewed vodka at there bar (Faraday Bar), named in rememberance of the former station name. Strong stuff (good anti freeze)!!

We also visited nearby Wordie house which is a former British station now museum. Quite interesting to see how they lived back around 1940.

19/03/08

Pleneau Island

The short cruise to Pleneau Island was through a large bay where i was lucky to see no less than 18 Humpbacks with calves. I didnt think it could get any better but once we anchored we boarded the zodiacs and started some iceberg cruising. Well as we approach a large iceberg it started to breakup in what is known as calving. It was amazing to hear and see the cracks and grones and then the total submersion of this iceberg.

We were also blessed with more Leopard and Crabeater seals plus the all to familiar Gentoo penguins swimming around the boats. We also saw for the first and only time a group of Adelie penguins which was great.

Unfortunately in the afternoon it was time to leave this magical place and head back to Ushuaia. So back aboard we went and set sail we did. We celebrated our amazing experience over a few beers and swapped stories about dream trip.

20/03/08

Drake Passage

We were more than pleased to wake to a very calm ocean. Lyn, our expedition leaders said it was one of the calmest crossings she had experienced. She has been to Antarctica 107 times so we must have been very lucky.

21/03/08

Drake Passage

Still calm! Apparently there are two storms one on either side of us. They are converging which should make for some fun times on the high seas when the boat returns southwards. Because of the calm seas we were several hours ahead of schedule which meant we had time to sail west around Cape Horn, the infamous watery area which has such a strong and justified reputation for difficult navigation.

We also went to a few lectures about the environment and Antarctica during the day which were really good.

I gazed out at the ocean watching Albatross glide effortlessly only centimeters above the ocean. I saw one Albatross accidently touch the water with its wing tip while flying...It corrected quickly though and continued the search for food.

22/03/08

Alas i have had breakfast and am once again a land lubber! Am back in Ushuaia and about to head to Santiago where the next adventure will begin!