2009 I'm sailing with the historic tall ship Bark Europa to Antarctica.
The route went from the southern tip of South America to Capes Horn over to the Antarctic.
That was definitely one of the most beautiful and extraordinary journeys
I've ever done - it was just fantastic.

The landscapes in the Antarctica are very impressive. There is almost no vegetation there,
only a few ground lichens. The landscape is very rough and originally - large black
Rocks / mountains with glaciers and huge icebergs. And then the silence that is very
impressive.

Animals we have seen, of course, many - several types of penguins, various species of seals,
leopard seals, elephant seals, albatrosses and many humpback whales.

That there are many photos, I'll show them in several parts here. I hope you like the photos

Our ship, the Bark Europa in front of a glacier


High swell at the crossing - the Drake Passage


Paradise Bay - one of the most beautiful landscapes


Icebergs as big as an island


A colony of penguins and the Tallship in the background

[iFoto]

The colours after sunset


at sunrise


Argentinia Station


a consumable iceberg


a snow field with red algae

---

Last edited by iFoto; 01-16-2012 at 05:07 AM.

[Jools]

Just found this thread, Jan.
Wow, what an experience!
Fantastic trip and your images a delight.
Yeah I am left wanting to see more.

[UpNorth]

Great photos, Jan.
More please!

Tim

[mtkams]

Jan--the additional photos are as stunning & spectacular as the first ones you posted--it's like looking at a National Geographic but better because they're your photos. You have some very remarkable images. How rare it is to see something so incredibly beautiful and yet so forbidding. Thank you for sharing them with us.

[i_trax]

Thank you Jan!
Antarctica was ( and still is ) always on my dream destination list, maybe one day , although slowly started getting older.... bugger!
all those images were taken with good old K10 and they are fantastic!
when people will realise that mad rush to get the latest camera body will not make them any better photographer.
camera is not freezing time, individuals with learned skills do.
Instant gratification = the curse of the 21st Century!

kind regards
jack

[iFoto]

thanks you very much

I'am just prepare the next exhibition with the photos. The best photos i printed out in 50 x 70 cm on Kodak Metallic. The prints have become really good.
So if anyone has an idea for an exhibition opportunity. All suggestions are very welcome.

Some more photos i want to show you: The Wildlife at Antarctica is very special too.

Some Locales


Penguins do not live constantly at the Antarctica, they only bring their chicks to the world there


What else to see - Elephant seals


female Elephant seals


Of course, there are several species of seals - like this Weddell seal


and the second largest predator in the Antarctic, the leopard seal


Leopard Seal - close up


Antarctic fur seal


and whales - 3 blows by Humpback whales


whale skeleton made out of bones from different whalesepecies - with a fellow traveler for size comparison


the lonesome


Sorry for the small sized, i am running out of webspace

[Jimbo]

Can I asked what the cost5 was for your trip. Something to add to the Bucket List for sure. Beautiful images. JIM

[daacon]

Wow just dound this thread myself impressive series for sure.

[rayallen]

That has to be one of the most spectacular series of images I have seen for a long time. Thank you, thank you for sharing them with us.
It also makes me feel good that they were taken with a K10D.

There is no way that I would have made such a journey on a tall ship (or any ship) so I am in your debt. I know I will come back to look at these again.

[iFoto]

not all of the photos are made with the K10D - i used it most for the landscapes
but i had a brand new K20D with me as well. Its always a good thing to have a second body with on a trip like this, just in case

and i carried all my lenses with me, even the 31mm limited
but most used by fare are the 10-17 fisheye and a F* 300 f4.5 Tele

oh, and the most represented DSLR-Brand on this trip was PENTAX - two others and me
my friend uses Canon an another friend Sony
the way best equipped Photographer used Nikon and had a bunch of Superteles (up to 600mm) - well this was a little bit over-equipped IMO
the others had Video and most People a small Snapshot-Cameras

you will not need to have waterproofed cameras - so it is not really fun to take photos on board at really bad weather conditions

Stormy Weather conditions at the Drake Passage


We had some heavy Wind, rain, cold and Snow too - best to stay inside as much as possible


and especially with snow it becomes very slippery on Bord

[slowpez]

Magnificent series. These are just WOW shots. Love them all and thanks for sharing them.

[iFoto]

You do not need any special experience. That was my first sailing trip in my life.

But you need luck, that you will not get seasick. More than half of the passengers were not so lucky
It is the ambition of the team that you can sail as much as possible. And the guests are to help as much as possible.
After a safety briefing allowed to do almost everything and climb everywhere.

The Barque Europe under full sails


The Deckhouse


You can even / have to steer the ship


and if you feel like, you can climb all the way up here


Once in Antarctica, it was very quiet then.
We have sailed no longer there, and many passengers were happy because they have then felt much better.

[RoxnDox]

Wow what a fantastic trip (and photos)... I think I'd take along my dive camera and housing to use on the rough-weather portions of the voyage!

Jim

[Graham V]

A fantastic record of an amazing voyage with some truly beautiful images.
You could make a book out of this adventure........I'd buy it.

[riff]

You could make a book out of this adventure........I'd buy it.

Jan Borgstede's Bookstore | Blurb

Tally ho