The Antarctica journals
Virginia Tech students share their experiences visiting the coldest and most remote continent on Earth.
In January, a group of Virginia Tech students and faculty traveled to Antarctica as part of the Hokies Abroad Antarctica: Humans and the Environment course.
Led by College of Natural Resources and Environment Professor Lynn Resler of the Department of Geography, the course gave students the opportunity to visit the continent while learning about the history of exploration to Antarctica, current conservation efforts to protect the terrestrial and marine ecosystems, and the geographic and interdisciplinary dimensions of the polar region.
From Shackleton and Amundsen to Scott and Cherry-Garrard, explorers have kept journals documenting their experiences and impressions of the southernmost continent. Now three Virginia Tech students – seniors Allison Walsh and Jolee Bisson and junior Meg Teasdale – add their story, sharing personal sense-of-place accounts and insights about their time at the bottom of the world.
Traveling and staying on the ship Ocean Victory, the expedition followed a route around the Antarctica Peninsula, allowing students to participate in expeditions to the continent and surrounding islands while also conducting observational research on subjects ranging from seabird populations, iceberg censuses, and an analysis of ecotourism in the region. The trip was the winter field component of a fall semester course during which students attended weekly lectures and completed assignments to prepare both academically and logistically for the trip.
Jan. 3: Ushuaia, Argentina
Walsh: Since it was my first time out of the United States, I had a little bit of a culture shock arriving in South America. It was interesting being in Ushuaia, a place where English was not the primary language. Going to restaurants and trying to understand the menu was challenging.
Teasdale: Before going on this trip, I just saw Ushuaia as the place that we would stop before going to Antarctica, but I think it became so much more to all of us on the trip. It was such a beautiful city, and it was the place where the whole group connected for the first time, which really shaped our dynamic on the ship.
Jan. 4-5: Drake Passage, Southern Ocean
Teasdale: There was absolutely nothing around us but the sea when we would go out on the deck, and it was so eerie and bewildering to see. It also put me into a sense of awe of what the earth creates: It is just so naturally beautiful and unique. The waves were calm, yet still strong enough to knock us around a bit.
Walsh: One night, I was woken up by my roommate, and she told me I had to rush up because there were 15 whales outside of our boat. When someone tells you that, you put on your coat and sprint up the five flights of stairs to the observation deck. Sure enough, that is exactly what I did. The sun never fully sets in the summer in Antarctica, so for a few hours every night, it looks permanently like the “golden hour” when the sun shines through the clouds just right.
Jan. 6: Half Moon Island, McFarlane Strait
Walsh: On Jan. 6, the expedition leader announced that we saw land for the first time. We didn’t have to go very far [on Zodiac boats] to reach the land, and when we got there, we were greeted by chinstrap penguins! Right on shore, there was a small shipwreck that looked really old, and the penguins were hanging out by it. The land that we were allowed on was ice free and was very wet and filled with small pebbles covered in bird poop. Seeing how big this place was and knowing how only 2 percent of Antarctica is ice free really put in perspective how large the continent actually is.
Students like Shanthi Krishnaswamy (third from left, smiling) traveled via zodiac inflatable boats to go from the ship to land. Photo courtesy of Lynn Resler.
Jan. 7: Portal Point (first continental landing), Enterprise Island, Foyn Harbor
Walsh: Portal Point made it feel like we were actually in Antarctica. I saw a chinstrap penguin head over to our trail, closer to the zodiacs. Naturally, I followed. He was so cute jumping around the little rocks and snow. I was able to watch this little guy until he got enough courage to jump in the water. It took him a while to do that, but once he did, he was gone. I had no idea where he went, and it was so surprising because the water was so clear and shallow, but I could not find him anywhere.
Jan. 8: Neko Harbor, Lemaire Channel, Plénau Island
Bisson: Suddenly, I heard a crashing and crunching coming from a glacier across the water. A light aqua chunk of the glacier fell into the water to reveal a royal blue inside. We all stood in awe and bewilderment. In a domino effect, an even bigger piece of the glacier smashed into the water. It was beautiful and scary at the same time.
