Thank you to Malina Saval and Pasadena Magazine for publishing my article, “Epic Antarctica Adventure: Paddleboarding, Helicopter Rides, and a Polar Plunge South of the Circle. Antarctica Ranks First When It Comes to Wilderness, Adventure and Breathtaking Beauty,” in the print May/June 2025 Summer Travel issue about my first time setting foot on my seventh continent with Quark Expeditions.
After years of traveling the world—including seven spent working on cruise ships—I was beyond excited to reach my seventh and final continent: Antarctica. This remote, otherworldly place felt like the ultimate adventure, and I experienced it in ways I never imagined: paddling on the Southern Ocean, soaring by helicopter and plunging into its icy waters.
This trip was more than just touching my seventh continent: it was about embracing the adventure in its rawest form. Antarctica is the world’s last great frontier, a place where the landscape is as humbling as it is breathtaking, and where every experience feels like an extraordinary privilege. Looking back, I’ll always treasure the thrill of the plunge, the surreal beauty of the icebergs, the exhilaration of flight, and the countless awe-inspiring moments that made this trip a dream come true.
Crossing the Antarctic Circle is a milestone that fewer than 100,000 people have ever experienced— and I was lucky enough to be one of them. To mark the occasion, I hula-hooped across the Circle—yes, you read that right—something I’ll never forget.
To reach this milestone moment, I chose Quark Expeditions because of the company’s expertise in polar exploration, particularly in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Quark’s commitment to safety, sustainability, and responsible travel made it the perfect choice for this journey. Aboard the Ultramarine, we had access to places few will ever see, from helicopter flights over untouched landscapes to our landing on remote fast ice. Every moment was an opportunity to witness something extraordinary—a reminder of how fortunate we are to explore and appreciate these wild, untouched places.
Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) on the Southern Ocean was one of the most exhilarating—and unexpected—adventures I’ve ever had. After a Zodiac ride across calm, glassy waters, the scene was nothing short of magical. Icebergs rose like silent giants from the sea, their jagged peaks reflected perfectly below. It felt like paddling through a painting.
Then, I fell in—drysuit and all. (I wasn’t alone; three of us took an unplanned dip.) But once I was back on my board, free from the worry of what might happen, I enjoyed it even more. With a dry hat and gloves to warm up, I could fully embrace the surreal beauty of paddling through the icy waters of the world’s southernmost ocean—every cold splash was worth it.
After our paddle, it was time for one of Antarctica’s most talked-about challenges—the Polar Plunge. Dressed only in my bathing suit, I felt the icy shock the moment I hit the water, but the exhilaration was just as immediate. We were south of the Antarctic Circle, farther than I ever imagined traveling on this planet. As soon as I surfaced, the cold vanished, replaced by an overwhelming sense of pride.
It’s a moment I won’t soon forget—especially the split second before I jumped, when someone called out, “Where’s your hula hoop?” One exhilarating day, we took to the skies in helicopters. Quark Expeditions’ Ultramarine is equipped with two Airbus H145 helicopters, offering every passenger the opportunity to experience this one-of-a-kind flight. From above, the vastness of Antarctica was staggering. Glaciers stretched endlessly, icebergs dotted the sea like frozen sculptures, and the landscape—both desolate and beautiful—took on a surreal quality from the sky.
Flying over Antarctica is like witnessing the world’s last untouched wilderness in real time. The view was utterly breathtaking—glaciers, ice fields, and dramatic coastlines extending in every direction. From the air, Antarctica’s scale becomes almost incomprehensible, a boundless canvas of white and blue. This once-in-a-lifetime perspective made the journey even more extraordinary.
Throughout this adventure, what struck me most was the sheer joy of discovery. Whether it was hula-hooping across the Antarctic Circle, paddling on the Southern Ocean, plunging into the icy waters, or soaring over Antarctica in a helicopter, every moment felt like an invitation to experience the world in an entirely new way. Antarctica is a place that feels frozen in time, yet it is alive with possibility. To stand on the fast ice, to feel the wind of the Southern Ocean sting my face, to watch penguins and seals in their untouched habitat—these were moments of pure connection with nature, unlike anything I had ever known.
Watch my Antarctica expedition videos:
Read my article as a PDF: https://bit.ly/PasadenaQuark
Watch me talk about Antarctica on Spectrum News 1:
My interview about Quark Expeditions on The Jet Set TV:
On my podcast, Make Your Own Map:
Watch Fabrice Genevois, Quark Ultramarine’s penguinologist https://youtu.be/O58j8_Z5NiQ
Paddling Adventures with Quark Expeditions
https://youtu.be/qauQLRU6wws
Soaring Above the Ice: Helicopter Adventures with Quark Expeditions’ Sarah Zaubi
https://youtu.be/b-yvCaE5_Vo
