Christina’s Journey Journal

Category: Antarctica

  • ‘Tis the season for…delays?? 🇺🇸☹️🇦🇶

    I double dog dare ya to keep up with me here—

    Delta:

    1. My friend and co-adventurer, Laura, lives in Whitefish, MT. She was planning to fly from Kalispell, MT (FCA) to St Louis (STL), with a stop in Salt Lake City (SLC) on Christmas. Then we would fly to Atlanta (ATL) together on the 26th to catch our flight to Buenos Aires (EZE) that evening.

    2. Laura found out (by proactively looking on the Delta app) on Christmas Eve that her flight from SLC to STL was cancelled. Nothing else out of FCA would work so plan B…

    3. Laura’s wonderful husband, Mark, drove her 3 hours on Christmas morn to Missoula, MT (MSO) to catch a flight to STL, with a connection through Minneapolis (MSP).

    4. Laura was on the flight—they pushed back from the jetway and spent time de-icing. Then, much to everyone’s surprise, they announced that the pilot had too many hours. They came back to the gate, deplaned, and the flight was subsequently cancelled.

    5. At that point, there was no way to get to MSP/STL or even to ATL on the 25th nor 26th from MSO.

    6. We found a flight from Bozeman, MT (BZN) to ATL through Denver (DEN) first thing on Dec. 26th. Yay!!

    Enter United Airlines:

    7. Laura and Mark spent another 3+ hours driving on black ice from MSO to BZN on Christmas night.

    8. They checked into a hotel at midnight. At 4:00 am, Laura received a text that the flight out of BZN to DEN/ATL had been cancelled—no crew. She called me as I was getting up for my flight.

    American Airlines to the rescue!

    9. While we were on the phone, Mark, being the expert he is (btw, he’s a pilot:), found 1 seat…yes, 1 seat, on a flight out of BNZ to EZE through Dallas (DFW) which will land in EZE about an hour after I land tomorrow morning. Bingo! But not out of the woods yet…

    10. So as of 3:00 pm MT on the 26th, Laura has taken off from BZN and is in midair as I write this. She should make it in plenty of time for her 8:24 pm CT flight from DFW to EZE.

    Meanwhile, my flight from STL to ATL was about 20 minutes delayed, but I met an awesome couple at the gate—Nick and Nat—on their way to Rio de Janiero, Brazil (GIG) to celebrate the New Year. (Hi Nick and Nat—cheers!). They were also delayed by a day.

    Now I sit in ATL for my 8 hour layover until my flight leaves this evening at 9:00 pm, hoping and praying to be reunited with Laura tomorrow morn in EZE.

    What have I learned?

    • A lot of airport codes!

    • DON’T GIVE UP no matter how many curve balls the airport gods throw your way.

    • Mark is awesome!

    • Think twice about traveling around a holiday when it’s time sensitive (or leave super duper early).

    • Give up the worry and make it part of the adventure. You will simply have another story! (Ok, so I can say this now. We may have shed a few tears throughout the process).

    Oh and there was a water main break at ATL so bathrooms aren’t working well, But as long as that doesn’t cancel my flight, I am perfectly fine with no flushing!

    These Ugg Boots were made for walking!
  • Tres Dias!🇦🇷🇦🇶

    Tres Dias!🇦🇷🇦🇶

    3 days until we leave! Did I mention that I am also super excited about spending Tuesday, December 27th in Buenos Aires and speaking Espanol?

    Buenos Aires is known as the Paris of South America. And while we won’t have a lot of time to explore the city, we will make the most of it! The empanadas, the wine, Plaza de Mayo, The Recoleta Cemetery (where Eva Peron is buried), and maybe a little tango??

    The packing is ALMOST done. Tip—if you plan to go to Antarctica and have luggage weight limit requirements, start packing early. What started with 4 pairs of shoes is now down to two – the boots I am wearing and a pair of tennis shoes. The cold-weather gear takes up a ton of room and weight but you can’t go without it.

    Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all my family and friends that are following my blog site. This will be my last post until the adventure starts.

    FYI I will post the contents of my suitcase in another link. I know it was very helpful for me when I was packing to use other people’s blog posts about what to take and what to leave at home.

    Feliz Navidad y hasta pronto!

    Here’s a Penguin blanket that I received at Christmas🐧
  • It’s the final countdown! 9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1!🇦🇶

    It’s the final countdown! 9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1!🇦🇶

    9 days to go…I have been checking off all the things that need to happen prior to departure. Work, school, Christmas festivities…each tick mark represents another step closer to the 7th continent. Laura and I were talking and it’s kind of surreal. Our Antarctica adventure is right around the corner (well, around the corner meaning waaaay down south)

    So let’s talk about our actual ship, Ultramarine. You will find a little more about it in my first blog post. The company we are going through is Quark Expeditions, which has specialized in polar adventures since 1991. Their fleet of research vessels were purpose built for navigating the polar regions, and their newest ship is no exception. Ultramarine has an ice strengthened hull and is still in her inaugural season. Our expedition will round out her first year exploring Antarctica and the Artic.

