PATTAYA, Thailand – At the July 29 meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club, member John Horrigan took his audience on a vivid journey to the bottom of the world describing the Antarctic expedition he and his wife Siripond made. Commenting on the extraordinary landscapes, wildlife and conditions they encountered along the way.
John opened his talk with striking facts about Antarctica, noting that the continent is the world’s largest desert despite holding most of the planet’s ice and a majority of its freshwater. He explained that if the Antarctic ice sheet were to melt, sea levels would rise dramatically, affecting major coastal cities around the world.
The presentation traced the couple’s route from Bangkok to Buenos Aires, then onward to Ushuaia in southern Argentina, where they boarded a small expedition ship bound for the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands. John said the trip was arranged through G Adventures and emphasized that such journeys are considered expeditions rather than conventional cruises because landings depend on weather, sea conditions and wildlife activity.
Crossing the Drake Passage, a body of water known for rough seas, proved unusually calm for John’s group. He joked that instead of the feared “Drake Shake,” they experienced the “Drake Lake,” allowing the ship to make quick progress and helping the passengers enjoy several successful landings.
Once in Antarctica, John described traveling by Zodiac boats to shore, where passengers followed strict environmental rules. Boots were inspected and disinfected, visitors stayed on marked paths, and everyone was instructed to avoid disturbing animals or leaving any trace behind. He said safety was a constant priority, with crew members scouting landings in advance and maintaining careful records of who left and returned to the ship.
Wildlife was a major highlight of the journey. John showed images and described encounters with gentoo, chinstrap and Adélie penguins, as well as elephant seals, other seals, whales and seabirds. One of the most memorable moments came when the ship’s bird expert spotted a juvenile emperor penguin far from its usual range, giving passengers an unexpected opportunity to see a species they had not expected on that side of the peninsula.
John also highlighted the region’s dramatic scenery, including blue glacier ice, towering icebergs, the Lemaire Channel, Deception Island, Port Lockroy, Charlotte Bay and Palaver Point. He explained how compressed glacier ice appears blue and described penguin colonies preparing for nesting season, including the less glamorous but unforgettable smell of guano around the colonies.
Life aboard the ship included safety briefings, lectures by naturalists, daily expedition plans, good meals, evening entertainment and optional activities such as kayaking and the polar plunge. John said he chose not to jump into the icy water, joking that he preferred to avoid being pulled out by rope.
The expedition ended with another unusually calm crossing of the Drake Passage and a close pass by Cape Horn before returning to Ushuaia. John told the club that, although the trip was expensive, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and one of the highlights of a broader South American journey through Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru.
During a question-and-answer session, John discussed the cost of Antarctic travel, physical requirements, health considerations, seasickness, safety procedures and the number of other expeditions operating in the region. Club members praised the presentation and the photographs, thanking John for sharing an informative and personal account of one of the world’s most remote destinations.
Following the presentations, MC Ren Lexander brought everyone up to date on upcoming Club events followed by the Open Forum portion of the meeting where questions are asked and comments made about Expat living in Thailand, especially Pattaya. To learn more about the PCEC, visit their website at https:/pcec.club. A video of the presentation will be uploaded to the PCEC’s YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@pcecclub6255/videos.
