Clockwise from
far right: a colony
of penguins;
a landing craft
takes passengers
ashore; the Silver
Cloud expedition
ship; a seal soaks
up the sunshine;
the vast, icy waters
of Antarctica
162
August 2019 | REDONLINE.CO.UKV
isiting Antarctica is on many travellers’ bucket lists, but very few are
lucky enough to tick it off (the number of tourists worldwide who set
foot on the seventh continent last year would only fill half of Wembley
Stadium). Journeying to the ends of the Earth requires an adventurous
spirit and deep pockets, but it changes your appreciation of the
planet for ever. To reach our expedition cruise ship, Silver Cloud, we fly overnight to
Santiago, then south across the Andes at Punta Arenas in Patagonia. Two days’ travel
but, finally, we’re at sea! It doesn’t take long to get used to the all-inclusive luxury
conditions on board, including a choice of restaurants, a spa and an outdoor heated
pool. My suite has the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept in, an en suite with Bvlgari
toiletries, private veranda and Laurent Perrier practically on tap. I’m even looked after
by my own butler, Prem. There are just 209 passengers and almost as many crew.
We sail via the Falkland Islands (stopping at two unexpectedly beautiful nature
reserves that wouldn’t seem out of place in Cumbria). The expedition’s marine
biologists, naturalists, geologists and other experts do an excellent job of briefing us on
what we’ll see on the voyage, and run through the biosecurity rules we must observe.
Sailing through the notorious Drake Passage is a necessary evil for any Antarctic
traveller. Confession time: I get horribly sea sick. I didn’t tell the editor
this because I knew I couldn’t let a little thing like that stand in the way of the
adventure of a lifetime – and nor should you, if you are a sufferer. It’s so worth it!
After two days at sea, I almost squeal with joy when I first spot an iceberg.
It’s hard to take a bad photo of these exquisite towering ice sculptures, and the more
ancient they are, the more bluey-green they appear. Setting foot on Antarctica feels
like landing on the moon: it’s so alien, with pristine expanses of pure white and
utter stillness evoking a feeling of reverence among me and my fellow passengers.
It’s summer here and just above freezing (-10°C with wind chill), but all you need
to feel snug is the right gear: I’m dressed in three layers, plus life jacket (for the ride
in the landing craft), hat, gloves, neck warmer, snow boots, polarised sunglasses and
sun cream. A little huddle of gentoo penguins meets us on the beach before we trek
up a steep hill through the snow, past a seal sleeping with its pup in the sunshine,
and across the penguin highway (the rule: always give way to the penguins walking
to and from the sea). At the top, we find a chinstrap penguin colony – busy, noisy
and joyfully calling to each other. I sit in the snow, just watching them, for ages.
It’s impossible to do justice here to the extraordinary places I visit on this
expedition, from the Falklands to Cuverville Island and Elephant Island on
the Antarctic Peninsula and, our final port of call, Ushuaia in Argentina, the
southernmost city in the world. But for the adventurous traveller,
Antarctica’s wildlife-rich coastline, snow-covered mountains,
glaciated landscapes, remoteness and beauty are the ultimate
rewards. As we set off back to civilisation, I am intensely
aware of the fragility of this unique place, and the need to
do everything we can to protect it. CAROLINE BLOORTRIP NOTES A 15-day Antarctica cruise on Silver Cloud starts at
£15,500 (Vista suite), including hotel stay, shore excursions, flights,
butler service and gourmet cuisine. Departs Ushuaia 20th December 2019.
Visit silversea.com/destinations/antarctica-cruise. Silversea is a member
of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators.EXPLORING IN
ANTARCTICA