Adventure to the frozen land

Tourists flock to Petermann

On my fifth trip to explore Antarctica, my heart is still filled with excitement and anticipation like the first day. This place is now more dear to me than ever, it is not just a pure destination anymore but more like a “second home”.

Crossing the world's most challenging strait

To reach Antarctica, the expedition boarded a flight to the city known as “the end of the world” – Ushuaia, where passengers would board a ship to begin their journey to the other side of the continent. On that trip, the biggest difficulty was probably crossing the Drake Passage, one of the most challenging seas in the world. Alfred Lansing once described it as “the most fearsome piece of ocean on the planet” during explorer Ernest Shackleton’s journey to Antarctica. This strait connects the southern tip of South America with the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, is about 1,000km wide and up to 4,800m deep. Drake Passage is famous for its large waves, harsh weather and powerful ocean currents.

Crossing the Drake Passage is not only a geographical obstacle but also a personal test as each traveler has to face their own fears. I have heard many stories about the fierce waves here, so when the ship began to leave the dock, the feeling of excitement seemed to spread, growing in my chest. As we went deeper into the strait, the waves became bigger, the ship's crew always reminded everyone to hold on to the handrails, take seasickness pills if needed, and go to the doctor's office if they encountered difficulties. Throughout the journey, I felt the power of the ocean, the waves crashing against the ship's side made me realize that we were in the middle of a battle between humans and nature. These challenges made the journey more interesting and thrilling than ever.

Gentoo penguins move in line on the icy shore

Gateway to mainland Antarctica

After crossing the Drake Passage, the tour group arrived at Portal Point, one of the first stops in Antarctica. This is where many explorers have set foot on previous Antarctic exploration journeys. Portal Point appears with a magical shimmering scene with snow-capped mountains and icebergs sparkling in the sunlight.

Portal Point is located at the entrance to Charlotte Bay on the Reclus Peninsula in the western waters of Graham Land. The British established a lifeguard camp here in 1956, then moved to another island in 1997. It was the gateway to mainland Antarctica for early explorers.

Because we have gone deep into the mainland, the ice and snow here cover the entire mainland, only a little bit of land appears close to the sea surface, which is the nest of some Gentoo penguins. We seem to be lost in a magical world of icebergs with many colors from white, blue... with all shapes, there are giant icebergs like white castles standing tall on the sea. When taking a rubber boat around Portal Point, passengers can admire the terns, a bird species famous for the longest migration in the world - round trip between Antarctica and the North Pole. This is also the habitat of kelp gulls, with about a million living in the Southern Ocean. They are easily recognized by their gray wing feathers and yellow beaks. They often perch on icebergs, which is also an opportunity for photographers to hunt for beautiful photos.

Weddell seals sleep while leopard seals lurk beneath the ice floes

Natural wonders and amazing creatures

Next on our journey, we went to Neko Harbor, one of the famous attractions in Antarctica. With its beautiful landscape and rich biodiversity, Neko is not only an ideal place to admire icebergs but also home to many rare animals.

Neko Harbour is located on the east coast of Andvord Bay, 11km south of Errera Strait. Discovered by the explorer De Gerlache during the Belgian Antarctic Expedition (1897–1899) and named after the whaling ship Neko, it was a major British whaling station between 1911–1912 and 1923–1924.

The rubber boat took us on a tour through the thick snow and ice. Suddenly, a humpback whale emerged, flapping its tail to the cheers of the group, despite our warnings not to make any noise. It is understandable, only by witnessing a 36-ton, 19-meter-long whale swimming in front of you can you truly understand the feeling of extreme excitement. Seeing a humpback whale is a lucky thing, because the number of this species is currently recorded at only about 38,000 individuals worldwide.

Along with Neko Harbor, Paradise Bay is the two main areas for anchoring ships in Antarctica. This place is known as paradise because of its enchanting scenery with high mountains that block wind and storms, making the water in the bay strangely calm. Here, visitors can kayak to enjoy the scenery, while those who choose to go by rubber boat will learn about the life of birds, especially blue-eyed cormorants nesting on the cliffs. In the distance, a flock of Gentoo penguins can be seen swimming in the white snow. The scene is like a fairyland!

One of the most memorable moments of the trip was the moment we entered the Lemaire Strait. The 11km long strait, with the narrowest section being only about 800m, is surrounded by snow-capped mountains that reach up to 300m high. As the ship slowly entered, the water was as calm as a sheet of paper, shimmering with the majestic mountains.

Antarctica with its surreal beauty of ice and snow has given us unforgettable experiences. The journey to explore this land is not only an adventure but also a clear demonstration of the power of nature and the miraculous vitality of many animals in the harsh weather.

Source: https://heritagevietnamairlines.com/cuoc-phieu-luu-den-vung-dat-bang-gia/