Coming soon to a forum near you, Ross Sea Expedition onboard The World

[bPeteb]

Still pinching ourselves after receiving a message on Sunday night asking us if it was too late for us to be able to go on the expedition to the Ross Sea. After green lights from both of our bosses (+1 sick with worry that his would say no but of course she didn't!) the countdown has begun until we board The World in Hobart on Jan 14, departing on Sunday 15 for the Ross Sea.

Penguins, Scott's Discovery and Terra Nova huts, penguins, whales, icebergs, more penguins, hopefully Scott and McMurdo bases, more penguins, orca, seals. Did I mention penguins?

So begins potentially our biggest holiday year yet. We begin our festival of travel with the three week expedition (to go visit the penguins) in Jan/Feb. Next up a long weekend in March for Wild Foods Festival in Hokitika. We follow this with two weeks to Brasil in June where we'll start and end in Sao Paulo visiting the Pantanal, Brasilia and Sao Luis/Lencois Maranhenses in between. Finally the possibility of another voyage on The World, this time from Puntarenas Costa Rica to Cartagena Colombia via the Panama Canal, another bucket list destination, in October.

44 days and counting until the first TR begins!

 

[drron]

Better hope for some warming then-

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That is Ross sea west and this is East-

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Antarctic Continent on the top.Red is thick sea ice.That was at 30/11/2016.Keep a check here-
Polar View in the Antarctic

 

[bPeteb]

That's a fantastic link drron. Saved!

We're due down there approx Jan 20 and from what I've read it can break up pretty quickly. If we can't get there, I'm going with the positive thought that there's a plan b!

 

[Major]

Wow...that's a big trip. Love penguin photos

 

[love_the_life]

Is this the friends you have with an apartment on The World? (or do you actually have one)

 

[bPeteb]

Yes l_t_l, it's our friend who owns the apartment.

 

[love_the_life]

How wonderful for you. It sounds like a fabulous trip...sigh

Living vicariously

 

[Pushka]

Just. Wow.

 

[Dr Bob]

Wow that is so great. Can't wait for the TR.

 

[VPS]

Always enjoy your TR

 

[JohnM]

BP scanned.

 

[drron]

I am sure there would be a Plan B.Usually called an icebreaker.

 

[Bindibuys]

On board for this one.

 

[theweaselsteve]

I'm in for this one. Sounds great!

 

[bPeteb]

This time next week we will have spent or first night at sea, enroute for Antarctica. In two weeks well hopefully be inside the Antarctic Circle investigating the Ross Sea.

Yesterday's sea ice maps, courtesy of the link provided by drron (thank you!), look much more positive than what was there five weeks ago.





Still pinching ourselves that we're even going. Yesterday was packing day. Much angst between the two of us regarding what we do and don't need to take with us. One of us (me) has an internal furnace permanently set to high so I sweat, one of the Antarctic traveller's biggest enemies, in any conditions so I'll be multi-layering with thin layers. My partner is the polar (boom boom) opposite and will be layering with thicker layers. But he spent half of yesterday telling me I'll be cold. I have piles of clothes, just not as thick piles as him!

For a laugh we've put in a bid for the J upgrade from Melbourne to Hobart. For some reason my partner got the email asking if we wanted to upgrade the flight from Brisbane to Melbourne (I booked the flights) but we didn't put in the request until it was too late. Exit row will have to do unless it comes through when we check in

 

[Cynicor]

This time next week we will have spent or first night at sea, enroute for Antarctica. In two weeks well hopefully be inside the Antarctic Circle investigating the Ross Sea.

Yesterday's sea ice maps, courtesy of the link provided by drron (thank you!), look much more positive than what was there.

Still pinching ourselves that we're even going. Yesterday was packing day. Much angst between the two of us regarding what we do and don't need to take with us. One of us (me) has an internal furnace permanently set to high so I sweat, one of the Antarctic traveller's biggest enemies, in any conditions so I'll be multi-layering with thin layers. My partner is the polar (boom boom) opposite and will be layering with thicker layers. But he spent half of yesterday telling me I'll be cold. I have piles of clothes, just not as thick piles as him!

For a laugh we've put in a bid for the J upgrade from Melbourne to Hobart. For some reason my partner got the email asking if we wanted to upgrade the flight from Brisbane to Melbourne (I booked the flights) but we didn't put in the request until it was too late. Exit row will have to do unless it comes through when we check in

Sweating in the cold requires hydrophobic layers. Good merino wool is the recommendation, my go-to brands are smart wool and icebreaker. Multiple layers of merino at various weights (tight baselayer, fleece and sweater) will keep you warm and dry. In the snow we have a saying: "cotton kills." It doesn't wick the water away and can freeze to you, deadly when camping out in the snow.

 

[love_the_life]

Can't wait for this one.

 

[drron]

This year the ice has melted quicker than for>20 years.You have picked the year to go.
This usually means WA will get rain this year.Also good.

 

[Bindibuys]

Plus 1 for the use of Icebreaker clothing. (Ok, I was a wool classer in a previous life) & I have everything from sox to undies to over-coats from their range. (I should take shares)
You can get some really good deals out of USA, but not sure you now have time for the delivery.

 

[bPeteb]

We'll have to make do with what we have as we're at five days and counting today