Introduction

So what do you pack for a trip to Antarctica? That is the question I asked prior to taking my first Cheesemans' Antarctic expedition. I have a bias toward packing light, but as a Florida boy a month in the land of Shackleton left me stumped. Despite my best efforts I still left my house feeling like a pack mule. I'd packed lighter than many folks, but what really struck me was how lean the veteran members of the staff had packed. There are a couple of very practical reasons for this. First, the ship's cabins are comfortable but compact. The more stuff you have in your room or closet, the more stuff you have to go through to find the few things you'll actually really need. More importantly, your first day in Argentina may well look like mine: Deplane after all-night flight and claim baggage. Carry all baggage (both checked and carry-on) across several large, crowded airport terminals. Check baggage onto flight to Ushuaia. After 3.5 hours on flight, deplane in Ushuaia to claim baggage again. Carry baggage to bus. Disembark at hotel and carry baggage to room. It's a pretty taxing day in any case, but overweight or overstuffed luggage can add a lot of stress to an otherwise fantastic adventure.

What follows is how I'm packing. Please don't substitute my judgment for your own, but if this guide helps you lighten your load, I'm happy to offer it.

Most of what you pack will fall into one of three categories: clothing, personal items (e.g. toiletries, journal) and cameras / electronics.

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Clothing

It's easy to over-pack clothes for this trip, but it's pretty easy to pack right if you consider three things:

The weather outside won't be as cold as you might think. In the Falklands the average daily low in January is 50 degrees F with an average daily high of 71 degrees F. In South Georgia it's 30 degrees F / 36 degrees F and at Palmer Station (about as far South as we'll go) it's about 30 degrees F / 36 degrees F. It just won't get much colder than that. Wind is probably more of a factor than cold and you should always count on a strong breeze. Moisture will come from falling rain and snow (infrequent) and from getting splashed on zodiac rides (frequent and pretty much guaranteed). So while the outside can be wet, windy and cold, if you take care of the wind and the wet, the cold will pretty much take care of itself. What does this mean for packing outdoor gear?

The weather inside is very comfortable. The ship is very comfortable though you can catch a draft in common areas when people are going out to or in from the deck. Bring casual wear that's just a little warm and can layer. Also, keep a fleece, sweater or light jacket with you when moving around the ship. If ship's PA announces sightings of whales, dolphins or rare seabirds you may need it on deck.

A plan for laundry can significantly lighten your bag. The more laundry you're willing to do (or pay for) the fewer clothes you have to pack. You've got to work hard to sweat in the cool, dry air so if you're okay wearing clothes a couple of times between washings, you'll find plenty of company. There are no self-service laundry facilities on the ship so any laundry you do yourself will be in the sink or shower. The ship's laundry service charges are nominal for a hotel ($1-$5 per item) and are the same whether you launder one item or 10. Turnaround time is 1-3 days so if you put something in Monday morning it will usually be back Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon. One easy call: leave 'Dry Clean Only' stuff at home. My laundry plan is:

Here's a laundry trick that I learned on my first trip. Rinsing stuff in the sink or shower is okay, but you'll get soaked doing it in rough seas. To get a good wash and conserve fresh water (remember the ship has to make its own) use a 2-gallon Zip-Loc freezer bag. Put a couple of inches of water in the bag, add Woolite and put in one large or several small pieces of clothing. Squeeze the air out of the bag and close. Knead the clothes through the bag for 1-2 minutes to work the water and detergent through. Remove clothes and wring out. Repeat with fresh water to rinse or just rinse while you shower. Wring the rinsed item out (or roll up in a towel) and hang to air dry. Each 'load' takes 5-8 minutes. Between the dry air and warm ship interior, most items washed this way will dry in a couple of hours.

