Waterproof pants/gloves for South Georgia?

[Bill B]

I'll be on the Cloud's 'Cape to Cape', Ushuaia to Cape Town expedition cruise (Falklands, South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha etc.) next March and am wondering if waterproof pants and winter gloves are really necessary. Do you get splashed in the zodiacs quite often? Once ashore, I imagine I'll be taking lots of pictures... and gloves will just be a PITA. However, I don't want to be walking around wet and freezing.

 

For those with experience, what do you recommend?

 

 

Edited October 27, 2018 by Bill B
'Lost' and 'lots' are not the same word.

[TENNtrvlr]

Bill,

YES, both are necessary.  We did this itinerary in 2015 and it was fabulous.  We liked it so much are are doing it again, same cruise as you.  Not only do you often get splashed in the zodiacs you will also likely get rained on while onshore.  We also take lots of pictures and the gloves are really not a problem.  You can even mostly remove them when reaching shore (if it isn’t raining!) as the temperatures are not terribly cold.  The wind does make it seem colder though, especially in the Falklands. 

Were doing a short safari afterwards and with the weight restriction we only pack what’s necessary, but rain pants and waterproof gloves are on top of the list.  Let me know if you have any other questions about the itinerary.

MK

[Bill B]

Okay... thanks for the advice. There's now no question I will purchase and bring both. 

 

Join the 'Roll Call' for our cruise -

 https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2458310-march-7-2019-ushuaia-to-cape-town-21-nights/

 

(there's only two of us so far).

 

[Fletcher]

Yes to both items.   Your cruise is fairly late in the season and it will be cold and probably snowy at times.  There will be wet landings on South Georgia and the Falklands so you definitely need waterproof pants.  It will be a theoretically dry landing on Tristan but could be very splashy.  The harbour has lately been improved so landings there are more reliable than they used to be.  Silver Explorer frequently failed to land people there.

 

As far as gloves are concerned, you should buy two pairs - thin liner gloves as well as thicker, warmer, waterproof gloves.  In Antarctica and South Georgia earlier this year I tended to dispense with the thick gloves so I could use the camera . . . but your hands can get freezing hanging on the ropes in the zodiacs.

 

This should be a wonderful trip - a big bonus will be Gough Island which was on the UK news last week because of a programme to eradicate mice which are decimating the bird populations.  Rats have successfully been eradicated from South Georgia.

[57 varieties]

Snowboarding gloves with wrist straps on elastic are ideal. You can whip them off and leave them dangling while you take the pictures.

JP is spot on with his description of the necessity for boots and waterproof trousers.