“In South America, one rarely knows what to expect one day from the next,” said the speaker on the bus as we traveled to the airport for a flight to Ushuaia, Argentina where we were to board our ship, National Geographic Explorer, for Antarctica. We understood what the speaker meant by her saying. Our departure time for the airport changed three times that morning due to a general strike by transportation workers. Instead of leaving at the original time of 7 a.m., we left at 11:30 a.m. With a beautiful view of Buenos Aires from 4000 feet on-board our airplane, we began our 1486-mile journey to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world.
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| Buenos Aires |
At 6 p.m. our plane made its descent past the picturesque Martial mountain range for a smooth landing in Ushuaia. The temperature in Ushuaia was 54 degrees Fahrenheit, a 26 degree drop from Buenos Aires. We could tell we were nearing Antarctica. Ushuaia is located in a wide bay on the southern coast of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego.
That night we reached our home for the next ten days, the National Geographic Explorer.
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| National Geographic Explorer |
National Geographic Explorer is the most technologically advanced, fully stabilized, and accommodating expedition ship in the world. Explorer carries 148 guests in 81 cabins, 13 with balconies. She is equipped with a full set of exploration tools, including kayaks and Zodiac boats. With no time to waste, Explorer began its passage that night on the Beagle Channel, our gateway to the White Continent.
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| Beagle Channel |
That night we reached our home for the next ten days, the National Geographic Explorer.