    There is capacity for 199 people + 140 crew. THIS IS IMPORTANT because 200 people is the maximum number that can leave any ship at the same time in the Antarctica, according to IAATO regulations.

    Ultramarine is 420 feet long with a cruising speed of 16 knots. There are two twin-engine airbus H145 helicopters on deck and we have two opportunities while in Antarctica to fly on them.

    Our room is on the 4th deck toward the middle. We have a balcony, which will be amazing to take in the sites.

    There is a water-level zodiac hanger (see prior post), and two ready rooms where we change in and out of our expedition gear (parkas, boots, rain pants, etc) as we use the zodiacs.

    The ship has plenty of amenities, such as a polar boutique, restaurant, bistro, ambassador theater, sauna, spa, fitness center, lounge and bar. The focus is also on environmentally responsible tourism and Ultramarine leads the way with special systems to convert waste to energy. This minimizes fuel consumption and helps navigate narrow passages without impacting the land or seabed.

    Happy holidays to all my family and friends. I will be dreaming of a white after-Christmas with visions of penguins dancing in my head!

    Here is a link to a short video featuring Ultramarine: https://youtu.be/Su2ATds1SLg

  • 32 days until we leave!🇦🇶

    But who’s counting?? As I celebrate Thanksgiving and share my gratitude with those that mean the most to me, I am in full packing mode. If you know me, you know I am not a light packer!

    When we travel on the charter flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, we are limited to 1 checked bag, 50 pounds max, and 1 carry on, no more than 17 pounds. It’s amazing how fast you get to 50 pounds with all the cold weather gear we need – base layers, wool socks, mid layers, fleeces, rain pants, neck gaiters, ski hats, ski goggles for the Zodiacs, medication “just in case”, etc. Luckily, they have laundry facilities on the ship, they give us a parka (to keep) and muck boots (to use for our adventures). Therefore, I am modifying Marie Kondo’s famous quote, and using this for my packing strategy — “Does it spark comfort and warmth? If it does, keep it. If not, take it out of the suitcase.”

    This is a Zodiac!
    (Can’t wait to take a photo myself)
    Photo Credit: Quark Expedition from their
    2022-2023 Antartica Explorer guide

    Let me explain what a zodiac is/does because these little “rafts” will be a major part of our expedition once we arrive in Antarctica. Zodiacs are rigid-hulled inflatable boats that will carry us from the ship to land. Once used by Jacques Cousteau, they are advantageous in remote locations, allowing passengers to get close up with nature during the voyage (think whales!) and land in places where big ships can’t. Bottom line, a Zodiac is a necessary and indispensable part of the expedition. We will be on the Zodiacs at least twice a day, exploring the local bays, channels and our landing sites on the continent. The Zodiacs are our gateway to Antarctica’s wildlife—penguin rookeries, humpback and minke whales, and the southern seal species (including the leopard seal).

    Signing off for now. Happy Thanksgiving!

  • The 7th Continent Awaits! 🇦🇶

    The 7th Continent Awaits! 🇦🇶

    I used to have trouble spelling Antarctica. Now I’m planning a visit! My friend, Laura, and I fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina on December 26, 2022. We will board Quark Expeditions’ newest ship, The Ultramarine, on the 28th. Along with 199 other passengers, we leave from “the end of the world” in the resort town of Ushuaia, Argentina on the Tierra del Fuego archipelago. We’ll then cruise to our southernmost continent (AKA the South Pole), passing through the infamous, Drake Passage. This state-of-the-art explorer ship is outfitted with twin engine helicopters and equipped with a Micro Auto Gasification System (MAGS), which converts waste into energy onboard. This year is its maiden voyage, and we are two maidens on a voyage!

    While most of the land is covered in ice, this polar desert is important to our ecosystem as 79% of the world’s freshwater reserves can be found frozen on Antarctica. If that ice were to melt, it would raise global sea levels by ~200 feet. Do people actually “live” on this continent? There are around 5,000 people during the summer months (October – February), dropping to 1,000 the rest of the year. These people can be found working at one of ~70 research stations – permanent and seasonal. The US has the largest, McMurdo Station, that can house 1,000 people. These lucky individuals share their space with the penguins, seals, and whales. Side note – No country owns Antarctica. Although some have tried to lay claim, the continent is governed by 29 countries who signed the 1959 Antarctica Treaty System. Under this treaty, no military activity, mining, nuclear activity, or disposal are allowed – only freedom of scientific investigation and environmental protection.

    Antarctica is known as the 7th Continent because it was the last one to be discovered. It will be the 6th continent I’ve had the honor of exploring. I’m coming for ya next, Australia!

    Photo by Lara Jameson on Pexels.com