Antarctic Ocean Optimism On the RCGS Resolute Marine Mammals Voyage
After two days of blue skies and uncharacteristically smooth sailing through the Drake Passage south from Ushuaia, Argentina, we were greeted in Antarctica by a most enthusiastic welcoming committee: several pods of killer whales hunting penguins, breaching and blowing all around our ship. This late-March expedition would be the last departure of the season for… Read Full Post
An Icy Adventure: Kayaking in Antarctica
There’s something special about the serenity and proximity with nature you feel when kayaking, and the experience of paddling through icebergs in Antarctica is a memory that will last a lifetime. To be so close to the water, with penguins shooting past, mountains towering overhead, and icebergs floating by, is an incredible experience. It’s also… Read Full Post
The Most Fascinating Wildlife Habits in Antarctica
Most trips to Antarctica involve a two-day crossing each way of the infamous Drake Passage, the 600 mile long body of water between the tip of South America and the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula where the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern oceans converge. When you find yourself in the middle of this epic journey, with… Read Full Post
The Mangrove Labyrinth
It was a hot, sunny morning when we pulled up to La Boquilla, a small fishing village on the outskirts of Cartagena, Colombia. The white sand beach was wide and flat and the ocean calm and inviting, but we were headed away from the coast and into the mangrove swamp in a dugout canoe. The… Read Full Post
The Human History of the Galapagos Islands… and a Murder Mystery
“The gray outlines of the little fishing boat slowly faded in the mist lying over the sea, till at last they disappeared altogether. She was the boat which had brought us here, and half an hour before we had been still aboard with her skipper and crew. Now we were on our own, ‘stranded’ on… Read Full Post
How To Photograph a Penguin
Penguins are everyone’s favorite polar (and Galapagos!) waddler, and it’s only natural to snap 10,000 pictures of every little adorable thing they do (which, to let you know where I stand on this topic, is everything!). I think it’s safe to say that few of us have not been guilty of shutter-happy fingers in the… Read Full Post
Did the Patagonian Indians save the Magellan expedition from self-destruction?
On March 31, 1520, Magellan’s Armada de Molucca, a fleet of five ships commissioned by the Spanish crown to seek a Western route to the Spice Islands, pulled into a natural harbor dubbed Port St. Julian, on the far southern coast of what is now Argentina. Their search for the Strait had so far proven… Read Full Post
2018 Vaya Photo Contest Winners!
Throughout 2018 we were delighted to receive photos taken by our travelers. To everyone who sent us photos, thank you! We look at every one of them, and we appreciate the chance to experience our destinations through your eyes. Whether they’re showcasing outstanding natural beauty, untamed wildlife, or vibrant culture, your photos allow us to… Read Full Post
Wildlife Conservation in Senda Romahue
For those interested in wildlife viewing in Chile, Senda Nativa Romahue project outside Puerto Varas provides a rare glimpse of some of Chile’s most unique and sought-after wild animals, with a focus on conservation. The project started out with the mission of preserving the Maullín River’s diminishing ecosystem and native forest, a major stopping point… Read Full Post
Nerves and Scopolamine on the Drake Passage
When I confirmed my trip to Antarctica and the initial excitement had subsided, I was gripped with anxiety about crossing the Drake Passage. Many travelers know that this stretch of open ocean can be one of the roughest bodies of water in the world. The Drake Passage is approximately 600 miles wide and connects the… Read Full Post