13 February 

 

‘Why are you going to the Antarctic? Is it for work?’

 

It seems that people regularly assume my trips are for some noble purpose. I sometimes feel guilty when I have to correct them that, actually, it’s a holiday! I wasn’t going as a religious chaplain, nor was I planning to convert penguins to Christianity. 

 

Many years ago I visited the Antarctic peninsula, setting off from Ushuaia. This is the more visited part of the continent. For many years I’d tried to talk myself out of the much more expensive trip to the Ross Sea. But as someone who is entranced by the stories of the early explorers, such as Shackleton and Scott, the draw was too great. Very few cruise companies offer this voyage, and as the ice in the Ross Sea is thickening, there is no guarantee that a visitor might be able to land and visit the explorers’ huts. 

 

Around 18 months ago I drew money out of savings and booked myself a cabin on Le Soleal. The company was offering cabins without single supplement, which made the trip still expensive but more affordable. I was delighted when the price was dropped further, the company stating that they couldn’t guarantee landings (no cruise company guarantees landings).

 

In the morning of my departure I prepared the house for a month’s absence. I’d booked a taxi to the train station. To my delight, I met someone there whom I knew, and we travelled down to Euston together. I took the underground to Heathrow, and had plenty of time to drop off my bag. The bag drop was self-service, which meant no human to charm when weigh in revealed I was over the 23kg limit. I pulled out my travel tripod, which brought me to 22.5kg, and stuffed tripod into a side pocket of my camera backpack.

 

On the other side of security I looked up my flight. The unwelcome news of a delayed departure made me decide to have a meal at the airport. The delay time increased to 90 minutes. I was due to fly to Singapore first, and I’d been happy with a nearly three hour gap between arrival and the next flight to Auckland. 

 

Our flight departed nearly two hours late. I settled into my seat, having changed boots for travel slippers, and tried to sleep during the thirteen hour flight. 

 

14 February

 

We arrived at Singapore with about an hour to change flights. I got off the plane and kept going, walking between two terminals and going through security again before joining the queue to board the flight to Auckland. I resigned myself to the possibility that my check-in bag probably wouldn’t arrive in Auckland with me, and again tried to nap during the eleven hour flight.

 

15 February

 

By this point I needed to check my iPhone to know what date it was. Crossing multiple time zones had left me rather confused. We landed in Auckland on a sunny New Zealand morning. When arriving in New Zealand, same as when arriving in the USA, one must collect luggage, go through immigration and customs, then check bag back in for onward domestic travel. I had completed my New Zealand eVisa on line, so immigration was no problem. As I had anticipated, however, my check-in did not appear. I joined a queue of others to file a report. The helpful man at the desk assured me that my suitcase would be with me by the next morning. I was pleased that I’d maxed out my carry on, ensuring that vital clothing such as gloves and waterproof trousers were with me. If necessary, I could buy shirts in Dunedin. 

 

I trudged between the international and domestic terminals. It was a warm summer’s day, and I began to regret the layers I’d been wearing since leaving wintry England. I checked in at the domestic terminal, hoping that no one would think to weigh my carry on (which was within the allowance for my flight from Heathrow to Singapore, but over weight for the domestic flight). But no one checked at any point.

 

On the short flight, my seat companions were two men from China who were going on the same Ross Sea cruise. In Dunedin, we parted company. I’d booked a shuttle which took me to my accommodation in the city. Just as well that I didn’t have my large case with me, as the van was filled to the brink with cases. 

 

I’d booked a private room at a hostel. It was en-suite, and I was very pleased to have a shower after my long flights. I walked into the city and had a pizza with a New Zealand milk stout (very tasty). Although the bar offered such items as ‘potato pizza’, I went for straightforward margarita. 

 

Later that afternoon, the delayed luggage chap phoned me on my iPhone to let me know that my case was due to arrive in Dunedin in the early morning and should be with me by lunchtime. I’d also received an email with a link through which I could check the location of my case on-line. I must admit that I was rather impressed with the service I was receiving.

 

16 February

 

Feel asleep quickly but then woke up early. The curse of being jet-lagged. 

 

I’d hoped to walk through Dunedin in the morning. However, the disadvantages of staying in a youth hostel was that the reception closed from 10am to 2pm. So I sat in the entrance area, waiting for my case. The on-line service revealed that my case had arrived on the early morning flight. I received an email with a link to the courier service, which allowed me to track the van transporting my case. As predicted in the email, case was delivered at 11.43am. I was very pleased to be reunited with my cold weather clothing!

 

The hostel had a small cafe and pool hall. I had a coffee and a cake. At 3.15pm, the taxi I’d booked on-line came to take me to the port. I asked the driver if he knew where we were going, and I quoted the address. He assured me that he’d taken many a person to the port, and knew exactly where to drop me off.

 

Famous last words. Thirty minutes later, having travelled down the coast, he pulled up and we removed our cases. A man standing nearby, who was directing traffic, asked if he could help. When I told him which ship I was looking for, he explained that I needed to be at the smaller port just outside the city. Fortunately the taxi driver hadn’t yet set off, so he loaded my cases into the car and we headed back to Dunedin. I decided not to argue over which of us was to blame for the misunderstanding, and he charged me a small amount for the second trip.

 

It was with a great sense of relief that I saw Le Soleal waiting for us as we pulled up. I was still in good time for boarding. I joined the queue checking in, dropping off bags with tags indicating my cabin number. We entered the ship, herded to the main lounge in which we were handed a glass of champagne and booked in. We had to hand over forms regarding our Covid 19 status (still???) and were given the key cards to our cabins. 

 

I went to my room, unpacking my camera backpack whilst I waited for my luggage to arrive. At 5pm, as instructed, I joined the rest of the guests in the main theatre for our introduction to the ship. We carried out the usual mandatory evacuation drill. When this was over, I returned to my cabin. My cases had arrived, and I unpacked. It was rather warm on the ship, so I hung away the cold weather clothing and pulled on a light shirt and trousers. Just after 6pm we set off.

 

The ship had two restaurants, one with an al a carte menu, the other a buffet. I chose the latter option as I wanted to eat quickly and be out on deck when we passed the albatross colony and the lighthouse. The sun continued to shine as we passed the last bits of land and headed out to sea. As the captain had warned us, the sea was a bit rougher as we turned south, but then settled down again once we’d finished our course adjustment.

 

Afterwards I reported to the theatre to collect my parka. I went for large so I could fit multiple layers of clothing underneath. The parka was bright red, designed to be easy to spot!

 

I had a final glass of champagne in one of the lounges before heading to my room and to bed.

 

17 February

 

Although I fell asleep quickly, the curse of jet-lag hit me again. I woke up early and was only able to doze rather than sleep. At 7am I rose, made a coffee, and had a shower before going to breakfast. The bacon was what I love and call ‘American style,’ namely crispy streaky rather than the soggy back bacon usually offered in the UK. 

 

At 10am we had our expedition briefing. It seems in 2022/2023, 65,123 people landed on the Antarctic peninsula, and a further 32,730 cruised through (no landings). In contrast, only 1066 people landed in the Ross Sea region. 

 

I’d received a note inviting me to a ‘private cocktail’ in the upper lounge area. I reported at 11.30am, uncertain what this was all about. Turned out this was an opportunity for those of us travelling on our own to meet up over a glass of prosecco. There were thirty five of us singletons out of a passenger list of 177. I joined a couple of fellow singletons at lunch. 

 

I reported to the main lounge in the afternoon to collect the waterproof boots which the company would lend to me for the voyage. Having gone through this process in previous polar journeys, it didn’t take me long to sort out the correct size (one above my normal shoe size, so I could wear two pairs of warm socks inside). As ever, getting the boots off again was a challenge! Mats were placed outside our rooms and our boots are to live on those rather than be taken into our cabins, which makes sense.

 

The on-board shop opened for the first time in the afternoon. People filled the small space, focussed on buying stuffed animals, small backpacks, and other items which they cheerfully admitted were for their grandchildren. A few bought clothing. I found most of the offerings on the pricey side, but I guess we’re a captive audience. 

 

The next offered presentation was later in the afternoon. ‘Birding in the Southern Ocean’ introduced us to the types of birds we can expect to see. We quickly learned how to tell the difference between different types of tuber noses (albatross, shearwaters, etc). A map showing which types of penguin we could hope to see where was also helpful. As with most of the presentations thus far, the speakers used lots of humour, such as one of them racing across the stage, arms flapping, to illustrate the flying style of the sooty shearwater. 

