Local Women Travel To The Antarctic
Gary Moore
March 26, 2026
What many of us only dream about doing, three local women did as 2025 turned to 2026. They spent New Years in the Antarctic.
The vessel that they were on took them places larger tour ship can not go allowing them to land where few have ever been and to kayak around huge icebergs in the beautiful waters.
For St. Johnsbury resident Dr. Joyce Dobbertin and Lyndon residents Patty Emery and Larissa Flynn the Antarctic trip was just the most recent of many trips the three adventurous explorers have taken around the world.
Larissa, Cisi, Flynn said, “It was an amazing experience.” After interviewing the three intrepid adventurers, I could not agree more.
The ship left Argentina on December 28 and arrived back in port on January 8. Twelve days of exploring, learning and experiencing new things made for a memorable trip.
However, it almost did not happen. The trip to Argentina was a trip from Hell. Their flight from Boston to Miami was delayed, the Miami flight to Buenos Aires was canceled and time was running out. If the ship had left port by the time they arrived, their long planned adventure was over.
Patty said Joyce frantically worked the phones to arrange new flights and eventually they arrived in Argentina just in time. Unfortunately, their luggage did not. They never saw it until they returned to Boston.
They had just two hours to shop for clothes as they had only what they were wearing.
Joyce said, “How wonderful it was when we stepped aboard the ship.”
Once on board they became known as the ones with no luggage. Joyce said, “We only had two things to wear so we either wore it or it was being washed.”
Other guests donated some items and a couple of things in lost and found proved wearable so the three made the best of it. Some of their past long distant hikes had prepared them to make do.
They read about Ernest Shackleton’s experience in the Antarctic before they left Vermont to get a feel for the region and a bit of its history.
Shackleton was an Antarctic explorer who lead three British expeditions to the region. One of the expeditions was struck by disaster when its ship, Endurance, became trapped in pack ice and finally sank in the Weddell Sea off Antarctica on November 21, 1915.
The crew escaped by camping on the sea ice until it disintegrated, then by launching the lifeboats to reach Elephant Island and ultimately the South Atlantic island of South Georgia, enduring a stormy ocean voyage of 720 nautical miles in Shackleton's most famous exploit.
While on board the boat the women read a variety of books from the boat’s library to gain more knowledge.
One book was about a doctor who was part of a research group in 1999. You may remember the news accounts at the time as she discovered a lump in breast, had to biopsy it and start treatment as there was no way to get her out for quite a long time.
The ship they were on traversed the Drake Straight between South America and Antarctica, an area famous for ship wrecks and terrible weather. They were lucky, the weather was fine and the crossing uneventful.
Some 150 adventurers were on the ship which they described as very comfortable and staffed with a crew that worked hard to make their trip safe and enjoyable and served good food.
Although they made it below the Arctic Circle, the weather was good with temps in the 30s. The salt water was about 30. Remember it is the other side of the world and summer there while back here we were in winter.
Those venturing off the boat were divided into four groups with two going out at a time.
Usually they left the boat in Zodiacs with ten people aboard, led by guides who taught and instructed them in what to do and what they would see.
Patty said we had, “Wonderful guides who were so knowledgeable.” Cisi and Joyce agreed enthusiastically.
During their trips to shore by Zodiac and the time they spent in kayaks they saw a rich variety of birds and mammals. There were a lot of seals, three types of penguins and two species of whales, orcas and humpbacks.
A special experience was being in kayaks paddling around icebergs with the whales swimming all around and even underneath the kayaks.
The vibrant colors of the blue, green and white of the icebergs was something Patty found delightful.
On shore they visited abandoned British and Norwegian research sites. At one there were still cans of food on shelves and other supplies left in place. They were told the researchers had just two hours to leave.
One night Joyce and Patty slept on the ice in coffin like excavations they had dug to provide protection from the elements. The had sleeping bags, sleeping pads and bivy sacks to provide warmth. That gives them bragging rights as few other than researchers have slept outside on Antarctica.
Another memorable happening I saw documented in a video of Joyce jumping off the boat into the Antarctic waters. She said, “It was fun. I did the polar plunge for real.”
As the accompanying photo shows, all wore bright yellow jackets so they could be seen on the ice or when in the kayaks. Each had a barcoded tag and they were scanned when leaving the boat, going a shore and when back aboard. Accountability was always emphasized.
They also enjoyed relaxing on board the very comfortable boat where they ate well, read, relaxed in a hot tub, chatted with new friends and admired the views from their balcony.
The three have taken a lot of trips together over the years but this latest will certainly be among the most memorable.
The trip took a year to plan and make all the needed reservations but nearly never happened because of the problems with the airlines.
Just for clarification, the Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica, the Kerguelen Plateau, and other island territories located on the Antarctic Plate or south of the Antarctic Convergence.
