A massive King penguin colony in South Georgia, which Crafts visited on her 30th birthday. These are the second-largest species of penguins in the world, standing well over three feet tall and weighing up to 35 pounds. Crafts reported that visitors are supposed to stay at least five meters away from all wildlife, but the rule was not obeyed by the penguins, who Crafts said often waddled right up to their human observers.
Kayaking around Half Moon Island, surrounded by ice chunks up to five feet large.
Katie Crafts recently took a trip to Antarctica to explore “The Last Continent” and celebrate her 30th birthday.
Right, an elephant seal relaxes on South Georgia Island.
A massive King penguin colony in South Georgia, which Crafts visited on her 30th birthday. These are the second-largest species of penguins in the world, standing well over three feet tall and weighing up to 35 pounds. Crafts reported that visitors are supposed to stay at least five meters away from all wildlife, but the rule was not obeyed by the penguins, who Crafts said often waddled right up to their human observers.
Shackleton’s grave site.
A Chinstrap penguin hovers over its chicks.
Cruising toward Elephant Island.
My New Year’s Eve toast this year took place aboard a 400-foot Russian research vessel, en route to
Antarctica. I was one of 92 tourists traveling for 19 days with the crew of One Ocean – a competent and charismatic group from all over the world. We boarded the ship in Ushuaia, Argentina, commonly known as the southernmost city in South America. We spent several days exploring the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, both teeming with wildlife.
After leaving South Georgia, we cruised for two days and passed the geo-political boundary at 60 degrees South latitude, officially entering Antarctica. Here we spent many days hiking, kayaking, and zodiac cruising to see ice, whales, whaling stations, penguins, and beautiful frozen landscapes. We then crossed the Drake Passage and arrived back at Ushuaia.
Sure, 30 hours of flights and two days at sea hardly make Antarctica top the list for a long weekend getaway. But approximately 30,000 tourists visit Antarctica each year, with several more headquartered on the research bases throughout the continent. This is a part of the world that’s possible to visit. And it is well worth it.
Nine Things I learned in Antarctica
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