Did you know that only less than 0.00002% of people who ever lived on this planet have stepped on Antarctica?

We are woken up by the last wake-up call from our Expedition Leader Andrew and are getting ready to disembark for the final time.

The Drake Shake! Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’… for many, a bit of a bumpy night. And although the weather is of no consequence, the continuous rolling motion of the ship begins to bear on a few too many nerves. Some of us opt not to go to the dining room for breakfast and instead stay in the horizontal comfort of our bunks for a couple more hours.

Our luck from our first Drake crossing south seems to stay with us for the morning as the moderately calm seas let our ship steam ahead at a smooth 11.1 knots. Andrew gives us all a reprieve from his dulcet tones, as Michael announcing breakfast at 8:00 am is the first thing anyone heard over the PA system.

Our last day in Antarctica. My, how time flies! We are woken up a bit earlier than usual this morning so that we can be out on deck as we approach the notorious Deception Island, one of the three active volcanoes in the world that one can sail into. Yes, I have sailed to Antarctica, and now I am sailing into the crater of an active volcano.

Anchored off-shore at Cuverville Island, we awoke to snow flurries and whale blows out in the Errera Channel this morning. Still, calm glassy waters welcome us as we board the Zodiacs and shuttle ashore.

Antarctica, you beauty! Out on deck pre-breakfast, the landscape is, yet again, a sight to behold. Passengers discuss the much anticipated Port Charcot. As we make our way up the Peltier Channel, steep glaciated peaks rise off the starboard side and massive icebergs make up the landscape off the port. We make our way to the anchorage in Salpetriere Bay, surrounded by a frozen garden of icebergs.

It’s 5.32 am, Tuesday the 13th of March 2018 and I have just crossed the Antarctic Circle. A few of us have joined the captain and crew on the bridge this morning to experience this unique coordinates in life. Yes, this is real. I have sailed to Antarctica and have now crossed the most southerly of the five major circles of latitude that delimit the maps of our planet.

A bright and early (and very brisk) start for all aboard today as we are due to set sail through the majestic Lemaire Channel at dawn. Passengers and crew alike are assembled outside on the deck at 6:30 am to be greeted by Una’s Peaks marking the dramatic entrance to Lemaire.