Goldring Travel’s Antarctica Expedition on the Scenic Eclipse (February 2022) – Part IV (The Expedition Experience = Epic!)

I was on the first helicopter ride of the expedition. As I was writing an article while in my suite, just waiting for my time, I was scared out of my chair when the helicopter on its reconnaissance flight took off and was literally right outside my balcony door!  I have since experienced the helicopter flying while in my suite and if you keep your suite door closed it isn’t much of a bother. But if you keep it open or are out on deck, listening or watching for whales, there is a definite noise pollution factor and, of course, a break in the magnificent Antarctic quiet. (I haven’t really noticed it while on the zodiac since there is engine noise almost all the time there.)

One of my previous concerns was how experienced the pilot was. With many years of experience in the military and US Coast Guard Search and Rescue in Alaska I felt quite safe. And when he said “Helicopter pilots are either bold or old, but never both” I truly felt at ease.

And then it was time to strap in for a breathtaking 45 minutes ride. It truly gives you an awe-inspiring view of this majestic relatively untouched world. The scale of it all is just impossible to comprehend, but the helicopter flight certainly helps!

This experience does not come cheap. It is $695 per person. Considering the cost of the expedition and what people are willing to pay for a business class seat on an airplane, I think this seat is a far better value.

But I still have concerns, as do others.  While Scenic does meet and seeks to exceed the IAATO “guidelines” for keeping above and away from wildlife (2,000 feet above bird colonies and 1,500 feet above whales), there is no really definitive data on what levels are actually safe. I did observe a humpback whale feeding with only shallow dives for quite a while with the helicopter flying nearby and it appeared to have no affect. But appearances can be deceiving…or not.  I believe it is better to err on the side of caution. 

However, and it is a big “however”, taking this flight may well bring a significant amount of environmental awareness to people and that could well outweigh any potential harm…especially considering the limited number of flights in any particular location (as the ship moves often).

Scenic is considering adding heliskiing to its repertoire.  I strongly believe this is terribly wrong. Leaving aside the logistics and safety issues, it perverts the very reason the vast majority of people come to, and wish to protect, Antarctica.  There are plenty of places to have challenging skiing (I live in one the best places in the world for that). Heliskiing in Antarctica is for no reason other than to feed one’s ego.  And to be sure it is that sort of selfish ego that has taken a great toll on Antarctica, its wildlife (whales and fur seals), and, without question, its formerly pristine existence. What cost is Scenic willing to inflict on Antarctica – and the experiences of the other guests – for say maybe thirty people a year to get their self-centered adrenaline rush?  I hope, since it is only in the consideration stage, it is ultimately abandoned and left to others (who regularly cannot actually ski due to weather and sea conditions on less sophisticated ships).  I shall now step off my soapbox.

I made it back in time to head out on a zodiac expedition in Fournier Bay.  As with most all expedition ships, the guests are broken down into four color groups and are scheduled to depart on a staggered basis. When it is time for your group (or a part of your group) you are released to the Mud Room where you have your boots stored in a locker with your suite’s number. After changing into them, it is only a few steps to the zodiac landing gate. You don’t need to scan your suite key, but rather just give them your suite number and you head to a zodiac.

The weather remained perfect with bluebird skies, flat calm seas, no wind and 40 degree temperatures.  In just an hour and a half we observed leopard, fur, Weddell and crabeater seals as well as humpback whales.  Yes, landings are great, but sometimes a zodiac ride can be the ticket. On a scale of 1 to 10, this morning’s expedition was a 15!

The Scenic Eclipse was not done with me for the day.  They arranged for me to experience the Scenic Neptune!  I took a zodiac out to the submarine, which was tied up to a “chase boat”.  This U-Boat Worx submarine is pretty much the same one Seabourn is installing on its Seabourn Venture. But for Scenic Eclipse it is now considered passe!  A new submarine from a different manufacturer is coming. As they say, “With experience comes knowledge!” 

Transferring to the sub, you give them your life vest and then climb down a small ladder into a fairly tight space with three guest chairs on either side enclosed in large acrylic/ceramic bubbles. While it may sound claustrophobic (and I do have a touch of that!), it is not.

With everyone settled in, the pilot gives a safety briefing and we were off…I mean down. It is very subtle and you really don’t have any perception of speed or depth. (There isn’t much speed as the submarine can only travel at about 1.5 knots.) And as you descend any sense of the bubble being there disappears.

We descended to about 70 meters (230 feet) along a steep wall observing sea stars, sponges, anemones, tube worms, kelp, algae, copepods, and more. It was beautiful and very cool. 

A truly wonderful thing about Scenic is this: It is product that remains in development and, unlike some other lines, it encourages criticisms and suggestions. In fact, it seeks them out.

One suggestion I had was providing more context to the submarine program with either a pre-experience discussion by the marine biologists of what you might see and how it all interrelates to the ecology below the surface, beefing up the knowledge of the submarine pilots and/or providing the guests with an identification card so they can better relate to what they see. 

So what did Scenic Eclipse do? Apparently there was a healthy discussion among the Discovery Team and then: Scenic Eclipse sent me down again, but this time with the two marine biologists; with one (Alice) describing what we were seeing and how things interrelated, as if I had no marine biology background.  It really made the experience come alive.  Alice was doing great right up until Alex, the pilot, spotted an octopus…and then another! We all geeked out! 

This was Epic for two reasons. Obviously the octopus, but also not only being receptive, but taking the suggestion to heart and putting it into action!

One hint: Don’t try to zoom in your iPhone or camera on anything because the bubble will distort things. You can play with it during your 40-minute dive to find your equipment’s sweet spot. When you are back in your suite, you can edit the photos to zoom in more.

The price for this magical experience is $775 per person. It, too, is expensive but, again, a far more memorable seat than a business class seat on a plane.

Unfortunately, due to the timing of my submarine experience, I was not able to make my second expedition of the day at Georges Point. Somehow, I don’t feel like I missed the chinstrap penguins too much.  On expedition this happens from time to time. If you make it back to join another group you will be accommodated. But if not, your unique experience of helicopter, submarine, kayak or paddleboard is, well, just that!

My second day started at one of the most beautiful places I have visited in Antarctica and always a favorite: Neko Harbour. Rather than the spectacular view of all of the glaciers, I saw snow… a lot of snow. And then the snow got heavier…really heavy!  But, again, Scenic Eclipse, the captain and the Discovery Team worked together to make sure this was a highlight – truly Epic – rather than conditions that cut the experience short.

I landed among the Gentoo penguins and when I say among, I mean among.  We are required to keep about 15 feet from them, but they don’t need to follow those constraints and dozens and dozens of them decided they weren’t going to.  They delivered a literal picture postcard moment!

You know how I say, “You should just find a rock, sit and let Antarctica come to you.”  Well, with all the snow I couldn’t find a rock, but I did find a spot about three-quarters up a snow-covered hill that was just the perfect spot.  And there I stood, sometimes chatting with a Discovery Team member and sometimes in silence…for over two hours.

With the snow falling, the smell of Antarctica (fortunately well above the smell of penguin guano!), the almost black-and-white lighting, it was a mind-fulfilling experience. (It was also an experience my good camera didn’t appreciate. It died. But as I have said, putting the camera down is far more important. I did have a small camera and my iPhone as backups.)

Another Epic experience was a reminder that sometimes, when you think the landing will just be OK, ya gotta go.  We landed at Mickkelsen Harbour for a gander at some gentoo penguins, a few fur seals, an waterboat relic and some whale bones.  I saw in the distance some zodiacs staying an area because there was a very curious leopard seal. I simply asked if I could be taken over there – groups are not a formality on Scenic Eclipse unless necessary – and there this beautiful creature was. It was not the menacing blob of reptilian looks that I have seen on land, but an incredibly elegant and engaging animal.

I have a great video, but unfortunately, I don’t have the bandwidth to upload it now.

As a final example of my Epic expedition experiences on the Scenic Eclipse – and there are more! – Deception Island.  I have always considered Deception Island to be a living Ansell Adams photograph with its black volcanic sand, stark mountains and overall monochromatic presence.  But today it was so much more!

After years of “Let’s see if we might be able to land at Bailey Head to see thousands of chinstrap penguins…Nope” this time we landed. And what we saw, in this rarified landing, was absolutely mind-blowing!  After landing on this spectacular black sand beach with dozens of fur seals and penguins on one side and stark cliffs rising to the other, there was a narrow pathway to chinstrap penguins from right in front of your feet to beyond your vision both in front and looking skyward; with an eerie soft green moss highlight it. 

It was simply impossible to capture the vastness, the colors, the energy of this place. Epic!

Scenic Eclipse was built, and the program developed, to deliver the ultimate in luxury expedition experiences. I can state without hesitation that the delivery of the Expedition Experience was, well, EPIC!