Now that we are officially heading back into the Drake, I am actually surprised at how quickly our time in the Antarctic passed. I thought it fitting that our last trip ashore should be perhaps our most intense, featuring an icy dive into the Antarctic Ocean and subsequent wallowing in steaming pools. I was absolutely terrified, sure my heart would cease to beat, but it was over before I knew it. As Geoff put it at the beginning of the trip, you run out of superlatives in your first day in the Antarctic, but I can safely say that the last few days have been climactic. Seeing a pod of humpback whales (including a mother and a calf) surround our ship was certainly a memorable moment with the sun sparkling on the water and a backdrop of jaw dropping mountains. Add to that a visit to the Vernadsky Ukrainian base (home to many friendly Eastern European men whose lives seem to center on examining the ozone layer and mainlining vodka) and SOI's own island and you have a very interesting day.

On the Koerner Pillow Island, as I believe we're now calling it, I worked with Fred, our resident geologist to map the uncharted topography of the island. It was absolutely freezing but the smooth snow was bathed in warm light. This trip, among other things, has made me quite a fan of hiking through ice, as well as an aficionado of sea shanties. In all seriousness, it has pushed me in ways I really didn't expect.

Over the next few days I'm looking forward to learning how this kind of experience can be made meaningful for others and how we might use it as a tool for environmental activism and personal change.

- Mary Clare O'Donnell, Participant

I spent my day in the middle of a volcano today! What a spectacular day! The sun was warm and the air was fresh. On our way to Deception Island today the swells got so big that the waves came crashing over the side of the ship! It was awesome! We went out on the bow and decided to swell jump. You could get some incredible air with those swells. I was having so much fun.

Deception Island is an old volcano. In the centre of it is an old whaling station that has been closed since the 1930's. This was a different mood of Antarctica; the human history face of the continent. I hiked up to the volcano edge to look over the other side. It was truly beautiful. I walked around, a little sadly, because today was our last day in Antarctica. I want to cry. This place is amazing. I love Students on Ice and I love Antarctica.

Right before supper we went into a sheltered cove within the volcano and went for the Polar Dip! The water was extremely cold, but what was amazing, was they dug a pit in the jet-black beach sand and the water that filled the pit was boiling hot. There is still a lot of volcanic action here and geothermal activity, therefore we were able to experience, the hottest temperatures of our lives and the coldest all in one day. It was so great! I am sure going to miss all the students and staff, but I am going to leave the sobbing for another time and look forward to the waves of the Drake Passage tomorrow! Oh, and I have the most hilarious tan lines I have ever experienced. I always wear my big round sunglasses and my blue bandana around my head, so my eyes are white and a nice thin strip on my forehead is white! Fantastic! I am going to miss Antarctica! More than words can ever explain.

- Jenna Gall, Participant

Whoa! Here we are, leaving Antarctica and it seems like now we might be getting a taste of the Drake Shake. There's a whole lot of rolling going on, that's for sure! 

We spent part of today exploring Deception Island, home of a whaling station during the last century.  It is also, coincidentally, an active volcano. A fascinating place with much history. It was a little eerie wandering around amongst the ruins of whale bones and buildings. The big excitement of being there, however, was taking an Antarctic plunge!  I can tell you that I will never complain about my swimming pool being cold again.  I managed three strokes of front crawl and about 8 of breast stroke to get back to shore.  It didn't seem too bad on the first couple of running steps but then going in head first certainly took the breath away.  But once back on land we got to sit in an extremely hot "sauna" that was built in the sand, with additions added easily as more people jumped in.  The water temperature and air temperature were both 3 C while the sand temperature was around 40 C.  It was extremely hot, I can tell you that!  But I am now an official member of the Antarctic swim team!

Going to bed now, with hopes that I don't roll out of my bunk tonight with all the rocking and rolling we are doing.  Hopefully tomorrow my phone call to school will be more successful.

