Ravi Raahi

  From winter to Spring and back in a few days My trip to Peninsular Antarctica   November 2022     by Ravi Chandra Gundakaram I hope you have read the ‘Introduction’ before coming to this post! The ship ‘Ocean Endeavour’ that took us to Antarctica and back. It is seen here docked at the pier in Ushuaia. This photograph was clicked while waiting to board the ship. Zodiacs (more about them in a while) in black are to the right (and slightly below) the funnel, whereas the lifeboats (with orange tops) can be seen on the left. The cabin on the ship 'Ocean Endeavour' that was home to me for the duration of the trip. This is an 'inside' cabin, meaning there is no porthole or window. Inside cabins are less expensive than other cabin types. Moving away from the pier, at the start of the voyage! The city of Ushuaia can be seen touching the water, and the Martial glacier is at the back. On the first evening of the voyage, the ship sails through the calm waters of the Beagle Ch...

  From winter to Spring and back in a few days My trip to Peninsular Antarctica - Introduction   November 2022     by Ravi Chandra Gundakaram   “You went to Antarctica?” “Yes!” “Was it part of some research project?” “No.” “You are not kidding?” “Yes!” A few years ago, I too thought that you could go to Antarctica only for research. Or else, you were a porter or a cook or something like that, supporting serious-looking Scientists. But there is tourist access to Antarctica – to the peninsular part at least. Now, if you were to stand high in the sky right over the South Pole and look downwards, Antarctica would look like a circle – well, kind of. However, there is a peninsular portion sticking out, and the closest landmass to this is the southernmost part of Argentina, and of Chile. It is to this ‘Peninsular Antarctica’ that many if not most tourists go to. Most expedition ships start from Ushuaia in Argentina, or Punta Arenas in Chile and fli...