The expedition guides were all exceptional, starting with the expedition leader, David Fletcher, who has worked in Antarctica for 34 years. He started an a dog driver and worked his way up to base commander. His knowledge of Antarctica wildlife and history, and his interpretation of traditional shanty songs was wonderful. We had both read the book about Ernest Shackleton's voyage to Antarctica on the Endurance in 1914, and David's re-telling of this magnificent tale of leadership and true endurance brought tears and strong emotions from all of us. It was one of the highlights of the voyage.
The other guides also led discussions of the Falkland Islands, penguins, Antarctica history, the great whales, bird migration, and research stations in the Antarctic. The Hanseatic has a lecture room, and we attended all the presentations. However, they were also shown live on the television in each cabin. Each of the guides had a contagious passion for Antarctica.
