ALL THINGS FOOD: Voyage to Antarctica big on fresh food, adventure

Dr. Jill Hilty was the ship physician for a special Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic voyage. As the volunteer physician, her trip was paid for, and she was allowed to bring along a guest: her friend, educator Kathan Hartle.

I reached out to them to learn more about their trip and, of course, to hear more about what they ate while they were away.

Before they left, I imagined them with basic provisions and not much in the way of fresh produce. However, that was absolutely not the case.

Their ship featured world class chefs who created delicious dishes featuring sustainable seafood and a bountiful supply of fresh fruits from South America.

The only time they didn’t have food accessible was when they left the ship and traveled via Zodiac boats to explore. No food or any type of possible contamination was allowed on shore.

In addition, there are very real concerns about the avian flu reaching Antarctica and decimating the penguin population. To help prevent contamination, everyone spent hours cleaning their boots before and after excursions, and they were not allowed to touch anything while on land.

There are currently specific biosecurity protocols to prevent avian flu, and there are also concerns about the decreasing krill (small crustaceans) population due to warming water temperatures and overfishing.

Krill is one of the main food sources for penguins, so the penguin population is lower than normal.

“If avian flu were to arrive in Antarctica, it could decimate some of the penguin species that are already struggling,” Hilty said. “Penguins play a big role in the food chain for seals and orcas so the downstream effect of the avian flu could be problematic for many of the mammals in the region.”

Learning about the highly interconnected ecosystem was an important part of the trip. Viewing delightful penguins and orcas, meeting fascinating people from around the world, attending scientific lectures and dining on delicious meals all made for an unforgettable experience.

Hartle “fell in love with the vastness and beauty” and said she “was in awe of the animals and the landscape.”

Hilty concurred. “Antarctica is unlike anywhere I have ever been, which is why it was so shocking to be in the middle of it. Something that the mind could not imagine. There aren’t words in the English language that begin to describe Antarctica,” she said.

Email Christine Gallagher at allthingsfoodchristine@gmail.com.