helpful hints for your expedition
The following is not meant to be a one-size fits all list. You may learn that you will need different items depending upon what your specific expedition. I am going to list what was helpful to us why it was helpful. As in most things, first and foremost do your own research. Follow the guidelines and requirements of your specific expedition team leaders in all cases. They are trained to keep you as safe and comfortable as possible while you experience the White Continent.
-Find out if your Expedition outfit will include any equipment. Work around their list. Seabourne used shiptoshoretraveler.com and they were great. They are Very responsive if you have questions and super helpful in assisting you to find your proper size. The thing to know is when they tell you to dress in warm layers they mean it. The weather can turn nasty faster than you can possibly imagine and you don't want to be caught unprepared.
Here's what we took:
-Long underwear, tops and bottoms - We took Smartwool because we love the brand. It washes and wears great and is low maintenance. Available at REI, Dick's Sporting Goods or wherever hiking/camping equipment is sold.
-Hat/Beanie - You may even want to consider a fleece liner - I took one for under my beanie and since we had magnificent weather I didn't end up using it. It was lightweight, so it was no big deal. If you rely 100% on your parka hood, you will impair your peripheral vision. The parka hood would be great in a downpour but not for keeping warm.
-Waterproof pants - This is important because if you are in a zodiac and there are sea swells coming over the sides of the boat you will be miserable if you get wet. And wet and cold is not a good combination. Wear the pants over your waterproof boots so water doesn't splash on your pants and into your boots. Nobody likes soggy socks!
-Parka or Waterproof Jacket - We ordered our parkas from www.shiptoshoretraveler.com and loved them because they came fleece lined and with a separate detachable thermal liner. You will use both of these items a lot not only for the expeditions but also if you are the type to stand on deck whale watching or most other times you will be outside for any reason. The parka has a lot of pockets that you can use for hand warmers (a lovely invention) that I highly recommend. Purchase them online at www.rei.com or in your local sporting goods store. You can purchase 10 pairs for about $7.00 and if you don't use all of them on your trip, your expedition leaders will love it if you gift them at the end of your trip.
-Scarf/Neck warmer - If you can find a fleece gaiter or at least something soft that would keep your neck warm and also cover your nose that would be best. Fleece is great because it's lightweight and is soft against your skin. The air in the Antarctic is really dry and your skin gets really dry...super fast! If you have something scratching your skin it will make you unhappy and the penguins don't like it when you are unhappy.
-Gloves - Start with glove liners. (Smartwool or Outdoor Research) You will be happy you did. Also we liked Outdoor Research for the waterproof layer. If you take photos, you may want to consider the style you choose because you don't want to have to remove your gloves every time you take a photo, but you DO want to stay warm! There are gloves available that are designed so you can take photos. Ask your local salesperson about your options.
-Waterproof Backpack - Seabourne provided us with a terrific light weight water "resistant" backpack in bright orange. I packed several extra large Ziploc baggies and secured my camera batteries, lens cloth and memory card case in those. Mostly the backpack was used for a bottle of water and hand warmers. You will not be able to take ANY food to shore so don't even make the attempt. It is in violation of the IATTO (International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators) rules and your expedition leader will not be amused if you violate this rule. It is vital that nothing foreign is introduced to the continent.
-Binoculars - If you aren't the photo snapping kind, you may want to bring a good pair of binoculars. Seabourne provided us with an excellent pair in our room but since my camera lens was a zoom, I didn't need to use them.
-Sunglasses - It's important that you be careful not to burn your eyes. Consider a style that has polarized lenses for extra protection.
-Sunblock - This is no joke. Get some good stuff and apply it on a regular basis. I always use Elta MD for my face and my husband and I both use La Roche Posay Anthelios 60 ultra light spray. I purchased the Elta MD directly from my dermatologist's office, (no prescription required.) You can get the La Roche Posay Anthelios at Target. My husband likes this sunblock and he uses it when he goes sailing because it is lightweight and easy to apply. It is very effective and hubby says it doesn't burn his eyes if he gets sweaty.
Here's what we took:
-Long underwear, tops and bottoms - We took Smartwool because we love the brand. It washes and wears great and is low maintenance. Available at REI, Dick's Sporting Goods or wherever hiking/camping equipment is sold.
-Hat/Beanie - You may even want to consider a fleece liner - I took one for under my beanie and since we had magnificent weather I didn't end up using it. It was lightweight, so it was no big deal. If you rely 100% on your parka hood, you will impair your peripheral vision. The parka hood would be great in a downpour but not for keeping warm.
-Waterproof pants - This is important because if you are in a zodiac and there are sea swells coming over the sides of the boat you will be miserable if you get wet. And wet and cold is not a good combination. Wear the pants over your waterproof boots so water doesn't splash on your pants and into your boots. Nobody likes soggy socks!
-Parka or Waterproof Jacket - We ordered our parkas from www.shiptoshoretraveler.com and loved them because they came fleece lined and with a separate detachable thermal liner. You will use both of these items a lot not only for the expeditions but also if you are the type to stand on deck whale watching or most other times you will be outside for any reason. The parka has a lot of pockets that you can use for hand warmers (a lovely invention) that I highly recommend. Purchase them online at www.rei.com or in your local sporting goods store. You can purchase 10 pairs for about $7.00 and if you don't use all of them on your trip, your expedition leaders will love it if you gift them at the end of your trip.
