« Previous topic | Next topic »  
Reply to topic  
 First unread post  | 6 posts | 
by Vivek on Tue Apr 04, 2017 3:30 pm
Vivek
Lifetime Member
Posts: 786
Joined: 5 Aug 2008
Location: Santa Clara, CA
Member #:01186
Hi folks,

Looks like we are going to Antarctica in 2017! I have started looking at the old posts on the site, but would love to hear from folks who were down there in the recent past. After much consideration, the deposit has been paid so now the focus shifts to logistics and photo questions.

The basic program outline is that we fly to Ushuaia first and spend 1.5 days there before boarding the Akademic Ioffe to Antarctica. After ten day cruise, we return to Ushuaia, drive to Porvernir and then work our way to Torres del Paine and finally back to Buenos Aires over the course of next 7 days.

My main interest photographically are the birds, especially the endemics and rarities I can only see there.

Any pointers and gotchas that you experienced would be great. Anything you did but would've done differently would be lovely along with the reasons for them.

Thanks in advance, I appreciate the help.
-- Vivek Khanzode
http://www.birdpixel.com
 

by E.J. Peiker on Tue Apr 04, 2017 5:46 pm
User avatar
E.J. Peiker
Senior Technical Editor
Posts: 86761
Joined: 16 Aug 2003
Location: Arizona
Member #:00002
When you rent your car, make sure that you get all the paperwork on the car to get you back and forth across the Argentina and Chile border to avoid a nightmare that can take up to two days to resolve.  Read my Adventures in Patagonia article for more info on this and much more on Patagonia:
http://www.ejphoto.com/Quack%20PDF/Quac ... 202015.pdf
 

by Vivek on Thu Apr 06, 2017 8:02 am
Vivek
Lifetime Member
Posts: 786
Joined: 5 Aug 2008
Location: Santa Clara, CA
Member #:01186
Thanks a lot EJ. I also found your report of the trip and doses of Phenargan which I might also have to resort to on the Drake's passage. I appreciate the tip about driving. Thanks again.
-- Vivek Khanzode
http://www.birdpixel.com
 

by E.J. Peiker on Thu Apr 06, 2017 8:21 am
User avatar
E.J. Peiker
Senior Technical Editor
Posts: 86761
Joined: 16 Aug 2003
Location: Arizona
Member #:00002
Be careful with Phenergan, the vast majority of people that take it can not stay awake - it is after all prescribed to keep you sedated and not nauseous after surgery. I took a full one the night before hitting the Drake and then only took a half of one per day and was able to stay up and not get sea sick the entire trip when essentially everyone else was sick. If you take a whole one every day, you might miss much of the trip. Also take ginger snaps and nibble on them throughout the days.
 

by Vivek on Thu Apr 06, 2017 11:48 am
Vivek
Lifetime Member
Posts: 786
Joined: 5 Aug 2008
Location: Santa Clara, CA
Member #:01186
Thanks for the tips EJ. Will do. I also have to use the scopolamine "patch" since I don't like the dramamine. I hope to survive the four days on the passage on these meds...
-- Vivek Khanzode
http://www.birdpixel.com
 

by E.J. Peiker on Thu Apr 06, 2017 12:01 pm
User avatar
E.J. Peiker
Senior Technical Editor
Posts: 86761
Joined: 16 Aug 2003
Location: Arizona
Member #:00002
Scopolamine dehydrates so bad that most people do not feel really good if worn for more than a day. But of course, your mileage may vary :)
 

Display posts from previous:  Sort by:  
6 posts | 
  

Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group