Zodiacs

[lobolady]

I really want to do the Lindblad Expedition to Antarctica but wonder about the Zodiacs. I have a bad knee and have trouble hoisting myself up and down. How difficult is it to get in and out of the Zodiacs? I'm "of an age" but in reasonable health except for having a bad knee.

[parischris]

I really want to do the Lindblad Expedition to Antarctica but wonder about the Zodiacs. I have a bad knee and have trouble hoisting myself up and down. How difficult is it to get in and out of the Zodiacs? I'm "of an age" but in reasonable health except for having a bad knee.

 

I have done a lot of zodiac cruising with people of various ages. My last expedition (finished this week) and first with Lindblad, had a passenger list of mostly retired Americans, with various degrees of mobility. With a dodgy knee, you'll be one of the more mobile ones :D. Problems ranged from recent leg surgery, hip replacements and general old age (quite a few were in their very late 70s - early 80s). The crew are fantastic, and you will always have at least 3 crew helping you into the zodiac from the ship, and 2 helping you out. One of the women with a hip replacement basically got back into the zodiac on shore by lying flat and wriggling on.

 

Getting on to the zodiacs from the ship is easy as the entry is a sea level from the mudroom - you step onto a step on the ship, then step across onto the zodiac and sit down. Either the ship crew or the zodiac driver is holding on to you until you are seated on the zodiac. Getting off on the landings shouldnt be a problem as you slide on your backside to the front of the zodiac, and swing your legs up and over the side of the zodiac. It is core strength from the abs and back that controls this rather than leg strength. The only time you need to use your legs to push up is when you arrive back in the zodiac at the ship - ie you need to stand up, and then the zodiac driver wont allow you to try to stand until they have a sailors grip on you and will pull you up if needed.

 

They also have hiking sticks for loan on the ship for use on shore. So don't worry about it, you wont be the most infirm person there by a long shot :D

[lobolady]

Thanks for the info!