International Wildlife Adventures Travel Journal

No need to whine about modern long-distance air travel. If you’ve done it recently, you know the routine. Survival is the key.

Fifteen hours of flying put us in Buenos Aires Argentina around 9 AM local time. We met up with several of our fellow shipmates and headed off for a short tour of the city and lunch at a local restaurant.

IWA’s Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica voyage includes a couple of days in Buenos Aires, one of South America’s gems that is more European in flavor than almost anything else. It was established in the early 1500s and reflects that old world heritage.

Buenos Aires is the birthplace of the tango and the city doesn’t let you overlook that. Tango shows are everywhere, including at outdoor cafes (above) in the old La boca neighborhood, established by Italian immigrants years ago.

Most Antarctic trips these days begin in the far southern city of Ushuaia at the tip of South America in the archipelago called Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire), so-named by Magellan for the fires along the shore lit by the indigenous people. After another flight of several hours, we arrived in this growing little outpost of 2500 inhabitants.

The Clelia II was docked at the city pier along with her sister ship, the Corinthian II, which was also loading for her voyage down the Antarctic Peninsula. Around 8:30 PM we cast off and headed east through the Beagle Channel, a fiery sunset bathing the rugged peaks above Ushuaia. A fierce west wind had picked up, a reminder of the harsh weather in this remote outpost.

Next: Falkland Islands…