MAWSON’S ANTARCTICA: ALONG THE EAST COAST
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MAWSON’S ANTARCTICA: ALONG THE EAST COAST
ITINERARY SUMMARY
| Day | Place | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Queenstown, New Zealand | Spend the night, Southern Alps, Lake Wakatipu |
| Day 2 | Milford Sound | Dramatic scenery, glassy lakes, ancient glaciers, rainforest |
| Days 3 - 6 | At Sea | Relax in your suite or get out on the deck as you make your way to Antarctica |
| Days 7 - 8 | Balleny Islands | Young and Sturge Island, many species of whales, seals and penguins |
| Days 9 - 18 | East Coast Antarctica | Incredible icebergs, fascinating history, jagged cliffs, prolific wildlife |
| Days 19 - 21 | At Sea | Enjoy some downtime after your explorations |
| Day 22 | Macquarie Island | Millions of tuxedoed, eyebrowed, golden-crowned, king, rockhopper, gentoo and endemic royal penguins |
| Days 23 - 24 | At Sea | Edit images, reflect with fellow passengers, relax |
| Day 25 | Hobart, Australia | Farewell your new friends before continuing your trip or heading home |
SHIP OFFERING THIS ITINERARY
SCENIC ECLIPSE II
Designed as a sister ship to Scenic Eclipse I, Scenic Eclipse II features enhanced wellness experiences in the Senses Spa and a new Sky Bar and Vitality pool on Deck 10. Scenic Eclipse II offers spacious and elegant suites, an impressive selection of cuisines, and an almost 1:1 crew to guest ratio. This Polar Class 6 rated yacht features state-of-the-art technology including customised stabilisers to provide greater stability, a strengthened hull and forward bow thrusters. GPS Dynamic Positioning assists in maintaining location without dropping anchor onto sensitive seabeds. The Advanced Wastewater Treatment system and highly effective engines reduce emissions, noise and vibrations to minimise the impact on the precious environments we visit.
Day 1 Queenstown, New Zealand
Overview:
Queenstown is the kind of place that will leave you breathless – in more ways than one. There are the high altitudes of the Southern Alps, mirror-like Lake Wakatipu, dreamy vine-laced countryside and the atmospheric town itself, where wood fires crackle and wine glasses toast the end of another remarkable day.
Enjoy your one-night stay in Queenstown.
Day 2 Milford Sound
This morning you will be transferred via coach from Queenstown to Milford Sound.
This remote, nature-blessed pocket of South Island’s Fiordland is home to some of New Zealand’s most dramatic scenery. Lakes are so clear it’s as if they are glass, fiords are carved by ancient glaciers and rainforest reigns supreme.
It’s a fitting backdrop as you board Scenic Eclipse to be welcomed by the crew who will keep you company for the duration of your voyage. But first, champagne – to provide extra sparkle to the beginning of your cruise. Mix and mingle and meet your fellow travellers.
Days 3 – 6 At Sea
Ease back into your ultra-luxury suite and surrounds for a few days at sea. This might be the day you sleep in, conserving energy for the activities ahead, then spend lazy hours relaxing in your suite. Unpack and take a steam shower using your suite’s ultra-luxury amenities, perhaps. Curl up with a birding book in your reading alcove, getting acquainted with the creatures you’ll soon spot, followed by an enrichment lecture on glaciology. Join the ship’s sommelier for a wine tasting. Or simply open your suite door and feel the rush of nature as you make your way toward the world’s southernmost continent.
Days 7 – 8 Balleny Islands
Almost completely mantled by ice, Young Island is the northernmost island in the Balleny archipelago, a 160-kilometre-long chain of volcanic islands (some of them still active) that is a delightful surprise and completely different to the rest of the Antarctic landscape.
The Balleny Islands are remote and ravishing, their location straddling the Antarctic Circle leaving them heavily glaciated. Landings aren’t permitted, but in favourable weather conditions you may have the chance to explore by Zodiac for a front-row seat to one of the greatest convergences of wildlife in the world.
Humpbacks, fin and minke whales may put on a show while we are nearby, breaching and blowing and slapping their tails. Crabeater, Weddell, elephant and leopard seals loll about, sunbaking between swims. And Adélie and chinstrap penguins march and squark, creating a cacophony that is strangely melodic.
At the other end of the chain, Sturge is the southernmost island in the Balleny archipelago. Pull out your binoculars or head for the telescopes in the Observation Lounge, because this particular slip of land has been declared and Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International.
Twitchers will rejoice at spotting the enormous breeding colonies of southern fulmers and snow petrels, which set up base on the ice-free cliffs along the western and northern coasts. Trust your expert Discovery Team for insights about the region and its rich birdlife.
Days 9 – 18 East Coast Antarctica
Throughout your voyage you will have the opportunity to experience your Discover Yacht’s two helicopters, offering an unrivalled perspective of icebergs and glaciers along East Coast Antarctica. There’s also the option to take a deep dive into Antarctic waters in your Discovery Yacht’s custom-built submersible. The undersea landscape of Antarctica can be a technicolour contrast to the monochrome landscape above the water, thanks to a rich fauna of marine invertebrates.
