Antarctica, the 7th continent

Day 1, February 10th

We boarded our ship, the Ushuaia, in the afternoon. We were greated by Carlos, the hotel manager (from Brazil!). We started navigating the Beagle channel heading out to the Drake Passage. We met some of the other passengers and settled in to our cabins. We shared a bathroom with two women from London.

Day 2, February 11th

Navigating the Drake Passage. Notoriously one of the roughest bodies of water in the world (due to the currents circling Antarctica). The excitment kept everyone in good spirits and kept the sea sickness to a minimum. We met the expidition crew (guides); Sebastian (Expidition Leader), Augustine (Asst. Expidition Leader), Lucas (Biologist), Marcelo (Geologist), Bernice and Shoshana (Naturalists). There were lectures on various subjects of Antarctica to pass the time while on the passage. Katie was the first to spot an Iceberg and won a bottle of wine. It was quite exciting to see something that seems so strange, a huge piece of ice the size of our boat.

Day 3, Ferbruary 12th

We continued the crossing of the Drake Passage, continually being told that this is one of the calmest crossings they have had. During our briefing of how to get on and off the zodiacs (small boats for landing on shore) they informed us that we made good time crossing the passage and would be able to make a landing today. We had reached the South Shetland Islands. We were to land on Haitcho island.

We landed right in the middle of a massive colony of chinstrap penguins. We also saw brown skuas and snow petrols. The penguins were completely unaffraid of us and were quite curious. The smell was nearly unbearable. With thousands of penguins around they generated a smell you can´t put into words. Besides the smell it was absolutely amazing. That night we let loose a little and had a few drinks. We met Martin, a 19 year old from Germany traveling with his mother. We also got to meet some of the crew that we don´t get to see as much. Yanin, Andrea, Paula, and Ricardo. It was great to meet them and hang out. I went to bed with much anticipation for the planned day that followed.

Day 4, February 13th
This day was a day of wind. Plan A was to make a continental landing at Brown Bluff and at Esperanza station, an Aregentinian station on the tip of the Antarctic Penninsula. However the wind was surging to 40 knots and was too dangerous. We insted headed to Paullette Island. We got to see chinstrap penguins, fur seals, amazing icebergs (a refuge for a group of penguins avoiding a leopard seal), and a hut maid by a group of stranded whalers who survived the winter on the island. It was a beautiful island and was great to see the wildlife so close. Laura got a little too close to a brown skua (looks like a brown goose) and the bird attacked here, flying over her head and dive bombing her outstretched hand. In retrospect it was quite funny. The day ended with only the one landing and we headed back across the Gerlach straight to the South Shetlands.

Day 5, February 14th

On arrival back to the Shetland Islands we headed for Half Moon Island. Where a morene deposit had created a beach and a harbor for viewing gentoo penguins, glaciers, icebergs, fur seals and a leopard seal. There was also an old water boat, small row boat, left on the beach from the whaling peoriod. Here I got to touch my first piece of ice. Rather impressive to see the size of a relatively small glacier.

In the afternoon we headed to Deception Island, which is an active volcanic island that caved in creating a natural harbor. We went to Whaler´s Bay inside the harbor. We saw buildings and artifacts from the whaling period. On our hike up to Neptunes Window (a vista where on a clear day it is said you can see the Pennisula), we go to see a Weddle Seal at quite a close range. After the hike, we made our way back to the beach where we had a swim.......

Because of the volcanic activity, the sulfur rises through the pebbles, and if you dig down a little in the sand, it is possible to find warm water. This however wasn´t enough, and the tradition is to run out into the cold water(36 deg F) and then back into the "puddle" of warm water. It was extremely cold, and it didn´t help that only myself, Nick and Laura were in our skivies and everyone else was watching. We went back to the ship and took a warm shower and were quite drained from the long day. However, during dinner Nick beckoned us to the bow. A pod of Humpback whales spent around an hour surfacing just feet from our boat. All the poeple on the boat, were running back and forth as the whales swam from one side to another. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. Exausted, good nigth!

