Welcome to Travel Journaling: Antarctica Entry 10 November

This is the first official entry where we get to explore on land. However, we aren't on the continent just yet. Teddy wasn't in my last entry, but I'll have a photo of him today. Additionally there is a group of three people I became friends with whose first initials create the word W.A.R. I occasionally refer to the three of them by this acronym. 

10 November, 2025

National Geographic Explorer

11:59

I'm in the chart room right now. We are approaching the South Shetland Islands and might get to go on an excursion today. We went to the mandatory safety meeting and then gathered our items to be cleaned before we enter the continent. Only outerwear needed to be vacuumed. 

Teddy checking out the chart.

Breakfast was good and again a big buffet. I sat next to one of the An(s) from Duke and then the table  filled up with mostly staff. D finally made an appearance. El and K joined our landing group. D is on a different one. W, R and R's sister A (forever now mentally W.A.R.) are also in our group. 

There are a lot more birds this morning. I spotted my first two after the 8:00 stretch class. C.C. came outside with me to take a few pictures. The stretch class had a lot of yoga moves and it was quite the experience on a rocking ship. The wellness coordinator (another An) provided a green smoothie after the class. The smoothie had avocado, celery, almond milk, and honey in it. 

A few great skua flying around the ship.

D said he was terribly seasick yesterday and couldn't leave the third level to get food at all. I should be able to take off my seasick patch off tonight. It's left me a little drowsy and with hardcore dry mouth. C.C. says she has never drank so much tea. She's resting right now.

In the chart room with me are some newly graduated Washington University alumni and a retired AP teacher. We're all about to go down for lunch.

21:26

We had our first excursion today. Layering up and getting ready was half the battle. We were in the second group to go out. Riding the zodiac to land was fun. There are a lot of procedures for getting on and off the zodiac and you will get wet.

This is the landing site.

Before going out, I had lunch with D and a nice couple (I didn't catch their names). I just had the buffet, but could have ordered off the menu. As far as small worlds go, the wife of the couple had attended Franklin and Marshall University class of 1976. I showered her a picture of my grandpa's house and she thought it looked like one of the frat houses - which still exist.

I took a nap while waiting for our turn to go out. C.C. put on The Princess Bride and then started Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. 

Seeing penguins porpoise through the water next to the zodiac is magical. I'd never seen them do that before. It was unbelievable - like seeing them fly through water.

The penguins are in the center.

On the island we landed on were chinstrap and gentoo penguins along with brown scavenger birds called skua. C.C. saw a penguin poop on another's head. We also saw the penguins mating - especially the chinstraps. 

A skua looking for an opportunity.

I don't think I'd ever realized how good of climbers penguins are. Sure they awkwardly waddle and hop with a lot of trips, but they can go up pretty high. I guess its safer for their nests. 

Penguins have their own walking paths, but sometimes get confused with the people path.

For my next time out, I'm going to add at least one extra layer to my pants. I kept sinking up to my knees in the snow. Though we kept our distance, penguins would still approach us. C.C. and I got stuck a few times waiting for penguins to get out of our path. 

These are chinstrap penguins building their nests.

Both my phone and camera had battery issues. The cold just zaps them of life. I bought some extra batteries for the camera at the store. There on the expensive side. I also purchased a postcard. 

Once we got back to the ship, I started to overheat. It was nice to take everything off - after scrubbing our boots and putting them in our locker. Tomorrow our group goes out first to hike around Mikkelson Harbor - weather and animal health permitting.

C.C. and I saw Am and her husband (Ro) during the Captain's cocktail hour. We ended up sitting with D behind W.A.R. The Captain is a Fin from Åland, which is actually Swedish speaking. He was pretty funny. The dive team also showed a video of footage they shot behind the ship this afternoon. Though there isn't any coral, there are tons of sponges, sea cucumbers, star fish (including a huge Antarctica Sun Starfish), and kelp. 

C.C. and I sat in the far corner for dinner with W.A.R. D was pulled away to sit at the Captain's table. C.C. and I had duck with the soup. Dessert was chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. We had a lot of fun talking with W.A.R and didn't leave the dinner table until 21:00.

C.C. and I did end up missing a whale siting while we napped, but this was probably the only opportunity to see chinstrap penguins. I think they are my current favorite penguin. 

Until the next post. 

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