I was overwhelmed by beauty in Antarctica, it was like my eyes could not take in so much magnificence at once. I’ll start you off with a few photos so you can kind of see what I mean:
“Oh, damn, never seen that color blue.” -Taylor Swift
Not driftwood, driftice
Floating confetti, Antarctica celebrates the cold!
“I mean, this is unbelievable” - everyone
Once the sea-sickness passed (YAY!) we learned more about our ship, MV Ushuaia. She was once a research vessel for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and is an ice-strengthened polar ship, an actual class of ships specially prepared for independent glacier navigation. Knowing she was sturdy enough to cut through ice was comforting. MV Ushuaia has the capacity to carry 90 guests and 40 crew. For our trip, there were only 72 passengers. Onboard it was intimate. And my favorite part of MV Ushuaia was that it was outfitted with compact boats, also known as a fleet of zodiacs which brought us closer to the heart of irresistible Antarctica.
Through my lens: Our boat Ushuaia, looking impossibly small (yet perfectly at home) among the ice.
Watching our ship shrink and the scenery grow.
Every night, staff posted the next day’s itinerary and paired it with a doodle that made life on our boat feel slightly like summer camp. In fairness, it was summer. (Because I’m obsessed, here is a link to more information about our specific ship.)
Antarctica, but make it adorable.
“Summer”.
Forget the guidebook, this is the ACTUAL Lonely Planet.
Our morning commute.
The daily programme (towards the top) gives you an idea of our rhythm for life onboard Ushuaia. Perhaps it looks ordinary enough? Breakfast at 07:00, lunch at 12:00, dinner at 19:30. But this was Antarctica, so the schedule came with a twist: “Penguins at 15:00. Seals at 16:00.”
Enter Group Penguins and Group Seals. By regulation of the Antarctic Treaty (see bottom), landings are limited to 100 people at a time to protect the wildlife — a rule I love. Cruise ships aren’t allowed to put people on Antarctic land, only “drive-bys”. With just 72 passengers, our ship didn’t need to split us up but Ushuaia did it anyway – Penguins and Seals – everyone boarded zodiacs, spent time ashore, and never crowded the landscape or endangered any animals. Our ambassador responsibilities were always taken very seriously.
Zodiac boats, ready to launch deeper into Antarctic wilderness.
Zodiacs, those black inflatable boats, held up to eight passengers and served as our shuttles. Bundled in all our clothes, we’d climb aboard and be lowered into the frigid sea, setting off for an adventure! Each zodiac also took two crew members: one at the helm, steering us safely, and another guiding us through what we were seeing; the polar air added its own wordless commentary. We were inches from frozen crystals that had been drifting, fracturing, and reshaping themselves for centuries.
Helen, smiling like that iceberg just told her a joke, Wildy.
Patrick, cooler than the ice behind him, Marti.
Sammi, yes, Antarctica is cold, Travis.
VIP seating.
Summer time, living’s easy.
Antarctica’s version of mood lighting.
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Side note:
About Antarctica, the World Agrees….
Ownership: There is none! Antarctica is the only continent on Earth with no countries, no government, and no permanent population. They don’t even have their own currency! Antarctica is governed by the Antarctic Treaty System, signed in 1959. Today, over 50 countries are part of it 🙂
Peace: The entire continent is legally demilitarized. Military bases, nuclear weapons, war, and mining are all banned.
Science: All research findings have to be shared openly with the world. No patents, no secrets.
Time: Antarctica doesn’t have an official time zone. Stations usually follow the time zone of their home country so you can “time travel” by walking between bases.
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Solitude becomes the entire point.
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❄️More facts that’ll Chill You❄️
Size: It’s HUGE! Antarctica is bigger than the U.S. and Mexico combined (14 million sq km).
Population: Even during its busiest season, only about 5,000 humans are spread across the entire continent.
Land: Antarctica is the largest desert in the world!
People: Unlike every other continent, there are no humans from Antarctica.
Visiting: Even counting all the tourists, scientists, explorers, and support staff over the decades, far less than 1% of the global population has ever been.
Now: Less than 0.01% of people alive have ever set foot there and Helen, Patrick and I can count ourselves among the lucky!
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“Let’s pretend we don’t exist” - Of Montreal
Pregnancy hack: add layers until no one can tell what’s going on underneath.
The continent felt infinite. Every zodiac ride brought us closer — not just to shore, but to the impossible scale of Antarctica itself. The boats carried us into moments I still can’t fully believe — drifting past neon-blue-bergs, staring at cliffs carved by time, laughing with friends while spray hit our faces. (and I haven’t even mentioned the animals!)
Zodiacs weren’t just shuttles; they were our magic carpets — the smallest boats brought us to the biggest wonders. I was constantly afloat, in awe, smitten with this frozen world. The daily programme had it right; We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.
In contrast to how I *maybe* felt during some of the nausea, once we entered Antarctica I knew that every patch, pill, and wave in the Drake Passage had been worth it. Let’s gooooooooo!
With memories that will never melt,
‘mi (+ 1)
Adventuresam 
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