In a first ever, the Amazing Exclusive Race is the first race to travel to the white Continent.  With such a historic and momentous race leg, Simon and Ang were exceptionally excited in the lead up to departure aboard the Plancius.

Finally the evening of the 27^th of February arrived.  The team was collected by their agent and driven to right to the gang plank.  They boarded the ship, after taking a few photos to mark this momentous occasion, and were shown their cabin.  Soon the other remaining exclusive race passengers had boarded and the Plancius weighed anchor and steamed south towards the bottom of the world as the sun set over Terre Del Feugro.

After being introduced to the highly qualified expedition staff and hilarious Russian captain, the team completed their first challenge, a lifeboat safety drill.  With this completed, the team was given some free time to enjoy the navigation of the Beagle channel and prepare for the upcoming dreaded Drake Passage as twilight fell.

Simon particularly enjoyed the crew introductions and the hilarious typically Russian way the Russian captain said they were probably not going to get smooth water crossing the Drake, but that he was still hopeful.  With the formalities completed, Simon and Ang settled into life aboard the ship, exploring and meeting some of the other exclusive race teams.  After dinner, they retired for the night as the Plancius headed out into open ocean, toward the white unknown.

The second day of this historic challenge commenced with the boat formally in the waters of the Drake Passage.  The waters are relatively calm, but Ang, true to form, was not feeling the best.  She retired to her bed in the cabin where she would spend the next 48 hours.  Simon was relatively unaffected and entertained himself talking with the few other exclusive race team members who were not seasick.

By the afternoon of the third day, team found themselves in the waters around the South Shetland islands.  This was the first glimpse of land in two days and Simon joined some of the other passengers on deck to photograph the islands as the ship rocked by. At this point Ang was feeling better, but still is not in any shape to leave her bed.

The next morning, the team found themselves arriving into the smooth waters of the Neumayer channel and on final approach to Port Lockroy on Goudier Island.  After the ship ploughed its way though some brash ice, the anchor was dropped and the team received their first challenge.  They were to complete a kayaking challenge along with other experienced kayakers in the first group of exclusive racers.  Simon and Ang attended the safety briefing and donned their neoprene wetsuits, decking, safety equipment and selected their tandem kayak.

The Plancius breaks its way to Port Lockroy

Plancius clears the ice and approaches Lockroy

The kayaks were then all lowered into the water and Simon and Ang joined the other racers in the first group aboard the mothership zodiacs.  Deployment followed soon after and all racers were paddling around the amazing bay.

Ang and Simon once again in a tandem kayak completing the paddle next to ice bergs challenge	Ang takes it all in

The team on the freezing waters are all smiles

After about twenty minutes, one solo member of a team America rolled his kayak.  He was rapidly pulled back into the safety zodiac and soon resumed paddling.  Simon and Ang were amazed at this, but focused back on their main task for this challenge and set about getting themselves as close to wildlife and bergie bits as safely as possible.  With this challenge completed, Pete, the kayak guide gave them their next clue and directed them to visit the Port Lockroy station where they were to send post cards.

Port Lockroy is a British station that is operated on behalf of the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust.  The station sees approximately 150 cruise ship visits per year and helps raise funds for the restoration of a variety of historic Antarctic structures.  The station is an operating post office and is staffed by three specially selected volunteers.  For the last two years, these have all been ladies.

Racing ashore, Simon and Ang were met by hundreds of hilarious Gentoo penguins and the odd seal. The team quickly made their way into the station where they each wrote a post card. As the station was being closed for the winter and the next mail ship wasn’t due until November, the team’s postcards won’t be delivered until Christmas 2012.

Noble Port Lockroy	Inside Port Lockroy, the team correctly located the perfect fried penguin breast receipe

The team pauses for a photo outside of Port Lockroy	These are British penguins

Simon conversates with a penguin	Ang amongst the penguins

With this challenge completed, the team explored the rest of the preserved station and then went outside to watch the penguins do their thing.  Both Simon and Ang agreed that it was hard not to photograph the funny little guys, but as they were racing they had to pull themselves away and return to the zodiacs for lunch onboard the Plancius.

Antarctic bobsled team!	Penguin audience

After a delicious meal, the team was handed their next clue.  They were to complete a hike around Jougla Point near the Port Lockroy station.  Sadly Ang had to return to the ship earlier in a hurry as bathroom stops are not allowed on land, but Simon carried on alone and soon completed the spectacular circuit. Near the end of the walk, Simon was approached by two curious penguins.  They kept on shuffling forward and pausing to turn their heads sideways to look at Simon.  Eventually they arrived at his feet.  Simon thought they were going to present him with a medal or at least some krill. Instead they promptly commenced pecking his boots.  Simon said of this encounter that “until they started pecking my feet I thought they must’ve been thinking I was a giant penguin. Hilarious!”.

Jougla Point panorama towards Port Lockroy	Even more penguins

Pile of Penguins!

Moments later they pecked Simon’s boots	Hello penguin!

Whale bones!

Penguin rookery

Plancius in the ice	Flying penguin!

Back on the Plancius, the team settled in for a fantastic outdoor BBQ on the back deck.  This meal had been expertly cooked by hair dyer aided chefs. The meal had the added bonus of free wine and beer.  Simon and Ang mingled with the other racers, until they were suddenly handed a surprise challenge by Andrew Bishop, the Australian Geologist and Camping guide. This task required the team to camp overnight on snow at Damoy Point.

Easy BBQing with a hairdryer in the Antarctic	Various smiling team Australias (and a snooty team America)

Non-local produce

After putting on more clothing, the team jumped into a zodiac and zoomed off into the night.  They were deposited at the campsite after zigzagging their way through bergy bits and growlers.  As other exclusive race teams had also been given this challenge, Simon and Ang had to walk around until they found a free tent.  There they assembled their bedding and helped another solo Team America racer assemble his. The two teams then fell asleep to the sound of howling Antarctic wind.  Ang had a great night’s sleep and said later that “it was exactly how i imagined Antarctica to be, with howling winds, I could imagine being an explorer. Such a truly memorable night”.  Simon, owing to the wine he had drunk at the BBQ, needed to pee in the night.  This challenge was just completed by filling an emergency pee bottle right to the top.  Simon later said that ”it was cold and I’m just glad the bottle I had was just the right volume, otherwise it would have been disastrous”.

The campsite	Inside the party tent

…To be continued.