Our Traveling Retirees: To the land of ice, snow, and penguins By Marge Terdal / RAPS President-elect Ice, snow and penguins—that was my gift to my husband, Leif Terdal, for his 70th birthday. After looking at numerous enticing ads for Antarctica cruises, I selected an all-inclusive cruise with Vantage Travel on Nordnorge, a Norwegian cruise ship. It cost about $2,500 less than comparable cruises, included three-day stays in Buenos Aires and Santiago, and was on a small ship (330 passengers) known for safety. We flew from Portland on Jan. 21 to Buenos Aires, where we had three days to rest up from jet lag and to sample the sights and food of Argentina’s largest city. From there we flew to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. We boarded our ship there and set sail across the Drake Passage, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Frequent fierce winds and strong currents have given this stretch of water a reputation for stormy seas and shipwrecks. For Leif, who has spent years fishing in the ocean off the Columbia Bar, the four- to six-foot swells on our voyage were flat water. We were told this was one of the calmest passages the crew had ever experienced. The next week was spent cruising along the Antarctic Peninsula. As the ship cruised the narrow, glacier-lined Lemaire Channel, passengers lined the decks spotting humpback and killer whales, elephant and leopard seals, and penguins. One day we enjoyed brilliant blue sunshine and magnificent cliffs, while another day we watched as snow flakes covered the deck and the water around the ship gradually iced over. Each day passengers pulled on rubber boots, donned life jackets, and climbed down into eightperson Polar Cirkel boats for landings at various sites. Our first landing was Deception Island, with black volcanic sand and warm springs (a few hardy souls even jumped in for a quick swim, but not us). Other stops included Neko Harbor, home to thousands of gentoo penguins and elephant seals; Almirante Brown in Paradise Harbor, with spectacular cliffs and calving glaciers; and Cuerville Island, with icebergs and the largest known colony of gentoo penguins in Antarctica. We also went ashore at Port Lockroy, where we received a passport stamp even though no country actually owns or governs Antarctica, and at a Polish research station. Many countries have small research stations along the coast of Antarctica. When we were not on shore, we found much to do on board ship. Expedition leaders presented themed lectures on the continent’s history and geology, wildlife and guidelines for visitors to Antarctica: only 100 persons are permitted to be onshore at any one time, one must stay at least 15 feet from wildlife, although the penguins are allowed to approach closer—and often did. We both made good use of the ship library. We browsed through all of the picture books about Antarctica’s history, geology, and fauna. I read Endurance, the story of Shackleton’s amazing rescue in 1914-16, and borrowed other books exchanged by passengers. The panoramic lounge on deck 7, with its comfortable chairs, was a favorite place for reading, gazing at the scenery, and talking with fellow passengers. After a return crossing of the Drake Passage, also calm, we came within view of Cape Horn. Although a sudden strong wind prevented our landing, we did get good photos. We then cruised through the Beagle Channel, named after the famous ship on which Charles Darwin sailed, and from there into the Magellan Strait and the Chilean Fjords in southern Patagonia. Passengers again lined the decks to photograph the spectacular glaciers, high mountain peaks, and abundant bird and sea life. When the ship docked in Puerto Natales, Leif and I, along with five fellow passengers, located a small bus that took us on a daylong trip into Torres Del Paine National Park. The cruise ended in Puntas Arenas, where we flew to Santiago for the final three days. A highlight of that stop was an all-day bus trip into the Andes, winding up a steep mountain road to Portillo, a ski resort where Olympic skiers train. Now that we are back in Portland, I am dropping hints to Leif for my birthday gift! Marge and Leif Terdal
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