We’d put our name down for a 7km hike on Horseshoe Island for Saturday 7 March. Because so many people wanted to do it (about 200), there was a lottery.
Fortunately, Glen, Ravinder, Narelle and I made the cut and our departure time was 8am.
Unfortunately, Glen woke up not feeling well so decided to pull out. He notified reception and they allocated his spot to someone else.
Disgustingly, some people weren’t so considerate and just didn’t show up so their spaces were unlikely to be filled.
After breakfast, Glen tucked himself back into bed, while I went down and got on a zodiac across to Horseshoe Island for the hike.
The expedition leader spent a lot of time the day before and that morning explaining to people that it was a tough hike and that, 15 minutes after starting, there would be a point of no return.
I think they did a good job of discouraging anyone with doubts as there were no mid-hike rescues.
The hike itself, however, wasn’t hard if you were relatively hit.
We landed, gathered, grabbed a hiking stick, and set off over some of the rockiest ground I’ve ever walked on.
It was all igneous rock but, thanks to glaciers, was all broken up with no even ground to speak of, except on the beach.
The beach was also home to a lot of lounging Antarctic fur seals and I got some amazing photos of these beautiful animals (see below).
So we set off for our hike, stopping a few times to learn about the geology of the island and the rocks we found.
There was a big hunk of malachite at one of the stops, but I think for me the really impressive thing were these rocks that had shattered into perfect slices, no more than a few millimetres thick.
It was like they’d been through one of those boiled egg cutters. Amazing!
We learned that you can figure out how high the ice went by the shape of the mountain ranges around you: flat peaks and the ice made it that high; pointy peaks and the ice didn’t.
The island also had a lot of lichen (26 species) and moss (about 10) so it was really cool to see these patches of black, green, yellow, brown, and purple dotted about the place.
We trekked up and down rocky peaks (though not too high) and crossed snow and ice to reach the beacon.
I missed the importance of the beacon but had some photos taken, grabbed a spot overlooking the water and the glaciers opposite, and meditated for a few minutes.
One of the nice things we did on this hike was all stop for three minutes, without moving, without talking, and listen to the sounds of Antarctica.
It was noisy.
Birds squawking, waves crashing, ice creaking — and the swish of waterproof clothes as people moved.
Also distracting was the group of four Adélie Penguins that were coming up towards us but then thought better of it and ran away. Very cute.
We spent about 45 minutes at the beacon, then turned around and hiked back, stopping intermittently to allow enough of the people who hadn’t come for the hike but had gone to the landing to get off the island.
For me, this was absolute torture.
From the moment we landed on the island, I needed to pee. About halfway to the beacon I was getting a bit uncomfortable. So was another hiker.
We asked about the possibility of a toilet break and were told that it would be best to wait until we get back to the boat (though in an emergency they would have sorted something out. Bottles perhaps?).
But I continued on, my full bladder only becoming more insistent and occupying more of my thoughts the longer we went. It was only bearable when I was talking to someone else about other things.
On the hike back I was getting desperate and the delays at these beautiful vistas and more discussion about geology only made it worse.
I was also really worried as I wanted to see the abandoned research station and go for another polar plunge before getting back on the back. We couldn’t get back to the landing fast enough.
When we did arrive back, I struggled up to the research hut, had a quick look, then forced myself to the polar plunge (mostly because it didn’t look as cold as the last time).
I registered with the doctor, disrobed, and head into the Antarctic water once more, only this time below the Antarctic Circle.
It was, in fact, colder than last time and the second I dove in I felt like my whole head had frozen. It was so cold!
2°C in fact!
BUT miraculously I managed to not pee myself. I think because my bladder actually froze solid.
This worked in my favour as it meant I could stay longer at this spot where a solitary Adélie Penguin was close by watching the proceedings and wondering what all the fuss was about.
Back in warm, dry clothes, I headed back to the zodiac, past fur seals, and returned to the ship around 1pm.
Baptism by Neptune
The sun came out near the end of our hike and stayed out for the rest of the afternoon.
This made spending the three hours after lunch on the back deck in the jacuzzi and pool glorious.
The water was still and ice-like for a good portion of the trip, and we were treated once more to beautiful vistas.
I spent a while warming myself up in the jacuzzi with others.
As we recrossed the Antarctic Circle, they cruise ship operators put on a bbq on the deck to celebrate the crossing, which was then followed up with a baptism.
“Neptune” came out and had to be appeased. Two big pots of ice and water were put on tables on either side of two chairs, with people called forth to be baptised by the Sea King.
The Sea King and his helper then tipped ladles of ice and water down the back of your jacket.
After getting baptised, you then get a shot of something red (or green for non-alcoholic).
Almost everyone was out there but not everyone got baptised.
Already being in my bathers, it was easy enough to get ladled though standing in line was a bit cold.
I then got two ladles full, front and back, on me, thus being baptised.
Getting back into the jacuzzi was awesome.
Once Neptune was appeased, the crowd dispersed.
The doctors and dentists went off to their conference, I went to the gym, and then it was time, yet again, for dinner followed by a briefing about tomorrow’s expedition.
Travels with Dan 
What do you say, eh?