On February 14, 2016, I arrived at King George Island in Antarctica. I traveled from Punta Arenas aboard the Chilean Navy cargo ship "Achilles" (pictured), a journey that took 6 nights and 7 days (150 hours! It was really long!). This ship plays a vital role in transporting supplies to various bases on the Antarctic continent.

On the second day of the voyage, the ship entered the Beagle Channel from the Strait of Magellan. Although it rocked violently at times, we were able to admire the magnificent scenery that unfolded around us. On this day, all passengers were summoned and the captain gave us an explanation of the ship's operation and safety precautions on board. Afterwards, a welcome reception was held, which included dinner, and we were able to interact with other Antarctic travelers.

On the third day of our voyage, the ship entered the Drake Passage, finally heading towards Antarctica. This area is known as the "Roaring Forty Parallel," a stormy sea dominated by typhoon-like low pressure systems all year round. The ship continued to rock violently up and down and from side to side, and all we could do was endure it.

At 2 AM on the fourth day of our voyage, an emergency summons was issued. We jumped out of bed and gathered in the salon, where the crew were talking loudly. Apparently, there was smoke coming from the engine room. Fortunately, it didn't lead to any major trouble, but it was a tense incident.

On the fifth day of the voyage, the ship approached the South Shetland Islands at the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, stopping at various bases to unload supplies. Numerous ice floes could be seen all around, and we were also able to spot Adélie penguins swimming.

And finally, after a seven-day sea voyage, we arrived at our destination, King George Island. We plan to stay at the Escudero INACH (Chilean Antarctic Research Institute) base on the island and collect marine life.

I'll tell you about my experience on King George Island next time.

・ Antarctic Report 2016 [1] Pre-Departure Information
・ Antarctic Report 2016 [2] Punta Arenas (the transit point)
Antarctic Report 2016 [3] Arrival in Antarctica! From Punta Arenas to King George Island on a Navy cargo ship
・ Antarctic Report 2016 [4] Biological Survey and Collection
・ Antarctic Report 2016 [5] Transporting Living Organisms
・ Antarctic Report 2016 [6] (Final Part) And on to the Exhibition

[Tokyo Sea Life Park]

(February 19, 2016)