ANTARCTICA – BEYOND THE POLAR CIRCLE – WILKINS ICE SHELF
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ITINERARY SUMMARY
| Day | Place | Itinerary |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Ushuaia, Argentina | Set Sail, meet the expedition team |
| Days 2 & 3 | At Sea | Crossing the Drake Passage towards Antarctica |
| Day 4 | Antarctic Peninsula, Pendleton Strait | Iceberg sculptures, Adélie penguin and blue-eyed shag colonies, chance to see Orca, Humpback and Minke Whale |
| Day 5 | Antarctic Peninsula, Detaille Island and The Gullet | Iceberg sculptures, carving glaciers, marine mammals, ice conditions allowing a landing in the afternoon |
| Day 6 | Porquoi Pas and Horseshoe Islands | Pourquoi Pas landing on a rocky beach the mighty Moider Glacier back drop, abandoned research station. A photographic landing |
| Days 7 - 10 | George IV and Wilkins Ice Shelf | Sail toward Antarctica’s ice shelves, vast cliffs, expanses of ice dwarfing our ship, humpback whales, fur seals, Adélie penguins, maybe one or more Ross’ seals |
| Day 11 | Jenny and Leonie Islands | Raised beaches, hanging glaciers, and moss carpets. Terns, skuas, elephant seals, leopard seals, and Adélie penguins are all regular visitors. |
| Day 12 | Lagoon and Mikkelsen Islands | Most northern island of the Leonie Islands group, wildlife varies dependant upon snow cover, a spectacular Zodiac cruise hope to encounter up to five Antarctic seal species |
| Days 13 - 15 | At Sea Crossing the Drake | Crossing the Drake Passage greeted by the vast array of seabirds |
| Day 16 | Ushuaia, Argentina | Disembark Ushuaia for your onward journey |
SHIPS OFFERING THIS ITINERARY
Ortelius
The Ortelius was originally the Marina Svetaeva. Built in Gdynia, Poland in 1989, it served as a special-purpose vessel for the Russian Academy of Science. Later it was re-flagged and renamed after the Dutch/Flemish cartographer Abraham Ortelius, who in 1570 published the first modern world atlas: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum or Theatre of the World. The Ortelius can accommodate 108 guests and has an abundance of open-deck spaces for watching wildlife and the impressive scenery as you sail past. She also has the highest ice-class notation (UL1, equivalent to 1A) making her perfect for polar expeditions.
Day 1 Ushuaia, Argentina
Your voyage begins where the world drops off. Ushuaia, Argentina, reputed to be the southernmost city on the planet, is located on the far southern tip of South America. Starting in the afternoon, you embark from this small resort town on Tierra del Fuego, nicknamed “The End of the World,” and sail the mountain-fringed Beagle Channel for the remainder of the evening.
Days 2 & 3 At Sea, The Drake Passage
Over the next two days on the Drake Passage, you will enjoy some of the same experiences encountered by the great polar explorers who first charted these regions: cool salt breezes, rolling seas, maybe even a fin whale spouting up sea spray.
After passing the Antarctic Convergence – Antarctica’s natural boundary, formed when north-flowing cold waters collide with warmer sub-Antarctic seas – you are in the Antarctic circumpolar current upwelling zone. Not only does the marine life change, the bird life changes too.
Wandering albatrosses, grey-headed albatrosses, black-browed albatrosses, light-mantled sooty albatrosses, cape pigeons, southern fulmars, Wilson’s storm petrels, blue petrels, and Antarctic petrels are a few of the birds you might see.
Day 4 Antarctic Peninsula, Pendleton Strait
You arrive at the Antarctic Peninsula near the Antarctic Circle in the afternoon. If sea ice allows it, you can then continue through Pendleton Strait and attempt a landing at the rarely visited southern tip of Renaud Island. Here you have the opportunity to see the first Adélie penguins of the trip as well as enjoy spectacular views of the icebergs in this surreal, snow-swept environment.
In the afternoon we sail to the Fish Islands and encounter one of the southernmost Adélie penguin and blue-eyed shag colonies in the Antarctic Peninsula.
Spending the night in the area of Crystal Sound the scenery will leave you staying up until the small hours, there is a chance to see Orca, Humpback and Minke Whale in this area.
Day 5 Antarctic Peninsula, Detaille Island and The Gullet
You may make a landing at an abandoned British research station here, taking in the island’s lofty position and imposing glaciers scenery.
We then sail through The Gullet, one of the most impressive narrow channels in Antarctic, with towering mountains either side, birds following the ship and playful penguins and seals frolicking in the water as we sail through this very special part of the journey. If ice conditions allow we will also carry out a landing or cruise in the afternoon.
Day 6 Porquoi Pas and Horseshoe Islands
Discovered and charted by the famous explorer Charcot, Pourquoi Pas offers a pleasant landing on a rocky beach against the backdrop of the mighty Moider Glacier. A gentle walk from the landing site provides an impressive view, while Antarctic furs seals relaxing behind the beach are a nice addition to the wildlife we’ve encountered on this voyage.
After lunch we head toward Horseshoe Island, named for its distinctive shape. An abandoned research station provides an insight into the early days of scientific research, and original artifacts show how different life was in those pioneering days. The hut is set among some of the most beautiful scenery in Antarctica, with views over the mountains and snow of Pourquoi Pas Island as well as Horseshoe Island’s mountain range. This is a photographic landing in many senses. Two old wooden boats even remain at the landing site as if waiting for their final launch.
Days 7 – 10 George IV and Wilkins Ice Shelf
Provided ice and weather conditions allow, you next head toward Antarctica’s ice shelves (the George IV and Wilkins). Here we hope to show you the scale of these vast cliffs and expanses of ice that will dwarf us and our ship. A range of Antarctic wildlife like humpback whales, fur seals, Adélie penguins, and maybe even one or more Ross’ seals may appear.
Day 11 Jenny and Leonie Islands
Jenny Island will give another aspect to your Antarctic experience, offering raised beaches, hanging glaciers, and moss carpets. The island is also popular with wildlife: Terns, skuas, elephant seals, leopard seals, and Adélie penguins are all regular visitors.
A landing at Leonie Island will take your breath away. There is also the possibility to take a hike to the peak of the island, giving you a dramatic panorama of Marguerite Bay and Adelaide Island.
Day 12 Lagoon and Mikkelsen Islands
Lagoon island is the most northern island of the Leonie Islands group, also discovered and charted by Jean-Baptiste Charcot. This low laying island will provide a stark contrast to the previous days with its gently sloped beaches and flat areas to explore. The wildlife here will varies depending on snow cover. If there is little snow the ground is almost desert-like in appearance.
The Mikkelsen Islands offer a spectacular Zodiac cruise where we hope to encounter up to five Antarctic seal species. We may also see some beautiful birdlife, such as giant petrels and Adélie penguins.
Days 13 -15 At Sea, Crossing the Drake Passage
Your return voyage is far from lonely. While crossing the Drake, you’re again greeted by the vast array of seabirds remembered from the passage south. But they seem a little more familiar to you now, and you to them.
Day 16 Ushuaia, Argentina
Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. It’s now time to disembark in Ushuaia, but with memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies.