Silversea’s Silver Endeavour – Antarctica (The Magic is Different Every Time!) 

This has been a very busy yet relatively short expedition in Antarctica. It, as always, leaves me with a desire – no, need – to return yet again. The sense of wonderment, enormity, beauty, power, calm, quiet, mind-blowing nature, inner peace, and so much more is just something I cannot get enough of.

But before I get to the “good stuff” I have to say that the staff and crew on Silver Endeavour are simply exceptional. The genuineness and kindness are extraordinary. After being on so many cruises and expeditions (they are different!), I can tell the difference between making repeat guests feel welcome and making me part of the family.

Bartenders to butlers (not even my butlers), service staff to wait staff, and even the officers, truly have made the Silver Endeavour my home away from home. So many nuanced gestures.

And, as I always do when appropriate, I made a donation to the Crew Welfare Fund – which benefits all the staff rather than one person. The number of staff and crew that have gone out of their way to genuinely thank me has been heartwarming; beyond anything I have experienced on any other ship!

I also want to mention that the cuisine has been excellent; expedition ship or not.  While I tend to mostly stick to The Grill and Il Terranzino, consistently solid offerings (including fantastic and quite varied pasta) every meal has been perfectly served, presented, and produced. And service is top-notch. I like to take my time dining, whether it be breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The staff know it and adjust service without me saying a word.

OK, now back to the stuff that truly makes Antarctica, well, Antarctica!

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The second day in Antarctica on the Silver Endeavour – after having a great landing at Deception Island on our first afternoon – brought me to a destination I don’t think I’ve ever been to and a second one that is always a favorite, but never the same.

While this is my seventh Antarctica expedition, there are so many different locations to explore and, believe it or not, when you go and what the weather is changes everything…sometimes a lot!  This is the earliest I’ve ever been on The Ice and, to be honest, it is a transitional period as the penguins and whales are first arriving as the summer is approaching. But whenever you come the landscapes and magnitude (and silence) of this place are beyond breathtaking.

We arrived at Spert Island the second morning. But being in one of the last groups to head out on our zodiac tour I found it frustrating. I just wanted to GO!  But when I did go it was a wonderland of icebergs, steep rockfaces, and natural tunnels through the rocks. I’d like to come back to Spert!

The afternoon brought us to one of my favorite places, a tiny island named Mikkelsen Harbour.

It is easy to navigate and has a number of very healthy Gentoo penguin rookeries and a beautiful ancient waterboat with scattered whale bones.

As we disembarked the zodiac there was a young Wedell seal sleeping on the beach and another a bit higher up. They have to make you smile as they themselves are born with a permanent smile.

I started up the hill, noticing there was no waterboat and whale bones to see. Then a small piece of wood was seen poking out of the much deeper snow than I have experienced there before. It was part of the waterboat. In time the snow will melt and it will become visible…as will penguin eggs and then chicks. It is just too early in the season.  (Hopefully, the over-abundance of snow will melt quickly enough for there to be successful breeding season.)

Heading up the hill the small rookery on a rock outcropping was recognized. There were two skuas picking at a penguin egg they had just stolen. Really no loss for anyone as eggs laid on snow aren’t going to survive, so at least its nourishment wasn’t wasted.

That evening, as it was Thanksgiving, Silversea invited me to dine with very enjoyable, and charming, Captain Ulf-Peter Hansen-Lindstroem (whom I sailed with just a month or so ago) and ship’s media maven (expert), Doreen Grobler as well as a few guests. Dinner was very entertaining, but with a Finnish Captain, a South African media marvel, three British, two Australians and only one American, other than my mandatory and nice done turkey dinner, and my being very thankful to Silversea, let’s just say it was untraditional!

The next morning we landed at Danko Island. I had been there before and, to be honest, it isn’t my favorite. It is sort of “climb a steep hill for a view”.  Personally, I find staying fairly low, enjoying the gentoo penguin colony…and then heading back to the ship is the best option to take in the beautiful views. I was able to catch a couple of humpbacks feeding in the distance. I just love the sound of their breathing! And, of course, our next landing spot is my favorite, so…

Ah, Neko Harbour!  It is a favorite of mine, expedition team members and guests alike. I have so many fond memories of being here. Alas, it is quite early in the season and the snow is quite deep, so the number of penguins is reduced, the normally present humpbacks had not yet arrived, and the ability to climb to the best viewpoint was limited. But Neko did not disappoint.!

