In this Insta360 Community Stories article, join Martin on his underwater adventure in Antarctica and find out what awaited him beneath the surface.
Exploring Antarctica
It's March 2024, and Martin is about to embark on a journey full of surprises: diving into Antarctic waters.
Besides his regular diving equipment, he needed something compact and lightweight to document what might await him. Zodiac diving in harsh conditions makes big camera equipment inconvenient to handle, but his trusty Insta360 Ace Pro was up for the challenge.
Ushuaia: A Check Dive in the Beagle Channel
Arriving in Ushuaia, Martin and co were to undertake a check dive in the Beagle Channel, before boarding the MV Ortelius, the expedition ship that will take them across the Antarctic circle.
Equipment was checked, and for Martin, that included Insta360 Ace Pro and the Dive Case. Rolling backward from the boat into the cold, salty water, they found themselves in a different world.
Surrounded by shades of blue, green, and red, fish, crabs and starfish moved around the thick kelp forest. While the nutrient-rich water created an explosion of life, it also created challenging conditions for a camera. Particles in the water, a lack of light filtering through the kelp and the current would usually make it hard to stop for a picture—yet Martin could capture this amazing environment with his trusty Insta360 camera.
The First Splash in Antarctica
With a successful test dive under their belts, it was time to board the ship and set sail for the Antarctic peninsula.
The days on the Drake Passage were blessed with calm seas, many sea birds, and dotted with the first few whale encounters. Soon, they would be sitting on Zodiacs, inflatable boats used to transport passengers, to explore the peninsula from below the surface.
They finally arrived at Pléneau Island, where they hopped into a Zodiac and drove to a shallow bay, eager to discover what the underwater world would look like at this end of the world. Little did they know they would be descending on a plethora of starfish, algae and colors.
250 Meters of Cold, Blue Water and Ice
The following days would look roughly the same—getting into the equipment, hopping on a Zodiac, leaving the white and blue world at the surface and finding themselves in the colorful liveliness of Antarctic waters.
Until one day, when their expedition guide spotted a massive iceberg that was safe to explore. Feeling tiny, they approached. Above them, the iceberg, below them, a wall of ice stretching into the deep blue, 250 meters deep.
Floating between a rough, ragged collection of ridges and peaks and smooth walls, they found themselves in an otherworldly experience.
But that wasn't the final surprise of the day. Later, they took the Zodiacs close to shore at Horseshoe Island to observe seals fighting amidst a colony of penguins.
Wreck of the Whale Factory Ship Guvernøren
After a few more days of excursions and dives among various nudibranchs, starfish and other critters, they arrived at Foyn Harbour. Here, the remains of a whale processing ship, a floating factory that processes whale carcasses into whale oil and other products, were waiting for them.
"This was a special dive. You could see the blackened parts towards the top of the ship contrasted by colorful growth where nature is reclaiming its rightful spot."
Meeting the Local Wildlife
The trip was sprinkled with Antarctica's diverse wildlife: whales, orcas, leopard seals and penguins, all seen while on board the expedition vessel. Occasionally, Martin got lucky and encountered them underwater, too.
"I learned how quick and shy penguins were, but my Insta360 Ace Pro still managed to capture a glimpse of them underwater!"
Finally, it was time for the last dive of the trip, Whalers Bay on Deception Island. As a fitting end to their time in the South Pole, a fur seal decided to put on a show before they left.
"It was a breathtaking moment, full of fast-moving action, but an emotional moment for us as we were about to head back home."
"I'm grateful to have been given the opportunity to see this amazing part of our world, experience the variety of life there and share precious moments with my loved ones, thanks to my Insta360 Ace Pro!"
This article was submitted to Insta360 Community Stories by Martin Splitt (@the_splitti). Got a story to share? Email yours to communitystories@insta360.com and win up to US$50! Learn more here.
Keen to keep up to date on Insta360 stories? Keep an eye on our blog and sign up for our mailing list. Got a story to share? Email yours to communitystories@insta360.com and win up to US$50.
%20(1).svg)
%20(1).svg)
.svg)
