MANN OVERBOARD
Navigating the Ultimate Adventure of Antarctic Expedition Cruising BY NORAH BRADFORD
Photos by JPB Photo
Antarctic Landscape
W
hen thinking about travel and those “bucket lists” or ultimate destinations where people have always desired to go, the location that often elicits the most emotion is just a single word: “Antarctica.” The seventh continent on our planet, comparable in size to the United States, has a wintertime population of around 1,000 and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean. Antarctica is typically accessed by sea from the tip of South America across the renowned Drake Passage, and is both simultaneously awe-inspiring and off-putting to a number of seasoned travelers. Unlike the Arctic Circle in the north, which can be directly accessed by air, Antarctica is treaty-regulated by international law and is kept as pristine as possible to enable scientific research on the ecosystem and climate conditions that affect us all. The fact that the South Pole was dis-
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MANN ABOUT TOWN • FEBRUARY 2023
covered barely a century ago adds to the mystery of the continent of wind, ice and snow. Visiting Antarctica is typically done during the spring and summer season (from November onwards), as a winter visit would be too harsh, not to mention dangerous. Thinking about packing for the expedition requires care and should be thought of as a combination of casual clothes and apres-ski layering for the daytime expeditions. Also do not forget sunglasses, sunscreen and a camera with a landscape and/or zoom lens for wildlife – this is unlikely to be a trip that you repeat, and the photographic opportunities are immense. The Drake Passage – typically a one-to-two-day sea crossing from South America – is often nicknamed the “Drake Shake” or the “Drake Lake,” referring to how unpredictable ocean conditions can be, which can lead to either a serene passage or a fearsome two days hanging on as the ship’s crew guide the vessel safely through. This comes
after traveling from North America or Europe halfway around the globe to South America and then connecting to another flight to get to the southern tip of the continent – all this before crossing the passage. Luxury cruise line Silversea thought about this and how valuable time can be for its passengers. Silversea has now figured out how to marry their latest expedition ship, the all-new purpose-built Silver Endeavour, with an Antarctica air-bridge from South America into King George Island (about half a day’s sailing from the Antarctic Peninsula), the most accessible region of the continent in spring and summer time. Flying conditions (particularly visibility) play a big role in the timing of the flights across the Antarctic air-bridge. Once landed at King George Island wearing the expedition gear supplied by Silversea on the flight, you just have to be guided into a zodiac boat on the beach in full expedition clothing and