Your Discovery Team are also on call to lead more active excursions, whether kayaking or stand-up paddle-boarding – words don’t do justice to the emotions you’ll feel gliding across the water and spotting a whale breach metres from you. Or perhaps it’s time to brave the Polar Plunge. Pull on your swimsuit, throw off your robe and jump into the near-freezing Southern Ocean with flair – the more dramatic, the better.
All jagged cliffs and ink-black escarpments backed by the towering Admiralty Mountains, the Adare Peninsula is a postcard of natural drama. Much of the spectacle comes courtesy of the 250,000 breeding pairs of Adélie penguins – the largest colony in Antarctica – that call the region home, making it one of the most jaw-dropping sights of your journey. Which is saying something.
Australia has a rich Antarctic history, arguably the most significant moments of which are remembered and preserved at Mawson’s Huts along Cape Denison at Commonwealth Bay. Sir Douglas Mawson came here on the 1911-1914 ‘heroic era’ Australian Antarctic Expedition, and rather fortuitously decided to set up base on what is now known to be the windiest place on the planet – it’s dubbed the ‘home of the blizzard’ for a reason. Remarkably, Mawson’s Huts have not been blown away, and remain frozen in time, opening a vault of historic expedition moments.
Small and rocky, Ile du Gouverneur is part of Antarctica’s Géologie Archipelago. And in between is sea ice, an important breeding site for Emperor penguins. The fact that it’s close to a research station means that the creatures here are well documented – they also include Adelie penguins, Antarctic skuas, Wilson’s storm petrels, southern giant petrels, snow petrels and Cape petrels. You’ll likely also spot Weddell seals basking in the sun.
Days 19 – 21 At Sea
These days are your chance to indulge a little more in your Discovery Yacht’s facilities. Begin the day with a yoga class, followed by a soak in the heated vitality pool, the endless horizon your backdrop. Your active start to the day means you can reward yourself by calling on your butler to bring breakfast to your room. You could enjoy lunch here as well. Or make a date with your new friends to re-live Antarctica memories over a meal at Lumiere. On-board chefs prepare fresh and inspired meals that you’ll want to linger over well into the afternoon.
The only thing you need to do now is decide which bar or lounge to move to, making the most of the truly all-inclusive beverage menu, including premium wines and spirits. For a dose of sunshine, retire to the Scenic Bar & Lounge, order a cocktail or flute of French champagne, and let your cares drift away.
Day 22 Macquarie Island
Macquarie Island is a place that sparks every sense. First smell, then sound… then sight. From a distance, Macquarie’s earth appears to be moving. As Scenic Eclipse approaches you realise that the land is, in fact, heaving – under the weight of millions of penguins.
Subject to permits, you will get to see this spectacle of epic proportions, an extraordinary landscape hosting one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in the Southern Ocean. You may witness countless tuxedoed, bushy eyebrowed and golden crowned penguins – king, rockhopper, gentoo and the endemic royal. Or they may you may greet guests who step ashore with squarks and squeaks. Occasionally one flops down for ice surfing, paddling on its belly like a torpedo-shaped toboggan. The youngsters, fluffy, impossibly cute, have the gleeful look of children allowed to stay up past their bedtime for a grown-up gathering.
You’re likely to see leopard seals that patrol the waters, southern elephant seals that peek from tussocked dunes, and sooty albatrosses that circle overhead.
Days 23 – 24 At Sea
The past weeks have delivered an abundance of emotions and active explorations – today could be the day for some downtime. The remarkable sights of the world’s southernmost continent take a while to digest. Sometimes, quiet contemplation is the best way to do that – perhaps editing images, writing in your journal, marking highlights on a map. At other times, being with others who appreciate your emotions is ideal. Join your fellow guests in one of the up to ten restaurants, nine bars and lounges, or while relaxing in the Observatory Lounge & Library. Relive every moment that sparked joy over the last three weeks, looking forward to sharing these once-in-a-lifetime memories with your loved ones at home.
Day 25 Hobart, Australia
Your voyage ends in Hobart – knowing there’s still nothing between you and Antarctica but swathes of icy ocean helps take away the sting of everyday life. After breakfast, it’s time to bid farewell to your new friends and the dedicated Scenic Eclipse crew, who have made your voyage so remarkable. Fly home carrying once-in-a-lifetime memories with you, or choose to extend your journey to explore the captivating city of Hobart.
EXTEND YOUR TRIP TO PATAGONIA
To make the most of your time in South America we can tailor a holiday to Patagonia to suit your voyage dates. If you have a bit more time we can create a tailor-made itinerary to some of the highlights of South America. Take a look at the Patagonia sample itineraries below and contact us to begin creating your perfect holiday.
