It is hard to describe the magic and beauty of Antarctica as there are few, if any, reference points for comparison. Everywhere you look there are views you would work days for on a hike – and even then they would be one directional or fleeting. Here you are surrounded by mountains, glaciers, icebergs, penguins, seals, and whales, making it difficult to even know which direction to look. Perhaps Antarctica is best illustrated by the dilemmas and FOMO (a technical term I learned in business school meaning fear of missing out) we face daily on Ocean Tramp. There is so much to see and do that when we were talking about our day over dinner, Jon coined the phrase “the other today,” referring to what we had done in the morning versus the afternoon. It also helps that the sun never really sets creating white nights and a feeling of it being 4pm at 11pm, a welcome change from winter in New Hampshire.
Dilemmas Aboard Ocean Tramp
When to take a shower: Yesterday, I wanted to shower to get the salt out of my hair after we polar plunged. Since we were motoring for 10 hours, I thought it was a great time to shower since I could get hot water and only miss glacier and iceberg viewing. After emerging from my shower, I learned from my fellow passengers that they spotted orcas swimming alongside the boat. I’m not sure I’ll be able to shower for the rest of the trip, but at least there were plenty of photos and pictures to share the experience!
How to relax: Yesterday, after we each had taken at least a couple thousand photos, we tried to put our cameras away and just relax and enjoy the view. We initially tried to just keep them in our laps, but the temptation was too great. To reduce the temptation, we stored them down in the cabin, but without fail, they would only last 10-15 minutes before someone would yell “WHALE!” or a narrow channel of icebergs would beckon to photographed. Finding the willpower to just sit, relax, and soak it all in is almost impossible, never mind trying to find time to read a book or take a nap. I was only 5 pages into my book when we stopped to watch 6 humpback whales bubble feeding within a stone’s throw of the boat.
Which way to look: Yesterday, our boat was positioned between a humpback whale and a cute crab seal lounging on an iceberg. As we were watching the seal, we would hear the humpback whale spout and have to spin around quickly in fear of missing a view of the ever-elusive tail. We then would become so focused on the wildlife that we would forget to step back and appreciate the magnificent glacial landscapes. The vistas and wildlife surrounding us make it difficult to know which direction provides the best view.
Every day we have woken up not knowing what to expect, and every day Antarctica has delivered so many (too many!) beautiful wonders. From watching a penguin chick hatch to listening to the almost constant thunder of glaciers and icebergs breaking, Antarctica has awakened my spirit and overwhelmed my senses. Jon and I can’t wait to see what the next several days hold aboard Ocean Tramp!
– Kelly
