Dec 27, 20232 min read

The final stop in the final (earthly) frontier

It’s the last day and last stop in Antarctica and boy, the travel gods did not disappoint today. Natures Zoo was in full display on my 8a landing in Yankee Harbour, under the beautiful sunny skies and calm winds.

If I could have saved the best for last, I likely did so in an unplanned display of nature and humans coming together in peace and harmony underneath the vast and overwhelming beauty of this rock we call home.

Unsure if they are happy or sad tears rolling down the cheeks, but I’ll mark them as present and decide later.

I have met many, many wonderful new friends on this voyage. I think the curious nature of those coming to such a remote corner of the planet along with the size of the ship and then the added length of the voyage that has brought us together.

We also collectively had the first ever Viking Expedition ship Dance Party last night. I guess we are a much rowdier bunch than most sailings, and we danced until nearly 1a under the Antarctic sunset.

While the voyage is still several days from over, the last step on this continent was as special as the first one and that’s a different feeling than any before.

Let’s talk about the dazzling display of wildlife in Yankee Harbour. Gentoo and King Penguins. Leopard and Elephant seals. BABY CHICKS. And then there was the mean Skua that kept on trying to eat the babies in a circle of life moment on full display within five to six meters of us.

It was my first close up seal sighting and they were playful and quite gassy.

The King Penguin was spectacular in his show, size and coloring compared to the Gentoo.

And then there were the baby chicks popping out from their protectors. Both mom and dad sit on the nests so it’s impossible to tell which is which.

Lastly is the Skua. The dark bird with an incredible wing span that likes to eat the eggs and chicks.

The hour we are allotted on shore goes too quickly, and I thought long and hard about taking one last step back into the continent this afternoon but I passed, likely knowing this is the last step I’ll ever have on this continent, unlike the other six.

Happy for the opportunity. Sadness for the finality of the continent and the end overall journey. What a year!