A voyage to Antarctica is complex in its planning and execution.  Weather, ice conditions, and wildlife sightings all contribute to or can complicate an expedition. During these past 10 days, our expedition to the Antarctica Peninsula was a great success as we visited different areas, encountered amazing sights, and enjoyed wonderful experiences. We began in the South Shetland Islands, some of the youngest islands off the coast of Antarctica, then ventured into the Weddell Sea, the cold and dry side of the peninsula. From there we moved south to the wetter-snowier side and found amazing fast ice or sea ice attached to land that we were actually able to walk on and kayak from. National Geographic Explorer  then went further south to seek out more incredible scenery in the Lemaire Channel only to be pushed back by the large amounts of ice just south of the channel. Our island and water navigation the next few days was fruitful with penguin colonies and whale sightings. From there we came back across the Drake Passage and into the Beagle Channel made famous by Darwin’s voyage on the channel’s namesake. We were able to view Cape Horn where the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans meet. Then it was an easy passage to back from where we started in Ushuaia, Argentina. The guests on our expedition have different motivations for traveling to the Great White Continent—some come for wildlife viewing, others to see their seventh continent, still others for the ice. One of our companions was on a family pilgrimage to honor another family member who had dreamt of visiting this singular place.  Her message reminds us of the distilled truth that is inspired by places of wonder and beauty.