I asked if they would go back and Joyce replied, “We tend to go to other places because we like to learn new things.”
So I asked about some of the other adventures they had taken over the years.
Their first was a 100 mile hike in Scotland In 2005. Another time they hiked across England. That trip their luggage was also lost and it was five days before it arrived.
They laughed about the fourth night when they arrived at an inn they had reservations for and the host said, “You are going to want to eat in the bar.” Apparently they were not welcome in the dining room thanks to the lack of clean clothing to change into.
They have also been to the Galapagos Islands, Easter Island, Madagascar and Austria.
One planned trip to Austria had to be changed at the last minute because a meter and a half of snow was predicted for the pass they were to hike through so they headed to Italy and the Dolomites to hike. Because it was unplanned, they had no maps but, ever adaptable, they navigated by the place mat from a small restaurant.
A few years ago while hiking in Portugal along the fisherman’s trail, Patty was hurt when she slipped jumping across brook on day five. He leg was broken and she had to be evacuated and, after being stabilized, flew home to have surgery.
Patty said, “It was kind of good to have a doctor with me as Joyce made the call for an ambulance and made arrangements to get us home.”
Each of the women has also taken trips without the others including Joyce who has volunteered as a doctor for 19 medical trips to underserved nations, mostly for two weeks at a time except for two months in New Zealand.
Joyce said, “We generally travel by chance. The first decade or so we were pretty cheap travelers and often stayed in hostels and that was great. A lot more fun.”
When asked about where they are headed next, Joyce said, “We are holding off on making plans this year as we don’t want to be out of the country at this time.”
Once the world situation settles down I suspect the intrepid travelers will off on some adventure and that I will envy them.
Bits and Pieces
State Of Lake Champlain Fisheries Meeting Saturday
Do you fish Lake Champlain? You may want to attend a meeting this Saturday in Burlington.
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department will join partners from the Lake Champlain Fish and Wildlife Management Cooperative, a working group of fisheries professionals from Vermont as well as the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to host a State of the Lake Fisheries public meeting on Saturday.
The public meeting is open to anglers and anyone interested in Lake Champlain’s fisheries. It will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Robert Miller Community & Recreation Center at 130 Gosse Court, in Burlington. Registration is not required.
The State of the Lake Fisheries meeting is an opportunity for agency staff and others to provide updates on the status and trends of the fisheries in Lake Champlain and to hear directly from anglers. Information will be provided on restoration, research, assessment, and other accomplishments in the past year, as well as work planned for the coming year, with time provided for questions from attendees.
Species to be discussed include lake trout, landlocked Atlantic salmon, sea lamprey, and invasive species. An invited guest panel of anglers will also discuss their use of Forward Facing Sonar and how it has changed their fishing experiences.
Recorded presentations will be available approximately one month following the meeting on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s YouTube Channel.
The Bears Are Hungry, Avoid Conflicts
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is receiving reports of bears coming out of their dens and is urging Vermonters to remove their bird feeders and take additional steps now to prevent conflicts with bears over the spring and summer.
“Do not wait to take down your bird feeders and bear proof your yard until a bear comes to visit,” said Jaclyn Comeau, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s bear biologist. “You need to act now to head off bear conflicts over the spring and summer, even if you have never had a bear visit your property before.”
Bear incidents have been on the rise over the past several years. Officials believe this trend is, in part, a result of Vermont’s abundant black bear population learning to associate people and food over multiple generations. Even with a steady increase in the number of bears taken by hunters in recent years, including harvests exceeding 1,000 bears in 2024 and 2025, Vermont’s bear population shows signs of growth over the past five years.
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department will hold a public hearing on proposed rule changes regarding the legal length definition for striped bass on April 6, at the Urban Forestry Center, 45 Elwyn Road in Portsmouth. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m.
The proposed change to the legal length definition is a result of the adoption of Addendum III to Amendment 7 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Striped Bass. The purpose of the change adopted in the addendum is to standardize the definition of legal length along the entire Atlantic coast.
The public is invited to attend to provide feedback. The proposed rules can be viewed ahead of the meeting by visiting www.wildlife.nh.gov/proposed-rules.
Parting Shots
The weather on the first day of spring was definitely not spring like. Here in Bradford the thermometer hovered around freezing all day and the late afternoon brought heavy wet snow turning everything white.
Linda sends a special message to all who have supported her at this difficult time. The sharing of various ideas, that have helped others through their journey with cancer has been very helpful. The calls, visits, cards and emails of encouragement have meant a lot to her and to me.
Thank you all.