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My Clothes Paking List

Category Recommended My Choice Notes
Base Layer Two pairs mid-weight long underwear Capilene mid-weight long underwear Capilene wears smooth and it's cheaper than good wool stuff. I found mid-weight warm enough for the coldest parts of the trip and in the Falklands I just wore it under shell pants with no mid-layer at all. It can pick up and hold a smell but will do fine if you rinse it out regularly and let it air dry (hot air driers bake the smell in). I've had mine for two trips and it's still 'funk' free.
Mid Layer 1 close fitting long-sleeve mid-layer top Powerstretch half-zip shirt (Mountain Hardwear) I like a close-fitting middle layer on shore. If the weather's cold and you keep it on it won't pull or bunch up under your jacket. If the weather's good and you take it off it takes up less space in your pack.
1 loose fitting long-sleeve mid-layer top Polartech fleece zip pullover (Patagonia) This is my 'on the boat' warmth. It's loose enough to be comfortable in the heated indoors and warm enough to go out on the windy deck. It's also a back-up for my on-shore mid-layer.
1 close fitting mid-layer pants Powerstretch pants (Marmot) I didn't use these until we were about half-way through South Georgia, but after that I wore them on all the landings.
Outer Layer 1 non-insulated wind-proof shell jacket Snowboarding shell jacket (Mountain Hardwear) It's work to stay balanced on slippery surfaces or a windy zodiac so I'd pass on anything so thick or insulated that it inhibits movement. Parkas and the like also take up a lot of bag space and are overkill for the Falklands. The essentials: waterproof, windproof, breathable and tough enough to take some scrubbing and scraping. The nice to haves: zip-vents for when it gets warm, lots of pockets (at least one waterproof) and a hood for when it gets wet/windy. My jacket's front pockets are big enough to hold a camera lens and a zippered pocket on the forearm holds sunscreen and lip balm. If you're not used to cold weather gear make sure your shell it fits when you're wearing your base and mid layers.
1 wind-proof, water-proof shell pant Unlined wind-proof shell pants (Marmot) I think this is the second-most important piece of gear. These will take a lot of abuse since you'll wear them on every landing, so choose with care. Be wary of inexpensive rain pants. They may be somewhat water-proof in rain but will soak through if heavily splashed or if you sit on them wet (i.e., on a wet zodiac pontoon). Since a cold, wet butt is seldom a happy butt I suggest something tough and breathable that fits well over your boots.
Feet 1 pair waterproof boots Fieldmaster All Terrain Sport Boots (Muck Boots) The most consistently cursed piece of gear on this trip is poorly chosen boots. If one thing absolutely has to be right, this is it. They should fit well, be comfortable for walking several miles and come up 15 inches. If you don't know where to start, I suggest the Cheeseman-recommended Muck Boots. If you shop around shop early and try lots of styles with the socks you'll be wearing on the trip. Once you've selected a pair break them in thoroughly in before the trip (I do all my Christmas shopping in mine). As a hint, my Muck Boots felt a little loose around my ankles but I added a pair of Velcro ankle supports and felt like I had great footing at all times.
5 pairs wool hiking socks Hiking socks (Smartwool) When you're cold, wet and tired nothing picks you up like fresh, clean dry socks so I pack plenty. I prefer hiking socks because they're extra padding but not too hot. If you're given to sweaty feet you may also want to add some sock liners.
1 pair deck shoes Keen sandals For wear aboard ship. The outside decks are metal and can get wet so you'll want something with some grip.
1 pair comfortable hiking/walking shoes Timberland hiking shoes For the day trip to Tierra del Fuego National Park and some hiking trips. I'll also wear these on the plane to and from Ushuaia.
Head and Neck Warm, wind-proof Hat Dome Perignon hat (Mountain Hardware) Wind-proof is very helpful here. I like the dome hat because it fits under my jacket hood and won't interfere with picture-taking.
Shade Hat Regular baseball cap  
Neck warmer Fleece neck gaiter (Mountain Hardware) I like a neck gaiter because it takes up less space than a scarf.
Hands 1 pair waterproof gloves or mittens with warm liner Elevation Gloves (Mountain Hardware) Gore-Tex outer shell with removable fleece inner gloves Waterproof gloves or mittens are essential for zodiac rides in cold weather. Warm liners underneath are that much better. Gore-Tex or similar gloves or mittens is probably the way to go. Rubber dish gloves offer water protection but not much warmth. If you go in that direction I'd wear thin liners under oversized coated work gloves from Home Depot or Lowes. They'll go on and off easier than dish gloves.
1 pair windproof gloves   Not as bulky as the waterproof gloves but plenty warm and wind-proof for hikes or long stretches standing on deck.
1 pair windproof glomitts Magic Mitts (Outdoor Research) Glomitts are mittens on which the tops can be pulled back and secured to free up your fingers and thumbs. These keep hands warm but still enable you to get hands free quickly for taking pictures.
Casual Wear 3 pairs of casual pants and 4 casual shirts   I'll wear one of each on the trip to and from Ushuaia.
Underwear   1 week worth With the ship's laundry turnaround time this should be plenty.
Other Stuff   1 bathing suit, one pair of hiking shorts With the ship's laundry turnaround time this should be plenty.
Laundry Kit   Woolite, 6 2-gallon Zip-Loc bags, 12 clothes pins, suction cup hooks, small scrubbing brush See my notes above on using the Zip-Loc bags for washing clothes. The scrubbing brush is good for getting tough mud and poop spots off your clothes and boots. The best place to hang clothes to dry is in the hallway outside your cabin, but space on the hand rails fills up pretty quickly. You can use the suction cup hooks to create hanging space on the walls. Clothes pins help keep stuff on the hangars or rails even when seas are rough.