Walsh: At one of the landings, we had a close encounter with a singing Weddell seal. All of the guides were saying how this was really rare, and they normally don’t sing like this outside of the water. One guide also said that they make sounds that we can’t hear and that the one that was making all of those noises was probably making sounds that we couldn’t hear too. It sounded like a bird chirping.
Bisson: After we left the harbor, we were coasting around on the water when I noticed movement over my shoulder. I turned to see an iceberg beginning to roll. The iceberg slowly turned to expose the turquoise blue of its underside. As the iceberg finished its roll, I was hit with this powerful sense of love for Antarctica that I had not felt yet. Yes, admiration and awe were common at that point, but not love. I felt love for the continent as if it were my younger sibling: someone who needed protection and someone to stand up for them. It caught me off guard. I had never felt that way about a place before.
Jan. 9: Cuverville Island, Leith Cove, Paradise Bay
Walsh: Imagine being surrounded by icebergs, glaciers, penguins swimming in the water to feed, Antarctic birds in the distance, and, in front of you, a humpback whale family carrying on with its normal life. I can’t put in words how it made me feel. It brought tears to my eyes and still does anytime I think of it. I felt so special to be able to be this intimate with a family of whales in their environment. It felt like we were the only ones in the whole world that were there.
Teasdale: Our group also had a discussion about how we feel about this place so far, and many people brought up how they feel so protective over the environment and wildlife in Antarctica. One of our group leaders made a point that really hit me: He said that we need to view where we are from with the same awe and protectiveness we feel here. That really stuck with me because I did realize that I have never thought of my hometown with as much awe as I did here and now.
Walsh: This was when my perspective really changed. I went from feeling the need to write every detail down to just soaking everything in. A sense of peace and wonder filled my body for the rest of the trip. I didn’t want to write anymore: in fact, I had to force myself to keep up with my writings. I knew that nothing would ever be able to describe the experiences I was fortunate enough to encounter on this trip. It was like a switch flipped.
Icebergs like this one are a beautiful – and dangerous – part of navigating the waters surrounding Antarctica. Photo courtesy of Lynn Resler.
Jan. 10-12: Returning, The Drake Shakes, Reflecting
Teasdale: As we were leaving, the ship encountered a huge orca pod. Everywhere you looked, there were orcas, adults and babies. This moment made me feel a lot of things, but, mostly, I felt admiration, awe, and affection. There was so much admiration for how beautiful and naturally curious those creatures were, so much awe for how such a normal activity for them was an amazing and unique spectacle for us, and, finally, so much affection for the wildlife that was so unbothered and carefree with the ships being there.
Walsh: Antarctica is a place that is like nowhere else on Earth. It is irreplaceable and the wildlife is irreplaceable. Coming here and seeing it all – the amazing wildlife, glaciers calving, and the big, beautiful landscapes – is something that everyone should be able to experience, but, at the same time, no one should be able to. This place is so special.
Teasdale: We experienced the “Drake Shake” on the way back, with waves over 20 feet. I held so much respect and admiration for the ocean. It was so beautiful, yet you still had to acknowledge how powerful and dangerous it can be. The passage back really reminded me of how out of touch I am when I am at home and allowed me to grow my global awareness, because there really is this whole world out there that we don’t always acknowledge.
Bisson: One of the main takeaways I took from this trip was something an expedition guide said on a Zodiac cruise: “Never forget the power of now.” Take time to sit in silence, just feeling where you are at that exact time in space, and just feeling what is below you and around you. This means that not everything you see in front of you needs to be captured with technology or verbal acknowledgment. It can just be witnessed and experienced to its fullest in that moment.
Teasdale: When we returned [to Ushuaia], it was so cool to see how close we had become from that first day, and I am so glad we had this place to come home to. We got to personally discover the culture and life this place has and were able to make our own stories in it.
Walsh: Overall, the experiences I had in these two new continents really pushed me to enjoy every minute and take advantage of all of the opportunities that were presented to me. I want to continue to push myself out of my comfort zone and take in all of the beauty the world has to offer.
Bisson is a dual major, studying environmental conservation and society in the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation and political science in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. Teasdale is majoring in wildlife conservation in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation. Walsh is majoring in animal and poultry science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
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