Johnson - no, I can't even find his emails to me now. I think I got his contacts off Corax anyway ?
Antarctica - there is no cheap way to spend good time in Antarctica. Planes go from Punta Arenas - either US$29,000 for two weeks on Vinson
Or $2,000 for two days on King George Island (flying DAP).
Ships go from Ushuaia in Argentina. Most of them are around $5,000 for two weeks cruising down the Peninsula, but sometimes if you hang around for a few days you can find one leaving soon that is not full and you can go for cheaper - maybe $2,000 ? This is a bargain, and as good as it gets.
Sometimes you hear stories about people getting on a Chilean Armada (Navy) or postal ship in Punta Arenas, but this does not really happen any more. It used to work years ago, I think it was even in the Lonely Planet guidbook, but they stopped it. I did meet a woman who got offered a place on the postal ship by the captain, drinking in a bar, but that's because she was a good-looking woman - so she wisely refused
Another rare option is to go around the docks in Punta or Ushuaia and find a small yacht that is going to Puerto Williams and maybe further. If you help as crew you could sail to Puerto Williams, trek the Navarino circuit, then get a DAP flight back to Punta.
D