Dream to be realised: Antarctica. Excited (almost).
Caveat Emptor – TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE -
I should be excited, I am realising a dream over 20 years in the making. I've read and been fascinated by the books and films and I love the snowy outdoors, twice I have tried to get there and for various reasons the effort was thwarted. Excited ? Well, yes and no. My impetuous excitement led to mistakes, I am writing this blog so that maybe someone (like myself) can slow down, be critical about what they want and critical about whether their proposed adventure is going to meet with their expectations.A search on the internet and there are a couple of trips of interest. The Shackleton traverse of South Georgia island, ski touring and kayaking are real winners. Most are out of my budget or booked up or conflict with other events on my calendar.
Aurora Expeditions.
So what compelled me to choose this particular trip ? Let’s look at the asg70-trip-notes-aurora-expeditions.pdf (attached below for reference) :
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South Georgia ski crossing I’ve read just about every polar book and the book Shackleton by Roland Huntford is inspirational. I am a back country tourer, snow camper and adventurer. This is me, me, me !
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Skiing
Look at my blogs, some trips are mentioned there. I’ve done a lot of ski touring over the years being an active member of Melbourne Nordic ski club, travelling to New Zealand for the Broken River telefest.
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Kayaking
Having started by foray into kayaking when I was 16 entering the Hawkesbury 110km canoe marathon, and last year in receipt of a new Nadgee Solo sea kayak. Kayaking – hopefully I can be included on the 12 passenger list.
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Small vessel
From the Aurora web site Why travel with Aurora Expeditions .. ”We take a maximum 60 passengers on our voyages. Unlike larger vessels, our smaller ice-strengthened ship allows us the flexibility to land when the best opportunities present themselves….. Our trekking adventures are limited to 15 passengers.”
Antarctica treaty restricts landing numbers to 100, so 60 is a good number for me, and it gives a good opportunity to befriend people – that is of course you are not excluded by a clique.
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30% discount on the fare
November 27, 2017 has this option, 30% discount. My budget has been exceeded with all the options, but with the 30% discount, soul searching and robbing Peter to pay Paul, I can do it. It is a costly trip for me, more than I have ever spent on a holiday, but hey it’s a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity. Sold.
Caveat Emptor – TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE -
I should have been suspicious when the sales representative told me that I could have only one option. For some reason I got sold on the kayaking, I guess it was that sense of urgency that it is the 'most popular' and that if I had any wish to do it I should book it. I was under pressure having to make quick decisions with the flight costs from Melbourne to Punta Arenas - Ushuaia and back meeting time constraints with my daughter’s 21st on the day before departure. They were going up by the minute: from 2400 to 3000 to 4000 dollars.Once the pressure was off with the flights, booked and paid; upon reflection a day or so later I realise that the only reason I wanted to sit in a boat for 20 days was to replicate Shackleton's route and journey. I can kayak and enjoy it, but mostly I am a back country skier and adventurer and would prefer the latter. I made a request that a change be made to the option and I be placed on the ski / traverse option for South Georgia, on the condition that I can ski on the lead up to it in case bad weather prevents the trip form proceeding.
My email: “I've been agonising over this for a while, I've done quite extensive ski touring and back country stuff and really this is my preferred option - can I swap my option ? If I do the Shackleton ski traverse, does that mean I can also ski on Antarctica, if so can you book me on this ?”
For the life of me I was puzzled about not being able to do the 3 day traverse of South Georgia as well as the kayaking option as they are disparate activities.
Well the truth comes out. Not enough interested people so the skiing and traverse has been cancelled. Also "it will take too long to get permits for the traverse" (I bet I can get one next week...) Gutted. Depressed: why the F@#@!! was that detail made clear to me from the beginning ? I was offered next year’s trip without the $500 transfer fee. I could perhaps swallow that and do some trekking instead. But is a straight swap ? No: you will only get a 20% early bird discount not the 30% you received. This is really going to cost big time. Not only do face the prospect of not being able to do the crossing and skiing next year, it is going to cost be substantially more and I either lose the flights or have a holiday doing something else anyway. The flights? They are non transferable and non refundable - did I know that ? As far as I knew they cannot be refunded but I thought they were transferrable according to the email I have – adjusted to the difference in fares of course. Email confirmation have I read it wrong ? “ I have attached your updated flight itinerary which needs to be paid in full by tomorrow or the price will expire. Please note that the flights are non refundable and change fees apply after the ticket has been issued.”
