"Rather you than me!"

Such was the typical reaction from most when told I was going to Antarctica. A totally inconceivable response to me - when a friend told me they were going, I couldn't speak for a few minutes, so steeped in envy was I!

However, I received a fateful email from Quark Expeditions in September 2001, and after a few more emails and a phone call, I realised I was about to achieve what had seemed like the impossible dream! Years of circling government antarctic divisions and pondering doing an advanced degree at university was going to be pushed aside as I realised my dream of going to Antarctica in what would have to be the way with the most fun! I have always loved the cold, bleak, and snowy parts of the world, and despite my numerous investigations into getting to Antarctica, this was the first time it looked like I was really going!

I let out a long sigh of relief after arriving in Ushuaia and was met at the gangway of the icebreaker, Kapitan Dranitsynby by Brad, a Quark Expeditions naturalist. I really was going to Antarctica!! Even the news that the initial fantastic 21-day voyage had been cancelled and was now being split into two smaller charters didn't phase me - because this was the first time I was going to Antarctica and anything was going to be better than my wildest dreams!

Sure enough, over the next 6 weeks, I crossed the Drake Passage 7 times (the detour to the Falkland Islands on the last trip bypassed the Drake Passage) to Antarctica. Each trip was fantastic, each trip was unique, each trip held a unique blend of people. I thoroughly enjoyed every cruise and loved meeting all the different people. I was even more fortunate to be invited back in 2003 - a banner year for stunning weather and gorgeous photography - so be sure to look out for "more photographs" links at the bottom of pages...

My duties entailed delivering several lectures concerning geological topics. This amounted to a general '101' introductory lecture to basic geology (rocks) and the volcanic evolution of the Antarctic Peninsula, a lecture on the snow, glaciers and sea ice of Antarctica and a talk on global warming (a geologic perspective). I was also required to help keep an eye on passengers on shore, and basically assist the passengers, answer their questions and make their trip as pleasant as possible. It wasn't hard - particularly on the scheduled cruises - the passengers wanted to be there, wanted to drink in and absorb as much as possible as me!