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My Family Saw the A23a Iceberg While Cruising in Antarctica & it Was EPIC!
We witnessed the A23a Iceberg in Antarctica: the largest iceberg on Earth; the first tourists ever to do so. And it was breathtaking!
Over Christmas 2023 my family and I took the adventure of a lifetime – a mindblowing cruise to Antarctica aboard the Sapphire Princess.
We saw majestic landscapes, penguins, seals, whales, and glaciers during our 12-day voyage. But the absolute highlight was seeing the largest iceberg in the world, known as the A23a Iceberg.
An Epic Itinerary Change
Due to the world’s biggest iceberg’s proximity to Elephant Island on December 26th, the captain announced that we were cutting short our visit there to detour to see the A23a Iceberg. It was so exciting!
That evening, we were enjoying dinner when an urgent announcement came over the loudspeakers. The ship was approaching the infamous iceberg and all passengers needed to hurry to the outer decks immediately.
We abandoned our half-eaten meal and raced outside into the freezing winds. Far in the distance, an ominous shape emerged from the gloomy mist.
Far in the distance, a massive white shape materialized out of the gloom. As we drew nearer, the true enormous A23a Iceberg size became apparent. This towering tabular iceberg was a floating island, with cliffs higher than skyscrapers.
A23a Iceberg Statistics
As we sailed nearer, its staggering size became clear. The A23a Iceberg is colossal, dwarfing our cruise ship. At 3,900 square kilometers (over twice the size of London!), it’s the largest iceberg in the world.
Taller than the Empire State Building and weighing over 3 trillion tons, this icy behemoth had broken off from Antarctica’s Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf back in 1986.
The ice shelf is where Russia had its old research station, and one of the Antarctica experts aboard told us they had to move it when they realized that the A23a Iceberg was going to calve off from Antarctica!
After being stuck in place for years, it suddenly began drifting through the Southern Ocean in 2020. Now it’s heading toward the South Georgia Islands.
Experiencing the World’s Largest Iceberg
We were all awestruck as we passed seemingly dangerously close to this floating island of ice.
Jagged cliffs lined its edges, some over 100 feet high, formed from centuries of accumulation. Violent waves crashed against them, sending spray high into the air.
Our large ship pitched and rolled in the swelling sea, despite the seasoned skill of the captain and crew.
The immense scale was hard to comprehend, even seeing it with my own eyes. Our vessel looked puny and insignificant next to the vast expanse of the iceberg.
I alternated between snapping photos furiously with trembling hands and simply staring in wonder. Of course, we captured as many photos and selfies as possible with this once-in-a-lifetime backdrop.
But I’ll never forget standing on the deck in person, bundled in my warmest gear, watching house-sized chunks of ice calve off into the sea with a crash.
Making History
Adding an extra layer of drama was the knowledge that we were making history. We were aboard the first civilian ship to ever reach the A23a Iceberg. Only a single research vessel had managed to visit it previously. We felt amazed!
My son was one of just a large handful of children to EVER see the biggest iceberg on Earth! We were all humbled to witness this remote place so few have seen.
Originally, we were going to take a pass of the A23a Iceberg from both the port and starboard side. However, the largest iceberg in the world was churning up a pretty decent snowstorm, so we had to settle for a single pass by.
It Ended Too Quickly
As quickly as it materialized, the epic iceberg was lost again to the mist. I’m incredibly grateful we detoured our Antarctic cruise to behold such a monumental sight.
I can now officially say I’ve glimpsed one of the modern wonders of the natural world! This unplanned excursion easily became the highlight of our entire two-week odyssey to the White Continent.
Seeing the largest iceberg on Earth with my family is a travel memory I’ll forever cherish.
👉 When you’re traveling abroad, always be sure to buy travel insurance! We love Safety Wing because we think it has reasonable rates for all ages.