Day 6, February 15th

It was a cloudy, rainy, and all around wet day, however, we landed at Cuverville island in the morning. We were only feet from the terminous of a glacier, covered in green and red snow algae. We saw fur seals and Adely Penguins. We tasted glacial ice, and took a glacial waterfall bath. We were absolutely soaked, but our expectations dried us as we anticipated landing on the continent for the first time in the afternoon at Neko Harbour. Nick and I agreed that we would step on the continent at the same time, just a little brotherly competition as to who will step on all 7 continents first. We ended up being fair and both stepped on at the same time, now all three Rompie children have set foot on all 7 continents, Katie as made it to a very impressive 5. Except, through all the excitment, I had one of the most idiotic moments in my life, druing the pictures I only held up 6 fingers... and I thought I was pretty good at math. Now I will have to photo shop in a sixth finger on my one hand (fitting seeing as how I am reading the Princess Bride!). The harbor was probably my favorite stop being so close to the glaciers. On our way to Vernadsky station (Ukrainian) a near bye Chilean station invited us to come and visit. We were fortunate to see one of the three albino penguins living on their island (inside joke: Sebastian gesturing how to bleach a penguin, by dunking him) It was a historic site where two men lived on the island throughout the winter, having only an overturned waterboat for shelter, hence, waterboat point (another inside joke: are there any other kinds of boats..... gravy!). That night we were invited to a staff party for Ignacio´s (Nacho) birthday. It was really fun, and Laura and I got to get a little crazy. It was really nice to speak Spanish again to the crew. We danced with the crew and hung out untill around 4 in the AM. We missed breakfast more than once!

Day 7, February 16th

The day started with an Amazing Zodiac cruise through the icebergs near Pléneau Island. This was stunning and rather intimidated being so close to the ice (one of which Nick thought was really "icy"). We were also fortunate to have 3 leopard seals swimming just a few meters from our zodiacs. We were instructed to keep or hands inside the boat, kind of like at universal studious, when Jaws almost ate my brother.

In the afternoon we headed to the Ukrainian station called Vernadsky on the Argentine Islands. We drank home made vodka with a orange slice dipped in coffee grinds and surgar to wash it down, suprisingly good!. We traveled back through the amazingly narrow and beautiful Lemaire Channel, had some champagne for Katies birthday and hit the sack.

Day 8, February 17th
Today, we landed on an Island in the South Shetlands, where even the crew had never landed before. It was Robert Point, on Robert Island. Upon lading, a group of Elephant Seals were pointed out to only be a couple hundred feet away. I was so excited to finally see them, probably because my countless hours of watching them on the animal planet. This island was rich in both scenery and wildlife, with adely penguins, fur seals with pups, and of course elephant seals. The fur seals were rather aggressive and a few people who did not listen got chased up the beach.... hilarious.

In the afternoon we headed to Yankee harbor. A natural harbor that the american sealers used as a refuge during storms. We saw a pot that the sealers used to use to boil the seal fat into the oils. There were also more penguins, fur seals and another few weddle seals. We could hear the nearby glacier calving and as we headed off the island for the last time on our trip a group of fur seals swam along side our zodiac barking and giving us a proper send off.

Days 9-11, February 18th-20th

The Drake Passage.... enough said. It was too windy, and they would not let us out on the deck. We played alot of cards and watched alot of movies. The crew put together an excellent summary of our travels, complete with our own personal DVD. You can see the video on YouTube by searching for NRomz (my brother) and watching some of the clips. There was also a send off dinner and champagne and a little party with the crew. We stayed up a little later than most and got a little crazy. We docked the following morning at 7am and they kicked us off, hungover and all around 8am. We wandered the streets of Ushuaia looking for something to take our mind of the constant swaying. It took a while to get my land legs back. Wanted to throw a few things in at the end that I did not know where else to put. I wanted to mention our two best friends on the ship, Anik and Daniela. They were great, and really made it alot easier to have someone else to talk and laugh with. Also, wanted to jot down a few more inside jokes, so I will not forget. Sebastian, buen dia buen dia.... a todos. Augustine... Tony Hawk. Marcello.... glassyers. Carlos.... your hotel manager from Brazil (Henrique?). Lucas.... Shitbills, predators.