Antarctica's Summer Resort - New York Times

Antarctica's Summer Resort - New York Times

If you go
Marine Expeditions, 30 Hazelton Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5R 2E2, (416) 964-9069, fax (416) 964-2366, plans about 20 trips to the Antarctic from November to March, including three that stop at South Georgia Island. These 24-day trips (also stopping in the Falklands) start Nov. 20 and 22 and Jan. 17, and cost $5,495 to $8,495, including air fare from New York, Miami, Toronto and, for $165 extra, Los Angeles.
Our trip was organized specifically for dedicated nature photographers, wildlife artists and birders by Victor Emanuel Nature Tours, which specializes in birding trips; Post Office Box 33008, Austin, Tex. 78764; (800) 328-8368, fax (512) 328-2919.
We sailed on the 370-foot Akademik Ioffe (the Marine Adventurer in brochures), a utilitarian but comfortable vessel built in Finland in 1989 for the Soviet Academy of Sciences for deep-sea acoustical research. She has a stabilizing system and her bridge is packed with up-to-date navigational equipment. She is strengthened against pack ice, and can turn on her own axis.
Cabins are Spartan but quite comfortable, with private baths. Common spaces include a pleasant dining room, a small library and a sauna. The most popular spot was the bridge, to which we had access at all hours. Food was excellent, fresh fish and Argentine wines being the most prized items.
The crew was efficient and pleasant, but said little about the ironies of its shift from science (and perhaps intelligence-gathering) to tourism. The housekeeping and landing were capably managed by Marine Expeditions.