Antarctica - Part II

The next day was a bit colder and a whole lot windier with small snow squalls every once in a while. I figured we must only have a 50/50 chance of being able to fly out in this weather as there were even darker clouds on the horizon. Despite the weather, we bundled up and started out along a rocky ridge toward the Drake Passage so see more marine life. Alejo packed extra wind pants and goggles just in case the weather got worse. We marched through the snow and across the permafrost where the snow subsided. Here, Alejo told us to follow in his exact footsteps as you can easily sink up to your knees in the thawing muck. As we crested the final ridge, we could see the open ocean filled with small, rocky islands and giant icebergs in the distance. Below us on the shore, we could hear the occasional bellow of the elephant seals. We climbed down the scree covered slope and through groups of Weddell seals for a closer look at the giant slug-like Elephant seals. There were a few on land and even more in the water playing (or fighting, we weren´t really sure).

Hey, what you lookin' at?

Uh, you could use a breath mint!

Elephant Seal Duel!

I got a great deal on some Real Estate while in Antarctica!

At once point we passed an old Russian built wooden hut that had been demolished by the harsh Antarctic weather. No wonder they all use giant steel boxes for buildings now!

After our filling our memory cards with photos, we hiked up a snow filled valley against the biting wind which was now blowing at a steady 40 mph (which Alejo confirmed by a radio call to the airstrip´s control tower!). After finally making it back to base camp, we mailed postcards from the Chilean base, got our passports stamped with a giant "Antarctica" and packed up for our flight back to Puenta Arenas. A few minutes after touching down in mainland Chile, we all looked at each other in amazement and asked, "Can you believe we were just in Antarctica?" I know that I still can't...