A special note on packing Even if you pack light by weight, you still have to worry about volume. Cold weather clothing is bulky and trying to cram in boots, tripods, toiletries and other odd shaped items can turn closing the suitcase into a struggle. In the worst case, this leads to bringing an extra bag (which entices most people to pack even more stuff). Following are some hints to make packing easier.

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Other Gear

These are the things to keep you well-maintained during almost a month away from civilization. Our ship has a very small gift shop and an infirmary where you can get some necessities, but wouldn't rely on these for necessities. A seasoned traveler once told me the best way to make sure you've got everything in this category is to run a check "from inside out and head to foot".

Item My Choice
Small tote with shoulder strap Call it a man-purse if you like, but it's critical safety equipment. On the open sea, and especially in the Drake Passage, waves move the ship in ways we don't anticipate. If we're waking through the ship with a snack, watter bottle or book in our hands, then our hands aren't free to catch us if we lose balance. Even when the ship's not moving things in our hands (especially cameras and computers) can distract us, leading to an accident. Any sudden impact with steel hurts a lot! Don't let an accident mar a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
Prescriptions I don't have any prescriptions, but I will bring vitamins. This is pretty obvious, but you'll want to have it on your checklist to make sure. Bring enough for the trip duration plus a few days extra in case of a flight delay. Remember to pack these in one of your carry-on bags.
Seasickness Kit Scopolamine patches, Relief Band (with gel and spare battery), Bonine, Sudafed. Read the Cheeseman's seasick recommendations (www.cheesemans.com/polar/seasickness.html). I only got seasick on the mornings after the first night of open sea passages. After that I was fine. My strategy this year is a patch 6-8 hours before heading out to sea. If I get queasy during an unexpected patch I'll take a Bonine (to relieve the nausea) and a Sudafed (to offset the drowsiness of the Bonine). If it's really bad I'll put on the Relief Band. It feels weird, but it seems to help.
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts If you do get seasick you won't feel like eating for a while, but you'll get back on solids faster if it's something you like. This is also good for a midnight snack or if you wind up skipping a meal. Just remember that eating on shore is taboo most places so you'll want to keep it on the ship.
Over-the-Counter Medicines Pepto Bismol tablets, cough drops, aspirin, vitamins, Band-Aids, Neosporin, Alka-Seltzer Cold Medicine If a cold makes the rounds on board you'll want some of your preferred remedies. I won't pack full packages of anything, but a few of each in a little aid kit is very convenient.
3-4 handkerchiefs / bandanas 4 handkershiefs. Nobody wants to see used tissues blowing around a penguin colony and the easiet way to prevent that is not to bring tissues ashore. I'll actually carry three on shore: one for sniffles, one for wiping camera lenses and one for cleaning my glasses.
Sunscreen SPF 30 lotion, Sun Sticks. The lotion goes on before I leave the cabin. The sun sticks (sunscreen applied like a stick antiperspirant) stays in my shell jacket zip pocket for non-gooey touch ups on shore.
Skin Care A bottle of moisturizing lotion, Chap Stiks, Tinactin or foot powder; razor, blades, shaving cream, antiperspirant. Antarctica is dry and windy with a lot of UV, so your skin will appreciate some extra care. You'll also be spending a lot of time in wool socks and insulated boots, so if you have sweaty feet it'll be worth it to give them some extra attention as well.
Hair Care Shampoo and hair brush (but then I don't have much hair). I'll also get a haircut a few days before the trip.
Eye Care Glasses and sunglasses (regular and spare pairs of each), lanyards for glasses, cleaners for glasses There's not much way to repair lost or broken glasses, so you'll want spares. Lanyards are good insurance to keep them from getting lost. I'll bring a couple of microfiber cloths for cleaning.
Dental Care New toothbrush, toothpaste, floss.
Nail Care Nail trimming kit with clippers, scissors and file.
Misc. Items Journal, pen, $600 cash or travelers' checks, travel wallet, power converter. Read your itinerary for information on the ship's power system.

