Antarctica Iceberg Alley

Seeing hundreds of Antarctica icebergs of all shapes and sizes is a thrilling part of an Antarctic cruise. We sailed to Antarctica on the Hapag-Lloyd Hanseatic expedition cruise ship and spent a day cruising "iceberg alley" in the Weddell Sea at the northeast tip of the Antarctic peninsula. The sensation is marvelous--it is like being a small insect floating in a bowl of crystal water filled with ice cubes. The sound of the ice hitting the reinforced hull as the ship moves slowly through the icy waters is a little disconcerting and exciting at the same time.

I knew we would see icebergs in Antarctica, but I never dreamed they would be so diverse in shape, size, and color. The contrast between the icebergs, the nearby mountainous peninsula and islands, and the huge glaciers is a memorable sight.

For those who can't get to Antarctica, Alaska has some wonderful smaller icebergs, like these beautiful blue icebergs in LeConte Bay on the Inside Passage of Alaska.