Abercrombie & Kent Travel Logs
Read about the experiences of Abercrombie & Kent travellers in their own words, and learn what makes an A&K journey so uniquely satisfying.
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
January 18, 2013 – At Sea, Drake Passage, Beagle Channel
We pulled back the curtains to a great expanse of sea in all directions. Conditions were very moderate, with just enough wind to create a gentle rocking motion. An occasional black-browed albatross made a pass by the ship, investigating the “unusual large grey object” plying its way northward through the Drake Passage. Reading a [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
January 17, 2013 – At Sea, Drake Passage
The Drake Passage showed its kind face this morning, with only a gentle rocking of the ship as we steamed northwards. A dense fog enveloped the ship creating a mysterious feel to the morning, augmented by the fact that not a single bird was seen around the ship for several hours. Some of us [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
January 16, 2013 – Port Lockroy, Neko Harbor
We began our final day in Antarctica with a walk out on deck to again soak in the incredible scenery here along the Antarctic Peninsula. Following breakfast, our rubber chariot sliced through the dark sea en route to Port Lockroy, with its huge mountains topped by wisps of clouds. We stepped ashore at one [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
January 15, 2013 – Wilhelmina Bay, Cuverville Island
We awoke to spectacular Antarctic scenery all around us, with mountain peaks rising up through ice as far as the eye could see. ‘Le Boreal’ was in the famed Gerlache Strait, named for Adrien de Gerlache who led the Belgica expedition in this area in 1897-1899. Soon the ship angled south into Wilhelmina Bay, [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
January 14, 2013 – At Sea, Penguin Island
We awoke to a special visitor this morning playing in the winds on the starboard side of the ship: an Antarctic petrel! This species is one of only three bird species that nests exclusively on the Antarctic continent itself (the other two being the South polar skua and the emperor penguin). The bird stayed [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
January 13, 2013 – At Sea, En Route to Antarctica
As the night progressed, the strong low pressure system moved further and further to the east of us, and the seas began to lay back down. By morning, the outer decks were again open to us, and there was an optimistic buzz at breakfast as we left the rough sea adventure behind us. We [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
January 12, 2013 – At Sea, En Route to Antarctica
The roller coaster ride began late last night, with the swell from a nearby low pressure system building as 40-knot winds continued to blow. Still, the time change back last night gave us an excuse to sleep in a bit before carefully making our way to breakfast to fuel up for the day. Naturalist [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
January 11, 2013 – Drygalski Fjord, At sea en route to Antarctica
The blue skies and calm seas of yesterday seemed a distant memory this morning when we pulled back the curtains. Strong winds tore across the sea surface, sending spray and white water into the air. Our plan for a Zodiac tour at Hamilton Bay was impossible in these conditions, so Captain Etienne Garcia took [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
January 10, 2013 – St. Andrews Bay, Grytviken
With some blue sky peaking through the clouds, we arrived at yet another spectacular South Georgia site called St. Andrews Bay. As we approached, we excitedly spied the stunning scenery of towering mountain peaks and heard the calls of king penguins echoing out across the bay. It was truly amazing to be in the [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
January 9, 2013 – Right Whale Bay, Stromness
Under cover of fog, Captain Etienne Garcia carefully maneuvered ‘Le Boreal’ into the Bay of Isles and lowered a Zodiac into the water to check the landing at Salisbury Plain. However, due to the incessant wind, a hefty swell was pouring into the bay and causing large waves to break on the beach. Expedition [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
January 8, 2013 – At Sea, Shag Rocks
The strong tailwind continued, with white caps glowing brightly under a clear blue sky. Following a time change forward the night before, most of us opted for a late breakfast before gathering in the Theater for ornithologist Patricia Silva’s introduction to penguins entitled, “Birds in Tuxedos: Why Do They Look Different?” Patricia began with [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
January 7, 2013 – At Sea, En Route to South Georgia
We awoke to a strong wind pushing ‘Le Boreal’ in the direction of South Georgia, and a number of wandering albatrosses following along with the ship. With the wind behind the vessel, the ride through the Scotia Sea was quite smooth. Many of us slept in a bit before socializing over scrambled eggs and [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
