Falkland Islands, South Georgia & Antarctica

　I will be joining following trip in November "Falkland Islands, South Georgia & Antarctica on One Ocean Navigator (Akademik Ioffe) Departing Ushuaia 18th November 2013"

I would be very grateful to hear from anyone who has done this trip or is booked to do the trip on this date. Useful information would be;

1. Do I need walking boots as well as rubber boots provided by one ocean?

2. What is the waterproof gear like that they provide, am I better taking my own gear?

3. What are the download facilities like for digital images should I take my own laptop?

4. I have very good binoculars that I will be taking for bird watching should I also take my telescope?

5. I am in a twin shared cabin any tips?

Any other relevant information would be great.

Regards Michael

Can't answer your specific questions as we did this itinerary on the Prof Molchanov with Quark in 2007. Just wanted to say, you're in for such a treat. Have a wonderful time.

I've done the same trip with Hurtigruten so I can't answer most of your particular questions about One Ocean Navigator.

However, as far as footwear is concerned, we wore the boots we hired from Hurtigruten on all of the landings except a couple in the Falklands where it was a 'dry' landing and we had a fairly long walk on the island. I wore trainers on those and they were fine.

As for taking a laptop, the answer is yes. You really should backup your camera each day to mitigate any issues like losing the camera or the cards. And ignore the usual recommendations to take twice the memory you expect to use. You need to take at least three times!

I can see little point in taking a telescope as well as binoculars. The binoculars will give you the views you want and the telescope will simply take up valuable baggage allowance.

A word of caution: do bear in mind that if you go climbing around on landings and you damage yourself your trip may well be over. If the ship can't deal with any injuries you might sustain then it will have to take you to an airstrip for evacuation. As well as curtailing your trip it also means that your fellow passengers will miss at least a couple of landings.

That said, you're in for a simply amazing trip.

Thanks h2so4 & digitl for your replys it is always good to here others specific experiences.

Thanks once again Michael

Can't answer your specific questions as we did this itinerary on the Prof Molchanov with Quark in 2007. Just wanted to say, you're in for such a treat. Have a wonderful time.

Hih2so4

Just had a look at you Antarctica pictures they look great, I really enjoyed them. What cameras did you take with you not sure whether to take my full digital SLR plus a couple of lenses or to suffice with a point and shoot. I am a bit concerned about getting things wet as you did?

Regards Michael

No brainer for me,

this is one place i will be taking my full complement of lens and the spare SLR body, plus a spare battery.

I doubt I'll get to go back so I want to get it right,

not to mention that a return trip to recapture the photos will probably cost as much as the camera gear

Hih2so4

Just had a look at you Antarctica pictures they look great, I really enjoyed them. What cameras did you take with you not sure whether to take my full digital SLR plus a couple of lenses or to suffice with a point and shoot. I am a bit concerned about getting things wet as you did?

 

Regards Michael

I had a feeling that a P&S would not work for me on this trip, so I upgraded to SLR equipment soon after I booked this trip (15 months in advance). I had two SLR bodies and lenses that worked with both ... a 17-85, a 100-400. I did have a P&S with me for photos from the zodiac. I missed having an ultra-wide angle lens, but it wasn't critical. Lots and lots of memory cards; and a laptop to download photos to after every landing.

It is a fantastic part of the world. We're planning to do a Ross Sea Expedition in 2015 ... might cause me to splurge on the new Canon 200-400.

Get a waterproof bag (like a kayak dry bag) to transport your equipment on the zodiac. Keep in mind, however, that the rogue wave that hit us was just that ... a rogue. I have since been to the Arctic as well as the Galapagos with no incidents and using the SLR on zodiac cruises. I am going to Greenland and Iceland this year, and my bigger concern in rain on land in Iceland rather than zodiac rides around Greenland. Pick up a couple of rain sleeves to protect your camera/lens in light rain; you will likely not be photographing if it is raining heavy anyway.

Hih2so4

Just had a look at you Antarctica pictures they look great, I really enjoyed them. What cameras did you take with you not sure whether to take my full digital SLR plus a couple of lenses or to suffice with a point and shoot. I am a bit concerned about getting things wet as you did?

