Here we are!
I don't have to say much about these pictures. They speak for themselves. I do have to say that I loved the beautiful color of the water in Antarctica. The water melt from the glaciers appeared to be turquoise, while the salt water was a bright blue
These little icebergs are called bergie bits. They are still the size of a car (or larger) though.
Here's our happy ice princess! Paige never complains about the cold. She's just like her daddy. They are definitely happy in cooler climates.
Jonah, on the other hand, was FREEZING! And I had him so layered! He's just a skinny little guy, I guess.
Here are some penguins swimming by.
And here's our little penguin. Jack was kind of a mascot on the ship. Especially when he wore his little fleece suit. Random people would ask to take Jack's picture. It was funny. Usually when I try to take his picture, he tries to grab the camera. But when these complete strangers took his picture, he would do a cute little pose and stay very still.
We were so sad to leave Antarctica! We had to leave a day early because a big storm was coming in. Mike and Zac were pretty disappointed that we didn't get to ride it out. Crazy guys! There was another ship (a Holland America ship) a few years ago that ignored a weather warning very similar in severity to the storm that was approaching us. As a result, 75 passengers suffered broken bones. Nope, I didn't want that. But it still was sad to leave this beautiful place that I don't think I will ever visit again. And we still felt some HUGE waves. It was hard to believe that our ship could actually rock like it did. Watching the pool with 12 foot swells was really something! Goodbye Antarctica!
Next stop: Ushuaia
5 comments:
I love that picture of Jonah all wrapped up in the blanket -- cute! I missed hearing that those littler iceberg were called "bergie bits," so thanks for the info! Yeah, I really wish we could've actually set foot on land there, too, but I don't wish it enough to join the (tentative) zodiac/camping trip! Brrrr!
Were you suppose to have touched land but didn't due to the storm coming in? The water looks like it was very bright and I am sure the pictures don't due justice. The change in colors is pretty neat. Jack looks like he could be a mascot for the boat. :-)
Nope, we weren't actually supposed to touch land. It was (or is) just a dream of Mike's. You have to go on a boat with, I think, 200 passengers or less, in order to step foot on Antarctica. And you cannot just put people on the tenders from the big ships. It's not allowed, which really is good. Seeing the beauty of that area made me want to protect it even more. Yes, the water was soooo beautiful!
Mike and I have to kick the idea around for a while before we actually get to the point of wanting to invest the large amount of money it will require... we're both cheapskates, so really the plans weren't solid yet, but since we already have your permission... :). Also, I'm mildly surprised we didn't have a few broken bones on our ship from the storm, it doesn't take much to shatter a hip when your that old...
Okay, I totally love Antarctica!!! I really really really wish we could have stayed there a lot longer. It was a little hard with the kids, because as anyone could imagine, their excitement over the ice and rock, and perfect looking water didn’t last for days, but merely 30 minutes here and there. Paige did really love it there and thought it was beautiful, but she was also quickly becoming friends with some other the other kids on the ship, and was torn between being out in the cold on the deck looking at ice and playing. What would you have chosen when you were 5?
I really can’t pinpoint what it is about Antarctica that I loved so much, but just the whole experience of being at the bottom of the planet, in a place that has been the least disturbed by humans, the beautiful ice, water, watching penguins propose through water or just swim alongside the ship, the whale Julie and I saw, and soo much more. Really, nothing else can compare.
Will we go back? I really hope so. There are so many places I want to go and so many things I want to see, but this is one, that I would love to do again. Next time though as more of an adventure. Smaller ship, make land, maybe camp on the ice if they would let us. That kind of stuff…
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