Image credit: Hov Agaryan/ EYOS Expeditions 

We all have sliding-door moments in life, and two weeks ago, I was incredibly grateful for the train (or yacht, in this case) I managed to board. While putting the finishing touches on my articles for The Superyacht Report: New Build Focus, I was presented with the opportunity of a lifetime and travel with EYOS Expeditions to Antarctica on Hanse Explorer. Less than 24 hours later, I was on a flight to Argentina, ready to meet the team.

Needless to say, this meant a slight drop in news content due to our focus on major projects, but now that I’m back in our London HQ, I’m fully back in action. And just in time too, as The Superyacht Report: New Build Focus is set to be published this week. It’s a stacked edition that I can’t wait to share with you all.

I joined the superyacht expedition specialists as the sun begins to set on the Antarctic charter season. Together, we sailed out of Puerto Williams, Chile, and set sail across The Drake Passage, a slightly daunting prospect for a yachting journalist who, rather embarrassingly, has spent very little time at sea. But what awaited on the other side of the voyage was far beyond anything I could have expected.

Breathtaking feels like the only word that comes close to describing what I experienced. There are moments in life where I feel deeply grateful for my position, the places I go, the people I meet, but this journey surpassed all prior experiences so astronomically that it felt fitting that, upon reaching the frozen continent, I woke up to a landscape that was out of this world.

But beyond the frozen expanse and wildlife spectacles, this journey proved to be one of the most formative professional experiences of my life. I spent time with guests, gaining a deeper understanding of what yachting means to them. I shadowed the crew, from the bridge to the engine room, to better appreciate the precision and teamwork required to operate in one of the harshest environments on Earth. I witnessed first-hand the skill of great captains and how leadership is about more than just authority, but about being someone the crew not only respects but genuinely admires.

From the meticulous service of interior teams to the ingenuity of engineers keeping everything running in sub-zero temperatures, I returned with a renewed appreciation for the depth of talent in our industry. More than that, I came back with a sharpened perspective on the innovations that allow yachts to push further into extreme environments. And that resilience isn’t just about materials or technology but about the people who make it possible.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing more in-depth insights from this journey, from the evolution of expedition yachting to what we can learn from the best charter operations in the world. But until then, I’m back, ready to get to work, with production already underway for the next edition of The Superyacht Captains’ Report. There are exciting times ahead.

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