 

We then prepared ourselves for the ‘Gala Dinner’. I’d brought a black shirt and a golden waistcoat to wear as a slight attempt to dress up. Most of my fellow guests had also decided not to bring fancy dress, also wearing clothes just a bit smarter than what they’d had on during the day. I think most of us made warm clothing the priority in our luggage rather than evening wear.

 

A glass of champagne was pressed into our hands and we had the opportunity for a photo with the captain before we went into the theatre area. The captain, senior officers, and heads of departments were introduced one by one. We all went into the main restaurant afterwards, where we were served a five course meal. The red wine was very drinkable. 

 

Certain it was the rocking of the ship on the waves rather than the wine which was making me weave down the corridors, I headed back to my cabin and forced myself to stay awake until 10.30pm. The only way to get over jet lag is to force oneself to adapt to the new time zone.

 

18 February

 

I managed to sleep better than the previous night, helped by the fact that I’d found the air conditioning and was able to cool down my rather warm room. After some coffee, I went up for breakfast. 

 

At 9.30am I attended an interesting presentation ‘Antarctica Unveiled’. This rather wide-ranging talk introduced us to some of the sights we could hope to see (ice, icebergs, sunsets) as well as photos of some of the continents’ major human settlements. 

 

Although I’d brought my camera equipment, I attended the later morning workshop about using the iPhone for photography. I learned all sorts of shortcuts and tips of which I’d been unaware, such as how to easily adjust the exposure and how ‘live’ image worked. 

 

I was starting to come to know some of my fellow passengers. A large number were from Australia or New Zealand, which made sense as it was far easier for them to reach Dunedin than fly to South America to board a ship to the Antarctic. Also on board were around thirty-five Chinese, with their own interpreter. 

 

After lunch, I went to my cabin for a cup of tea and to catch up on emails. It did feel strange to be so far from land and yet have good wifi. 

 

I attended a presentation in the afternoon from Lucy Scott, great-granddaughter of Captain Scott. She talked about his early life and explorations in the Antarctic. Her laptop’s connection to the screen kept dropping out, so there was a pause whilst a new lead was brought to solve the problem. I was intrigued to learn that the first trip to the Antarctic by Captain Scott included a balloon, which was inflated so he and then Shackleton take rides up. The latter took aerial shots of the area.

 

The camera workshop later on was less successful. Although a good photographer, the presenter confused attendees with her attempts to explain the exposure triangle. I promised one of them that I’d take her through it later. Many of us ducked out because albatrosses were flying behind the ship, the late afternoon sunshine picking out their bodies against the darker skies and sea. 

 

At 6pm we had our expedition recap and briefing. Not much to say, really, as we’d spent the whole day at sea. 

 

A sheet at reception allowed people to sign up to have dinner with the naturalists on board. I had two to myself, and we spent a pleasant time talking about wildlife, languages, and cultural differences. The Australian naturalist specialised in studies of invasive species. During the Covid lockdowns, he was involved with killing feral cats. This was deemed him as an ‘essential worker’, so he had written permission to travel widely to do his job.

 

19 February

 

I woke to sunshine streaming into my cabin. Less welcome was the appearance of sick bags, stored in beige coloured satchels hanging off stair railings. The sea was still relatively calm, so I wondered if the crew knew something we didn’t.

 

After breakfast there was a chance to meet the naturalists over a cup of coffee. I did so for a little while before heading back to my cabin to read emails. Later that morning, Jonathan Shackleton, a relative of the explorer, gave his first talk about Ernest Shackleton. I’d tracked down a copy of Jonathan’s book about Ernest, and after the presentation I was able to have him sign the book. ‘Congratulations,’ he told me, ‘that’s just halved the value of the book.’ 

 

After lunch I met up with one woman to talk her through the exposure triangle. I also set up her camera ready for wildlife photography. Although the camera instruction book covered such vital information such as how to attach a cord to the lens cap, there was nothing on how to adjust aperture or shutter speed. I managed to work out how to do so and instructed the camera’s handler. I was a bit disappointed to learn that I’d missed out on seeing Royal penguins, which had appeared at the front of the ship. 

 

I decided not to attend the afternoon lecture on avian flu in the Antarctic, as I decided it might be too depressing. At the evening recap, we had a well illustrated and easy to follow presentation on bioluminescence and how creatures used it to protect themselves from predators. The next talk, about the magnetic north and south poles, was harder to follow and many of us were unprepared for something so heavy. 

 

I joined several other people for pre-dinner drinks in the main observation lounge, treating myself to champagne. The on-board singing duo gave us 80’s songs, including ‘Take it Easy’ and ‘Unchanged Melody.’ At dinner I stuck to the champagne even though I ordered New Zealand steak.

 

An announcement that fin whales had been spotted off the starboard bow successfully cleared the dining room. I hurried to my cabin to grab coat and cameras before going to the top deck. The whales were at a distance, feeding on the surface of the water.

 

Although we were only a few days into our voyage, we’d already been given feedback forms. I asked whether the Heineken beer in my fridge could be changed to the New Zealand ale which the bars on board offered, and this had been arranged for me. Hurrah!

 

20 February

 

Sleeping was improving as I got over my jet lag. I was still pleased to be able to make decent coffee in my room (Expresso coffee maker and kettle are in the cabin) to drink before going to breakfast. 

 

Our first large iceberg passed us on the port side. I was able to take photos from my balcony. At 9.15am I reported as we’d been instructed for our mandatory ‘IAATO & Zodiac Briefing’. As warned on our programme, ‘Guests who do not attend this briefing will not be able to participate in any zodiac activities during this cruise. You will be required to sign the attendance sheet.’ 

 

We started late (no doubt because people were still admiring the iceberg). There was little time between the briefing and Lucy Scott’s talk on ‘Captain Scott: Terra Nova Expedition 1910-1913.’ The well illustrated presentation was presented very well and although I’d read about the expedition in the past, I found it fascinating to hear about it. Lucy’s photos included those of her grandfather and father visiting Captain Scott’s hut.

 

I was asked by another guest to help her sort out settings for her camera. She knew very little about the Canon’s operations, and her brother had set things up for her which made no sense to me (like RAW instead of jpeg). I put in wildlife settings and talked her through the exposure triangle. 

 

After lunch, I reported at the set time for the mandatory biosecurity check. Everything we planned to take on shore (outside clothing, hats, boots, bags, gloves, scarves, etc) had to be inspected. Velcro was particularly analysed for any plant material, in particular seeds. Bags were vacuumed if thought to be necessary. Because I have brought two pairs of many things, I had a lot to carry. I used a laundry bag and also stuffed items into my backpack (as my cameras did not need to be inspected). 

 

Shortly thereafter I went back to the main lounge for the afternoon’s ‘Tea Time’. Every day at 4pm sweet items are offered alongside live music. I mostly avoided these (just the regular food is bad enough for the waistline!) but today’s was ‘All chocolate’ and I couldn’t resist. I sat with a couple of women from Australia whom I’ve befriended and we sang along with the music.

 

The recap gave us some history and was less brain heavy than the evening before. There was another food tasting in the Main Lounge, namely that of Gravlax salmon. Three different types of cured salmon were offered, all very tasty. My favourite was the beetroot, although the bourbon infused was a close second.

 

I decided to go to the buffet restaurant afterwards as I didn’t need that much to eat after the various afternoon treats.

 

21 February

 

When I opened my curtains in the morning, a mountain of rock was my welcome view. After several days at sea, it was good to see land. The hope was to go ashore, although as with every cruise (never mind one in the Antarctic) there was no guarantee.

 

We’d been given our departure times the evening before, split into smaller groups by colour. My group, Green, was due to go out at 10.50am, so I felt it was safe to have my usual cups of coffee when I rose at 7am. 

 

However, soon after I got up, the captain announced (over the ship’s speakers) that another cruise ship was in the area and also wanted to visit the nearby site. So our departure times had changed. My group was now to go out at 9.35am. I hoped I wouldn’t regret my previous liquid in take as not only are there no toilet facilities on land, we’re not supposed to find a rock etc in order to keep the continent free of human waste. If the urge is too great, we’re supposed to ask to be taken back to the ship.

 

I placed all my cold weather clothing on the bed to help me sort it out. Two pairs of socks, long underwear under thermal lined waterproof trousers, t-shirt, thin fleece, sleeveless fleece, Buff scarf, gloves, beanie, coat, lifejacket. And of course camera backpack. I clambered into everything and then, as instructed, carried my boots to the Main Lounge before putting them on.

