Live from Le Commandant Charcot - The Ross Sea 2022

[jpalbny]

Sitti - That's amazing. Where's the WOW icon?

 

Your trip has been one highlight after another. Thanks for sharing. 

[Sitti]

After we got back from ice, it was already around 10pm or so. I was about to take shower. There was an announcement about sighting of a seal. I was like naaa have seen plenty and then went into a shower room. Captain started mentioning it is a very very rare seal and most naturists on the ship have never seen one until now. Immidiately, I wore only the outer layer and rushed to heli deck. 

 

I didn't quite get what it was called. I'll have to ask someone later. Here it is. Very rare seal. He wasn't very happy seeing large ship coming toward him.

 

 

[Sitti]

After ice landing and rare seal sighting, we continued on our voyage. Last night was some bumpy ride as we were going through thick ice. Occasionally rocked side to side, things on the table in my cabin were flying off to the floor. However, it was kind of fun😎 

 

I once again went to heli deck to film. It was really interesting to see our ship going through ice in the dark. It was really dark, had to bump up ISO to max. Oh and just remembered I've forgotten to color grade the video but I think looks okay as is. 

 

[parischris]

10 hours ago, Sitti said:

After we got back from ice, it was already around 10pm or so. I was about to take shower. There was an announcement about sighting of a seal. I was like naaa have seen plenty and then went into a shower room. Captain started mentioning it is a very very rare seal and most naturists on the ship have never seen one until now. Immidiately, I wore only the outer layer and rushed to heli deck. 

 

I didn't quite get what it was called. I'll have to ask someone later. Here it is. Very rare seal. He wasn't very happy seeing large ship coming toward him.

 

 

Probably a Weddell seal by the look of it. They live under solid ice and breathe through holes in the ice. Rare because of that and it's unusual to see one out in the open on the ice. 

[cboyle]

The naturalists agreed that the markings showed it was a Ross Seal.

[parischris]

even better! 

[Sitti]

Thanks for confirming the name of that seal

 

Tomorrow afternoon we will finally arrive in around Port Charcot for 2-day activities. We lost 1 day because it had taken us much longer than anticipated to go through the ice after we had done the ice landing. I guess it was worth it. You don't often get to stand on floating ice in the middle of ocean. Let's see how tomorrow goes. Hopefully weather and ice condition won't play against us again. 

 

btw, today I've just booked another Antarctica cruise. I book "The Great Austral Loop" on Le Boreal departs Nov 7th (8 months to go). I chose  the same class of cabin as on Charcot, Prestige Suite Deck 6. The Ross Sea was great experience, and fantastic that we got to see many things that you won't on other typical Antarctica cruises. But in terms of activities, it was quite underwhelming. Because having to travel long distance during Feb~March, not only weather was often against us, we didn't have much time to spend at any one location. Once you missed the landing opportunity, you wouldn't have time to try again later, have to move on to next destination. You'll be having many sea days. If you are planning on The Ross Sea next year, don't expect a lot of off-ship activities. I think in fact next year will be worse for activities. Next Ross See voyage, ship won't return to Punta Arenas/Ushuaia, ship will go to Australia so there won't be a second chance for activities on the way back like this time.

 

 If this is your first Antarctica trip, I won't recommend The Ross Sea. If you're looking for lot's of activities and seeing plenty of wild animals up close, go with the one I've just booked today. Everything you're expecting to experience in Antarctica is in Falkland, South Georgia and Peninsula. 

Edited March 8, 2022 by Sitti

[Sitti]

I almost forgot to show this. Sunrise in the Ross Sea

 

[AussieBoyTX]

2 hours ago, Sitti said:

btw, today I've just booked another Antarctica cruise. I book "The Great Austral Loop" on Le Boreal departs Nov 7th (8 months to go). I chose  the same class of cabin as on Charcot, Prestige Suite Deck 6. The Ross Sea was great experience, and fantastic that we got to see many things that you won't on other typical Antarctica cruises. But in terms of activities, it was quite underwhelming. Because having to travel long distance during Feb~March, not only weather was often against us, we didn't have much time to spend at any one location. Once you missed the landing opportunity, you wouldn't have time to try again later, have to move on to next destination. You'll be having many sea days. If you are planning on The Ross Sea next year, don't expect a lot of off-ship activities. I think in fact next year will be worse for activities. Next Ross See voyage, ship won't return to Punta Arenas/Ushuaia, ship will go to Australia so there won't be a second chance for activities on the way back like this time.

I think we’ll be right behind you the following week on Le Lyrial. 

Edited March 8, 2022 by AussieBoyTX

[Sitti]

The Ross Sea, how cold and beautiful it can get. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sitti]

Tour of my cabin. It's a terrible cabin tour video, just doing something during long sea days.

 

 

[Sitti]

We had our first landing today.

 

Video of penguins coming toward me. Filmed with mirrorless + old DSLR lens. I failed to hold my camera steadily and ruined the moment😔

 

Fortunately, I had a backup. Footage from DJI Action strapped to my head.

 

[Sitti]

Last day in Antartica. Polar Hiking in Neko Harbor.

