Remember hearing about the Eagle Scout and Hornaday Award recipient who would soon trek to Antarctica for the adventure of a lifetime? Well Robert Marks is back from the 13-day expedition and was eager to share his coolest and most memorable experiences from the 2041 International Antarctica Expedition. Hear from Robert below as he gave us the scoop on what he learned and what it’s like to explore the beauty of the Antarctic.

What was the most surprising thing that happened to you? 

Robert: The sighting of a sperm whale was the most surprising for everyone. The whale is known for making deep and long dives which accounts for the rarity of the sighting. See the footage from the sperm whale sighting below:

Sperm Whale on The Drake- A once in a lifetime sighting from robertswan on Vimeo.

What was your favorite memory?

Robert: Landing on floating ice. We were on our way to Brown Bluff when massive chunks of ice prevented us from entering the cove. The captain felt there was a risk of becoming stuck as the ice, which is in constant motion, could quickly close off the exit path. So “Plan B” was to drop off team members on the spinning chunks of seasonal ice. The ice was about 15 x 15 meters in size and staff estimated it was likely to be three years old. The staff set up flags around the edges to prevent us from accidentally slipping off. It was like we had captured our own floating island.

What did you learn?

Robert: We have an obligation to protect Antarctica. It’s like the Grand Canyon. You can view the pictures or watch the videos but you can’t truly appreciate the massive beauty until you experience it firsthand.

Experience Robert’s Journey

Want a closer look into Robert’s daily happenings from the expedition? Head to the Green to Deep Green blog and also his personal travel blog to live vicariously through his day-to-day adventures.