 

Our lifejackets were checked and we walked through disinfectant before boarding our zodiacs. Our room cards were scanned for our details to check us out (and later to check us back in again). The coats supplied by the company have a small pocket on the left wrist so the scanning can be done quickly.

 

The waters were quite calm. We landed on the shore, several crew who stood in the water helping to pull the Zodiac on to the beach. The sand was black, as the island is volcanic. We waited for a guide who took us to the huts. At one point, another guide asked him who had taken the last group. Our guide replied, ‘I can’t remember, but it’s the man from laundry.’ This made us giggle.

 

During the main season, Cape Adare hosts the largest Adelie penguin colony in the world. Around a million penguins build nests there every year. We were visiting long past the main season. The penguins still living on the land were waiting to finish their moult. A number of them looked both scruffy and grumpy. My own small parrot can be a terrible mood when she has her annual moult, so it’s probably a bird thing, like having a bad haircut but feeling unable to criticise your hairdresser. Only time will sort it out again.

 

Once away from the beach, we encountered a lot of mud, empty nests (created from rocks), and the carcasses of penguin chicks. The smell was as bad as I remembered from my previous Antarctic trip. Not only the ammonia scent from penguin guano, but the whiff of decay from the dead animals. 

 

Our goal was a short walk ahead. We passed the round huts built for conservators to stay in when they’re working on preserving the historic monuments. A small colony of Adelie penguins around the huts hosted an Emperor penguin chick, who towered over the much smaller breed. 

 

Cape Adare has several claims to fame. It’s the site of the first confirmed landing of humans on the Antarctic mainland, undertaken from a ship called ‘The Antarctic’ in 1895. The first base on the Antarctic mainland was also set up there, in 1899, by the explorer Carstens Borchgrevink. He built two huts, and the expedition members overwintered in the small dwellings, picked up again in January 1900. 

 

To enter the huts, we placed our backpacks on to a tarpaulin, and a crew member thoroughly scrubbed our boots free from mud and guano. A few minutes later, I ticked something off my bucket list as I stepped inside. The reason I’d come on the trip with in the hope of seeing sites of the early explorers, and I felt incredibly lucky to be able to do so. Many times the sites are inaccessible due to ice blocking the shore.

 

The hut was very small. Two of us were inside at my visit (up to eight are permitted at any one time) and the guide showed us the drawing sketched on one wall by a member of the expedition. I took photos, mostly using my iPhone, conscious that we were only allowed to stay for three minutes so that others could enter.

 

Afterwards we made our way back to the landing area. Our guide set us free to spend 45 minutes exploring the area. I took photos of penguins and seals, particularly pleased when one seal offered a rather amusing pose. 

 

At the appointed time I reported to the beach. The day had been rather warm, so I’d wandered around not wearing gloves. I pulled them back on for the return journey. 

 

Once all were back on board and we’d enjoyed lunch, the ship set off for wildlife spotting. This was rather successful, with a sighting of several orca near icebergs. Penguins huddled well out of reach. We continued into a bay, where we watched a large number of orca. Naturalists on board estimated that there were at least fifty in the area. I stayed at the back of the ship, although I often seemed to be on the wrong side when the orca ventured near!

 

I was careful making my way back and forth on the wet deck. However, at one point I tripped over a piece of furniture. The trick when one is falling, I’ve learnt, is not to panic or to fight it. Fall sensibly, avoiding objects (I managed to push a table out of the way) and to land on fleshy parts of the anatomy. Sadly, at my age fleshy parts are not hard to find. I rested on the ground a moment, checking that other than bruises to my legs and my ego, I was otherwise fine. A guide hurried to over to check on me and to wonder aloud why there was so much furniture around rather than be packed away.

 

Later in the afternoon, the captain announced that we would have Zodiac cruises in the area. I reported at the appointed time of 6pm, once again wearing multiple layers of clothing. The water was calm, the sun came out, and we explored the nearby land and icebergs. We saw an Elephant seal and Crabeater seals, as well as Adelie penguins and two Emperor penguins. I also admired the icicles under the shore ice. 

 

After dinner, I took a glass of champagne to my room to enjoy whilst working on the day’s photos. 

 

22 February

 

We’d been advised that there would be an activity in the morning, but we’d have to wait until the morning to be given more information. At 7.20am the ship-wide announcement was made that we’d be going on on Zodiacs, with the first group to report in at 8am. Pleased that my group wasn’t due until 9am, I went for breakfast and a carefully rationed amount of coffee. In my room, I put on more layers than the day before, as it had become definitely colder and windier. I also took an ibuprofen, as I ached a bit from yesterday’s fall. My left leg sported a rather fine bruise. 

 

We headed out in sunshine for the nearby mountain. At a short distance from the ship, our French guide asked us to ‘unsqueeze’—move along the edge of the Zodiac to make more room for each other. We laughed at the expression and offered others such as ‘budge up’ and ‘move your ass.’ 

 

The water was choppy and frequently sprayed over the side of the Zodiac. I left my cameras in their waterproof bags and only took photos with my iPhone. Several groups of Adelie penguins watched from shore and seals swam through the dark water. Glaciers tumbled down the mountainsides and icicles dripped from nearby icebergs. 

 

After an hour we headed back at a quick clip to the ship. I huddled down, grimly surviving the bumpy and wet trip. Water froze on our clothing a few seconds after hitting us, and the hands of my right fingers let me know that my gloves were not quite warm enough for the conditions. 

 

Once back on board, I had a coffee in my room whilst I divested myself of clothing. A hot shower was also welcome. I did feel a bit guilty about moaning about the cold, bearing in mind what the early explorers went through!

 

We set off for what we were advised would be an overnight trip to Ross Island. Two lectures followed in the afternoon, one about orcas, the other another presentation by Jonathan Shackleton about his relative’s near miss to reaching the South Pole. 

 

After the recap briefing, which included a presentation about lichens, I joined others in the Main Lounge for drinks and to listen to live music. I had dinner in the buffet restaurant before retiring to my cabin. 

 

Whilst I was relaxing, the cabin steward knocked on my door and brought in the printed programme for the next day. The moment I saw that an engine tour was being offered, I hurried out with bare feet to the reception desk to book a place. The tours will only take ten people, and the previous ones had always been full before I’d managed to get a place. This time I was successful, as was another woman, also bare foot, just behind me. 

 

23 February

 

The seas were a bit rougher overnight, and particularly in the early morning. Snow and ice had settled on my balcony. Soon afterwards we arrived at Ross Island. Fog came and went, sometimes allowing for sunshine on the snowy mountains, at other times removing them from sight. 

 

At 9am I went on the engine tour. We started in the operation centre, admiring the computer screens which advised of engine performance, fuel levels, and the water production. The ship desalinates sea water to provide everyone with water for drinking and showering. Black water, which is from the toilets, and grey water, from the showers and sinks, is also recycled but, our guide made very clear, is only used for cleaning the decks. I’m assuming the solid waste is stored somewhere for eventual disposal at the end of the voyage, but I neglected to ask.

 

I was amused at the personal touches in the working area, such as a photo of crew members on an amusement ride, and several stuffed toys. A couple of bananas rested on desks.

 

We were given ear plugs and as someone who never uses such items, I had to be told what to do with them. I had no idea that you’re meant to squash them down, insert into ear, then allow them to expand again. It did feel a bit strange to be unable to hear almost anything. 

 

Our guide took us further down, speaking very loudly (I assume) at certain points so we could just about hear him through our ear plugs. He kept reminding us not to touch anything, in particular any red buttons. 

 

The engine room was rather small and cramped. I liked the bits and pieces such as a half-full bucket of water and and a dust pan and brush. One cylinder had been painted to look like a minion. 

 

The tour took around 40 minutes. Afterwards, I joined a lecture about the geology and ice of the Antarctic. It was good to hear from someone who stated calmly that the planet was coming out of an ice age and would enter another one again in the future. I find that many geologists are of the opinion that human activity has very little impact upon global temperatures. Their studies show that climate change is natural.

 

Another presentation was put on in the later morning, this one about the seasonal cycle of life in the Antarctic. The lecturer talked about Adelie and Emperor penguins, seals, and various whales. She also covered the small creatures such as krill and plankton.

 

We anchored during lunch. A Zodiac was sent out, and afterwards the captain announced that the ocean swell was too great for us to land safely. We set sail again, aiming towards the Ross Ice Shelf. A lazy part of me was pleased that we were remaining on board. This was partially influenced by the continuing aches from my fall the other day. 

