To reach Antarctica, you have to cross the infamous Drake Passage. It’s a multi-day journey that rocks you through massive swells and makes ships look like toys. Just when you don’t think you can take another hour of motion, snow petrels appear above the waves, and jagged peaks rise from the horizon, draped in fog and ice. For our cofounder paulnicklen, arriving in Antarctica felt like reaching the forgotten ends of the Earth. He and his guide, Göran, cruised through still, black water between icebergs when they spotted her — a massive leopard seal thrashing a penguin. The moment she noticed their Zodiac, she dove below and slammed her prey against the hull. Göran looked over his shoulder, grinning, and said, “Time to get in the water, ja?” What happened next changed everything. Paul Nicklen recalls one of his most life-changing wildlife encounters in his latest essay with katiecouricmedia. Read it now at the link in our bio! Video by paulnicklen #LeopardSeal #Antarctica #Explore