-Scarf/Neck warmer - If you can find a fleece gaiter or at least something soft that would keep your neck warm and also cover your nose that would be best. Fleece is great because it's lightweight and is soft against your skin. The air in the Antarctic is really dry and your skin gets really dry...super fast! If you have something scratching your skin it will make you unhappy and the penguins don't like it when you are unhappy.
-Gloves - Start with glove liners. (Smartwool or Outdoor Research) You will be happy you did. Also we liked Outdoor Research for the waterproof layer. If you take photos, you may want to consider the style you choose because you don't want to have to remove your gloves every time you take a photo, but you DO want to stay warm! There are gloves available that are designed so you can take photos. Ask your local salesperson about your options.
-Waterproof Backpack - Seabourne provided us with a terrific light weight water "resistant" backpack in bright orange. I packed several extra large Ziploc baggies and secured my camera batteries, lens cloth and memory card case in those. Mostly the backpack was used for a bottle of water and hand warmers. You will not be able to take ANY food to shore so don't even make the attempt. It is in violation of the IATTO (International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators) rules and your expedition leader will not be amused if you violate this rule. It is vital that nothing foreign is introduced to the continent.
-Binoculars - If you aren't the photo snapping kind, you may want to bring a good pair of binoculars. Seabourne provided us with an excellent pair in our room but since my camera lens was a zoom, I didn't need to use them.
-Sunglasses - It's important that you be careful not to burn your eyes. Consider a style that has polarized lenses for extra protection.
-Sunblock - This is no joke. Get some good stuff and apply it on a regular basis. I always use Elta MD for my face and my husband and I both use La Roche Posay Anthelios 60 ultra light spray. I purchased the Elta MD directly from my dermatologist's office, (no prescription required.) You can get the La Roche Posay Anthelios at Target. My husband likes this sunblock and he uses it when he goes sailing because it is lightweight and easy to apply. It is very effective and hubby says it doesn't burn his eyes if he gets sweaty.
-Waterproof Boots (Wellington type) - We ordered ours from www.shiptoshoretraveler.com and they were great! I typically wear a size 6 1/2 narrow shoe. My boot size was (in fact) just like they said, a size 8. The reason is that it was recommended that you wear a couple pair of super thick thermal socks. We had our boots shipped to our home so that we could try them on before the trip and then we packed them and took them with us. That was kind of a pain because they were really heavy. The ship also rents boots but we weren't sure how that was going to work so we didn't partake. Turns out it would have been a good idea to rent just so you don't have the extra weight to contend with.
-Thermal socks - www.shiptoshoretraveler.com offered those for sale. They should last a lifetime...at least they will for us. They are unisex and are super thick and comfy. I strongly recommend two pair but really you probably only need one pair unless you get sweaty feet. (You will only have them on for about 2 hours when you are on expedition.)
-Dry Bags - I used large gallon sized Ziploc bags, but I know that REI, Dick's Sporting Goods and others have these that are designed to keep your stuff dry. It isn't beautiful but a trash bag can keep your camera gear dry if you are shooting in the rain.
-Other items to consider - A sleep mask and/or sleeping aids. We had about 20 hours of sunlight and there was no way I was going to go to sleep with out a thick sleep mask and half of a sleeping pill. I strongly recommend you speak to your doctor before your trip to discuss any special medications and/or contingencies you might need to make yourself more comfortable.
-Extra Memory Cards - If you are a professional photographer or a hobbyist, you will want to take a pocket full of memory cards. Taking video is an awesome way to capture the sights and sounds live. You will not want to run out of memory cards before your trip is over.
-Moisturizer, Nasal gel, Moisturizing eye drops, Really good lip moisturizer (chapstick or better)- If you have a favorite moisturizer, you may want to bring some extra. Seabourn gave us a terrific brand of lotion but it wasn't enough to combat my dry skin in the arid climate. Everything dries up, your nose, your eyes, your skin, your lips. You will be more comfortable if you prepare.
-Thermal socks - www.shiptoshoretraveler.com offered those for sale. They should last a lifetime...at least they will for us. They are unisex and are super thick and comfy. I strongly recommend two pair but really you probably only need one pair unless you get sweaty feet. (You will only have them on for about 2 hours when you are on expedition.)
-Dry Bags - I used large gallon sized Ziploc bags, but I know that REI, Dick's Sporting Goods and others have these that are designed to keep your stuff dry. It isn't beautiful but a trash bag can keep your camera gear dry if you are shooting in the rain.
-Other items to consider - A sleep mask and/or sleeping aids. We had about 20 hours of sunlight and there was no way I was going to go to sleep with out a thick sleep mask and half of a sleeping pill. I strongly recommend you speak to your doctor before your trip to discuss any special medications and/or contingencies you might need to make yourself more comfortable.
-Extra Memory Cards - If you are a professional photographer or a hobbyist, you will want to take a pocket full of memory cards. Taking video is an awesome way to capture the sights and sounds live. You will not want to run out of memory cards before your trip is over.
-Moisturizer, Nasal gel, Moisturizing eye drops, Really good lip moisturizer (chapstick or better)- If you have a favorite moisturizer, you may want to bring some extra. Seabourn gave us a terrific brand of lotion but it wasn't enough to combat my dry skin in the arid climate. Everything dries up, your nose, your eyes, your skin, your lips. You will be more comfortable if you prepare.