{"id":8679,"date":"2009-07-04T00:21:08","date_gmt":"2009-07-03T18:51:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/?p=8679"},"modified":"2026-10-15T13:50:01","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T08:20:01","slug":"antarctica-blogging","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/07\/antarctica-blogging\/","title":{"rendered":"Antarctica Blogging: The 2009 Expedition Contest and Blogging From the Ice Today"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Antarctica blogging<\/strong> once meant winning a contest or working at a research station. In 2009 we covered a free Antarctica blogging expedition offered by Quark Expeditions. This article recalls that contest and explains what blogging from Antarctica looks like today, from ship internet to practical tips for posting from the ice.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-67122\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/antarctica-blogging-2026-1024x538.webp\" alt=\"Antarctica blogging guide card\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/antarctica-blogging-2026-1024x538.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/antarctica-blogging-2026-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/antarctica-blogging-2026-150x79.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/antarctica-blogging-2026-768x403.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/antarctica-blogging-2026.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> The 2009 Quark Expeditions blogger contest is long over. Today you can blog from an Antarctic expedition cruise, because many ships now offer satellite internet, often Starlink. Data allowances, speeds and costs vary by operator, so write offline and upload photos in batches when you have a connection.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6adb9ebbca49e\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6adb9ebbca49e\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/07\/antarctica-blogging\/#The_2009_Antarctica_blogging_expedition\" >The 2009 Antarctica blogging expedition<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/07\/antarctica-blogging\/#Antarctica_blogging_today\" >Antarctica blogging today<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/07\/antarctica-blogging\/#What_to_check_before_you_go\" >What to check before you go<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/07\/antarctica-blogging\/#Tips_for_blogging_from_Antarctica\" >Tips for blogging from Antarctica<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/07\/antarctica-blogging\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/07\/antarctica-blogging\/#Can_you_get_internet_in_Antarctica\" >Can you get internet in Antarctica?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/07\/antarctica-blogging\/#Is_the_Quark_Expeditions_blogger_contest_still_running\" >Is the Quark Expeditions blogger contest still running?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/07\/antarctica-blogging\/#Do_expedition_ships_use_Starlink_in_Antarctica\" >Do expedition ships use Starlink in Antarctica?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/07\/antarctica-blogging\/#How_do_I_post_photos_with_slow_ship_internet\" >How do I post photos with slow ship internet?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_2009_Antarctica_blogging_expedition\"><\/span>The 2009 Antarctica blogging expedition<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In July 2009 Quark Expeditions went looking for an official blogger to travel to Antarctica in February 2010 and write about the polar adventure. Entrants posted a creative entry explaining why they should be chosen. Quark wanted an adventurous spirit, a keen sense of observation and the ability to write in English with style and imagination. No blogging experience was required.<\/p>\n<p>Public voting decided the winner, to be announced on September 30, 2009, and over 200 bloggers sent in entries. The prize was a cruise for two worth about $20,000 aboard the Lyubov Orlova on the Classic Antarctica: Discovering the Peninsula voyage, from February 20 to March 3, 2010. Photographing penguins and blogging about it sounded like the dream assignment.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2398\/2276012173_c4fdb878f4_d.jpg\" alt=\"Icebergs and mountains on the Antarctic Peninsula\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em>Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/jpickens\/2276012173\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">JenniferPickens<\/a> (CC license)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Antarctica bloggers were already part of internet history. Remember the Indian psychiatrist who blogged from Antarctica? We also covered climber <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/05\/blog-tweet-podcast-from-mount-everest\/\">Gavin Bate blogging, tweeting and podcasting from Mount Everest<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Antarctica_blogging_today\"><\/span>Antarctica blogging today<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Connectivity is the biggest change. In 2009 expedition ships had slow, expensive satellite links. Now many Antarctic expedition operators provide some included internet, and a growing number use Starlink. Some still use older geostationary satellite service, which is slower, with tighter data limits.<\/p>\n<p>Research stations have long had their own satellite links, and scientists and support staff have written station blogs for years. For travellers, though, the expedition ship is where most Antarctica blogging now happens, so the ship&#8217;s internet plan matters as much as your camera.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_to_check_before_you_go\"><\/span>What to check before you go<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Data allowance:<\/strong> some ships include unlimited data, others only a small amount, with extra data sold at high prices.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Device limits:<\/strong> some operators allow one device at a time.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Coverage gaps:<\/strong> connections can drop in remote areas and during landings.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Paid tiers:<\/strong> faster plans may cost extra.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tips_for_blogging_from_Antarctica\"><\/span>Tips for blogging from Antarctica<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Write offline.<\/strong> Draft posts in a notes app or your blog app&#8217;s offline mode, then publish when connected.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Resize photos first.<\/strong> Upload small web-sized images, and keep full-resolution files for when you get home.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Schedule posts.<\/strong> Queue updates while you have a good connection so your blog keeps posting during landings.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Back up daily.<\/strong> Copy photos to a second card or drive in case of loss or damage in the cold.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Keep batteries warm.<\/strong> Cold drains batteries quickly, so carry spares inside your jacket.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Respect the rules.<\/strong> Follow the expedition staff&#8217;s wildlife and drone guidelines when taking photos.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>New to blogging? Start with our guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/how-to-start-a-blog\/\">how to start a blog<\/a> before your trip.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_you_get_internet_in_Antarctica\"><\/span>Can you get internet in Antarctica?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes, on many expedition ships and research stations, through satellite links. Speed and data allowances depend on the operator.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_the_Quark_Expeditions_blogger_contest_still_running\"><\/span>Is the Quark Expeditions blogger contest still running?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>No. The contest picked a blogger for a February 2010 voyage, and it has long ended.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_expedition_ships_use_Starlink_in_Antarctica\"><\/span>Do expedition ships use Starlink in Antarctica?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Many do, but not all. Check with your operator before booking if staying connected matters to you.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_I_post_photos_with_slow_ship_internet\"><\/span>How do I post photos with slow ship internet?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Resize images before uploading, post a few at a time, and save the full photo galleries for when you are back home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Antarctica blogging once meant winning a contest or working at a research station. In 2009 we covered a free Antarctica&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":67122,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8679","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blogging"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8679","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8679"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8679\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67123,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8679\/revisions\/67123"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67122"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8679"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8679"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8679"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}