The GCW Tour, Buenos Aires & Antarctica: A Weather and Clothing Update

So I've determined that you basically have three options when visiting Antarctica:

Option 1: Be Cold

Option 2: Be Hot and Sweaty

Option 3: Change Your Clothes a Lot

The basic challenge is that it's nearly impossible to wear anything that's universally appropriate. If you're warm in the bar, you'll be cold on deck; warm on deck, you'll die in the bar.

It only gets worse with the landings. They tell you to layer, which is all well and good, but then you get strapped into a life vest and, likely as not, your backpack goes over that. Unless you're a lot bendier than I, once you're all geared up it's hard enough to zip or unzip your jacket, much less add or remove a layer. So Option 3 isn't really an option for much of the activities. Moreover, the activities are varied enough that you generally have the same problem on land that you had on the boat. If you're fine standing around taking pictures of penguins, you'll be hot and sweaty hiking up a hill; be pleasantly warm hiking, and you're cold standing around photographing penguins.

All that said, I should point out that the weather here is actually quite pleasant. Temperatures are at freezing, but so far it's been pretty dry. In some ways, it's easier to stay comfortable here than it is in Seattle in November. 

First landing layers (outside to in):
Hat/Gloves/Neck thing
Backpack
Life Vest
Outer Shell (Expedition "Parka")
Down Vest
Cotton Henley
Polyester/fleece long underwear
Silk long underwear
Normal underwear / wool socks
Forty pounds of blubber