El Fin del Mundo…

A few useful/fun stocking stuffers for the trip! I’m definitely going to have fun with this “Useless Information” book…

Today, it’s the end of the world. No, no, not the supposed Mayan apocalypse. I’m talking about my father-daughter adventure…to Antarctica! Ironically, my dad and I will be headed south to the end of the world ON the “end of the world”, December 21, 2012. No, we did not plan this, but it is quite fitting, don’t you think?– Especially when the port-city we are flying to (Ushuaia, Argentina) is nicknamed “Fin del Mundo”!
Unlike most of my other trips, I started packing for this trip well in advance. The usual “sketch a plan in my head and then throw things in a suitcase the day before and hope it works out” just wasn’t going to cut it for this adventure. I still managed to be second-guessing myself and re-thinking things til the last minute though. I guess that’s just my nature. I’ve been reading different blogs and travel companies’ advice on things to bring, and frequenting my local REI almost weekly for the past few months. Even though it is summer in the southern hemisphere right now, it is cold—colder than it is here in NC right now at least. My weather apps have been showing Ushuaia as being 40-50 degrees and rainy , and I checked Palmer Station’s weather today, and it looks to be 33 and sunny with winds around 13mph. Understanding what I will need to wear has been difficult for me seeing as I am from the American South — cold weather clothes aren’t exactly a staple in my closet. Yes, it gets cold down here, but I’m not hanging out outside for hours on end in freezing temperatures. I mean, the last time I even went skiing was when I was 7. I was hoping the winter weather in NC would be a good test environment for hiking in the cold and help me get a feel for what clothing I should bring for Ushuaia & Antarctica’s blustery summers. Unfortunately, Mother Nature decided to bless Raleigh with a warm December this year (last weekend’s high was 73!) –Now that’s something to think about: 70-degree winter in NC, 40-degree summer in Ushuaia. Maybe the Mayan’s were on to something…
Regardless, I have finished packing! Once I return from the trip, I will post a list of items I packed and include notes on what worked well and what I could’ve done differently. If anyone plans on taking a December expedition down to Antarctica, I sincerely hope my list will answer questions and help ease your packing woes. I know it would’ve greatly helped in my planning!
Preparation for this trip was not limited to what clothes to wear in cold weather. My dad and I have to prepare for all conditions and excursions.
1. We hope to hike Tierra del Fuego National Park.
My 2-year-old worn tennis shoes from college, probably wouldn’t be the best idea for a hiking trip in an Argentinian National Park. I decided getting a good pair of hiking boots would be a great investment. I have been wanting to go hiking in the Appalachians for years, so hopefully these boots will get some good wear out of them soon. I bought a pair of Vasque boots from REI, with the help of Alexa (aka REI employee of the year—at least in my book). She was great! As an avid backpacker and guide, Alexa gave me some great advice, and I ended up with what now is probably my favorite pair of shoes in my closet.
Ushuaia seems to be dreary like Seattle, so I am not sure about random rain showers. I bought a good pair of water/wind resistant hiking pants and an amazing REI jacket…also with the help of Alexa. Hopefully it won’t rain, but I will be prepared if it does.
2. We will be on a ship.
Again, water/wind resistant clothing is key here. Since we will be on a boat, I’m sure there will be some ocean spray and windy conditions. The fabulous REI jacket I got will hopefully do the trick, but if not, we get a parka once we board the ship so that should do fine.
My mom bought my dad a water/shock proof camera, so this will also be good wet conditions. I’ll still use my good old Sony Cypershot HX200V, but I will probably have to use my eye glasses cleaner to keep the lens clear after trips on deck. I’m no expert on boats, but I’m pretty sure the ocean air will get residue on my lens.
Most importantly—I got a prescription for scopolamine (the seasick patch). The Drake Passage is known to be on of the roughest seas in the world! I really hope I don’t get sick, but if you look at my past experiences in a boat at sea I’m not too optimistic.
3. We will be kayaking.
Both Dad and I have been kayaking and canoeing before, but only on lakes and big rivers. Our travel prep papers advised us to know how to do a wet-exit before we sea-kayak in the Antarctic waters. Never having done a wet-exit before, Dad and I went to one of the city pools where they have open kayaking sessions and asked fellow kayakers about wet exits and the type of information we should know for sea kayaking. This was WAY cheaper than taking kayaking classes, and it was easy for us to fit into Dad’s business trip schedule. Everyone in the kayak club was helpful and willing to teach us all the essentials. We mastered the wet exit and got comfortable doing a t-rescue. Hopefully we won’t need to utilize these skills in Antarctica seeing as its water temperatures are ungodly, but we are prepared for the worst now at least.
Dad’s new waterproof camera should be perfect for kayaking. We can document our adventure, without having to worry about keeping the camera dry. Let’s just hope we don’t drop it in the ocean!
4. We will be camping overnight on the continent itself!
Now this is a doozy! Dad and I will be camping one night on the ice! From what I understand we just sleep in polar sleeping bags, not even in tents. I actually prefer it this way; we will get an unobstructed view of the Antarctica sky. I am probably most excited for this part of the trip! One draw-back…my feet get cold really easily. Awesome Alexa recommended down booties that act like sleeping bags for your feet, so my mom bought my dad and me each a pair for Christmas, along with hand/foot warmers. Hopefully they work! We don’t want our toes to get frostbite in those freezing temperatures!

Speaking of Christmas, since Dad and I will be separated from our family for the first time this year, we did an early Christmas celebration last night. My grandmother came for a Christmas/New Years dinner, complete with ham, collards, sweet potato casserole, Christmas cookies, and of course those corny Christmas poppers! My mom got my dad and me some great stocking stuffers for the trip: penguin socks, peppermint gum & ginger strips (both supposedly good for sea-sickness), a UNC bag-tag (gotta rep my alma mater!), and footwarmers to name a few.
I can’t wait to start this adventure! I’ll try and update this blog often, but I’m not sure how easy it is to get internet out in the middle of the Southern Ocean…we’ll see!!

Happy End of the World day!