With all the news broadcasts and magazine articles on global warming and its effects on wildlife around the world from the polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba, to the elephant seals and penguins in Antarctica, the climate is warming and it is affecting the environment. Whether the changing temperatures are due to man or nature, I really don’t know, however, I do know that the ice shelf in Antarctica is shrinking at a dramatic rate and it is affecting the animal (and bird) populations. We (Bill Handel and family) will be doing another group to Antarctica in December, 2009. I will be anxious to see the differences from my last trip in January, 2004.
On our next trip we will also be going to South Georgia Island, where I’m told elephant seal pups are friendly and slide right up to you for a little TLC. It is also where Ernest Shackleton finally reached land again to save his men stuck on Elephant Island, much further south.
Following is an excerpt from Ilene's travelogue from our trip in 2004. Enjoy, and sign up to come with us next year! ~Bill Handel
Heading South to Antarctica
As we boarded the plane in Santiago, I could feel the sense of excitement among the group. Now the real adventure would begin---we were on our way to Antarctica. We arrived in Ushuaia, Argentina, in the early afternoon and had a brief tour of the city before boarding our ship, the Explorer II.
I had selected the Explorer II because of its size. I had read about the infamous Drake Passage and I did not want to be on a small ship. The Explorer II, an exploration class ship with an ice-strengthened hull, has a passenger capacity of 398 guests. However, in the Antarctic, they limit the number of passengers to 198 to increase the number of Zodiac and shore excursions available to each passenger.
After settling into our cabins, we set out to explore the ship. The main dining room, the lounges, the theater and library, the “gym” (one treadmill, two bicycles and workout bench,) two small gift shops, a beauty salon and spa--this was definitely expedition cruising in style.
As we headed out the Beagle Channel, we stood on the Promenade Deck, watching the sea birds as they flew overhead. The weather was balmy, in the mid-fifties with a slight breeze and blue skies. We were on our way to the Falkland Islands, the first leg on our Antarctic adventure.
We arrived in Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands,two days later. Crossing the Scotia Seahad been relatively calm, 8 – 12 ft. waves, according to the captain’s log. Most of the group fared very well and commented how the movement of the ship helped put them to sleep. I, however, not having my sea legs yet, was thankful for the “patch” my doctor had prescribed and added my wristbands for extra measure. At that time, I had no idea what was to come.Being the middle of summer, the weather in Stanley was quite mild, in the mid 50’s. The Falkland Islands, consisting of over 700 small islands, have a population of 2900 people, of which 1900 live in Stanley.
As an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom, the language is English and the currency is the Falkland Island Pound, equivalent to the British Pound. The town is really quite charming with its timber-framed buildings with corrugated iron roofs that are painted beautiful shades of yellow, blue, green and scarlet.
The Falklands are really off the beaten path. If you look at a world map, you really are in the middle of nowhere. Most of us would probably have never heard of the Falkland Islands had it not been for the Falkland War in 1982, between Great Britain and Argentina. Argentina had claimed the islands, known as the Malvinas, since 1820.
However, Britain had occupied and administered the islands since 1833. In April of 1982, Argentina invaded the capital and took control of the islands. Apparently that did not sit well with Britain, and war was declared. Argentina finally surrendered on June 14, 1982. From start to finish,the war lasted 72 days. 
However, remnants of the war still exist. We took a tour to Lagoon Bluff, about a 45-minute drive outside of Stanley, to see some of the countryside. Our guide briefly recounted the story of the war and pointed out several areas, marked with bright orange flags, of minefields left behind by the Argentines. Apparently the mines are not easily detectable due to plastic, not metal casing, and have not been removed.
We spent the afternoon in Stanley, shopping for souvenirs,enjoying a pint at the local pub and visiting some of the local landmarks. By 6:00 pm we were back on the ship, ready to head south toward the Antarctic Peninsula.
When I awoke in the early morning hours, I knew immediately we had entered the Drake Passage. “Rock and roll” took on a whole new meaning. I managed to get dressed and made my way to the Purser’s desk. The sign on the counter made me laugh: Sea conditions---Rather Rough. As far as I was concerned, that was atypical British understatement---the seas were very rough with waves reaching between 25 and 30 ft. (On my second crossing, I would rethink the meaning of rough when waves reached 41 ft.) I was thankful that I remembered to change my patch the night before, adorned my wristbands, and took a Dramamine for added protection.I had breakfast in the main dining room where all the chairs are chained to the floor. I watched the waiters with absolute amazement, and admiration. How they carried the heavy trays, one-handed, over their heads, Will never know. I couldn’t walk across the dining room without holding onto something for dear life.
After breakfast I went upstairs to visit my friend Carolyn Groves, whose cabin was on the top deck. I stayed for less than five minutes --- the difference in motion on the upper decks is astounding. Anything not chained down or put in drawers or closets, ends up on the floor. Luckily, Carolyn is not prone to seasickness. I was thrilled my cabin was on the lower deck.
By mid-afternoon, we passed the Antarctic Convergence, the dividing line between the cold southern waters that encircle Antarctica and the warmer northern waters; the temperature dropped to a cool 36 degrees. Most of us spent the day in the main lounge listening to the lectures. I particularly enjoyed the talk on early Antarctic exploration and was thankful I was on the Explorer II, not the Endurance.
By the following day, the seas had calmed down (12-15 ft),and we were out on deck watching the Wandering Albatross and Giant Petrels that follow the ship, and keeping our eyes peeled for whales and icebergs. We were getting close to Elephant Island.
Join me next week as we enter the South Shetland Islands,sight our first iceberg, and take our first shore excursion in the Antarctic waters.If you'd like to join the Christmas 2009 tour with Bill Handel and family, get in touch with me at Redlands Travel Service. Click the link below or give us a call at 1-800-339-8417.
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