 

After several hours of travel, we reached the Ross ice shelf. This is the world’s largest body of floating ice, and the estimated area is around 182,000 square miles (472,000 square kilometres), about the size of France. The waters were choppy, and although I pulled on extra layers, standing in the observation area at the back of the ship was still cold in the wind. Another complication was that this was the designed smoking area, so between admiring the high ice and nearby mountains one also drew in the acrid smell of cigarettes. 

 

Sea fog came and went, rising from the water and at times blurring the view of the ice cliffs. When the ship turned, I was able to go to my cabin and take photos from the greater shelter of my balcony. 

 

After this excitement, at the evening briefing we were told that the conditions looked good for landing at the site of Shackleton’s hut. I’d booked the trip specifically to see that site, and so I was rather concerned to hear that my group would be the last to land at 2.30pm. It was going to be a long day. We would either land near the hut or a longer walk further away, this to be determined in the morning.

 

A tasting of foie gras with a glass of sparking wine was offered in the Main Lounge. Afterwards I joined two others for dinner in the more formal restaurant, choosing snails and veal from the French menu. 

 

24 February

 

The main reason I’d booked the cruise was in the hope of visiting Shackleton’s hut on Cape Royds. The hut was built during the Nimrod expedition 1907 - 1909. During their time at this base, the men ascended Mt Erebus (3794m) and reached the furthest south at the time, within 180 km of the South Pole. Although the main section of the hut has survived over the years, conservation parties have secured the roof, rebuilt the stables, and rearranged the artefacts which now reside within the hut. 

 

I tried not to fret as the hours ticked by. My nightmare was that the weather conditions might turn against us and those in the last group would not be able to go ashore. 

 

Finally at 2.40pm it was our turn. I put on many layers, as we’d been warned to expect temperatures of -6c. The ride over on the Zodiac was a bit chilly. The guides had carved out steps in the ice shelf so we could climb up from the Zodiac. As ever, I handed over my pack so I could get out unencumbered. 

 

The walk to the hut was up and down a mixture of snow and black volcanic sand. I rapidly warmed up, but was rather relieved to be slightly sweating rather than being cold. We passed various sets of penguins and stopped to admire the views down into the bay. 

 

We climbed up one last incline and then, down below us, was the hut. Although I’m not usually one for posing in front of sites, this time I did allow our guide to photograph me with the hut in the background. 

 

As at the previous hut, our boots were cleaned before we went inside. At least this time there was no mud nor penguin guano to worry about. I felt like a horse whilst the guides used small picks to clear grit and stones from my boots. 

 

Then the moment came. Seven of us went inside with our guide. The hut looked like it was waiting for the explorers to return. Food items lined shelves, the stove hunkered at the far end, and socks hung up to dry. ‘Is it okay to cry?’ I asked our guide. ‘Of course it is,’ he assured me. And I did find myself in tears as I stood in a place I’ve wanted to see for decades. 

 

We had eight minutes to look around. I lingered at the back as the rest of the group left. The guide told me quietly, ‘I took my boots off before coming inside, and it’ll take me at least a minute to put them back on. Why don’t you have that time in here alone?’ And so I had a precious time on my own inside the hut, not taking any photos, just drinking in the atmosphere. 

 

The sun came out as we wandered around the outside of the hut. The walk back was beautiful, with sunshine and shadows flitting across the black and white landscape. A small group of penguins and several seals rested on a nearby ice-berg. One was alone on a piece of ice, and complained when a seal swam nearby. 

 

None of us wanted to leave. The guides had to urge us to come down to the Zodiacs, where we used the ice steps to clamber on to the craft. We pushed through the brash ice. Our guide slowed down to point out small creatures floating just below the surface of the dark, rather still waters.

 

Once back on board, I had a shower before going to the Main Lounge to order a glass of champagne. I made my way to the cabin of two sisters whom I’ve befriended. We went back to the Main Lounge together for more drinks and then to the Theatre for the recap and briefing. Jonathan Shackleton, who had spent most of the day at the hut, struggled to control his emotions as he talked about the experience of seeing his relative’s base for the first time. 

 

We left the briefing in time to view McMurdo Station, the US base, from my balcony. Even popping out for a few seconds to take a photo was rather chilling. 

 

Soon afterwards we went to dinner, obtaining a table by a window. As we dined, we passed Scott Base, the New Zealand base. To our delight, as we slid past an iceberg, orcas leapt out the water near the ship. One of the best dinner views I’ve ever had.

 

25 February

 

From one extreme to another. My group was to be first to depart for Scott’s hut, at 8.30am. I went to bed at 10pm and set my alarm for 6am. It takes me awhile to do everything I need to do in a morning (let the reader understand) hence the early rise. I limited myself to two cups of coffee as I didn’t want to be uncomfortable during the landing. 

 

We were warned that the temperature outside was -8c and with the wind chill factor it would feel more like -18c. I put on even more layers than the day before and waddled like a penguin as I made my way to the Main Lounge. Unfortunately, for some reason I cannot understand, I suddenly had some form of cramp in the two middle toes of my right foot. Why it’d come on I couldn’t explain, as I hadn’t caught or twisted them in any way. Once in the Main Lounge, with the boots on, the extra support seemed to help. 

 

It was cold on the Zodiac going across to the shore. The landing site was a very short distance from the hut. There was ice on shore, so the guides had put down towels for us to walk on. Our guide led us up the hill to start with, visiting a cross erected there. By the time we’d reached the top, the slight chill I’d felt was gone and I was comfortably warm. My foot was behaving. I could feel the ache but it wasn’t bad enough to cause me real difficulties. 

 

Going back down again, wondering how well the boots would grip in the scree, was a bit more tricky. I wished I’d brought a walking pole with me. But I only slipped once. 

 

We stopped to view a skeleton of an expedition dog, well preserved due to the cold conditions. A stone circle surrounds the remains, in order to help preserve them. A seal rested on a piece of ice nearby, watching us with a look of ‘Who invited these people to my house?’ 

 

At the hut, again our boots were cleaned before we went inside. Scott’s hut was built for the Terra Nova Expedition 1910 - 1913. It was from this hut that Scott and four other men went to the South Pole, arriving there on 17 January 1912 only to discover that Amundsen had made it there thirty-five days earlier. No one in the group survived the return journey. 

 

The hut was much larger than Shackleton’s and, on this morning at least, much darker inside. Again, from what I understand, the items inside are original but have been put into place by conservators. We explored the main section, then went into the stables. Blubber left by the expedition filled the air with a slightly rancid smell. At the end of the stable block was another dog skeleton, moved there to preserve it from the elements. 

 

After taking a few more photos around the hut, I decided to head back to the ship. We were offered the opportunity to walk in the area, but I was conscious of my cramped toes and thought it best to not push them too far. 

 

I’ve learnt to turn the heating down in my cabin before going out, which means I don’t swelter once I’ve returned and peel off all my layers. I put the heating back up whilst I had a shower and then washed the t-shirt I’ve been wearing and sweating in to.

 

After lunch, I settled into my cabin to work on this blog and catch up with photos. And to remind myself how lucky we’d been, to reach all three huts. Very few cruisers are that fortunate. 

 

We had lovely views of the mountains in the evening. They appeared as if through a letter box, with dark skies above and dark seas below.

 

26 February

 

We returned to the area around McMurdo Base in the morning, and had a wonderful sighting of a large group of Emperor penguins. As I watched with my Australian friends from my cabin’s balcony, the penguins decided to dive into the sea and have a swim. It was bitterly cold outside, and we ducked back into the cabin every so often to thaw out. 

 

Late morning, we were asked to report to the Main Lounge to celebrate the furthest point south in our journey and to have a group photo taken outside. The cold cut though our clothes and we rushed back inside once the photo was taken. 

 

We’d been told that there would be an excursion, but that what that might be was dependent on the weather and sea conditions. Mid morning we were advised that this would be an attempt to climb on to the ice and to see some Emperor penguins. With the wind chill factor, the temperature outside would be around -20c. My group was to be the first to go out, at 1.30pm.

 

I put on so many layers that I could hardly move. On my bottom, I wore two sets of thermal long johns, my fleece-lined waterproofs, my second pair of waterproofs. On my top half, I wore a t-shirt, a long sleeved shirt, two fleeces, a fleece waistcoat, and of course my jacket. Three beanie hats. Cashmere gloves under a set of tight fitting photo gloves over which I drew on another set of outer gloves. Scarf and two neck warmers. Two pairs of socks inside the boots.

