Spotting your first iceberg as you approach the Antarctic Peninsula by ship is breathtaking. My first sighting happened to be a giant tabular iceberg.
Ushuaia, gateway to Antarctica; also known as the end of the world.
Landings were accomplished with rubber rafts called Zodiacs. Boots, rubber pants, parkas and life vests were required for all excursions off the ship.
Our first landing was on Gourdin Island near the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. We saw three types of penguins there, chinstraps, adelies and gentoos.
Adelie penguin feeding its young on Gourdin Island.
On our return from Gourdin Island we cruised in the Zodiac through fields of icebergs that loomed around us like monumental white sculptures.
