The Antarctica Marathon: Part 4

The Antarctica Marathon is the ultimate marathon adventure

The Antarctica continent is truly stunning. If you get the opportunity to run the Antarctica Marathon then you're in for a real treat once the race is done. You have three days exploring some amazing sights, including the world famous Paradise Bay, maybe the most beautiful place on earth.

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After a marathon celebration party on board the ship the night of the race we headed south deeper into Antarctica overnight. What we awoke to was truly spectacular. Paradise Bay. Unbelievable. Located north of the Lemaire Channel, it was once a popular anchorage for whale hunters in the early 20th century. Today, it is home to the Argentinian research station, Almirante Brown, named after the Irish-Argentinian admiral William Brown, founder of the Argentinian Navy and hero of the Argentine War of Independence. The station is one of 13 Argentinian stations in Antarctica and was well-equipped in the 1960s, before it burned down in 1984. It has since been partially rebuilt as a summer station. There are rumors that the station's doctor set fire to the building to avoid spending another winter there, but the staff was ultimately saved by an American ship. Almirante Brown is also a possible landing site for visitors to Paradise Bay. González Videla, a Chilean research station, is located in Paradise Bay at Waterboat Point. This area is situated on a land spit at the northern entrance of the bay. The name Waterboat Point was given by two British scientists who stayed there from 1921―22 in a primitive shelter built partly out of an upturned boat left by whale hunters. Today, their hut is an historic monument.

We headed out into the Bay on board the zodiacs and cruised amidst this remarkable beauty. And then out of nowhere two huge humpback whales appeared ready to perform. And perform they did. At this point the zodiacs were in a circle and then as if waiting for the perfect moment both whales came up from the water somersaulted and left as gracefully as they arrived. A never to be repeated moment. That's the kind of thing that happens here.

After witnessing the remarkable humpback show we toured a place where many were decimated. Antarctic whaling began during the industrial age with the use of explosive harpoons and fast catcher boats. The fishery was not sustainably managed, and ships were sent to harvest whales without considering long-term protection. This led to the decimation of nearly all whale species, resulting in most whale stocks being a small fraction of their pre-whaling levels even decades after large scale commercial whaling stopped. The Antarctic region has housed fishing villages, whaling stations, scientific bases, and way stations for exploration. Although abandoned, these facilities remain as time capsules of their respective industries and expeditions. The abandoned whaling station we visited was as if its occupants had just left. An eerie place with so much history and so much death. What must have seemed so normal at the time now seems so brutally inappropriate.

After the nervous anticipation on the ship before the race it was all now very different. We were now all tourists of a different type. The hard work in preparing for and actually running the race were done and it was now time to experience this unbelievable place. The most imaginative superlatives do not do it justice. Many times we went ashore on the zodiacs to witness hundreds of gentoo penguins basking in the sun next to huge seals. All coexisting until someone fell out of line. There was then instant chaos, before calm was restored seconds later. The Adelie penguins were by far the most common we saw. Antarctica is home to roughly 2.5 million breeding pairs of Adélie penguins. These flightless birds weigh between 3.6 to 6.0 kg (7.9 to 13.2 pounds) and stand 46 to 71 cm (18 to 28 inches) tall. Their diet mainly consists of fish and krill, and they are capable of diving up to 175 meters (574 feet), though they prefer to catch their meals near the surface. Adélie penguins breed in densely populated colonies of thousands during the Southern Hemisphere summer, typically in December. Their breeding season and courtship period are among the shortest of all penguin species, characterised by flipper-waving and calls. In mid-November, the female lays two eggs which are cared for by both parents until they hatch.

After three superb days of sightseeing it was time to head back. Time to buckle up the bed seat belts and head to Ushuaia. Remarkably, it was pretty much calm throughout the whole return journey. No waves breaking over the ship, no mass sea sickness and no need for the seat belts. It's amazing how two crossing of the same stretch of water can be so different. Thank god they were.

The Antartica Marathon is the ultimate marathon adventure, there is no doubt about that!