the luxury liner became our home-away-from home for eleven days. While the real excitement occurred on our Zodiac landings, just being on the sea and traveling uncommon territory was an adventure in itself. Standing on deck, you could feel the low subtle sound of the engine under your feet, the moist sea air on your skin, and hear the lapping of the waves against the hull. 

of South America and the northern portion of Antarctica, the passage – named after English explorer Sir Francis Drake – is known for its rough seas with waves that can exceed 10 meters, as well as being an ideal spot for viewing whales and dolphins.

While crossing the Drake Passage, Rex and others gave the fascinating historical overview of Antarctic explorations, details on the wildlife we would encounter, and everything we needed to know for our Zodiac Landings. When the ship crossed 61°S latitude, we were officially in Antarctic waters and ready for the adventure that awaited us: the zodiac landings.

and each were subject to weather, ice conditions and the natural cycles of wildlife. 

Thanks to the long hours of daylight so near the Arctic Circle, landings occurred nearly twice a day at pretty much any hour. We’d don our expedition gear before descending the gangway and boarding the Zodiacs. Traversing the channels, often through packs of floating ice, we’d make our way to our destination.

As Antarctica is the world’s largest protected wilderness, we got to witness wildlife in their native habitat. On our expeditions, we saw seals sunning themselves on ice floes, watched gigantic albatross on the wing, met whales, and visited penguin rookeries. When the weather conditions were right, we lowered the Zodiacs and cruised around secluded bays in the Peninsula known as ‘iceberg graveyards.’ It was an unforgettable sight.

One of the most spectacular and unexpected sights, though, was the ‘red snow.’
Algae live in Antarctic snow and blossom toward the end of the summer, staining the snow so green it appears to be a patch of grass. The algae-infested green snow can be surrounded by white ice and snow. Scientists still haven’t determined why the algae just appear in patches. More puzzling still is that a portion of the green algae appears red. Great patches of red snow can be seen from miles away. It’s as if a painter has spilled a bucket of crimson on the landscape.

After our zodiac landings, our time in Antarctica was up and we returned through the Drake Passage to our port in Argentina. Finally at home on the sea, our journey back gave us time to think about the expanse of icy wilderness we’d been so privileged to explore. We knew our experience made us a minority in the world; we’d seen wonders few would even dream about. We disembarked and headed home, anxious for the next adventure that awaited us.