Dandelions...I know they are technically weeds, but they contain such bright, happy shades of yellow. Its spring at the tip of South America and with that comes the dandelions. Their explosion of yellow catches the eye and stands out amongst the green grass creating a focal point with shiny white caps and blue skies as a backdrop. Tall snow peaked …

There's a steady, soft rumbling noise coming from below, singing a lullaby of sorts as the boat faintly moves back and forth. The twilight sky has a star or two shouting out its presence. The warm air from this afternoon has gone to sleep and a jacket is a must as I look out into universe. I wonder how many hours will truly be dark in Antarctica. …

Jerked out of sleep, my hand reflexes to grab the side of the bed as I tried not to fall out. What was happening? Where was I? Oh yes...on the far south sea in a boat. The foreboding of the Drake Passage had arrived along with the intense rocking. Sitting up as the boat swayed in the opposite direction, I was aware of gravity. Fighting against the …

As I walk up the flight of stairs to breakfast, the pressure has lessened. It somehow seems easier to walk in a zigzag pattern to my seat. Clanging of dishes can be heard as the boat takes a dip toward the sun already high in the eastern sky. Only four hours or less of night makes the sun rise ahead of even an early riser.

As of 0030 this …

South Shetland Islands, Antarctica
Like crazy horns, the colony of penguins could be heard even from the Antarctic Dream. I didn't know they made such a sound. Squinting hard, I looked toward the exposed cliffs pushing through the snow. Small moving dots confirmed the fact that the colony was indeed there. The icy wind bitterly blowing, more …

A new day! Squinting hard and gazing ahead, I resisted the urge to look away as huge snowflakes landed on my face. I was surrounded by snow covered mountains and penguins everywhere I looked. Stepping out of the zodiac boat, I turned to look back. Behind me was the sea with icebergs floating around the ship, many giving off a bluish shade. …

Mountains on the starboard side and ice bergs on the port and front side, this was my third day in Antarctica and my sixth day of adventure. Down the red metal stair case I went again, heading for the zodiac floating in the Pleneau Bay (also known as the iceberg graveyard). Thankful for the hands that reached out to help me into the boat, I …

Morning
Port Lockroy is smaller than I thought it would be…a tiny hut sitting on a tiny island. There are Gentoo penguins everywhere you look, many sitting on eggs. White looking vultures are here too. Scrawny skin surrounding their eyes with white feathers covering the rest of their bodies like a winter coat, those strange looking birds …

The weather is not good today and our plans have been canceled. You'd think this would be heart breaking, but my mind is already bursting of experiences from the past few days that I can't stuff much more in. I think I will tell you about a few more of them...

This is the best description I can give you of what I saw from atop a hill at Neko …