 

In the end, we didn’t get into the Zodiacs until 2.30pm. The crew had hacked out steps into the ice, and were very careful about getting us up and on to the ice shelf. Other than my face (pulling up neck warmers made my glasses steam up) I was actually warm. I crunched along the snow, avoiding the areas of slick ice. The Emperor penguins were at a distance, so I didn’t try to get out my camera. I took photos and some video with my iPhone instead. At one point, no doubt due to the cold, the iPhone shut down and I put it back into my coat to warm up again.

 

As instructed, after an hour I headed back. Again the crew were diligent in getting us back down the ice step to the Zodiac. I noted that those who were helping were roped up in case they slipped. 

 

After I’d managed to remove all my layers of clothing, I went to the Main Lounge for mulled wine. Those now on the ice had the joy of the Emperor penguins mingling freely in their midst. I sighed and reminded myself that one cannot have everything. 

 

Understandably the recap was cancelled, as the crew didn’t arrive back to the ship until late afternoon. Sea spray had iced up on their clothes and the Zodiacs. But as far as I’m aware, no one suffered any ill effects from the very cold trip out.

 

I’d signed up for a ‘Wine Pairing Dinner’. Although it felt a bit pricey at 75 Euros, I thought it might be an interesting experience. Four other people joined me, and the experience was indeed interesting but not for the reasons I’d anticipated. The pairing wasn’t really that. We were served the same menu as the rest of the restaurant, and although the wines were excellent, one cannot say that these were paired to the food. When I’d signed up, the main course was to be lamb, but in the end we only had the choice of chicken or fish. The Sommelier was a nice chap, but I found his English hard to follow (quite a pronounced French accent).

 

What was entertaining was the culture clash between the two couples with whom I shared the table. One was a rather well to do couple, he a professional, she with a one of those cut glass accents which sounded more English than New Zealand to me. The other couple were pub owners, with drawling Australian accents. As the evening wore on, Mr Publican’s language become more and more earthy, much to the disapproval of Mr Professional. All of us felt the evening wasn’t as advertised, Mr Professional stating this diplomatically, whereas Mr Publican just said ‘This is bulls**t.’ 

 

The restaurant manager came over for our feedback. Mr Professional delivered most of this, in a very well-judged manner. We were offered, as compensation, a tasting of cognacs and armagnacs the next afternoon. 

 

By the time I left to go to the Main Lounge, at which Fleetwood Mac music was being offered, I knew I was on the verge of being drunk. Which is probably why I allowed myself to be dragged on to the dance floor, something which I normally avoid. Finally around 10.30pm I went to my cabin, brushed my teeth, and fell into bed.

 

27 February

 

Amazingly I woke up with a clear head. The morning’s excitement was the spotting of a blue whale. The ship’s progress was halted so we could admire the creature. My friends and I swapped from one cabin to another as the whale moved from port to starboard side and back again. I managed to get some photos, nothing spectacular in the cold light. 

 

Later we had a presentation about the Antarctic Heritage Trust, the organisation which has restored and maintained the historic huts. We were shown photos of the shocking state of the huts before the conservators began their work. Ice and snow had filled the insides, and very carefully this was chipped away. The artefacts were collected, catalogued, and restored. Keeping the huts preserved is an ongoing task. 

 

We had another lecture from Jonathan Shackleton in the afternoon, this one focussed on the Ross Sea Party. It was a bit harder to follow, perhaps because I wasn’t already familiar with the story. The rocking of the boat and the warmth of the theatre didn’t help, as both tempted one to fall asleep.

 

At 4.30pm I reported to the dining room with my fellow tasters for the promised afternoon of calvados, armagnac, and cognac tasting. We had various finger foods with which to pair the spirits, and three sommelier to offer explanations. It was a rather fun hour during which I learnt a lot. I felt the staff had made up for the disappointment of the night before.

 

We finished in time to attend the charity auction in the Main Lounge. Various items were offered, all proceeds to go to the Antarctic Heritage Trust. Nothing was within my price range, and some silly amounts were paid for readily available stuffed toys. A replica of the Shackleton family flag, which Jonathan had taken to the hut, went for US$2000 in the end. I would also have liked the New Zealand five dollar bill, signed by Sir Edmund Hillary, but that too was far too dear for me to justify.

 

Dinner followed, before an early retirement to my cabin and bed. Doing very little all day is rather tiring, it seems.

 

28 February

 

As the captain had warned, the seas became rougher overnight. The rocking from side to side made the water bottles in my room slide noisily. However, it seems I was on the more sheltered side. My friends on the starboard side had waves hitting their balcony and window, and water slid under the door seal and into the room. 

 

Breakfast was only available in the downstairs restaurant. We watched waves hit the windows as we ate. 

 

Two lectures followed, both very interesting. One focussed on penguins, delivered by a man who has made many studies of the species. The second was all about sea ice, and I wished I’d taken my notebook to record the details. Sadly, the main thing I remember from both lectures is that only two bird species have penises, namely ducks and ostriches.

 

In between I braced myself in the cabin doorway to take photos of the birds flying outside. Although there was snow on my balcony, the temperature was definitely warmer than a couple of days ago. The low level clouds cleared to give us bursts of sunshine.

 

Our afternoon lecture explained how animals have adapted to survive the cold, including some humans who have swum in arctic waters and climbed Mount Everest in shorts and sandals. I shuddered at the thought and went off to get a cup of tea. I made sure I was in the reception area at the appropriate time to watch the happy winners of the auction collect their items. The man who had won the Shackleton flag paid the money—and then gave the flag back to Jonathan Shackleton in a gesture of great generosity. 

 

At dinner Jonathan and Daphne Shackleton joined our table. I spoke to the latter about her watercolour paintings, three of which she had donated to the charity auction. She’s been painting around two a day, and I suggested she could offer to put on an exhibition during the rest of the voyage.

 

After two days of heavy wine/spirit tasting, I stuck to non-alcoholic beer at dinner. Even livers need a break from time to time!

 

01 March

 

The seas calmed down during the night. We passed by the Balleny Islands, occasionally visible through the fog. To our delight, a Humpback whale made an appearance. He hung around for quite some time, alternating sides of the ship. I took photos from my balcony, thus avoiding the crowds on the outside decks. 

 

The morning’s lecture analysed how penguins have been used in imagery for maps, advertising, and political cartoons. The presenter explored why humans have been so fascinated by the creatures. Lunch was a BBQ (indoor on a hot plate). Afterwards I reported to the reception desk to enter my seal photo into the wildlife competition. 

 

One guide had found some krill on the deck, and brought these into the Main Lounge for people to see. 

 

We stopped for a while near a iceberg to watch a pod of orcas. I joined my Australian friends on their balcony to photograph the animals. There appeared to be a good number of them, males, females, and smaller ones which I assume were calves. The ice made a nice backdrop.

 

Later in the afternoon Jonathan Shackleton presented a talk about Roald Almundsen. It was interesting to hear of his explorations and, of course, his successful trip to the South Pole and back. Although he left some items behind, when he heard that Scott’s party hadn’t survived their own trip he felt guilt that he hadn’t stocked the tent at the Pole with more food and fuel.

 

Dinner featured an opportunity to dine with an officer. My friends had chosen the cruise director, and seven of us sat at his table. His first career had been in law, but he much preferred his current occupation. No two days were the same. Ponant, the cruise company, has him working three months on, two months off, which gives him time to go home to Italy and see his beloved dog. One guest was celebrating her birthday, and the cruise director provided a book about the Antarctic which we all signed for her. 

 

2 March

 

Due to the rough seas expected ahead, the furniture from the balconies on my level were taken off and stored in the corridor. The night had been a bit rocky. The swell eased a bit over the morning. 

 

We had to bring clothing and packs to the Main Lounge for another bio security inspection. This took less time than the previous one, possibly because of the thoroughness of the previous inspection. 

 

In the afternoon we had a lecture on humpback whales. I hadn’t realised the wide variations in coloration. Later on we had a fun hour learning how to tie sailors’ knots, undertaken by crewmen on board. I also attended a presentation on other Ponant cruises and a documentary on how the company put together a new itinerary for winter in the Quebec region. 

 

As the seas became rougher, the upstairs buffet restaurant was shut and we all either ate downstairs or had room service. I decided on the former, and we watched as waves crashed against the windows.

 

The musical entertainment was still offered. The rather good due ‘The Upbeats’ told the story of Johnny Cash and June Carter, performing their songs in between. I had a couple of cognacs before carefully making my way back to my cabin.

 

3 March

 

Some great shudders during the night. At one point, the water bottles crashed to the floor and one emptied across the carpet. I mostly slept, but was awakened at various times by loud crashes of waves against ship.

