December Reviews

Kayaking

December 19 when we found ourselves encircled with a pod of about 12 whales that were communicating with each other as they surfaced and checked these yellow coated camera-happy humans out… it was a warm, sunny, still afternoon and truly indescribable the paradigm felt.

There were so many. One really incredible one was when a minke whale played near the zodiacs for over an hour, coming up to look at us and even breathing on us

The penguins were so fun to just watch as they carried on their regular activities- building nests or heading down to the water. The landscapes and wildlife were magnificent. We saw 3 species of penguins and several types of seals and also whales. The people on our ship came from various countries and we enjoyed getting to know them. We had an opportunity to stop and get off on a piece of floating ice - that was fun!

We were on our way to Cuverville and ran into a large pod of Orcas and they got us all off the ship and we spent 3 hours in zodiacs surrounded by about 25 orcas and a humpback whale.

Our excursion in Fournier Bay to see the humpback whales. The abundance of whale activity was an amazing experience.

Camping in the snow, going to sleep with clear skies and being woken up by snowflakes

We had a one day delay due to weather but once we got to Antarctica we couldn't have asked for more. Gorgeous weather for most of the trip and the views were sublime! Paddle boarding was our most favorite activity, but every single landing and zodiac ride had something amazing to offer. The crew is phenomenal - so smart, so fun, and so very friendly you can't help but have fun with them!

Paddling among ice fields; having whales all around us; so, so many penguins; camping on Antarctica; doing the polar plunge!

We experienced everything from close encounters with whales (while kayaking), playful penguins and seals, crumbling glaciers, to the roar of mother nature when the wind went from calm to more than 50 knots in less than five minutes. The staff was superb, and the ship and service impeccable.

A perfect day on Stonington Island. The temperature was about 45*F, no wind, and bright sun. We were off ship to go visit the earliest remaining US Antarctic Camp (circa 1940). The magic started as we headed back. The Greg Mortimer was in this small bay waiting for all the zodiacs to get back to ship. We were in no hurry... but heading back, the floating sheet ice was continually moving with the current and making a "jigsaw puzzle" effect in the entire bay. None of the 5 zodiacs could follow the same path back. It was such a surreal feeling zig-zagging back and forth through the sheet ice... each zodiac finding its own path in the quiet and still bay. No one spoke... no one wanted to break the magic.

There was not a most memorable moment. I have hiked, backpacked, and mountain climbed throughout my life and seen and experienced a lot. There are always fanatic experiences that are unimagined and unexpected prior to a trip. We did not know what to expect or anticipate on our own in Chile (Torres del Paine / Patagonia) or especially in Antarctica over the three weeks we were there, six of those days on the exploration vessel Ocean Nova. Especially in Antarctica there were surprises at every turn that resulted in fantastic experiences. As a geologist I think I liked the hiking the active volcano, hiking over the ice and snow fields up to higher elevations to get good overviews of the ice fields, glaciers, and mountainous terrain. Also the Zodiac trips that repeatedly resulted in close encounters with whales, boating among the floating ice and icebergs, and close up look at the geologic structures visible by Zodiac. Because there were not relatively many people on the vessel, we enjoyed the close comradery that we experienced. There was no one else on Antarctica that we saw in our little part of the continent besides Ocean Nova people which gave a feeling of the vastness and remotness of were we were which was a great and unequaled experience.

The impressive silence (except for the sounds of breeding penguins) in the area, being so close to wildlife and respecting that for a full 100%

The entire adventure was amazing, I could literally highlight all the activities one by one. The crew was fun and extremely helpful, the food and the services were excellent and every little thing on the ship was designed to make sure that we had the time of our lives. What did I love the most? The animals for sure! I wanted to snuggle up with those curvy seals that always had a smile on their faces and I had a hard time not to hug those clumsy little penguins always curiously staring at us. Seeing a whale made us run to the windows or out to the deck every single time, even on the last day, even if it was 6 am in the morning and we wore nothing but our pyjamas under our coat. Last, but definitely not least, Antarctica is the cupid in my life's love story. My boyfriend had never heard of anyone dreaming about Antarctica before but wanted to get on board. One thing led to another and we suddenly were not only planning the trip but were also falling in love. My best and dearest memories would already tie me to this amazing continent but in Neko Harbour he also proposed to me making this journey truly unforgettable.

The only reason I wouldn't visit again is it's a "once in a life" opportunity! Going once was enough. I'm not sure I'd be up for the Drake Passage a second time, and it just costs a chunk of money to go in the first place. The highlights for me were Cuverville, Cierva Cove and Wilhemina. The landscape was beautiful. I wanted to go early in the season to see white - snow, icebergs, clear landings. And I definitely saw that! Blue icebergs were breathtaking. We saw all three peninsula penguins, seals, minke, killer and humpback whales - fantastic! The people were wonderful. There were only 63 passengers on the ship which was really nice having a smaller group. The crew is stellar, top-notch. So helpful, knowledgeable, and safety conscious. I will tell my grandchildren that I saw the great white continent and if they ever have a chance in their lifetime, they should go. It's truly a spiritual experience.

There were many- but cruising up to glacier at thee d if an amazing day with bright blue skies, the glacier in full view with sun shining and a leopard seal flaring by on an iceberg was spectacular. Zodiac raising with the humpback whales and floating among the icebergs south of the Antarctic Circle was full on wonderful!

Seeing a Cathedral Iceberg, South Georgia, East & West Falklands

The raw and natural scenery of Antarctica is spectacular.

When a gentle 50 foot right whale surfaced beside our zodiac group, spending 15 minutes or so within just a few inches of one of the boats, clearly intrigued its human occupants. Words fail me.

We loved the excursions, especially kayaking. The age range onboard made it fun to hang out with other passengers, and the expedition crew was out of this world.