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What a Wonderful World (An #AtoZChallenge Post): A is for Antarctica

 

A snowy view of Antarctica from a cruise ship balcony

My husband recently re-retired, and we are front-loading travel. My #AtoZChallenge posts this year will explore our adventures--some pre-retirement, some post. Today's location: Antarctica!

A traveler who had previously been to Antarctica described it as "Alaska on steroids," and I have to agree with that assessment. Glaciers and icebergs were everywhere. Though on board a large cruise ship, the feeling of isolation from society was almost palpable, and combined with the vastness of the waters and land, brought to mind the line from the hymn How Great Thou Art: "Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds Thy hands have made. . . . "

A flat-topped iceberg sports two cave-like formations near the water's edge


Other icebergs, like this one, had jagged points rising up to the sky



The large cruise ship gives a sense of scale to the iceberg that towers over it


The clear water gives a perfect reflection of the snowy mountain above it


Two penguins seem to be conversing while floating by on an iceberg


The view of dark clouds rolling in above the cruise ship


After a while, a rainbow appeared, stretching over the deep blue water


An unusual sight--buildings! We did pass a few research stations along the way. 


White water spouting up from the ocean's surface is a tell-tale sign of a whale


A whale's tail, or fluke, breaks the surface of the water as the whale dives down


Just one of many glaciers we saw

While you are probably glad I can't share the smells of Antarctica with you (penguins aren't the sweetest-smelling creatures), I do hope you enjoy the following videos for not only the sights, but also the sounds. The first features whales spouting, the second penguins vocalizing, and the final shows penguins porpoising through the water. 




If you get the chance to visit Antarctica, go! Whether or not you are able to see that continent for yourself, if you haven't read Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage, by Alfred Lansing, the book gives a great introduction to the unforgiving landscape that is Antarctica, and the incredible story of survival of Shackleton's crew. 

Come back tomorrow to see where in the world we'll visit next!







Comments

  1. tasteachApril 1, 2025 at 1:28 AM

    G'day Kristi,
    What fantastic photos and videos! I would love to visit Antarctica but living close by in Tasmania, I wonder if flying down there would also be possible.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KristiApril 3, 2025 at 4:41 PM

      Thanks for stopping by! As far as I know, Antarctic tourism is limited to cruising or zodiac excursions, but then again I haven't checked to see if there are sightseeing aerial tours, so maybe?

      Delete
  2. messymimiApril 1, 2025 at 8:48 PM

    It's someplace I'd love to go someday, I appreciate the small glimpse you've given us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KristiApril 3, 2025 at 4:41 PM

      It was an amazing experience; I hope you get to go sometime!

      Delete
  3. AmeliaApril 3, 2025 at 5:52 PM

    I like the picture of the two penguins conversing LOL Happy A to Z!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Donna B. McNicolApril 6, 2025 at 3:52 PM

    What amazing photos - those icebergs are much bigger than any we saw while cruising Alaska. Although we did get to watch and HEAR a glacier calve.

    Donna: Click for my 2025 A-Z Blog

    ReplyDelete

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