Hi Zelfa,
Just wanted to let you know what a wonderful time Pete and I had on our Antarctic Quest expedition.
The ship, the Akademik Shokalskiy, was great. We really enjoyed the fact that there were only 47 passengers. Everyone was great. The captain and his crew were great, and the Quark staff were excellent. Shane Evoy was a great Expedition Leader, and the rest of the staff were perfect.
I really enjoyed Phil Wickens. What a brilliant guy he is, and he really brought the history of the places we visited to life. He is quite knowledgeable in geology as well.
The talks he gave about the continental drift and how the Scotia ridge was formed, and the way the ice was formed on Antarctica because of the breach in the ridge, allowing the Antarctic currents to flow completely around the continent was fascinating to me. And Shanti Davis, the Biologist, really did a great job of teaching us all about the mammals in Antarctica. Our recognition skills are much improved. The same with the bird populations. Tony Marr, the Ornithologist, was a wealth of information, and had a wit and humor that made the presentation even more interesting.Jamie Scarrow and Louise Adie were both warm and intelligent staff members who contributed much to the enjoyment of the trip.
Thanks again for getting us this wonderful trip. Besos y abrazos, y Feliz Año Nuevo!
Ron & Pete