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March 3, 2006: At the end of a trip like this you inevitably ask yourself: would I do the same things again or are there some things I would change? This is particularly important when you’ve spent a substantial amount of time and money and visited environments as challenging as Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and the Antarctic Peninsula. In fact, I can confidently say that the majority of our choices were good ones – and, where things were less than totally satisfactory, the fault lay more with the fact that better alternatives were simply not available.
As far as the tours themselves were concerned, I can heartily recommend the offerings of Antarctic Horizons to anyone with a spirit of adventure, adequate fitness and a willingness to accept some exciting challenges. (If your notion of an ideal holiday is lazing around in a resort, however, look for a more cruise-based alternative; they do exist.)
Each section of our journey was well-planned and our guides took us into places that were both on and off the main tourist schedule, providing us with the ability to visit the most eye-catching spots, while also offering us experiences in places that most tour groups simply wouldn’t know about. This combination is very satisfying for anyone who likes to get away from the standard tourist experience.
I can also commend our expedition leaders on their ability to manage a very diverse group of people and make them all feel comfortable about participating in activities that would be daunting to many. The oldest members of our camping group were in their late 60s and early 70s, yet at no time were they forced to maintain a cracking pace or engage in activities they felt to be risky. Participation was always the key factor at the top of the tour leaders’ minds.
This also applied to the Antarctic cruise, where ages ranged from 87 down to mid-teens. Again, everyone was encouraged to participate at a level that was comfortable to themselves and a collaborative and supportive group dynamic was fostered. Antarctic Horizons staff also handled the difficulties presented by the various Argentinean bureaucracies with minimal disruption to its paying customers. When previously-booked accommodation and flight schedules are involved, this speaks volumes for the directors’ local expertise and network of contacts! So, overall, a big thumbs-up for the company!
As far as the equipment we took was concerned, again, all our choices turned out to be either excellent or satisfactory. The Nikon D200, although rather heavier that I would have wished for bushwalking, rewarded me with its versatility and by providing a very stable platform for the 18-200mm VR Nikkor lens. This lens turned out to be a real winner and fully justified my belief that it would be possible to fulfil most of my imaging needs on a trip like this with just one lens and a compatible camera body. (Incidentally, three other photographers on the Professor Molchanov were using the same 18-200mm VR Nikkor lens and all reported favourably on its ease of use, versatility and imaging performance.)
The Lowepro Slingshot AW bag also earned a big thumbs-up for its comfort and capacity. During my weeks away I wore it over a T-shirt, Goretex and fleece jackets, inflatable buoyancy vest and thick foam-core lifejacket and, for each of these dramatically different garments, was able to adjust the straps for maximum comfort and convenient access to the gear it contained. This bag held the DSLR, camcorder, tripod and digicams during our walks and on the Zodiac cruises and remained comfortable under all conditions – even when I sprained a muscle in my back during our camping adventure. The ability to clip on my Ixus 750 in a small pouch was also handy as it allowed me to grab “visual note” shots that I would otherwise have missed while we were out and about.
The Sony DVD703E camcorder was also an asset as it enabled us to shoot video when we wanted to, without compromising our still shot quality or recording capacity. The SPKHCA waterproof housing was also valuable – although we had to ensure the camera was correctly mounted to prevent vignetting of shots. However, both water proof housings had limitations when it came to picture-taking during our sea kayaking excursions. If any water splashed on the front element of the housing – which is inevitable, even in calm conditions – it showed up in all subsequent shots. It was impossible to wipe off water droplets while kayaking as your fingers have to be encased in neoprene gloves to prevent then from freezing and they’re just too clumsy for any delicate actions.
You can’t take regular lens-cleaning tissues with you as there’s no place on the kayak to put them where they can be kept dry. The best you can do is to lick the sea water off the lens cover but this doesn’t restore full transparency. An opportunity exists for an innovative manufacturer to develop a solution for this problem.
Another development opportunity exists for producing a satisfactory camera pouch for water-based adventure activities in which the camera is unlikely to be fully immersed. I would have appreciated a water-resistant camera pack that allowed me to carry a camera on the front of my buoyancy vest in the kayak where it would be away from most of the splashes and more readily accessible than it was in the kayak’s skirt pocket. The camera would need to be tethered by an elastic strap that kept it from falling into the water yet allowed it to be used quickly and easily. If anyone knows of such a system, please let me know!
My Dell Latitude X1 notebook PC, although an encumbrance to carry at times, was also a valuable piece of technology to have. Not only did it provide excellent storage for all of our pictures, it also allowed me to demonstrate several imaging procedures to other passengers and ship staff during our cruise. In this respect it was a much better overall choice than a portable storage device.
The Lexar Professional 2GB CF card and a Seagate 8GB CF Photo Hard Drives proved their worth both during our Tierra del Fuego camping trip (where the additional storage capacity was required) and on the Antarctic cruise. Both performed faultlessly, even in freezing temperatures, and I noticed no diminution in performance at any stage of the trip. The Moose warming polariser and Tiffen graduated filter were fun to use and resulted in some interesting shots that might otherwise have been missed. I was particularly impressed by the former’s effect on landscape shots in the icy conditions.
As for the trip itself: would we do it all again or recommend it to our friends? Most definitely! It may not be everyone’s idea of an ideal holiday plan – but if the spirit of adventure is strong in your soul and you really enjoy taking pictures, it’s a very satisfying way to spend a vacation!
Margaret Brown is technical editor for Photo Review Australia Magazine.
Margaret’s Antarctica Post 1: The Preparation
Margaret’s Antarctica Post 2: Buenos Aires
Margaret’s Antarctica Post 3: El Calafate
Margaret’s Antarctica Post 4: El Chalten
Margaret’s Antarctica Post 5: Tierra del Fuego
Margaret’s Antarctica Post 6: Drake Passage
Margaret’s Antarctica Post 7: Arrival in Antarctica
Margaret’s Antarctica Post 8: Antarctic Cruising
Margaret’s Antarctica Post 9: Farewell to the Frozen Continent
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