Close encounter with two humpback whales while kayaking.

Life changing

Yes

Since I signed up for kayaking, I only experience one zodiac excursion that being to Port Lockroy. Here, our guide provided us an exceptional view of the history of this British outpost, including the past history of whaling, an the wildlife (penguins and seals) surrounding it.

While all of the staff were very knowledgeable and friendly, I especially enjoyed talking to Andre about oceanography, and Teal about kayaking. As for the lectures, I especially enjoyed the lectures on the benthic ecology of Antarctica and the critical role that krill play in the Antarctic ecosystem.

I will miss the Ocean Nova. While our rooms were small, they gave us the ambiance of being Antarctica explorers. I especially liked the forward observation lounge, where we could readily observe our surroundings in comfort, while having ready access to a forward deck for photography. The observation lounge also served well as a room for lectures about Antarctica and its environs. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were great! The breakfast and lunch buffets allowed a diverse varitiey of food choices, and the dinners offered gormet meals that were very well presented.

I am so glad that I selected to go kayaking and could not get enough of it. Teal and Andre together made sure that we could do this as safely as possible in the harsh environs of the Antarctica. I especially enjoyed kayaking with Teal since he showed me some new kayaking moves, how to handle tandem kayaking (I own a solo kayak), he kept an excellet pace, and was knowledgeable about the wildlife, and icebergs.

The historic district was very worthwhile visiting as this city dates back to the 1500s. I particurly enjoyed a bicycle tour of the neighborhoods and markets as this tour gave me a better impression of how ordinary Chileanos live; something you don't get by looking at monuments. The Museum of Pre-Columian Art was also a must-see.

Make sure that you get your gear together early. I found a checklist to be especially helpful when I was packing. This is one trip where you don't want to leave anything behind.

While I have long been concerned about climate change, I feel that I now need to redouble my efforts. I think that what I have learned about the key roll that krill play in the Antarctic ecosystem, together with the photos and film that I have taken during my trip might be helpful in educating others.

The Swoop team was extreamly helpful and indispensible in organizing and executing my trip. My sincere gratitude goes out to Sarah and all of you.

Thanks to the advice regarding gear, I felt well prepared for my journey. Of course, I was very excited to go, but I was not prepared for the actual experence to so far exceed my expectations.

Yes

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