Australian Gourmet Traveller - (07)July 2019 (1)

Getting there

AirNewZealandandLatamflyonestop

fromSydneyandMelbournetoBuenos

Aires.Latamhasregularflightsfrom the

ArgentiniancapitaltoUshuaia.

Cruising there

Ponanthas 24 Antarcticitinerariesfrom

November 2019 toFebruary 2020 on

LeSoléalandthreevirtuallyidenticalsister

ships.Itinerariesfrom 10 to 22 daystakein

locationsincludingtheAntarcticPeninsula,

FalklandIslandsandSouthGeorgia.The

writersailedonthe10-nightEmblematic

Antarcticavoyage,whichcostsfrom$15,820

perpersontwinshare.Thisincludesreturn

domesticflightsbetweenBuenosAiresand

Ushuaia,allmealsanddrinks,onboard

lectures,WiFianddailyZodiacexcursions

with an expedition team.au.ponant.com

Trip

notes

thepeakstower,theicesparklesandthepoolbeckons.
TheAustraliansarethefirsttojumpin– thewateris
heatedbutexhilaratinglycold– andsoonjustabout
everyoneis wetandlaughingbetweenchatteringteeth.
Afterlunchwehikewithpenguins.Thegentlebraying
of 3000 gentooscanbeheardwhentheZodiacsdrop

usonDancoIslandandwefollowthemat a respectful
distanceastheyhopandstumblealongtheirpenguin-
widthhighways.Weclimbbeyondtheirrockycolony,
toa plateauwherethesnowis softandpowderyandthe
viewsoetherealit mightbecomputer-generated.I’m
afraidI won’tremembereverypreciousdetailandyet,
monthslater,I canstillrecallthemurmurofthepenguins
andthestrangecling-wrappedsurfaceofthebay.
Dessertthatnightis interruptedagainbytheguest
appearanceofkillerwhales.Andthen,asif performing
fora wildlifedocumentary,a coupleofhumpbacks

demonstratehowtocatchkrillwithbubbles.Thewhales
spintogetherina circle,dive,andreleasea cloudof
bubblesthatformsa netasit rises,trappingthekrill.
There’sa pause.Thenthewhalessurfaceabruptly,in
unison,withtheirgreatbarnacledmouthswideopen
andfloodedwithfood.Wecheerastheythrashabout,
a whirlpoolofflippersandflukes.
Thewhalesarestillcavortingasweheadintoa brightly
littwilight,alonga straitlitteredwithcastellatedicebergs
anda fortressofmountain.It’safter 10 bythisstageand

we’vemovedtotheobservationbar.It’sourlastnight
ontheAntarcticPeninsula,andourfirstsunsetappears
asif oncue.It beginsasa blushbetweenglaciers,rising
tothecloudsinshadesofroseandapricotthatturnthe
icebergstomarshmallow.“Ohlà là!”someoneexclaims,
anda secondsunsetseemstomaterialiseinfrontofus.
It’sanuncannyreflectionbouncingoffscreensofice,
yetinthatmomentandplacethe existence of a second
sunseemsentirelyplausible.

Latitude 62°59.99’ S

Thewindpicksupasweslipoutofthecalderaof
DeceptionIsland,andat theeveningbriefingthecaptain
pointstoa purplewoundona weathermap.“Thisis what
wewilltrytoavoid,”hesays,indicatingthedepression
headingourway.Prettysoontherestaurantwindows
ondeck3 resembletheportholeina washingmachine.
Miraculously,thewaitstaffmaintaintheirgripandpoise,
thoughthekitchenlosessomecrockery.
Aftera weekofrelentlessdaylight,weheadintoa dark
andstormynight.Andthenanother.Wepitchandroll.

Thecorridorsaredeserted.
I dozefitfullyformostofthereturnjourneyacrossthe
Drake.Mydreamsareoutlandish:a skywithtwosuns,
sealsthatsing,icebergsthatbelch,theoceanerupting
withMoby-Dickwhales,jawsopen and cavernous. I wake,
and I remember everything.●

Feedinghumpback

whales.Opposite,from

left:tunatakakiwith

sesameseedsat

LeSoléal’s L’Eclipse

restaurant;WhalersBay

on Deception Island.

GOURMET TRAVELLER 129