This included seeing the latter part of a spectacular sort of avalanche when a portion of a glacier high on a mountain top gave way.  The sound and visuals were just breathtaking.

It was also, unfortunately, where two groups of Chinese – who are culturally very different, being more aggressive and uncaring about those not in their group – really started to interfere with the other guests’ experiences. (This is not every Chinese onboard, but unfortunately, the significant majority who are traveling in groups.) From taking hundreds of posed photographs and videos while obliviously blocking others from viewpoints, their loud talking, blocking pathways of humans and penguins, etc. it really degraded my and others’ experience. Silversea needs to find a way to address not only this cultural conflict, but also how to best protect the wildlife.

Regardless, joyful, but let’s say 80% of what it should have been, I went back to the Silver Endeavour, I spent some wonderfully peaceful time taking in Neko Harbour…100% joyful.

The next day: MAGIC!  We arrived at Enterprise Island to have a zodiac ride with the focus being on a shipwreck. But this is Antarctica and you just don’t know what will happen and that almost became irrelevant.! 

But before that, there was what I thought was a crabeater seal, but a few guides thought it was a leucistic leopard seal.  It was a beautiful seal – but had the evil look of a leopard seal.  Either it was a nice siting or one that was a once in a lifetime.  Either way, a great start.

As we were slowly cruising along toward the shipwreck one guest said, “ORCA”!  Initially, they were off in the distance to the right. And then there were more to the left. And then there were more close by off the bow.

It was a definite awe-inspiring “Put the Camera Down!” experience. So I just took it in…until!!!

Once swam right Right Under Our Zodiac! The grace, power, beauty, and honor to experience this was indescribable…and emotional for me.   

What a rare experience; noting that orcas are generally shy and do not approach too closely. I wonder why this one orca decided to check out our zodiac and not the others. Why did he/she blow just as it rose from underneath rather than later? Was it to say “Hello” or “I’m watching you” or just having fun?  Fleeting awe and respect!

Our afternoon was to be landing at Portal Point, but there was too much ice. Disappointing? Nope! I was thrilled as there usually is so much more to see from a zodiac – especially at Portal Point – which was more of second landing on the Antarctic continent than it was for an immersive wildlife experience. Besides cruising through the fascinating icebergs, there were seals, giant petrels (including a leucistic one), imperial shags, chinstrap penguins, cape petrels and more.

It was a zodiac cruise that nobody, including our guide, wanted to end. More magic!

The next morning was the grand finale for me: Hope Bay. While the red buildings of Esperanza Station contrasting against white snow and black rocky outcrops is breathtaking and the majestic mountains pouring into a deep valley with a huge glacier is majestic, for me the main reason for my love of Hope Bay is Adelie Penguins. They are the restless comedians of Antarctica, if not the entire animal kingdom.

Adelie penguins are the ones most people think of when they think: Penguin.  These black-and-white beauties are always busy. Running and following others here or there for no particular reason. Sledding down hills on their bellies. Accumulating in groups on the rocks contemplating a dive into the water…for hours…or until one falls in the back and pushes the front row in and then they all follow.

My time with them was a bit infringed upon and then almost shortened, again by a Chinese group. They were calling between zodiacs and eventually had one guide bring the zodiac over to ours to advise they were going back early because they were cold. That resulted in our guide asking if anyone else was cold. You know the answer. I had enough! “You are not cutting short our time out here, are you?  We still have lots to see and observe!”  Amazingly, the Chinese stopped complaining, weren’t so cold anymore, and we settled back into embracing this very special place. Ahhhh.

Our afternoon landing was at Paulet Island, a place I hadn’t been. Because of the concern over deep snow much, if not all, of the historic points of interest might be covered. And due to our time constraints to get to King George Island, we would be limited to a thirty-minute guided walk.  I figured my time was better spent thinking about Adelie penguins, Orcas, and how even this early in the Antarctic season there was much to see and do.

What I didn’t know is that Paulet Island was filled with Adelie penguins. Don’t do what I did.  When in doubt: Go!

Next up: Getting Home via Fly the Drake!