January 6, 2013 – Sea Lion Island, Bleaker Island
Under a glorious sunrise, ‘Le Boreal’ dropped anchor just outside the kelp forest ringing Sea Lion Island. The sound of bellowing elephant seals reverberated from the beach, while blue-eyed shags flew past the ship as they traveled back and forth to their nesting sites on the island. We went ashore and landed on a [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
January 5, 2013 – At Sea, En Route to Falkland Islands
As we stepped outside with a cup of coffee in hand this morning, the last remnant of the South American continent was just barely visible off in the distance behind us. During the night, ‘Le Boreal’ had left the shelter of the Beagle Channel, and we could now feel the power of the Southern [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
January 4, 2013 – Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
We landed in the small city of Ushuaia, all of us arriving from distant reaches of the planet for the same reason: to embark on an expedition to experience the wildlife and landscapes of the Falklands, South Georgia and the magnificent continent of Antarctica. As our respective flights approached amid striking views of the [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
January 3, 2013 – At Sea, Drake Passage, Beagle Channel
The morning greeted us with blue skies, a strong wind coming from the port bow and the occasional albatross making a close pass by the ship before banking off into the distance. It was quite peaceful looking out over the great expanse of sea, listening to the sound of ‘Le Boreal’ plying its way [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
January 2, 2013 – At Sea, Drake Passage
We awoke to the gentle rocking of the Southern Ocean, though some of us slept in a bit, just because we could. It had been quite a stretch of very active days of landings in Antarctica, so a low-key day to relax and recuperate was very welcome. After a leisurely breakfast and some good [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
January 1, 2013 – Neko Harbor, Cuverville Island
We had a reasonably civilized start time this morning, considering that some of us were still in the pool in the early morning hours celebrating New Years Eve. The cold air greatly helped the wake up process, and soon we found ourselves speeding ashore in a Zodiac bound for Cuverville Island. The gentoo penguins [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
December 31, 2012 – Petermann Island, Vernadsky Station
Under misty morning light, ‘Le Boreal’ approached the northern entrance to the legendary Lemaire Channel, often aptly referred to as “Kodak Alley” for its spectacular scenery. This 7-mile-long and one-mile-wide channel separates Booth Island from the Antarctic continent with dramatic, towering snow-covered mountains lining the route on both sides. Expedition leader Larry Hobbs gave [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
December 30, 2012 – Halfmoon Island, Deception Island
With spectacular mountain scenery all around, Captain Etienne Garcia dropped anchor off of Halfmoon Island in the South Shetlands. The Zodiacs landed in calm conditions on a cobble beach with several chinstrap penguins in attendance to greet us. The decaying remains of an old wooden boat were laying slightly above the shoreline, and the [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
December 29, 2012 – Bransfield Strait, Gourdin Island
Late last night, Captain Etienne Garcia was called up to the bridge by the officers on watch. Significant amounts of sea ice were situated between ‘Le Boreal’ and her destination, the Antarctica Sound. Even though the most recent ice chart had shown that the area was clear, wind and ocean currents can often turn [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
December 28, 2012 – At Sea, En Route to Antarctica
We awoke to grey skies and calm seas as ‘Le Boreal’ steamed towards the Antarctic Peninsula. A line of ice was visible on the port side, the sea ice edge that was well north of its usual location for this time of year. In fact, during the early morning hours, Captain Etienne Garcia had [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
December 27, 2012 – At Sea, En Route to Antarctica
The strong winds we experienced upon leaving South Georgia were coming from the stern of the ship, and the amount of ship movement during the night was quite minimal. So we had a restful sleep on board that was made all the better by the time change during the night, giving us the gift [...]
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands
December 26, 2012 – Drygalski Fjord, At sea en route to Antarctica
The sky was just brightening as ‘Le Boreal’ pulled in the bay at Gold Harbor. Expedition leader Larry Hobbs and Captain Etienne Garcia were on the bridge with binoculars glued to their faces, assessing the conditions at the north corner of the beach, where we hoped to do a sunrise landing this morning. However, [...]
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