 

Nice gentleman took a picture for me and I closed me eye at the worst timing😔

 

I'll try to upload a video of this hiking soon

[Sitti]

Last landing in Danco Island

 

[Sitti]

Video of Polar Hike. Video quality isn't good as tiny sensor in this little camera is not good in low light. I have this video unlisted on YouTube, edited out clear view of other passengers, and just stitched footages. And sorry for annoying noises I kept making through out video. Had bad runny nose (not covid) and made it difficult to breath through nose out there.

 

 

[Sitti]

Last Gala Night meal. I had mine in my cabin this time

 

 

[Sitti]

I thought I had to return Parka, I wore it for the last time and took a picture. They came to my cabine and collected it. About an hour or so later, a gentleman brought back my parka with a new badge attached. I was really surprised. Maybe it was already stated somewhere in daily program (which I often didn't read it completely🙈). Anyway, I'm very very happy that I can bring back a great symbol of I was on this beautiful ship, had been to Antarctica, and made the world record in the Ross Sea.

Edited March 11, 2022 by Sitti

[Sitti]

Time to pack my junk, and prepare to disembark tomorrow morning.

 

Oh btw, Ponant is giving us free tour of Punta Arenas and a lunch before we get on our chartered flight. There will be buses to take us around and we'll be also visit a museum. Thank You Ponant😆

[highplanesdrifters]

Thanks for all the great videos and info!

[Sitti]

Now I'm currently in the hotel room in Santiago. As of this moment, all itinerary is officially finished.

 

I thought it was going to be a good ending, but at the end, I had a horrible experience with receiving PCR test.

 

Before we disembarked, they offered PCR test on the ship at passengers' cost for those who require it. We had to sign up 2 days before arrival. They brought local PCR test provider on board after the ship is docked. I had done my PCR at around 8am. I was told that result will be emailed by around noon. After we finished Punta Arenas tour and arrived at the airport 1pm, no email. After our plane arrived in Santiago at 5:30pm, got out of airport at 6:00pm, still no email. Now I started to worry as my flight to Thailand is tomorrow. Tomorrow is Sunday. I arrived at my hotel around 6:30pm, still no email. I started calling emergency numbers Ponant had provided, but it was very frustratingly hard to reach anyone who can actually help. One of emergency numbers they provided was a number of lady in Chile who doesn't even officially work for Ponant. Not only she didn't even know her number was an emergency number, she doesn't have an internal number she can directly call anyone at Ponant. Fortunately, I remembered, on the last daily program, they listed a phone number that passengers can directly call Charcot. Maybe there was an issue with satellite phone or something, it kept getting disconnected without ringing. On fifth try, it was finally connected, I was able to talk to a crew on the ship. Eventually nurse emailed me my PCR test result. However it is in Spanish only, no English at all. They certainly didn't mention of this at all prior to signing up. I'm think there won't be an issue checking in with Spanish PCR test in Chile, but not so sure if Thai authorities will have any problem with it. Nothing more I can do now at this point.

 

I'm very unhappy that they totally forgot to email me my result. If I had not called them, I wouldn't have received my test result. What if I had to fly today, I would have missed my flight. And what is the point of having a number of someone who cannot actually do anything to help as an emergency.

 

This really opened my eyes. This is the risk of traveling to/from a country that requires PCR test. It's really not a good feeling having to rely on the others to obtain one piece of paper that can ruin your trip.

[jonikal]

What an unfortunate experience after such a wonderful sailing!  Hopefully you were able to enter Thailand without any problems.

[PACruiser5]

So sorry about that last chapter of your trip. Hope your long trip back went ok. Thank you so much for sharing all the details of your trip and all the wonderful photos and videos. Good feedback on the route. We are scheduled on le Boreal for the Great Austral Loop on Nov 21- will be our 3rd try (we were supposed to be on this year's cancelled Feb 4 sailing). Hope no Covid or other complications get in the way this time! 

 

[Sitti]

I have arrived in Bangkok this afternoon. I'm currently in a quarantine hotel. I just received my negative result of PCR test I had to take after entry into a country. I can check out tomorrow. I'm now a free bird. 

 

A nice lady who inspected my documents allowed me to go through with Spanish PCR test result, however, she warned me next time make sure that all documents are in English or Thai. Fortunately, Spanish language shares many similarities with English. She let me through after she checked my name, date, and recognized the words "PCR", "NEGATIVO". Since I'm a Thai citizen, I wouldn't be denied entry, but if any of required documents were in vastly different language, it would have caused me a huge delay until documents are verified by certain officers who can read that language. They aren't there 24hrs a day. 

 

If you're from non-English speaking countries, please do make sure your documents are in English.

 

 

Edited March 15, 2022 by Sitti

[Sitti]

Now I conclude my trip with pics of my quarantine hotel, St. Regis Bangkok

 

[cboyle]

Dear Sitti, I am so glad to hear that you finally got through all the hassles to be home in Thailand. I was also glad to meet you, even though it was so close to the end of the expedition. I hope you have fewer problems on your future trips!