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Camera, Optics and Electronics

Note: This section is for point-and-shoot camera users who may be thinking about buying a digital SLR for the trip. What follows isn't exactly what's in my camera bag, but based on what I learned it's what I'd suggest for an upgrading point-and-shooter.

Prior to the 2003/04 trip I decided I wanted better pictures than my point-and-shoot film camera would deliver. I invested in a consumer digital SLR and on the way to the Falklands I found four other shipmates were doing the same thing. Now digital SLR's have dropped in price and jumped in quality so I'm guessing other people might be considering the same idea. I went with Canon's Digital Rebel system because it seemed to be the best value for the money in my price range. Some folks prefer other brands and I can't really speak to the differences but a good photographer can help you set up a comparable system in another brand.

Not having to carry film is the blessing and curse of digital photography. On my first trip took just under 5,100 pictures (equal to about 150 rolls of film). At 11MB per picture that's just about 56 gigabytes (GB) worth of whales, icebergs and albatrosses. You'll either need a wad of cash for memory cards or a plan to store your pictures someplace other than your camera's memory card. If you have a laptop available you can store images on the laptop's hard drive, on an auxiliary hard drive (e.g. dedicated hard drive or iPod). On a related note, I wouldn't spend too much time looking at pictures on the view screen or deleting bad ones while you're shooting. First, if you're looking at the back of your camera you're missing what's in front of your camera (which is the whole reason for the trip). Second, the size of digital SLR photos makes it very hard to judge their quality on a small screen. Pictures that look great on the screen may be out of focus or lack depth at full size. On the other hand, a picture that looks like a miss on the screen may turn out to be excellent with some cropping. Either way, you have only a few weeks to take your pictures and the rest of your life to pore over them. Save yourself some fun for when you get back to civilization!

Most experienced photographers will tell you that a cheap camera with a good lens will take much better pictures than a great camera with a cheap lens. So while sorting through lens options can be daunting, it's worth the time to talk to a veteran or do some research (I've learned a lot at photo.net). If you're going to pick lenses on your own, I'd start by focusing on the focal length. This number (expressed in millimeters) roughly conveys how much the lens sees of what's in front of it. If you look through a 50mm lens you will see about the same field of view that you'd see through the human eye. If you look through a 100mm lens, you'll see half as much but it will be magnified to be twice as big. A 200mm lens will show you one-quarter of what you'd see through a 50mm, but it's four times larger. Conversely, a 25mm lens will show you twice as much as you'd see in a 50mm, but everything will be half as large. The key to lens selection is to make sure that you have good lenses that cover all the focal lengths you'll need. Zoom lenses make the job easier by fitting a range of focal lengths into one lens. For example, a 100-300 zoom lens covers the focal length from 100mm to 300mm (i.e. 2x-6x magnification). There is one more complicating factor: for technical reasons some digital SLRs magnify images in a way that effectively increases the focal length of most lenses by roughly 60%. In that case, a 100mm lens would actually look like a 160mm lens when mounted on a Canon digital SLR. This is only a minor issue.