 

Breakfast was only offered in the downstairs restaurant (or, again, room service). When I returned to my cabin, a distinctive smell in the corridor advised me that some people weren’t coping with the sea. I continue not to suffer from sea sickness. I made a brief visit to the bridge to admire the waves at the front.

 

We had two presentations in the morning, one on what animals do to survive the winter in the Ross Sea. The second was about Macquarie Island, our destination and which we hope to visit tomorrow. 

 

The sun emerged as we continued our journey. Waves slammed against the dining room windows as we ate lunch. I went to my cabin and braced myself carefully on my balcony to take some photos of the crashing waves. 

 

In the afternoon, a lecture about the megaherbs on Macquarrie Island. It seems these plants grow to great heights and the presenter did her best to ensure that we’d be interested in these and not only the penguins. I also learnt something new. It seems the French consider it unlucky to say ‘rabbit’ (in any language, not only in French) on board a ship, so the presenter said ‘bunnies’ instead when talking about the damage done by this introduced species to the island. 

 

I went to the Main Lounge afterwards for a hot drink and to enjoy the live music. We had our recap and briefing at 6pm before going to dinner. Afterwards I joined people again in the Main Lounge for after dinner drinks and to listen to the live music.

 

4 March

 

We’d been told to be up and outside for 7.30am as the ship would be greeted by rafts of King penguins. At the appointed time, I stepped out onto my balcony. The first thing I noticed was the sound. The hundreds of penguins called to each other as huge groups of them floated in the early dawn light. The number of photos I took must have at least equalled the number of birds, even though the light was very low. I didn’t know how long the penguins would remain around the ship.

 

As it turned out, the penguins kept us company all day! My group was the last to go to shore, at 3.20pm, so other than lunchtime I spent most of the intervening time on my balcony photographing penguins. They bathed (why?), swum under the water, every so often porpoised (jumped out of the water), and kept up their constant calls. Albatrosses and petrels flew past, as well as some shags. The sun came out, only a few clouds in the sky. We were later told that the island only has around 30 days of sunshine a year.

 

At 2pm I reported to the marina, confused as to why no one else was there. It took me five minutes to realise that I was far too early! I walked back to my cabin.

 

At 3pm I once again went to the marina. The swell was quite large, so getting on to the Zodiac was carefully timed. As ever, I handed off my backpack to have this lowered to me after I was safely in the vehicle. Penguins swarmed around the Zodiac and we had to make our way past them to go to shore.

 

Once on the sandy beach, we soon realised that the ‘fifteen feet rule’ we’re supposed to follow, keeping our distance from wildlife, was not going to work. The King penguins waddled up to us, many of them seemingly curious as to what we might be. We followed our guide past sleeping Elephant seals (what enormous creatures!) and saw a couple of Gentoo penguins as well as Royal penguins at the shore. 

 

A steep ladder and then a less steep ladder led up us to the walkway to the Royal penguin colony. The megaherbs flourished around us, and the few clouds allowed sunshine and shadow to play across the hilly land. It was interesting to smell greenery after several weeks in the Antarctic, and to see flies! (We were excited to see insects!) We watched Royal penguins drink from a fresh water stream. 

 

The Royal penguin colony was busy and the brisk wind brought the sulphuric smell to assault our nostrils. A couple of the rangers who live on the island came to greet us, wearing masks as part of their Covid prevention strategy. (Even now? Outdoors? With a stiff wind?)

 

Whilst we admired the colony, a member of our group had a bit of a turn. She had to lay down on the walkway, so we waited whilst she was seen to and then moved to the bench at the viewing area. Although a stretcher was brought from the ship, we later learned that she recovered and was able to return to shore under her own strength. 

 

Back down to the shore, where we walked past penguins and seals, filling memories and memory cards. Penguins went into and came out of the water. I found two which were obviously keeping eggs warm on their feet. I nearly stepped on a resting fulmar, as I tried to get out of the way of a group of marching penguins. 

 

It was hard to leave. I was on the last Zodiac back, reluctantly packing my cameras away. The challenge of boarding the ship in the large swell awaited me. I managed to step off, but a surge brought me to my knees, albeit not painfully. More painful was to follow. I reported to the third deck to clean my boots, and in an attempt to get out of someone else’s way, I tripped over part of the ship. This brought me crashing on to my bottom. Nothing was broken, but I knew that I’d added another fine bruise to my collection. Far more importantly, there was no damage to my cameras.

 

As Macquarrie is part of Australia, under New Zealand immigration and customs rules we had to fill out a new landing declaration form. I did so on-line, but had to do so in stages as the connection to the website kept failing. Others had the same difficulties, but we all got there in the end.

 

5 March

 

Another day at sea. I had a poor night’s sleep as parts of me had stiffened up after my fall. Every time I rolled over on to my bottom bruise I woke up in pain. I swallowed ibuprofen with my coffee when I rose in the morning. 

 

We had a lecture about removing invasive species from Macquarie Island. Rabbits had been brought as a source of food for those who worked on the island (rendering penguins and Elephant seals for their oil). Cats had come as pets. Of course, mice and rats hopped over from the ships. The rabbits had eaten much of the vegetation, and the cats and rodents killed a lot of birds. 

 

A mixture of hunting, poison, and traps were used to eradicate the animals. Traps were set up for the cats, but it seems these only caught young males. Female cats avoided them. Viruses were introduced to cut down rabbit numbers. Poisoned bait was spread by helicopters for the rodents. Finally, specially trained dogs were used to sniff out the remaining rabbits and cats. All these creatures were successfully eliminated, and the vegetation and wildlife on the island has recovered. Similar programmes have been carried out on other islands. It was obvious that some in the audience found it difficult to see the images of the dead cats. No one, it seems, mourns over dead mice or rats. Not certain about rabbits.

 

Our next presentation was by Jonathan Shackleton about the Endurance expedition, perhaps the most famous of Ernest Shackleton’s adventures. Although I’ve read about it, I enjoyed hearing it from Jonathan and seeing the images again. Afterwards, I asked Lucy Scott to sign the Shackleton book I’d brought with me, and I had a lovely ten minutes talking to both her and to Jonathan. 

 

We had another bio security check in the afternoon. Again this was rather quick, a going over of my outside clothing and a cleaning of my boots. 

 

The early evening featured a ‘white cocktail’ event in the Main Lounge. We were to wear black and  white. I did my best, but I prioritised clothing for cold weather over anything fancy (and I don’t really own anything fancy at any rate). I tried the caviar on offer. Interesting. I don’t quite understand the appeal of it. 

 

After dinner, I joined others back in the Main Lounge for live music. Dancing isn’t my thing at the best of times, and definitely not with my stiff neck and aching buttock. So I sang along to 60/70/80’s music from my chair.

 

6 March

 

As part of an attempt to keep seabirds safe, we were asked to keep our curtains shut from sunset to sunrise. It seems birds can be attracted to light and might end up hitting our windows. If this did happen, we were to report any injured/dead birds to reception rather than try to deal with the bird ourselves.

 

So at 7.30am I opened my curtains to look out at the Snares Islands. Although there have been a number of shipwrecks against the shores, possibly due to the sharp cliffs (with little amount of beach,) humans on the whole left the chain alone. No predators or invasive species were introduced, and only researchers with full advance approval are permitted to land. 

 

We headed out on a Zodiac tour. There was again quite a bit of swell, which made entering the Zodiac interesting. I took only my large lens, deciding to use my iPhone for any regular or wide angle shots. The skies were very grey and we had light rain from time to time.

 

The goal (for me at least) was to see the endemic Snares penguins. There are eighteen known species of penguin, and I had seen twelve during my various travels. So when we saw our first small colony, I breathed a sigh of relief. The Snares penguins are in the rockhopper family, and climb up and down the steep rocky sides of the islands. It seems they have also sometimes climbed into the islands’ trees.

 

And great joy! There was one Fjordland penguin in the midst of the Snares penguins, and the guide pointed it out to me. I’d not managed to see them when previously in New Zealand. So now I have seen fourteen of the eighteen penguin species in the wild. 

 

We also saw other bird life such as Antarctic terns and the endemic Tom tit. Several of the latter flew past our Zodiac. An unexpected pleasure was going through several sea caves/tunnels, rather fun. Made me think of a Disneyland ride. 

 

Fur seals watched us go past, and we saw several in the water. Many birds soared through the air, in larger flocks than we’d seen before. Seaweed clung to the rocky shoreline, rising and falling in the waves. 

 

After a couple of hours we headed back to the ship. Again getting off in the swell was a challenge, but this time I made it without mishap.

