How It All Began - Antarctica 2026
- muse7699
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Conquering the White Continent - Part 1
Ever since I could remember, I was fascinated with animals. Elementary School field trips to the New York Aquarium in Coney Island, boat rides with my grandpa in Sheepshead Bay. I couldn't wait to take care of the class turtle. Yeah, that was a thing in the late 1970's and 80's. And I vividly remember asking my mom if I could keep the field mouse that was running around our apartment as a pet. The look of bewilderment and a loud NO is etched in my mind to this day.
But more than anything, I loved marine mammals. The playful seals and dolphins and the majestic whales. I spent several years volunteering in the New England Aquarium which just made the itch grow stronger. As i was planning my trip to Machu Picchu for 2014, I had a huge decision to make. Add on the Amazon Basin or the Galapagos. It wasn't even close. Charles Darwin arrived at the Galapagos in September 1835 and spent several weeks exploring the islands. It was here that he made some of his most significant observations, particularly regarding the islands’ unique flora and fauna leading to his groundbreaking theory of evolution and natural selection. But before exploring the Galapagos, the HMS Beagle under the command of Captain Fitzroy, explored the southern area of South America. Darwin's focus on geology and fossils led to changes in how scientific theories are categorized.
Seeing the unique and native species of the Galapagos islands was just the start of my adventures into the natural world. Kiwi birds in New Zealand in 2018. Mountain Gorillas, lions, cheetahs and the rest of the big five in Africa in 2023. The sloths in Costa Rica in 2024. The Orangutans in Borneo in 2025. What would 2026 bring? Then came the announcement....
Go with Less Conquers Antarctica
It was early 2024 and there were rumors floating around about a Go With Less (GWL) trip to Antarctica. For those not familiar, GWL is a Facebook community of nomadic, semi nomadic and want to be nomadic travelers. The cruise was officially announced in August 2024 for January 2026 and I signed up immediately. 11-Night Ushuaia Roundtrip.. The next 17 months flew by quickly. We talked about luggage and cold weather clothing. I participated in a summer / fall 2025 Antarctica book club hosted by a fellow GWLer where we learned about the hardships of early explorers like Shackleton, de Gerlache, and Ross. By October I was buying thermals, hats and socks for the cruise and in November I flew to Brazil to start this five-month South America adventure.
Sitting back, it's hard to believe it was real. I relieve the memories every day since the cruise ended. I also had a hard time deciding how to blog this unbelievable adventure. Days and landing spots wouldn't mean much to someone who hasn't gone. So, I decided to focus on what was most impactful during my time cruising and landing in Antarctica.
Part 2 - Life in Antarctica - Research Stations
Part 3 - Penguins
Part 2 - Whales
Part 5 - Seals
Part 6 - Wild adventures of kayaking, camping and the polar plunge
Part 7 - Ice, Ice Baby
Part 8 - Antarctica explorers and Ushuaia
Below is a link to a video captured by the one and only Atlas Photographer Nacho. The file is too large to attach so hope you enjoy.
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