When you pick your lenses, be sure to cover focal ranges up to 200 or 300mm. With the list below you can cover a range from 18mm to 480mm in just three lenses. I've used all of the lenses on this list and have been pleased with each of them. I'd be wary of zoom lenses which try to jam all focal lengths into one lens (e.g. Canon's 28-300 lens). Such lenses will be heavier than you'll want to tote around most of the time. Also, if you're just starting out a super telephoto lenses (400mm or more) will most likely be overkill for this trip (of course if you'd like to bring one, I'll be happy to try it out!).

When it comes time to buy, it pays to be selective. I've bought from local merchants when I needed hands-on guidance but I've also had excellent experiences with B&H Photo Video (www.bhphotovideo.com) in New York. It pays to shop around, but be careful. Many online camera shops are notorious for shoddy business practices or poor service. In general, if it seems too good to be true it probably is.

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Category Item Notes
Camera body and spare body Suggested: 2 Canon Digital Rebels Many retailers offer a bundle which includes the Rebel XT, a memory card and a wide-angle zoom lens (usually 18-55mm). 8 mega pixel resolution can produce A3 prints (11.7 x 16.5 inches) and larger. I used the lower-resolution original Digital Rebel in 2003/04 and had excellent results at 10x15 inches. A second body may seem a bit much, but If your camera gets damaged, the rest of your camera bag might as well be a boat anchor. Here's a tip to stretch the budget: Buy your first body as a bundle (with lens and/or memory card). For your backup buy just the body. With the backup, leave everything except the body in its original box and wrapping. During the trip leave the backup in its plastic wrapping safely in your cabin. Use the spare if you must, but if not, when you get home, put the body back in the box and sell it on EBay. You may lose 10-15% on the sale, but that's still pretty cheap insurance. By the way, on my first trip my spare Rebel body never made it to EBay. One of my shipmates had an accident with his Canon early in the cruise. He didn't have a backup but he was very happy to buy mine.
Lens: Telephoto Top of the Line: Canon 70-200 2.8L IS or Canon 100-400 4.0-5.6L IS
Suggested: Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 EF IS
On a budget: Canon EF 100-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM		 This lens zooms in on distant subjects (25 feet and beyond). Pictures taken through zoom lenses will tend to blur unless the camera is held very still or mounted on a tripod. Image Stabilization (IS) technology can help compensate for these "shakes" by compensating for minute movements while the picture is being taken.
Regardless of how much you spend on lenses, you long zoom lens will almost certainly be your most heavily used.
Lens: Portrait Suggested: Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di
On a budget: Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 		Between your zoom lens and your wide angle is your portrait lens, and it should be a workhorse. You'll generally use this lens for subjects that you can approach from 10-30 feet. On our trip that includes a large number of seals, penguins, seabirds and, if we're really lucky, whales. Image shake isn't as much of a problem in this focal range so it's probably better to spend more for quality optics rather than image stabilization. I used the Canon EF 28-105 last time and it took good pictures, but a professional photographer recommended the Tamron and I've been thrilled with the results. Current difference in price between the two is about $160, but the Tamron includes a lens hood which would be about $25 extra for the Canon.
Lens: Wide-Angle Suggested: Canon EF-S 18-55 f3.5/5.6 (effective focal range 18-55mm) This lens is for landscapes, seascapes and general wide angle use. Because of the magnification issue noted above, there aren't many lenses which will take a super-wide angle shot on the Digital Rebel. However, this lens is designed for Canon digitals, so its focal range truly is 18-55mm. I used this lens extensively in 2003/04 and was very pleased with the results. There are other lenses which are nicer but will cost quite a bit more and won't have as wide an angle of view. I'd save on this lens by getting it in a bundle and put more money into my portrait and telephoto lenses.