- Marion Woodman, Chaperone

What an amazing day today was. I don't even know where to start. Our first stop this morning was so much fun. We had a really cool zodiac cruise around iceberg land. Also I saw a whale right beside the zodiac and an iceberg flip. Absolutely amazing! We visited a Ukrainian research station that was a lot of fun and very interesting. Not so sure I could live like that for a couple of years. Good for them. Back on the ship we also had an amazing encounter with whales. They were everywhere. What a show it was. Tonight we trekked up a mountain on an unnamed island and took part in a research project led by Students on Ice. It was beautiful. The sunset shining on the mountains and icebergs was beautiful. Can't wait for tomorrow!!!! Bonne fete papa. J'espere que tu as passes une belle journee...xoxox

- Marissa LeBlanc, Chaperone

Upon every good that happens, there is a bad. On the afternoon of the second, I arrived in my room to see gushing water everywhere. A pipe had burst and my room was beginning to flood. Everything is fine now, I just have a memorable story to tell. Also, as I was having a crazy fun time sliding down one of the glaciers, my pants got a nice rip in them. This definitely created a hilarious site.

In contrast, I am definitely not ready to leave. We are now heading back North to Ushuaia, yet I still feel like I have only gotten a glimpse of the beauty and rarity Antarctica offers. Everything has just kept getting better. As I watched the sunset, I was completely swept away. It is so different and unusual from any I have seen before. The sun hits the water and reflects off of the icebergs - it's like a scene from a movie - it still feels so surreal to be here.

Right now, I would be in school and instead I'm in one of the most incredible places on Earth. On the fourth, we climbed a super steep glacier at Danco Island. At the top we built a human pyramid and then we slid down the slope. This would have all been before I was even in school, or with the two hour time difference, before I would have even woken up. That same day, we learned about ice core drilling. It's amazing how an ice sample or even a gleaming iceberg can tell a story and share information from the past and the environment.     

- Brooke Cotta, Participant

There was a whole lot of puking going on this morning so I retired to my bunk with my iPod and spent some hours in suspended animation. We then turned into the caldera of Deception Island which was nicely sheltered and one could stand vaguely upright without embarrassment. The afternoon on the island was quite surreal in that I spent most of it investigating the echo in an old storage tank by playing my clarinet. Even my scales and arpeggios sounded better than normal as the echo went on for a full 4 seconds. After a while, the rest of the newly formed and musically somewhat innovative ship's orchestra turned up and we played some fun stuff - goodness knows what the penguins thought of it.

I then joined the Antarctic swim team by launching myself into the ocean. In fact, it was so good that I went in 3 times. I think there may be some embarrassing photos.

I have Drake proofed my room. My sick bag is by the bed; as is water and Kendal mint cake (thanks, Rosie). The iPod is charged. I hope to wake up in Ushuaia.

- Janet Bettle, Chaperone

"Swimming" in the Antarctic waters was the most memorable experience of my life. The reason that there are quotations on "swimming" is because no one actually had the guts to swim, except for maybe Trevor Wallace.

- Christina Rodriguez-Fierro, Participant

Today is our last day in Antarctica and we will be heading back to Ushuaia “La Tierra de Fuego” soon. There are no words that can explain how gloomy I will feel when I will see no icebergs in sight. Today we hiked up to Neptune’s window and saw some aged whale bones. And also had an Antarctica swim in Pendulum Cove. As our farewell we all jumped into the freezing cold water of our white continent in our bikinis. But there was an active volcano in the island, and our staff made a small pool with extra HOT water within the sand. It was a great feeling going back and forth with hot and cold water. I dipped into the freezing water four times and I will never forget that. Later on I was extremely cold but it was sure worth it.

- Estefani Chimbo, Participant

Afternoon Update: 12:20 p.m.

Just a quick note to say that we have uploaded many new journals and photos on our Monday page. We are still awaiting journals from yesterday - and expect them to be transmitted tonight after today's landings. Enjoy!

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Morning Update: 10:20 a.m.