 

Regards Michael

Michael -- I hope you don't mind my chiming in here as well, as my partner and I were on an expedition to Antarctica earlier this year. I brought my DSLR (along with a backup body), as well as a small, waterproof point and shoot (Nikon AW100).

I would strongly suggest you bring your DSLR and lenses, you'll be mad at yourself if you don't. (Think about all those wandering albatross and maybe some breaching humpback whales.) When boarding the zodiacs, keep the DSLR in a dry bag at your feet. Keep your point and shoot (preferably a waterproof one) in your pocket. Once the zodiac is underway, you get a feel for when it's okay to take out the DSLR.

Had I not had my DSLR out in the zodiac, I would not have gotten these:

I am slowly working my way through posting a daily journal of our trip, with photos. You can see it here:

http://antarcticjourney.wordpress.com/

(photos by turtles06)

Wow!

...not sure whether to take my full digital SLR plus a couple of lenses or to suffice with a point and shoot. I am a bit concerned about getting things wet...

I got these - http://www.spinningweb.net/antarctica/ - with a Canon 600D plus a Sigma 18-250 and a Sigma 150-500 and would have been very disappointed if I hadn't had the 150-500.

Since that trip I've upgraded to a Canon 5D mark III and a Canon 60D and have replaced the Sigma 150-500 with a Sigma 50-500. I've also added a Sigma 12-24 and all will be travelling to Antarctica and the Galapagos with us next year. The second body adds flexibility but also some insurance in case the other body has issues, something which happened on the previous trip when the 600D failed as we arrived in Buenos Aires at the end of the Antarctic leg of our trip. This was quite disquieting as my wife's 'handbag camera', a small Panasonic had been destroyed when she dropped (threw) it on the Falklands as a large insect landed on her hand and freaked her! We were left with no camera for Iguazu Falls and so had to buy one in Argentina where cameras are extremely expensive.

As for keeping the camera dry, I kept the 600D under my waterproof jacket on the Polarcirkel transfers unless the water was very rough when I kept it in a small camera bag inside a plastic bag inside my jacket. On most of the transfers this wasn't necessary as they were calm and I could use the camera quite freely between ship and shore. It also helps to be last on to the Polarcirkel as then the other seven passengers tend to take any water that is thrown up!

I am going to Greenland and Iceland this year, and my bigger concern in rain on land in Iceland rather than zodiac rides around Greenland.

You are right to be concerned! We were in Iceland earlier this year and the weather changed, and changed, and changed again most days. On more than one day we experienced drizzle, light rain, torrential rain, snow and a bright sun in a clear blue sky all within a few hours of each other.

We're off to circumnavigate Svalbard on Fram in just a couple of week's time and will be interested to see what the weather throws at us there.

You are right to be concerned! We were in Iceland earlier this year and the weather changed, and changed, and changed again most days. On more than one day we experienced drizzle, light rain, torrential rain, snow and a bright sun in a clear blue sky all within a few hours of each other.

 

We're off to circumnavigate Svalbard on Fram in just a couple of week's time and will be interested to see what the weather throws at us there.

Have fun in Svalbard ... we were there last year in July ... one drizzly day (actually just an afternoon), but otherwise dry was our experience.

Have fun in Svalbard ... we were there last year in July ... one drizzly day (actually just an afternoon), but otherwise dry was our experience.

I'm sure we will enjoy it. I'm interested to know of any significant differences (other than the obvious, like the lack of penguins!) between this trip and Antarctica so I've started a thread at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=39411282#post39411282 to avoid hijacking this one any further. Any input would be welcome!

can be found at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1083945

Thanks for info & amazing photos Turtles06 & Digitl ...we are planning a trip to Antarctica via Falklands & South Georgia December 2014 / January 2015 & these posts make me want to go NOW!!! Have just started researching & planning so all info is invaluable.

Have a great trip Gardener & please post a review when you return

Cheers,

G&G :):cool:

Thanks for info & amazing photos Turtles06 & Digitl ...we are planning a trip to Antarctica via Falklands & South Georgia December 2014 / January 2015 & these posts make me want to go NOW!!! Have just started researching & planning so all info is invaluable.

