Telefon Bay, Deception Island Antarctica - Swan HellenicWhen I was about 10, my dad brought home this intriguing glass picture frame filled with coloured sand. It was on a swivel and the grains would slowly fall from the top of the frame to form intricate patterns. Once every grain settled, I would flip the frame and the process would start all over again....

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Day 6 - Antarctica Cruise - Swan HellenicWeather the weatherExpedition cruising is very active, and the crew are up early to scope out the landings and ensure guests have the best possible day. Some hairy weather was coming in, and Captain Cashman was doing his absolute best to find a safe and comfortable landing. What I was learning at the nightly briefings was...

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Australia Day in Tay Head, Antarctica  The first time you see a penguin in the wild, your first reaction is to squeal at their impossible cuteness. You are careful not to get too close and observe from afar. They seem unperturbed by human presence and go along their merry way. As I landed on Tay Head I wasn’t really sure what I’d see and I...

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Day 2 in Antarctica - I've stepped on my Sixth ContinentLiving on an island continent, I never really thought about visiting all the continents in the world. It wasn’t something that motivated me, my goal was to see as much of the oceans as possible. This changed last year when I had the privilege to tick off so many countries.Suddenly it dawned on me that...

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Welcome to Antarctica aboard Swan HellenicImagine you had the most thrilling, exhilarating, best day of your life. Now imagine that you still have a week’s worth of this ‘best day of your life’ awaiting you. Can you picture it? Can you even fathom the enormity of the memories that will be imbedded in your mind, the stories that you’ll pass on and the...

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Crossing the Drake Passage - Swan Hellenic“Innocent sleep. Sleep that soothes away all our worries. Sleep that puts each day to rest. Sleep that relieves the weary laborer and heals hurt minds. Sleep, the main course in life's feast, and the most nourishing.”― William Shakespeare, MacbethIs it a Shake or a Lake?I was up early, again. I looked at my phone and it...

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All Aboard Swan Hellenic – Next stop AntarticaStepping off the charter flight from Buenos Aires onto the tarmac at Ushuaia, reality finally set in as my brain and eyes tried to make sense of this foreign landscape. Beautiful, rugged and just exuding adventure. I rubbed my eyes, grabbed my bags and alighted the awaiting bus which would take me to the port.First sightingThe...

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