Good morning! We just heard from our Expedition Leader, Geoff Green, who reports that all our participants are well and happy – and that the trip continues to astound, amaze and inspire!

Weather conditions continue to be absolutely marvelous.

We received a whole batch of journals just now and we are endeavoring to have them up on the site by noon today. So please check back here this afternoon for further updates.

Yesterday proved to be a day for the record books! The participants were busy from dawn to 11:00 pm with multiple landings and activities. And experienced practically everything that Antarctica has to offer.

The day began with an early, early morning cruise through the ice-choked Lemaire Channel (see image above), and ended with what Geoff described as one of the most beautiful sunsets and vistas that he has ever witnessed in his 76 expeditions to the Antarctic. In between, they visited Pleneau Island for a visit with elephant seals and gentoo penguins, and a spectacular zodiac cruise in an “iceberg alley” where they witnessed every shade of blue imaginable in icebergs that ranged from the size of a Prius to the size of a twenty story office block.

So terrific was the weather that the team had lunch out on deck! The ship engines were turned off, the anchor was dropped, the ship’s hotel staff set-up big barbeques, and the team dined amongst icebergs and calving glaciers, while drifting silently.

After lunch, the team visited the ever-busy Ukrainian research station Vernadsk for a tour and an opportunity to meet the polar scientists who are stationed here for the Antarctic summer. This particular research station delves predominantly into the study of high atmospheric studies, and the students had an opportunity to tour through the labs and ask many questions. They also learned first-hand what it is like to live and work in Antarctica.

Returning to the ship, the students – in their zodiacs – came across a pod of feeding Humpback whales, and spent the next hour drifting among them. It was a profound experience and Geoff described it as hugely peaceful and deeply moving. The whales were bubble-netting to catch krill. There was a mother and a calf that kept on swimming right underneath the ship, and they did not seem to mind the zodiacs at all and just went about their business. It was for many a huge highlight of the journey and an experience that will never be forgotten. This connection to nature is so critical, and one of the most important reasons why we are in Antarctica.

The day did not end there! The M/V Ushuaia had to push its way back through the ice-heavy Lemaire Channel. The Captain did a magnificent job while the team roamed the decks and watched some of the world’s best scenery float by.

Their next destination was the Wauwerman Islands – to visit a small, but very important island that SOI has visited over the past two years. The island is completely covered by a small ice-cap or “pillow ice-cap”. The late Dr. Fritz Koerner – a founding Education Team member with SOI and veteran of 8 Antarctic Expeditions with us – was always curious about this island. Fritz was a legendary glaciologist and a great friend of SOI. Just before he passed away in 2008, we found out that the International Polar Year project that SOI and Fritz had jointly submitted (to study this ice-cap) was approved. Last year, SOI started the research and this year, we continued with the work. The goal is to gather long-term data that will help us understand what is happening to the ice. As Geoff describes, the island is like a mini-Antarctica, and Fritz thought it might provide some understanding as to what is happening in this part of the Antarctic.

So, after a hearty dinner, the team landed and hiked up to the top of the ice-cap. They were treated to a terrific view! They conducted their ice-core studies and explored the ice-cap for several hours, and then posed for several big, group photos. Mountains, icebergs, glaciers, all basking in this incredible glow from a setting sun.

At 11:00 pm, the team was back on board, warmed with cocoa and tucking into bed. As Geoff ended the satellite call – he said that last night there wasn’t a soul on board who didn’t feel blessed by Mother Nature and felt great to be alive!

Today, the team will spend its final full day in Antarctica. They are off to Deception Island today. You may recall that the team was scheduled to sail through into the caldera of this amazing semi-active volcano last week, but because of ice conditions at the beginning of the journey, moved the visit to the end of the expedition. It will be all hands on deck as they sail through the magnificent Neptune’s Bellows. Further exploration and who knows, perhaps some polar swimming is on the agenda for today!

Stay Tuned for Further Updates!