 

In the afternoon the ship went around the island group. My Australian friends joined me on my balcony. The islands had misted over with rain, but we saw lots of bird life on the water and soaring above. Yet more photos taken, filling up memory cards.

 

An afternoon lecture taught us about seals (pinnipeds). Later on, Lucy Scott gave a presentation on the explorer Jean Baptiste Charcot. We had our briefing and recap before going on to dinner. Afterwards I went to the Talent Show, which featured a mixture of passengers and crew singing, dancing, and reciting poetry. 

 

7 March

 

We’d skipped Enderby Island on the way down to the Ross Sea, the captain having decided to take advantage of the good weather to head south. Much to my surprise, it was decided to visit the island, although this meant going south again from the Snares Islands. 

 

Rain and cloud greeted our morning arrival. The ship wasn’t allowed to approach the island until 7.30am, to help preserve the bird life. We had to choose between the ‘long walk’ (a kilometre on a boardwalk over the top of the rather flat island) or a ‘short walk’ along the beach. I chose the latter as I hoped that I’d be able to photograph fur seals.

 

This meant I was in the last group to go out, at 11.15am. Sadly, no fur seals on the beach. We had been warned that they could be dangerous, which was why our guides carried umbrellas. One guide used an umbrella to fend off a seal charge on a previous voyage, something I would have enjoyed photographing!

 

There was a solitary young elephant seal sleeping on the beach. As we walked over the greenery, listening to bird song, we saw a fur seal running across the grass in the distance. We also saw a Yellow-eyed penguin, again in the distance. Yellow-eyed penguins are easily spooked, we were told, and if we did see one we’d have to keep fifty metres away. I’d seen them when I visited New Zealand, so I felt no pressure whether or not I saw any more.

 

We walked on to the boardwalk and through the forest. The smell of damp soil and greenery was an unexpected pleasure after all our days in the icy south. Our guide pointed out the change in vegetation as we climbed further up, on to the exposed and rather windy section. Trees and ferns gave way to grasses and mega herbs. Lichen clung to bushes. A few flowers trembled in the stiff breeze. 

 

As we returned to the shore, we halted as a single Yellow-eyed penguin made his way over the grasses and down to shore. As he entered the water, my photography suffered from ‘red coat syndrome’—another person moving in front of my lens. I’ve experienced this before and recognise it as a downside of the group experience.

 

In the afternoon we had a rather scientific lecture by one of the on board ornithologists. He has spent his days on the bridge logging bird species, and in his lecture he explained the purpose of such research. Later on Jonathan Shackleton presented his last talk, rather suitably on the death of Ernest Shackleton and what happened to members of his crew. 

 

At 6.30pm I put on my black shirt and golden waistcoat to attend the farewell cocktail evening. The various teams on board the ship were presented (168 crew!) and applauded. Afterwards we went to dinner and enjoyed a five course meal. We were warned that we’d have some more rough seas and to be prepared. 

 

8 March

 

A day at sea. The swells reduced overnight to a more manageable rocking. Nothing spilled over in my room.

 

Our boots were collected during the day, and I was amused to find a member of crew in a storage area on our floor. He was being passed sealed bags containing boots, which he was placing into the storage. 

 

At 9.45am we had a mandatory departure briefing, during which we were told what to do with our luggage. Another passenger had kindly offered to let me share his taxi to the airport, so I didn’t have to book transport myself nor through the ship. 

 

Later we had  a talk on whale stranding. The presenter has himself assisted in these instances, and he had many photos and explanations about the difficulty of getting a whale back into the water. In particular, it can be dangerous for the humans attempting to help. If the whale’s body rolls over on to them, those people could be trapped underneath and be crushed/drowned. Often there is little point in trying to return the whale to the sea, and shooting is preferred to using chemical euthanasia as the latter will poison the meat and be harmful for predators. 

 

We had a final recap in the afternoon. The staff had prepared humorous sections, for example one in which we had to name the naturalist although s/he had been photographed wearing head and face coverings. At the end, the winners of the on-ship photography competition were announced. I won the wildlife category with my photo of the waving seal at Point Adare. My prize was a print of the said photo. As I can make another print at any time back home, I gave this one to the woman who’d had a major fall several days before. She was thrilled to receive it.

 

In between all this I worked steadily through my photos from Macquarrie Island. So many penguin shots to choose from! I also packed, throwing almost everything into the large case. As required, I put this outside my cabin for collection in the morning. 

 

Twelve of us who had become friends during the voyage had a final evening meal together. ‘The last supper’ one quipped. There was musical entertainment on offer afterwards, but as I felt I was coming down with a cold I decided to retire to my cabin, work on photos, and have an early night.

 

9 March

 

I rose at 6.30am to have breakfast at 7am. The sight of the dock from my window was rather depressing. We were to vacate our cabins at 8am latest, and I did so, doing one last check that I’d not left anything behind.

 

Along with many others, I waited in the Main Lounge until 9am. We went through immigration and walked down the gangway to the dock. It was hard to believe that three weeks had passed since boarding the ship. A smooth taxi ride brought us to Dunedin Airport.

 

I knew that my check in case would be overweight, but I was happy to pay the NZ$20.00 surcharge (around £8.00) rather than try to shift stuff to my carry on. The rate had gone up after May 2024, but as I’d booked the flights in April 2024 I was eligible for the lower rate.

 

My flight wasn’t until 3pm, so I waited in the departure area, chatting to various people who’d been on the same journey and were also waiting for their flights. A bacon butty for lunch was to keep me going until my evening meal in Auckland. 

 

The uneventful two hour flight brought us from sunshine to sunshine. I reminded myself that it was late summer in New Zealand. I collected my bag and used a free shuttle bus service to take me to my hotel. To my amusement, we passed the hotel in which I’d stayed the last time I caught a flight from Auckland. 

 

I dumped cases into hotel room and went to the restaurant for dinner, enjoying a nice plate of BBQ pork ribs with a local beer. I’d just finished when an Australian man asked if he could join me. He proceeded to order and eat a dish of apple pie and ice cream whilst telling me parts of his life story. After he asked after my occupation, we got on to religion. I think I disappointed him with my liberal attitudes (that I accept evolutionary theory, for example, when I think he wanted an argument with a creationist). 

 

I ordered a second beer to take to my room. Once there, I turned on the air conditioning and worked on photos before having an early night. My cold had emerged as a sore throat, runny nose, and a feeling of tiredness. 

 

10 March

 

Rose at 6am. I’d packed some pots of instant porridge and coffee bags for the trip, and I used the kettle in the room for both. Sore throat was gone and nose was dry. I was hopeful that this marked the end of the cold.

 

I took the shuttle bus back to the airport. My research had revealed that I should be able to pay an excess fee of NZ$60 for my overweight bag, again a lower rate due to my airline ticket having been booked before May 2024. I went to the bag drop station to discuss with a human being. There I was informed that, although I was flying Air New Zealand to Singapore, my airline ticket was treated as if it were with British Airways (as that’s the company for the Singapore to London leg) and I was under their terms. The cost would be NZ$315. I swallowed hard. The woman told me to stay put and she went off to speak to someone. When she returned, I was offered the new Air New Zealand rate of NZ$120 (around £50.00). I couldn’t face the idea of trying to shift weight into carry on, so I agreed and paid.

 

I had time to browse the shops and have a coffee before boarding the plane. Around a third of the seats were empty, including the one next to me, which always makes for a more comfortable flight. I worked on photos, finally almost caught up with just the memory cards still in the cameras to deal with. 

 

We landed in Singapore in the middle of the afternoon, their time. I had booked a taxi from airport to my accommodation, and the firm kept me apprised via WhatsApp. The driver gave me instructions on how to find him, as well as a photo of his car. All went smoothly and we chatted about life in Singapore during the thirty minute drive to the city centre. 

 

I often stay in youth hostels when travelling, and an Australian woman I’d met had recommended ‘pod hotels’ to me. ‘It’s like a hostel, but with your own room,’ is how she’d described it. When I’d booked my pod for my stay in Singapore, the concept had felt like an adventure. But as the Singapore leg of my trip came closer, I had started to wonder if I should look for something more traditional, perhaps even a hotel room, albeit this would be more expensive. 

 

I ignored my concerns, and checked in. The staff member took me upstairs and showed me where I’d be sleeping for two nights. Not so much as an own room, rather an own cubbyhole. The pod was a self-contained capsule, basically a bed on to which one crawled (as it was near the ground) from the foot end. A key card both unlocked the doors and, when slipped into a particular plastic slot, put on the power. There was a USB point for charging devices but no electoral socket. The pod also featured a flat screen TV, which I discovered would turn itself on at random times during the night. 

