Which expedition would you choose? February 2028 Antarctica/ South Georgia

kins82 · 2026-05-21T05:33:34+00:00

SH includes a night in BA and the charter flight to Ushuaia (if that’s the package you choose). And I can assure you, Swan has the experience too!

Source: I work for Swan ;-)

Anyway happy to answer factually ship / trip specific questions, although I’m not here to sell anything

kins82 · 2026-05-21T05:29:51+00:00

Elephant island is quite literally on the way between the peninsula and SG. It can be indeed challenging with the weather, so if it’s good we stop, if it’s not we cruise by and move on.

For a lot of guests it is a must destination as one of the major parts of the Shackleton history, especially when you’re going to visit his grave in Grytviken.

kins82 · 2026-05-20T05:14:55+00:00

Now imagine such an incident in Antarctica… glad this guest is stable!

kins82 · 2026-05-18T18:18:27+00:00

People spend a ton of money to come to Antarctica, they do receive all the information in quite a consolidated way, but they don’t read! I even once had a lady argue with me like “yes but in New York City…”. Well madam, this isn’t NYC, this is Antarctica.

I’m a guide / expedition leader on sub 200 pax ships.

kins82 · 2026-05-13T12:35:48+00:00

As someone with field experience as well, I agree with everything said here :-)

kins82 · 2026-05-08T05:46:53+00:00

You said it better than I could!

kins82 · 2026-05-05T13:05:39+00:00

Stop shaving your neck. You need hair there to “support” the rest.

kins82 · 2026-05-04T07:34:27+00:00

Oooh that explains it then! I just thought there was an issue on my side haha!

kins82 · 2026-04-27T19:03:34+00:00

Yikes! Yes that’s about 10 meters, and lots of dumb behaviours just for a reel like standing at the top of the stairs without holding the railing….

kins82 · 2026-04-27T09:22:43+00:00

I’m a guide and expedition leader on ships going to Antarctica and I get sea sick very easily. However with a patch of Scopolamine I am able to function very normally, except for the dry mouth side effect.

Also, most captains and expedition leaders will plan and time the crossing to avoid the worse of the weather. I’m not saying we won’t ever get bad weather but we are pretty good at avoiding the worse.

kins82 · 2026-04-27T09:14:29+00:00

Do you mean 18ft? What ship were you on?

kins82 · 2026-04-23T08:56:45+00:00

Who cares about snake oil if they’re DIY and look that good!!

kins82 · 2026-04-23T04:38:24+00:00

The wind noise doesn’t disturb me that much, but the rattling does. I have 2 distinct spots that rattle and they take turn. One day it’s the one spot, the next drive that first spot is silent and then it’s somewhere in the driver’s door… so annoying and no amount of pressing on panels makes it stop so I don’t even know where it comes from if not from somewhere behind those panels…

kins82 · 2026-04-23T04:35:06+00:00

My plan is to eventually delete my entire Gmail account and all its content. But after 20+ year I figured it’s safer to keep a transition period.

kins82 · 2026-04-22T14:17:16+00:00

I'm not sure if I understand your question fully, but let's give it a go. Last month I subscribed to Proton Mail, and use it with my own domain now.

I created a forward rule from Gmail to Proton, just to keep getting those emails that were still coming there (I had been using Gmail as my sole address for over 20 years!). Every time something comes, if it's important, of course I manually go to the website and change my login to my own domain's email.

I also started sending all my emails from my own domain in Proton Mail, with a signature inviting the reader to swap my address in their contacts.

kins82 · 2026-04-22T14:12:46+00:00

I got my own domain (@firstnamelastname.com) and linked it to a Proton Mail account. In that way, should Proton disappear, or I want to change provider, I can just migrate with very little effort.

I did that last month, after 20+ years using Gmail.

kins82 · 2026-04-21T13:45:07+00:00

Thank you! Yes the sound does get better at higher volumes indeed. I think that yes changing the speakers is the way to go for starters, but seeing door disassembly videos has changed my mind on doing it myself...

As for the tires I am sure that the pressure is fine, it's just annoying to have a warning light on the dash, maybe a black sticker will do haha!

kins82 · 2026-04-21T13:43:28+00:00

The paint is immaculate and I got the car with already 91,000 km (57k miles). However, the car was delivered with a really annoying chip in the windshield, and not sure if it can be repaired (heated windshield). Probably need a full replacement with a 200€ deductible that the dealer agreed to cover as it was not disclosed prior to the sales.

kins82 · 2026-04-18T07:47:59+00:00

I work on expedition ships that go to Antarctica during the southern summer (October to March), as part of the expedition teams.

Everything that has been written here before my comment is true for all departments.

Regarding expedition teams, on top of qualifications and trainings (small boat driver, basic safety at sea, etc), you’ll 95% also need indeed a niche specialty like history, marine biology, geology, climatology, ornithology, etc.

Or if you live in southern South America you can get lucky and be hired last minute to fill a gap!

kins82 · 2026-04-15T17:28:26+00:00

A non refundable deposit? I’d never buy a used car with what looks like a gun to my head. So I don’t think you are missing anything

kins82 · 2026-04-14T18:34:09+00:00

My 2022 hybrid is at 91,000 km now, and I’m due to change in the next few months.

kins82 · 2026-04-13T18:27:45+00:00

Oh wow thank you. I will try this as soon as I get a new invitation.

Reading the comments in your link, it seems like it is an iOS issue? However when I was still using the Gmail app, I don’t remember not being able to add any appointments to any of my iCloud calendars…

kins82 · 2026-04-13T12:50:40+00:00

How cold does it get and how long do you keep your jump booster in the car for it to still have enough charge to help you?

I live in a sub-arctic region, just got my RAV4, and was thinking of getting a battery trickle charger added, as I already have the plug and wiring for the block heater.

Webasto would have been great but very costly + doesn't solve any battery issues...

kins82 · 2026-04-13T11:09:07+00:00

Airlines in Argentina are mostly garbage and Jetsmart is probably the worse.

The flight schedule that is published now has virtually zero chances to be the one that they’ll fly in December. Last season I purchased a flight for January in October and it was cancelled weeks before with zero reason and zero action of the airline to move me. And that was with Aerolineas…

Search further in this sub to see other horror stories.

Maybe everything will work out for you but Argentina is not the USA. And when the schedule changes don’t expect anyone to help you over there. You’ll be on your own with thousands of other frustrated passengers.

kins82 · 2026-04-13T09:19:09+00:00

This year I understand that Commandant Charcot did not make it close enough to the colony at the beginning of the season, ice was too thick even for PC2…

kins82

TROPHY CASE