So that enthusiastic 'yes' I made is going to cost big time, probably 4 grand or more to correct an error not altogether my fault.
Further to my misery
I enquire as to whether I can take my skis and use them when we do a zodiac landing. - No, you have to have a qualified guide. I have been backcountry skiing since 1990, have a blog to prove it and all I want to do is ski out to the penguins, perhaps have a little play and oh no that is not permitted - you need a guide ! I’m not suggesting that I scoot off to some far away extreme mountain, but in consultation with authority and in accordance to the rules regarding animal proximity etc.
My mates who I cycled with went on the Aurora trip and raved about it (to the peninsula only) . They showed me pictures of them snow shoeing and said it was part of the trip. I said to the representative, is it OK if I take my own snow shoes as I feel that they might be better than the ones on the boat. Apparently that particular trip my mates were on was an experiment and that snow shoes are a paid option only and you guessed it a specialist guide is required ! You have to be kidding, surely snow shoes are much safer and a better experience than walking on the snow with gum boots dropping thigh deep in soft snow.
Talk about rub in a raw wound I thought I'd learn a bit about Antarctic photography ( a 'masterclass' is on offer, you guessed it - at a price). Anyway today on this particular search (Antarctica photo tips) I found a cruise that fitted my needs to the extent of an action trip albeit without the traverse: refer Oceanwide Expeditions . On their site we have the Antarctic Peninsula - Basecamp Ortelius option which includes - not at extra price - During our “Basecamp” departures, all offered activities (including camping, kayaking, snowshoe/hiking, mountaineering, photo workshop) as well as our standard included shore excursions and zodiac cruises) are free of charge. Amazing how this information is not forthcoming upon initial research and purchase. I am not saying that this trip is perfect either, there are probably a few negatives if you dig deeper, but I'll never know will I ? - because the deeper research will only cause more negative emotion.
This trip I hope and really hope is not going to be the wrap them up in cotton gloves, treat them like 10 year olds because they are all 70 and / or the only outdoor experience they've ever done is photograph a bear from a bus window .
Aurora Expeditions big fat fail so far. More than anything else is the lack of clarity about option availability constraint and restrictions. Maybe I could swallow a direct swap to the later year's trip, but that was not on offer either, considering I have to wear a flight and insurance cost it's a small thing to cop in Aurora's behalf - but who is to say that next year won't suffer the same as this year ?
Can the marks be improved ?
Let us hope so, I really am praying that I am not going to be a prisoner on a vessel for 20 days with the 1 hour discretionary exercise break on the deck.
What can be done to encourage me and others like me to go on this trip:
- If there is to be a cancellation, offer a direct swap to the next trip with no added costs.
- Offer a combination of options – why not kayak in the morning and ski in the afternoon or vice versa for exceed trip numbers ?
- Snow shoes should not be an option, they should be part and parcel of an on shore excursion where there is snow cover.
- Clearly, unambiguously state whether the option is unavailable through staff and on the web site. eg. Traverse (Cancelled 30 Aug or 6 spots left, 1 more to run the trip)
I should have learned from my recent experience on a 'small boat cruise' with Sail Croatia, on that cruise we sidled up to an island for a few hours and told we could go for a swim (a ruse to avoid port fees I'm sure): I love swimming but with no other toys, and I don't drink and conversations run out - I am bored. Note to self: ask many questions, get the answers. Note to self cruises sell the sizzle and the sausage is not anywhere near gourmet.
I looked at the web site after a conversation and informing Aurora about this blog and note now that the option to ski and traverse has been dropped. Please, do not tell me I should be happy with something, when clearly I am not. Explanations after the deed is done don’t really cut it either.
When looking at the "The Aurora Experience", I think the following statement is a poetic licence:
It's your expedition.
Enjoy our destinations in your own way! Travelling with a small ship
operator allows you to embark on exactly the type of experience you would
like; whether it be releasing your inner adventurer with a polar plunge,
spending lazy afternoons looking for polar bears from the deck, kayaking
amongst the icebergs or hiking to abundant bird cliffs…the choice is
yours!
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