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Antarctica: Hazardous journey, safe return doubtful

Even though venturing to Antarctica is now much easier than Ernest Shackleton’s mythical ad, I was still nervous. Getting to Antarctica these days is a lot like double dutch, it’s all about timing.

Getting there

There are two ways to get to Antarctica from Chile – by cruise ship or plane. Both are weather dependent and both cost a lot of money, but they vary in time. I didn’t have 10 days or $10, 000, so I opted for a one-day flight excursion. This still costs LOTS of money, but for me, the once in a lifetime opportunity was definitely worth every penny. DAP Airlines was the only company I could find that does one-day and over-night trips to Antartica, so there’s no shopping around or hoping the flight price will decrease.

Flying into Antarctica

I contacted DAP via email about four months before my trip, and only one seat was available for my date. They only allow six people per trip, and have about one trip a week during summer. Communication was hit or miss – sometimes they responded quickly and other times I waited weeks for a response. So if you are a planner, like me, be prepared for some stress.

Although they sent me an information packet, I still had questions. Since Antarctica would be in the middle of a three week trip, I wanted exact details, and Antarctica isn’t about that. I especially wanted to know at which hotel were we staying since I wasn’t sure if I’d have wifi while traveling. Fortunately, after all my emails they sent me the hotel information before I left  so I could plan how to get there.

I was to show up in Punta Arenas, Chile the day before our trip for a mandatory meeting. All travelers have to attend a presentation on general safety, and the political treaty that countries agree to to protect this pristine frontier. A Russian couple, that spoke almost no English, and American sisters would journey with me. I was then given the boots I needed to wear for this adventure. We were told the pilots would check the weather reports, which are relayed every two hours, and decide what time we could depart.

This is where it got tricky, and why I hadn’t gotten my hopes up too much. While we planned to go on a Friday, they
suggested another two optional days in case the weather prevented our first or second attempt. So, four nights hotel stay is included in the package, if you want to or can stay that long. If we flew out that Friday, I wouldn’t stay the other days and had planned to hike, but we did not fly out that Friday and I did not hike.

We received word that the following day’s weatherwould not be suitable for our trip. I actually breathed a little sign of relief from nervousness and slept well. At 7am the next morning, I was jolted awake by the telephone ringing and told we would leave at 8:30am! Since we had just arrived the previous evening, I hadn’t charged my GoPro, or have my clothes unpacked. This however turned out to be a blessing. I wouldn’t have slept a wink due to excitement, and general concern about traveling in a tiny plane. As I sat at breakfast too nervous to eat, I got an email saying the weather had changed for the worse, and we would be notified after the next weather report. The next report confirmed we would not be flying that day, but the weather in Punta Arenas was great, so they arranged other activities for us.

Our taxi

That night we were given a pick up time for the next morning, which was great news to have an early confirmation, and now I would be ready. The next morning however our pickup time was postponed an hour. I was starting to see where this was going. When we arrived at the airport, we were told to wait for the next weather report in an hour, if it was good we would leave immediately, since the weather windows change quickly. My emotional state during that hour was very precarious. I needn’t worry, because turns out we didn’t go to Antartica that day either. We were told the weather the next day looked great, but I was a bit skeptical at this point.

The sisters planned to fly home the next day, so with our fingers crossed, they changed their flights. They had only come to Southern Chile to go to Antarctica, which is a long, expensive way to come to have to turn around without ever making it to their seventh continent.

The next morning we were picked up on time, and actually went through airport security so it was already looking promising. But until we touched down, none of us would believe it. Although the tiny propeller plane was my biggest fear, the two and a half hour flight was very smooth.

Being there

One of the reasons the weather is so critical is because there’s no radar or airport. The pilots land on a gravel runway that they have to be able to see. In our boots, we stepped off the plane into a bucket of disinfecting solution and then onto an active runway. But by active, I mean they weren’t expecting anyone. We would spend the next five and a half hours in awe.

The day was really perfect, it was almost 40 degrees and the first sunny day they’d had in three weeks. Although we didn’t encounter many people, 10 countries have research stations there. We briefly stopped in the Russian station and Chilean station, where they stamped our passports. Our English speaking guide who told us about the plants and animals, the research being done and the history. He lived there November to March, but come winter there’d only be a skeleton crew since the conditions were brutal. Antarctica is a desert, where fire is a major concern – even the fire station burned down. It’s the coldest, windiest, driest continent with the highest average elevation and it’s beautiful. It’s quiet and has the cleanest air you’ve ever breathed.

After donning our wind suits, we hopped on a zodiac to cross the bay to see the spectacular Collins Glacier. But I was most excited when we landed on a beach full of Adelie penguins. I could have stayed the whole day on that beach. It was really special with only five people, and while we couldn’t touch the penguins some were not afraid to peck us. They were entertaining and funny; fighting, talking and chasing each other. I was bummed to leave, but then we headed to another beach with giant elephant seals, aggressive sea lions and (my favorite) chin strap penguins! We hit all the highlights in our short time, even the Russian Orthodox Church, that’s staffed by a priest year-round. The church’s construction was tested in Siberia and only uses pine and chains to hold it up.

Although we spent more time getting to Antarctica than actually being there, setting foot on the white continent was worth every worry. Seven continents done, now time to double back.

 Tips:

• Start early and stay late. By that I mean book as soon as possible, prepare to be flexible and plan to stay for extra bad weather days.
• Have all your cameras and electronics charged and ready to go at a moment’s notice.