 

There was an area to place bags outside the room which housed the pods. I dragged my heavy case up the stairs, at one point sitting at the top, straining to pull the case up the last few steps. I took what I needed and placed bits into the pod. I also had a locker, which was opened with the same key card, but this was only large enough for a backpack. 

 

The pod hotel was located in a neighbourhood full of cafes and restaurants. I found a German establishment and had a couple of German beers. Then it was time to head back and do my best with my cubbyhole. I had made my bed and now it was time to lie in it. 

 

11 March

 

Not a good night. The room had air conditioning, thank goodness, but the mattress was thin and the bed hard. The washroom facilities were an all in one unit of shower and toilet, which meant that the floor was often wet (from someone having had a shower) when one wanted to use the toilet. Fortunately I’d packed flip-flops so I used those when I needed to use the facilities. 

 

I’d known that breakfast was not provided, but I had with me more pots of the instant porridge plus coffee bags. There was hot water available in reception so I made my breakfast and ate it there. 

 

My cold had decided to transform into the next stage, namely a cough. I was also suffering from land sickness, so I felt a bit dizzy as well. But nothing was going to stop me from seeing Singapore.

 

At 9am I headed out, walking towards Chinatown, carrying only the one camera and lens in a small backpack. 

 

Sir Stamford Raffles, who set up Singapore as a British dependency, had purposely designed different areas for different ethnic groups. The traditional shophouses were lovely, with distinctive shuttered windows. I walked past the Jamae Mosque, and went inside the Sri Mariamman Temple (Hindu) and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. Worship was just finishing when I entered the latter, and I admired the monks and nuns chanting away. 

 

Many of the people walking along the streets were busy looking at their phones rather than where they were going. I also was intrigued by a man wearing a German outfit (lederhosen!) in the heat. 

 

I stopped for an iced coffee in the market street outside the temple. The day was already hot and humid. 

 

My next destination was the Gardens by the Bay. I found the metro system easy to use (I was able to use my credit card to tap in and out of the stations). As with most of Singapore, everything was in English and the maps made it clear where which train was going. 

 

My lunch stop was at Satay by the Bay. There were a number of food outlets offering mostly oriental food, including various frog leg options. I ordered the ‘superior pork ribs’ with rice along with a Coke. The tray return counter had options for ‘Halal’ and ‘Non Halal’. I decided that pork must definitely be in the latter category. 

 

I walked to the enclosed structures of the Cloud Forest and Flower Dome, buying a ticket for the former. The Cloud Forest is a huge conservatory, kept cool and regularly misted in order to support a wide variety of plants. A massive indoor waterfall also helps to keep the environment moist. Walkways allow one to admire views of the gardens from higher vantage points. I enjoyed the walk through, but avoided the climate alarmist movie offered at the end of the experience. 

 

Going back outside into the heat, I trudged towards the Supertrees, tall artificial structures on which a large number of plants grow. Sudden cramps in the calves of both of my legs forced me to halt. I quickly drank water and waited until they died down. Once I continued my trek, two young people wearing shirts stating ‘Dulwich College’ came up to me and asked if I could help them with a survey. We agreed to do this whilst I continued my walk, and I answered various questions about Gardens by the Bay for their research.

 

At the Supertree Grove, I first took the lift to the walkway. All visitors were asked to spend no more than 15 minutes, in order to allow others to enjoy the space. After my allocated time, I went on to the Supertree Observatory, which offered views across Singapore. A lower level had a coffee shop, and I enjoyed an iced coffee in the air conditioned area. 

 

I took the shuttle back to the underground station, and returned to my accommodation. A shower and time in air conditioning furthered my recovery from the heat, although I was intrigued to note that I had heat rash in the area just above my socks. 

 

Some months ago I’d booked an evening’s guided photo tour. I headed out in good time to meet my guide at 6pm, back at the same underground station near the Gardens by the Bay. I decided once again to travel lightly, with one camera and lens plus travel tripod. 

 

My guide and I met up and we headed out. A professional photographer, specialising in landscapes, the guide passed on various ideas and tips as we explored the area. I found the evening light a bit disappointing, except for one point when the clouds helped to produce sun streaks across the darkening sky. The guide had brought his fisheye (very wide angle) lens with him, compatible with my camera, and this expanded the type of photos I could take. 

 

We headed to the Supertree Grove. Two light shows are offered every evening, and my guide took me to a place which offered a good view. We talked through the types of settings to use on my camera to capture the change in lighting in the Supertrees. Part way through the performance, we moved on to another area to enjoy a different angle.

 

Afterwards we remained in the area, taking more photos of the Grove. We walked back to the underground station, taking some other photos along the way. I’d mentioned to my guide that I’d planned to visit St Andrew’s Cathedral the next morning, so we used the underground to travel to that area. The guide took me up to a car park, located several stories up from the street, where we had a good view of the cathedral. We used the car lift to return to the street level. I must admit that I’ve never travelled in a car lift before. 

 

Our final stop was to shoot traffic light trails from a bridge. Again my guide talked me through how to best do these, as I’d never shot them before. He walked me most of the way back to my accommodation, releasing me on the bridge only a few minutes stroll away. 

 

A good evening, and I learnt much. I was very tired by the time I brushed my teeth and crawled into my pod cubbyhole. 

 

12 March

 

To my surprise, I slept very well. After my breakfast of porridge and coffee, I dragged my case into the area near the lockers to pack for my trip home. As check out time was 11am, I bumped the case downstairs to be stored in the entry area whilst I went out. I decided to leave heavy lenses behind in my locked suitcase and ventured out with a mostly empty backpack.

 

My first stop was at St Andrew’s Cathedral. The outside glared bright white in the sun, almost painful to look at even with sunglasses. Other than the pale paint, the structure both outside and inside could have been of a large church in England. Stained glass windows added colour to the walls. I took a seat and spent some time enjoying the quiet surrounds, although the multiple ceiling fans were fighting a losing battle against the heat. 

 

The Welcome Centre nearby offered air conditioning and free coffee. A welcomer took a seat next to me, and I mentioned that I was a priest in the Church of England. In Singapore, it seems, women can only be ordained as deaconesses, not deacons, priests, nor bishops. She and I talked shop. I was intrigued to hear that over 2,000 people a week worship at the Cathedral. There are two congregations, one English speaking, the other Mandarin. 

 

I ventured back into the heat of the day and walked to the river. A river boat cruise was about to depart. I bought a ticket, and boarded just as rain began to fall. The windows in the covered section were glass free, so I was able to take photos without getting wet or having a barrier in the way. A commentary was offered as we went down the river and into the bay. We passed various historic buildings and the Merlion fountain before returning to our start point.

 

Although I knew I was paying extra for the view, I decided to have lunch at a restaurant by the river. I ordered Mexican soft tacos. The sauce was verging on too spicy for me, but I was able to cool it down with sour cream. 

 

Afterwards I returned to the pod hotel, changed into warmer clothing, and did some repacking. At 4pm my taxi collected me. A heavy rainstorm hit road and windshield a few minutes later. I was glad that I’d decided to pay for the convenience of a taxi rather than walking to and using public transport. 

 

At the airport I took a deep breath and once again paid the extra for my overweight bag. After checking in, I walked to The Jewel, a complex next to the terminal which features shops, restaurants, and an indoor waterfall fed by rainwater from the roof. I had a light meal (Vietnamese salad) at a table which was near the waterfall. 

 

We boarded the plane at 10.30pm and took off at 11.20pm. 

 

13 March

 

I actually managed to sleep during the fourteen hour flight, which amazed me. We landed just after 5am at Heathrow. I was confused at the luggage collection area because two BA flights from Singapore had arrived around the same time. I stood at the wrong carousel until all bags had been delivered and mine wasn’t one of them. The help desk sent me to the correct one, where my bag was waiting for me.

 

The underground line I usually take to Euston train station was experiencing delays, so I made my way via the Elizabeth Line. The disadvantage of this was I had to drag my bag up a set of stairs, 

 

A couple of months ago, London Northwestern Trains had asked if I would participate in some customer research. I’d agreed, which meant I was to share my journey from Euston to Northampton with a manager from the train company. He met me at Euston, and asked questions during the train journey. We noted the problems caused by the fact that the train carriages don’t have a space for luggage. He also wanted my thoughts on signage, announcements, colour scheme, flooring, and even the tables and seating.

 

Helpful neighbour collected me at the train station, and by 11am I was home and bracing myself for unpacking my case. Trip over!