The sailing trip to reach the tip of the Antarctic peninsula took us a full 5 days, which is almost the longest the duration this journey can take. We were unfortunate that there was not much wind to help us, but we did have the amazing conditions of completely still flat waters which gave us front row seats to view a pod of Orcas swimming near our boat. It was amazing to not see any land for a full 5 days, certainly something I have never experienced before. The first time we spotted land it took another 12 hours just to reach it. This was the first of many moments putting the scale of this strange land in perspective, we were so small and the land, the mountains and the icebergs so massive.

How can it be anything but dull if your first drop point is at a beach full of penguins checking out your ski gear and a seal snorting at our futile efforts to ‘conquer the land’. The conditions were spring skiing; mostly corn snow and sometimes some soft slush. We had it all: steep slopes, gentle slopes, wide open snow field crossings, glacier traverses and steep descents directly to the water’s edge. As there are limited landing places that you can actually get on land you are limited to where you can go in this giant playground. But this playground still had plenty to offer that none of us were bored and all of us were left with a sense of challenge and accomplishment.

The sailing trip home was quite a different story. Many experienced sailors will say that the Drake Passage is the roughest sea in the world. I can say for certain this return trip made me understand why. I was fortunate enough to be one of the lucky few that did not experience sea sickness, but what a wild rodeo to experience. With the rough seas and a bit of wind our return trip was much faster; 4 days. It was a bittersweet feeling to return back to civilization. I was excited to see land and land that had buildings, roads, cars, trees and people. But I was sad to know that I was leaving behind this experience of total disconnect from the outside world which gave me a new found connection to myself and the nature around me in whatever form it may be; mountains, beach, dunes, farmland or right in the middle of a city. With stillness and observations beauty can be found in almost anything! Thank you, Antarctica, for teaching me this life lesson.