Neko Harbor

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Neko Harbor
MickTravels World Travel Guide

Neko Harbor was the first landing that actually happened on the continent proper. Up until now all of our landings had been on islands just off the peninsula. There was a gentoo colony here as well as an abandoned Argentinine refuge station that had a triple bunk bed and some very old food stored. We took a walk down the shore towards a glacier and sat and enjoyed the peaceful air occasionally broken by a small calving.

Frequently Asked Questions
How large is the continent?
How cold was it?
Why did you go? Did you go for business or pleasure?
How did you find out about this trip?
How long were you there -- what was your itinerary?
Where did you stay? Did you ever leave the ship?
What is a Zodiac?
What kind of ship was it?
What were the ship's accomodations like?
How many and what kind of people were on the ship?
What did it cost?
What kind of clothes did you bring?
Would you go again?
I have a question that you didn't answer...

How large is the continent?
In its summer months (December - February) Antarctica is approximately the size of the United States and Mexico. In its winter months (June - August) freezing seawater (sea ice) doubles the area of the continent. We visited the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, which is a little like going to the Florida Keys and saying you went to North America.
How cold was it?
They told us to expect temperatures between 5°F and 45°F. It never got below 32°F. There were plenty of times we were on deck without heavy jackets. We had an outdoor barbecue one evening. I think we were pretty lucky with the weather.

Of course, that was their summer weather. I'm sure the winter weather is absolutely atrocious.
Why did you go? Did you go for business or pleasure?
I went because the opportunity came up. The original plan was to see South America. Here's the story...

My friend, Tom, has been everywhere. 2 years ago I finally got a chance to accompany him on one of his legendary trips. That time it was Africa. We both had a great time and we traveled well together, so when his next big trip came up he called me. South America in January 1999. Cool, where should we go? Machu Pichu, Amazon, Galapagos...! How about Antarctica?

I thought Antarctica would be way too far away. I only had 3 weeks of vacation and I didn't want to spend 1 week getting there and another week getting back. But the exotic suggestion lingered and ate away at me until I actually investigated what it would take to pull such a trip off. It wasn't that bad. Before you know it, I had reservations for Tom, Lada (his girlfriend), and me on The Professor Multinovskiy. We totally blew off the original South American destinations, and I'm glad we did.

It killed me that people would ask if I were going there for business or pleasure. I surmised that they couldn't fathom why anyone would go to such a cold, desolate place for pleasure that it had to be for business. But what kind of business could I have had? That's why they asked.
How did you find out about this trip?
During my research I visited my local REI to look at clothes. They had a small book section which had a Lonely Planet guide to Antarctica. I spent about an hour reading sections of it in the store. It mentioned a number of tour companies and the IAATO tourism site. I cross-referenced a few of the tour companies that I could afford (some of them were 5x the cost!) in the book with the IAATO website and contacted 3 tour companies. The one we settled on was Quark Expeditions, and they did an outstanding job.
How long were you there -- what was your itinerary?
I was gone from home for 3 weeks. The rough itinerary looked like this:

1 day Travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina
2 days Buenos Aires, Argentina
2 days Ushuaia, Argentina
2 days On board crossing the Drake Passage
6 days Touring the Antarctic Peninsula
2 days Returning on the Drake Passage
3 days Falkland Islands
2 days Patagonia, Chile
1 day Travel back home

So only 6 days on the ship seeing any real Antarctic sights.
Where did you stay? Did you ever leave the ship?
We stayed on board the ship the whole time except for our Zodiac landings and tours which ran about twice a day.
What is a Zodiac?
A Zodiac is a type of inflatable raft. It has multiple air compartments so if one of them is damaged it will still stay afloat. It was patented by Jaques Custeau, but the Australians on our trip claim it was invented by an Australian and Jaques stole the idea. The Zodiac has an outboard motor and a floor made of steel. When you ride in one, you sit on the inflated pontoon edge.
What kind of ship was it?
The Professor Multinovskiy was a converted ice-strengthened Russian research vessel. Before the breakup of the Soviet Union it was used for polar science. After the breakup the funding went away so a lot of the research ships were converted to cruise ships. They are now leased by companies to take tourists to all sorts of crazy destinations.

The ship was 70 tons and had about 6 levels. It had a lecture room, a dining room, an infirmary, a bar/lounge, and a bridge where we were welcome at almost any time. This was pretty cool to stand next to the capitan and navigators and watch them control the ship. Best view on the ship.
What were the ship's accomodations like?
Very nice. Our room was billed as a triple, but we had a pair of bunk beds. The room had its own sink, desk, and very small couch. We shared toilets and showers with people on the same floor.

The dining room was split into 2 halves by the kitchen. We could sit wherever and with whomever we wanted to. We had to choose our lunch and dinner by marking a tally sheet every morning. There was no dress code at any meal. The food was very good, but the portions were always just not quite enough food.

How many and what kind of people were on the ship?
The ship could accomodate 49 passengers, and I think we were just shy of that maximum. I know of at least 3 people who booked their cruise on the day we set sail. Many passengers were from Australia, some from Britain, a few from America. One couple was from Israel. Everyone was super-friendly and I would guess that the average age was 50.

Everyone who had something to do with making the ship move was Russian -- about 25 of them. Only the captain could speak any real English, and he had only been studying the language for a couple of months.

The expedition crew consisted of a leader, Susan, from Washington, a whale biologist, Ingrid, from New Zealand, and an ice physicist (!!), Christoph, from Germany. 2 chefs were from New Zealand. The kitchen help and maids were Russian. The hospitality director (she spoke good Russian) and bartender were from Sweden.
What did it cost?
The cruise itself cost $3500/person triple occupancy. The entire trip cost about $6000 including all the gear I had to purchase, airfare, food, accomodations, souveneirs, etc. See my preparation page to learn more.
What kind of clothes did you bring?
See my preparation page.
Would you go again?
Absolutely!!! I can't wait to go back for a longer period of time. I'm shooting for the 2000-2001 season.