To save time & avoid the dreaded Drake Passage, we flew from Punta Arenas to King George Island
We boarded the Hans Hansson at King George Island, and embarked on our 13-day adventure
We made numerous landings & anchorages
Our shore excursions concluded with 2 landings on Deception Island
The journey South provided spectacular views of the Chilean Andes
Numerous rivers & lakes cut through the landscape
Further South, the glaciers start to appear
Glaciers feed numerous azure lakes
Mt Fitzroy, that striking blade of rock, pierces the sky across the border, in Argentina
Torres del Paine rise at the end of the Andes, with Lago Grey in the foreground
DAP organizes regular, if often rescheduled, flights to Antarctica for commercial & scientific travelers
The BAE-146 can cope with the short gravel runway on King George Island
We arrived as the sun skimmed the horizon
I was privileged to join a voyage led by Frans Lanting, one of my favorite photographers
Our sturdy little ship, just 26-meters long, was originally built for search-and-rescue in Norway
The 8-cylinder Diesel engine is designed for reliability & ease of repair
The Hans Hansson in its natural element, with just 20 humans aboard
The small ship was our cozy home for 13 days
The local residents were accustomed to seeing our ship in their waters
First mate (now Captain) Jarrad manning the modern navigation systems
Chef Naomi delighted us with tasty meals, prepared in often rough conditions