Syndicated columnist Gary W. Moore may be reached by e-mail at gwmoore1946@icloud.com or at Box 454, Bradford, VT 05033.
copyright 2026 Gary W. Moore
The vessel that they were on took them places larger tour ship can not go allowing them to land where few have ever been and to kayak around huge icebergs in the beautiful waters.
For St. Johnsbury resident Dr. Joyce Dobbertin and Lyndon residents Patty Emery and Larissa Flynn the Antarctic trip was just the most recent of many trips the three adventurous explorers have taken around the world.
Larissa, Cisi, Flynn said, “It was an amazing experience.” After interviewing the three intrepid adventurers, I could not agree more.
The ship left Argentina on December 28 and arrived back in port on January 8. Twelve days of exploring, learning and experiencing new things made for a memorable trip.
However, it almost did not happen. The trip to Argentina was a trip from Hell. Their flight from Boston to Miami was delayed, the Miami flight to Buenos Aires was canceled and time was running out. If the ship had left port by the time they arrived, their long planned adventure was over.
Patty said Joyce frantically worked the phones to arrange new flights and eventually they arrived in Argentina just in time. Unfortunately, their luggage did not. They never saw it until they returned to Boston.
They had just two hours to shop for clothes as they had only what they were wearing.
Joyce said, “How wonderful it was when we stepped aboard the ship.”
Once on board they became known as the ones with no luggage. Joyce said, “We only had two things to wear so we either wore it or it was being washed.”
Other guests donated some items and a couple of things in lost and found proved wearable so the three made the best of it. Some of their past long distant hikes had prepared them to make do.
They read about Ernest Shackleton’s experience in the Antarctic before they left Vermont to get a feel for the region and a bit of its history.
Shackleton was an Antarctic explorer who lead three British expeditions to the region. One of the expeditions was struck by disaster when its ship, Endurance, became trapped in pack ice and finally sank in the Weddell Sea off Antarctica on November 21, 1915.
The crew escaped by camping on the sea ice until it disintegrated, then by launching the lifeboats to reach Elephant Island and ultimately the South Atlantic island of South Georgia, enduring a stormy ocean voyage of 720 nautical miles in Shackleton's most famous exploit.
While on board the boat the women read a variety of books from the boat’s library to gain more knowledge.
One book was about a doctor who was part of a research group in 1999. You may remember the news accounts at the time as she discovered a lump in breast, had to biopsy it and start treatment as there was no way to get her out for quite a long time.
The ship they were on traversed the Drake Straight between South America and Antarctica, an area famous for ship wrecks and terrible weather. They were lucky, the weather was fine and the crossing uneventful.
Some 150 adventurers were on the ship which they described as very comfortable and staffed with a crew that worked hard to make their trip safe and enjoyable and served good food.
Although they made it below the Arctic Circle, the weather was good with temps in the 30s. The salt water was about 30. Remember it is the other side of the world and summer there while back here we were in winter.
Those venturing off the boat were divided into four groups with two going out at a time.
Usually they left the boat in Zodiacs with ten people aboard, led by guides who taught and instructed them in what to do and what they would see.
Patty said we had, “Wonderful guides who were so knowledgeable.” Cisi and Joyce agreed enthusiastically.
During their trips to shore by Zodiac and the time they spent in kayaks they saw a rich variety of birds and mammals. There were a lot of seals, three types of penguins and two species of whales, orcas and humpbacks.
A special experience was being in kayaks paddling around icebergs with the whales swimming all around and even underneath the kayaks.
The vibrant colors of the blue, green and white of the icebergs was something Patty found delightful.
On shore they visited abandoned British and Norwegian research sites. At one there were still cans of food on shelves and other supplies left in place. They were told the researchers had just two hours to leave.
One night Joyce and Patty slept on the ice in coffin like excavations they had dug to provide protection from the elements. The had sleeping bags, sleeping pads and bivy sacks to provide warmth. That gives them bragging rights as few other than researchers have slept outside on Antarctica.
Another memorable happening I saw documented in a video of Joyce jumping off the boat into the Antarctic waters. She said, “It was fun. I did the polar plunge for real.”
As the accompanying photo shows, all wore bright yellow jackets so they could be seen on the ice or when in the kayaks. Each had a barcoded tag and they were scanned when leaving the boat, going a shore and when back aboard. Accountability was always emphasized.
They also enjoyed relaxing on board the very comfortable boat where they ate well, read, relaxed in a hot tub, chatted with new friends and admired the views from their balcony.
The three have taken a lot of trips together over the years but this latest will certainly be among the most memorable.
The trip took a year to plan and make all the needed reservations but nearly never happened because of the problems with the airlines.
Just for clarification, the Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica, the Kerguelen Plateau, and other island territories located on the Antarctic Plate or south of the Antarctic Convergence.
I asked if they would go back and Joyce replied, “We tend to go to other places because we like to learn new things.”
