Antarctica holiday adventure thrills M15 residents

Kay and John Mount of Mutual 15 celebrated a white Christmas aboard the Viking Polaris expedition ship on the seas around Antarctica. The 16-day trip required seven days traveling to and from the southernmost town in the world, Ushuaia, Argentina, to reach the forgotten continent. The Mounts enjoyed seven excursions from the ship onboard a Zodiac, a common landing craft used by military and expeditions, to reach land where countless penguins nested and rear their young during the Southern Hemisphere summer months. The various stops included the chance to see three penguin species: Gentoo (the most common penguin in Antarctica), Chin Strap and Adelie.

Also seen on the excursions were historical sites and beautiful icebergs, some as large as the eight-deck ship. Three hundred and eight passengers made the sailing with a crew of approximately 125, headed up by a half dozen Ph.D. scientists. There were data collection research projects conducted throughout the voyage, with passengers snapping photos of clouds, wildlife, and icebergs. The science staff downloaded the photos and sent them to a variety of university and private institutions from Australia to England, to assist their research staffs studying the Antarctic region.

The trip thrilled the Mounts from start to finish and exceeded their high expectations at every turn.