Lens Filters Suggested: UV-Haze and Circular Polarizing UV filters are a cheap barrier between the business end of your lenses and the cruel forces of nature and grime. As a side benefit, these filters also reduce UV distortion in your picture. All the Canon lenses on my list take a 58mm diameter filter (the Tamron is 67mm) so I'd take an extra 58mm UV filter as a spare. Circular polarizing filters, when turned correctly, polarize the light coming through the lens. This reduces glare and also has another cool effect: if your lens is perpendicular to the sun when you take your picture, the sky in your picture will be much bluer than it appears to the naked eye. I'd bring one 58mm polarizer to cover all the Canon lenses (and a 67mm for the Tamron lens if appropriate)
Lens Accessories Suggested: Spare lens caps, lens cap leashes, lens hoods, cleaning supplies. Lens caps are an extra layer of protection. I suggest one or two extra 58mm lens caps as spares for the Canon lenses (and a 67mm cap if you use the Tamron). Lens cap leashes tether the lens cap to the barrel of the lens so you don't lose them. Lens hoods keep glare and precipitation off the front of your lens and are very highly recommended for your zoom and portrait lens (the Tamron lens comes with a hood). Consult your local camera store for the best supplies/methods for cleaning lenses.
Memory Cards Suggested: : 4-8 GB of total memory A 1GB memory card will hold about 260 high resolution JPEG images. The larger the memory card, the lower the cost per GB. However, while one 4GB card is cheaper than four 1GB cards, four 1GB cards mean you can have a card fail and still be able to shoot. I'll probably bring one 2GB and two 1GB cards.
Camera Strap   You'll get one with the camera, but a padded, comfortable strap is worth the extra investment.
Batteries Suggested: Three batteries Since there's almost always daylight in Antarctica you won't be using much flash and battery life won't shouldn't be a problem. Three batteries allow you to have one in the camera, a charged spare in your bag and one in the charger in your cabin. If you have different camera body models for your primary and spare be sure that they run on the same batteries or that you have spare batteries for both.
Battery Charger Suggested: One charger Keep up a rotation with your batteries and one charger is plenty.
Power Converter   Read your itinerary for information on the ship's power system and whether you will need power converters and/or plug adapters.
Tripod and head Tripod tastes are pretty subjective. Photo.net has good information that you can use to make a decision. http://photo.net/equipment/tripods/ Your tripod will hold your camera steady and act as a liaison between you and grumpy fur seals. In case it also becomes a walking stick you may want to bring a tripod that's beefy enough for the job. The tripod head can be plain or fancy, pistol-gripped, self-leveling, cheap or expensive. You'll want one sturdy enough to hold your camera and largest lens and a way to mount and dismount the camera quickly (usually via hardware that screws to the camera and mounts on the tripod head via a quick-release). Beyond that, find one that feels right for you.
Camera Bag   I use a Lowepro camera backpack because it holds most of my stuff and has extra space if I need to shed a layer of clothes. I also have a smaller bag that holds my body and one or two short lenses.
Dry Bag   You can cart your camera gear to shore in heavy plastic trash bags, but if you've invested in good camera equipment the peace of mind is worth the extra $20-30. Make sure your bag is big enough to carry your camera bag fully loaded. If your tripod fits in as well that's one less thing you have to load on and off the zodiacs.
Offline Storage System for Pictures   I'm bringing a notebook computer with an extra portable hard drive. FYI, there are four standard connection protocols for linking an external hard drive to a laptop: USB 1.0, USB 2.0, Firewire 400 and Firewire 800. USB 1.0 is the slowest and will take 10-15 minutes to download 1GB worth of images. USB 2.0 and Firewire 400 are much faster and can handle the job in 4-6 minutes. Firewire 800 is faster still and should download the same 1 GB in 2-4 minutes. Whatever solution you go with, be sure to test it several times with full memory cards before you leave home.
Binoculars   Read the Cheeseman's binoculars recommendations (www.cheesemans.com/polar/binoculars.html).

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