Svalbard is pretty easy to reach from Oslo — but if you’re coming from Australia, you are basically travelling to the opposite end of the planet. How to Get to Svalbard I honestly had no idea how to get to Svalbard. I didn’t even know what airport to search. From Melbourne, the most direct route […]
Every ten years, an Australian phenomenon occurs: the Easter holidays line up perfectly with Anzac Day, making it the ultimate opportunity to take a long break without using up a ton of annual leave. Our plan? A 9-day Svalbard photography expedition in search of Arctic wildlife in a country we’d never visited before — Norway. […]
As we left Kaikoura, the weather shifted back to windy and rainy conditions, setting the tone for our 3-hour scenic drive to Nelson. Nelson was a strategic stop for us: We planned to drop off our rental car and leave most of our luggage at the hotel, returning to collect it after our time […]
Though disappointed by the cancellation of the astrophotography workshop in Lake Tekapo, we remained optimistic about coming back at some point given New Zealand’s proximity to Sydney. The next leg of our journey was a drive estimated at about five hours to Kaikoura, with a planned stop in Christchurch to break up the trip. Christchurch […]
Disembarkation day always carries a hint of melancholy, almost like the end of a relationship. We docked at Bluff around 8 AM and, being bound for Invercargill Airport, we were among the last to disembark at around 9:30 AM. The drive to the airport was quiet and reflective. Arriving at the airport before the Budget […]
Our expedition was nearing its end, and rather than the planned quiet day at sea, our crew made the decision to revisit the Snares—an opportunity we’d missed earlier due to adverse weather conditions. We were thrilled to learn we may have an opportunity to get better photos of the endemic Snares crested penguin. And in […]
The day dawned with perfect weather at Sandy Bay on Enderby Island, part of the Auckland Islands. It was stop #2 on our original itinerary, but was now our last stop. Today’s activities included three options: Enderby Circuit: An 11km all-day hike around the island, complete with lunch and a ‘poo bag’ kit. Northern Cliff […]
Christmas Day aboard the Heritage Adventurer was all about eating, beginning with an extensive brunch instead of the usual breakfast. We had most of the day to relax, with the exception of a presentation by Nigel Marvin about his experience filming nature documentaries, and another round of bio-securing our gear. The celebrations culminated in […]
The morning greeted us with a calm anchorage at Sandy Bay, a spot celebrated for its easily accessible colonies of king and royal penguins. The bay also serves as a breeding ground for elephant and fur seals, making it a hub of wildlife activity. The calmer weather made boarding the zodiacs a breeze compared to […]
After a challenging couple of days at sea, and another round of bio-securing our gear, we were greeted with an exciting text message: “Welcome to Macca.” Macquarie Island, under Australian jurisdiction and part of Tasmania, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its extraordinary biodiversity and geological features. It is the only place on […]