So I asked about some of the other adventures they had taken over the years.
Their first was a 100 mile hike in Scotland In 2005. Another time they hiked across England. That trip their luggage was also lost and it was five days before it arrived.
They laughed about the fourth night when they arrived at an inn they had reservations for and the host said, “You are going to want to eat in the bar.” Apparently they were not welcome in the dining room thanks to the lack of clean clothing to change into.
They have also been to the Galapagos Islands, Easter Island, Madagascar and Austria.
One planned trip to Austria had to be changed at the last minute because a meter and a half of snow was predicted for the pass they were to hike through so they headed to Italy and the Dolomites to hike. Because it was unplanned, they had no maps but, ever adaptable, they navigated by the place mat from a small restaurant.
A few years ago while hiking in Portugal along the fisherman’s trail, Patty was hurt when she slipped jumping across brook on day five. He leg was broken and she had to be evacuated and, after being stabilized, flew home to have surgery.
Patty said, “It was kind of good to have a doctor with me as Joyce made the call for an ambulance and made arrangements to get us home.”
Each of the women has also taken trips without the others including Joyce who has volunteered as a doctor for 19 medical trips to underserved nations, mostly for two weeks at a time except for two months in New Zealand.
Joyce said, “We generally travel by chance. The first decade or so we were pretty cheap travelers and often stayed in hostels and that was great. A lot more fun.”
When asked about where they are headed next, Joyce said, “We are holding off on making plans this year as we don’t want to be out of the country at this time.”
Once the world situation settles down I suspect the intrepid travelers will off on some adventure and that I will envy them.
Bits and Pieces
State Of Lake Champlain Fisheries Meeting Saturday
Do you fish Lake Champlain? You may want to attend a meeting this Saturday in Burlington.
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department will join partners from the Lake Champlain Fish and Wildlife Management Cooperative, a working group of fisheries professionals from Vermont as well as the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to host a State of the Lake Fisheries public meeting on Saturday.
The public meeting is open to anglers and anyone interested in Lake Champlain’s fisheries. It will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Robert Miller Community & Recreation Center at 130 Gosse Court, in Burlington. Registration is not required.
The State of the Lake Fisheries meeting is an opportunity for agency staff and others to provide updates on the status and trends of the fisheries in Lake Champlain and to hear directly from anglers. Information will be provided on restoration, research, assessment, and other accomplishments in the past year, as well as work planned for the coming year, with time provided for questions from attendees.
Species to be discussed include lake trout, landlocked Atlantic salmon, sea lamprey, and invasive species. An invited guest panel of anglers will also discuss their use of Forward Facing Sonar and how it has changed their fishing experiences.
Recorded presentations will be available approximately one month following the meeting on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s YouTube Channel.
The Bears Are Hungry, Avoid Conflicts
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is receiving reports of bears coming out of their dens and is urging Vermonters to remove their bird feeders and take additional steps now to prevent conflicts with bears over the spring and summer.
“Do not wait to take down your bird feeders and bear proof your yard until a bear comes to visit,” said Jaclyn Comeau, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s bear biologist. “You need to act now to head off bear conflicts over the spring and summer, even if you have never had a bear visit your property before.”
Bear incidents have been on the rise over the past several years. Officials believe this trend is, in part, a result of Vermont’s abundant black bear population learning to associate people and food over multiple generations. Even with a steady increase in the number of bears taken by hunters in recent years, including harvests exceeding 1,000 bears in 2024 and 2025, Vermont’s bear population shows signs of growth over the past five years.
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department will hold a public hearing on proposed rule changes regarding the legal length definition for striped bass on April 6, at the Urban Forestry Center, 45 Elwyn Road in Portsmouth. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m.
The proposed change to the legal length definition is a result of the adoption of Addendum III to Amendment 7 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Striped Bass. The purpose of the change adopted in the addendum is to standardize the definition of legal length along the entire Atlantic coast.
The public is invited to attend to provide feedback. The proposed rules can be viewed ahead of the meeting by visiting www.wildlife.nh.gov/proposed-rules.
Parting Shots
The weather on the first day of spring was definitely not spring like. Here in Bradford the thermometer hovered around freezing all day and the late afternoon brought heavy wet snow turning everything white.
Linda sends a special message to all who have supported her at this difficult time. The sharing of various ideas, that have helped others through their journey with cancer has been very helpful. The calls, visits, cards and emails of encouragement have meant a lot to her and to me.
Thank you all.
Syndicated columnist Gary W. Moore may be reached by e-mail at gwmoore1946@icloud.com or at Box 454, Bradford, VT 05033.
copyright 2026 Gary W. Moore
Patty Emery, Joyce Dobbertin and Larissa Flynn on the Antarctic Ice
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