From Ice to Stone: Antarctica & Easter Island

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY MAJOR ROGERS

WHY ANTARCTICA? BECAUSE IT’S THERE. THAT’S THE QUICKEST, MOST CLICHÉ ANSWER I CAN GIVE. MY PASSION IS TRAVEL. I CAN’T EXPLORE OTHER PLANETS, AND UNTIL THERE’S A PUB ON MARS, I DON’T KNOW IF I WANT TO. BUT I AM FREE TO ROAM THIS PLANET AND EMBRACE ITS SPLENDOR.

JOURNEY TO THE END OF THE WORLD

Leading up to the trip, I added a whirlwind stop at Easter Island since I’d be in the neighborhood—relatively speaking. This put me home a few days later, on my 55th birthday. After a 27-hour layover in Buenos Aires, I flew to Ushuaia, Argentina, known as Tierra del Fuego, or the "End of the World." It’s the southernmost established city on the planet, a resort town near the Patagonian Mountains, national parks, and Antarctic cruise port.

I had dreamed of this trip for years, researching routes, transportation, and costs. In the past decade, travel to the land of ice and rock has become more accessible. About a year ago, I contacted travel agencies specializing in last minute trips. To my surprise, the average wait time was two years. But the next day, I got an email—an opening was available in 11 months. I called back and put down my deposit.

CROSSING THE DRAKE PASSAGE

I traveled aboard the Ocean Nova, a 240-foot vessel carrying 60 passengers. It took two full days at sea to cross the infamous Drake Passage. The water was active but far from its worst, considering we were sailing out of Cape Horn.

On the ship, three hearty meals were served daily. Passengers could relax in the library, study, or observation deck. There were lectures on Antarctica’s history, geography, and biology. In the evenings, the bar offered a great atmosphere to meet fellow travelers. One morning, I saw a pod of hourglass dolphins riding the ship’s wake. These rare, black-and-white dolphins resemble miniature killer whales and are only found in Antarctic waters. In my time aboard, I also spotted orcas, and later watched a pod of whales in the distance, their water spouts appearing like ocean geysers.

WALKING AMONG GIANTS

The rough sea travel became worth it when we reached the calm harbor waters of Antarctica’s South Shetland Islands. We disembarked at Half Moon Island and later at Greenwich Island. On land, we were free to explore, walking past roaring elephant seals, sunbathing fur seals, and large colonies of honking penguins. Snow-covered peaks towered in every direction. En route back to the ship, we watched massive ice chunks calve from the face of a glacier.

Our final stop at sea was King George Island, home to a research base and airstrip. Our itinerary concluded with flying to Punta Arenas, Chile, where my fellow travelers scattered home. But I wasn’t quite finished yet.

JOURNEY TO THE END OF THE WORLD

From Santiago, I flew five and a half hours west to Rapa Nui, better known as Easter Island. Discovered in 1722 by Dutch explorers on Easter Sunday, the island is one of the most remote inhabited places in the world. It sits 2,182 miles from central Chile and 1,200 miles from the nearest populated island. The island’s origins remain mysterious, but it was colonized about 1,200 years ago by Polynesians. Despite periods of peace, Easter Island endured tribal rivalries, slave trade activity, deforestation, and disease brought by European explorers. These challenges led to fluctuating and often dangerously low populations. Chile annexed the island in 1888, and today, it is considered a "special territory". Much of the land is a national park.

Easter Island is roughly 15 miles long and seven miles wide. Most of its about 8,000 inhabitants live in the relaxed town of Hanga Roa. The lush island, formed by volcanic activity, features dark rocky alcoves, a large sandy beach, and endless views of the Pacific. But it’s best known for its Moai—nearly 1,000 massive stone statues. These statues, quarried from a solidified lava rock hillside, average 13 feet in height.The largest unfinished Moai reaches 70 feet. They were transported by sliding, rolling on palm trunks, or "walking" in a controlled rocking motion. Created to honor island royalty and chiefs, the Moai are awe-inspiring, a testament to human ingenuity. This venture concluded my journey among ice and rock.

HOME AGAIN

My 38-hour journey home brought with it the reflections and memories that travels do. As with any great adventure, I returned a little wiser, deeply grateful, and happy to be back. And on my 55th birthday, I gained dual citizenship—American and Senior. Happy travels.