A familiar voice woke us from the public address speaker above our bed. I checked my watch; it was 6:45 AM:

“Good morning, everyone. This is your captain from the bridge. We are approaching a special spot along the Antarctic Peninsula known as Lemaire Channel, and after discussing with my officers, we will be cruising through this waterway because today it’s mostly free of large icebergs that can sometimes block the entrance or exit and bring us too close to the cliffs.”

I jumped out of bed, grabbed my camera, and ran to the Nordic balcony to power up the blackout blind. I didn’t want to miss a thing! Leah sat up in bed to supervise because she already knew what to expect.

“What are you doing? I hope you’re not going to open that window,” she growled as I was already lowering the window.

“Come see this! The light is perfect, and I’m trying to get a clear shot before it disappears,” I argued, talking over Captain Cardestig’s continuing announcement:

“But today, all of you are in for a treat because the sky is clearing, and the seas are calm.”

“And while there’s still some hazards to consider when sailing through this beautiful channel, much of the small ice has already broken up from the warmer weather,

and we can easily guide Octantis around the bigger ice.”

Leah clutched the blanket around her in surrender while I braced against the window in my birthday suit, capturing unimaginable views with little concern for the crisp Antarctic air.

Captain Cardestig continued, “But best of all, the kitchen staff is serving breakfast buffet at the bow of the ship. So please dress warmly, and join us outside for this remarkable voyage, and don’t forget to bring your cameras and binoculars.”

“I guess we’re getting dressed,” Leah lamented. “And could you shut that window! It’s fucking freezing in here!”

Lemaire Channel is a narrow strait of glossy water that traverses 11 km between Booth Island in the Wilhelm Archipelago and Graham Land–shrinking to 600 meters at its narrowest point. With views of stunning snowcaps atop dramatic cliffs, Lemaire Channel easily earns its moniker, “Kodak Gap.”

It was all hands around the bow deck. Leah and I joined the crowd, hopelessly jockeying for a position at the rail, until we found solace on the upper deck away from the fray,

where we were content to enjoy breathtaking vistas,

and watch the world float by.

There were penguin playgrounds …

and a pod of Orcas along the way,

but for now, the real star of the show was the scenery.

When Octantis eventually reached open water…

with captivating views of the Argentine Islands,

Captain Cardestig turned the ship around, allowing us to enjoy the approach from the opposite direction.

And it was just as impressive as the first pass!

Next stop: Cuverville Island