 

Have a great trip Gardener & please post a review when you return

 

Cheers,

G&G :):cool:

Hi G&G

This time next week I will be boarding the ship for my great adventure all very exciting after the long long wait.

We have been having lots of discussions about all things Antarctic on trip Advisor it really is a great little community if you click on the link below it will take you to the forum page with the endless list of topics I really feel like my trip started months ago they are a great bunch of folk do have a look. http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowForum-g1-i12337-Antarctic_Adventures.html

I am following in the footsteps of my lifetime hero Sir Ernest Shackleton and the ship I am going on next week the Akademik Ioffe two years ago took Frank Wilds ashes down to be buried next to his boss Sir ES on South Georgia so quite a sentimental Journey. I booked through an Australian company called Chimu Travel they seem quite good so far.

I will let you know how it all works out in four weeks time!!

regards Gardener

No brainer for me,

 

this is one place i will be taking my full complement of lens and the spare SLR body, plus a spare battery.

 

I doubt I'll get to go back so I want to get it right,

 

not to mention that a return trip to recapture the photos will probably cost as much as the camera gear

You should also buy or rent enough backup equipment just in case something breaks. Even if you have to spend $1000 to rent the backup stuff, what is your trip costing you?

DON

Thanks Don,

with about 6 lenses of my own there is enough overlap to cover one going bust.

There are 4 batteries,

We'll also have a Lumix plus a waterproof Canon, I think we are well covered :)

We had a Canon DSLR and a Panasonic compact with us.

The Panasonic hit the rocks and smashed on West Falkland when a large insect landed on my wife's hand. Freaked by the sudden and unexpected arrival, the consequent exaggerated and speedy movement of the hand launched the camera high into the air...

The DSLR started to fail soon after we arrived in Buenos Aires and went dead at Iguazu Falls leaving us with no camera. We got a replacement compact at the duty free complex close to Iguazu but even duty free is expensive in Argentina...

when a large insect landed on my wife's hand.........

I didn't think we had large insects in the Falklands! Did you get a photo of it?

No, one camera was airborne and mine was watching some rockhoppers...

i got nice visual of that in my mind (note to self tighten wrist strap)

But surely 4 cameras plus 3 phones (yeah I know) should keep us covered.

I do have a Nikon DSLR I can take but only 2 lenses... I'm not sure the hassle of carrying is worth it

i got nice visual of that in my mind (note to self tighten wrist strap)

No visual for me at the time: just the soundtrack!

But surely 4 cameras plus 3 phones (yeah I know) should keep us covered.

I would hope so! But...

I do have a Nikon DSLR I can take but only 2 lenses... I'm not sure the hassle of carrying is worth it

We're back in Antarctica in two months time and immediately go on to the Galapagos.

Based on our experience on the previous Antarctic trip, I'm taking my Canon 5D Mark 3 and Canon 70D, along with a Sigma 50-500, Sigma 10-20 and Canon 24-105. My wife will have her Canon 60D with a Sigma 18-250 and her (replacement) Panasonic TZ40 (her 'handbag camera'). Does that help with the 'is the hassle worth it' question?

We're back in Antarctica in two months time and immediately go on to the Galapagos.

Based on our experience on the previous Antarctic trip, I'm taking my Canon 5D Mark 3 and Canon 70D, along with a Sigma 50-500, Sigma 10-20 and Canon 24-105. My wife will have her Canon 60D with a Sigma 18-250 and her (replacement) Panasonic TZ40 (her 'handbag camera'). Does that help with the 'is the hassle worth it' question?

Seems there are lots of camera buffs on this thread so any recommendations for a good 'point & shoot'? mostly after very high definition video as husband has Canon 5D SLR for photos

Digitl is your wife happy with Panasonic TZ40? does it have good video??

Cheers,

G&g :):cool:

Digitl is your wife happy with Panasonic TZ40? does it have good video??

Yes, she likes it and finds it quick and easy to use. Neither of us has used it for video. There's bound to be a review or two on the web that will provide and opinion though.