If you want to know more about our Antarctic Expeditions and Cruises, you may enjoy reading this Antarctic Cruise Diary, a real account written by one of our staff researchers, of the cruise that they enjoyed in December 2006.
12 Dec 2006
Time: 1600
Position: Ushuaia, Argentina
Air Temperature: +11
Ushuaia, the departure point for our expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula, is as picturesque as any port city in the southern hemisphere. Throughout our day the dramatic mountains of Patagonia surrounding the city were either covered in low cloud or bathed in sunlight, explaining the early morning rainbow.
Clearly the Akademik Ioffe was built in a likeness to the landscape she now travels through with her rugged appearance. Our first encounter with the expedition staff demonstrated a casual efficiency, a pleasant helpful mood, and a thorough attention to detail. Our ship was dwarfed by the Rotterdam which was docked behind the Ioffe.
After getting on board, and finding our luggage had already arrived in our rooms, we had time to have a poke around the ship. A lovely welcoming buffet was spread in the dining room. Andy, the Expedition Leader, talked about the history of Peregrine and the staff introduced themselves. Once underway our first activity was a lifeboat drill, which everyone took very seriously. Each cabin on every floor was checked and emptied, the fifth deck lifeboat was partially lowered, and the engine turned on. We began to feel an unusual sense of community as we all stood around in alarmingly orange lifejackets.
The evening weather was clear with a few clouds as the sun relaxed. The windy Beagle channel funneled our departure south. A few thick-skinned folks stood down the almost cold wind on the outer deck to enjoy the first sundowner of the trip. An Albatross or two wing-tipped the ship's wake, but it was too early in the trip for any of us to know what kind it was. No matter, the excitement of the adventure was on.