Day 1: Ushuaia, Argentina
Passengers board the MV/Antarctic Dream cruise where you will be
greeted by our Expedition Leader and staff and shown to your
cabin. Our
departure is scheduled for 7:00 pm.
Day 2 a 3: Drake Passage
Wandering albatrosses, storm petrels and other seabirds will
escort the vessel as you sail south across this famous passage
named after Sir Francis Drake, the 16th-century English navigator.
We will continue towards the Antarctic Convergence, a biological
barrier where cold polar waters sink beneath the warmer waters
of the more temperate zone. In 1819, the British explorer
William Smith described the South Shetland Islands as “barren
and covered with snow, with seals in abundance”.
Day 4: King George Island
King George Island will give us an early taste of what the
Antarctic really is. It is the biggest island of the South
Shetlands. Prior to departing, and if the weather is good,
we will offer passengers a short helicopter over-flight to
admire the immensity and beauty of the landscape*. If conditions
do not allow us to fly we will disembark in Potter Bay. In
the afternoon we will disembark at Aitcho Island which is
in between Greenwich and Robert Islands. Our Antarctic cruise
will continue with the crossing of the Bransfield and
Gerlache
Straits
to enter Andvord Bay where we find Neko Bay.
Day 5: Antarctic Peninsula & Neko
Bay
Besides the magnificent scenery of mountains, snow and
ice, in Antarctica you can expect to see a wide variety
of the
native
wildlife. Other birds to look out for are blue-eyed shags,
gulls, cape petrels, skuas, snowy sheathbills and Antarctic
terns. Marine
mammals that you are likely to see include Weddell crab-eaters
and leopard seals while orcas, humpback and mink whales may
be spotted at close range. The program includes your
first landing
on the White Continent (Neko Bay) and another on Port Lockroy
(Gaudier Island). Neko Bay was discovered by Adrian de Gerlache,
a Belgian explorer. Port Lockroy is close to Wiencke Island
in the Antarctic Peninsula and was the principle base
of the 1944
Tabarin Operation - the scientific research included the Antarctic’s
first ionosphere measurements and also the first recording
of an atmospheric whistle.
Day 6: Pleneau - Petermann Island
We sail south through the narrow Lemaire Channel whose high,
sheer cliffs suggest that no passage could be found. Once
through the channel,
known as one of the most beautiful places in the world, and provided
climate and ice conditions are good enough, we will be able to
visit Petermann Island which is the most southern land
point of our expedition.
Here we will disembark and will be able to see the most southern
colony of Gentoo penguins which nest near our landing spot.
On this island we will also be able to see a colony of beautiful
Adelei penguins, skuas and blue-eyed shags. At Pleneau we should
have the opportunity to take our zodiacs and visit impressive ice
formations.
Day 7: Paradise Bay - Cuverville Island
At this point of our program we will begin our return voyage.
During the morning and, stressing again that if weather
permits, we will
disembark or use our zodiacs in Paradise Bay. In the evening we
will visit Cuverville Island. Beside its dramatic scenery
it is home to
one of the largest colony of Gentoo penguins and skuas. This rocky
island is on the north side of the Errera Channel, between Ronge
Island and the Arctowski Peninsula.
Day 8: Deception Island - Whaler’s
Bay -Pendulum Cove
We continue sailing to Deception Island which is the largest
active volcano in the area at the northwest side of the
Peninsula. During
the morning we will try to disembark in Whaler’s Bay
and Pendulum Cove where you can live the unique expirience
of swimming
in this water. In the afternoon we will disembark at Hannah
Point (Livingstone Island). This is one of the best places
in the Antarctic
to see fauna and we should see Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins,
giant petrels, Wilson petrels, skuas and blue-eyed shags. With
luck we should also see sea elephants.
Days 9 and 10: Drake Passage
Today, we will leave the Antarctic and head north back across the
Drake Passage. Now is the chance to compare and revise notes
and dwell on the adventures of the past week, to take in the
final lectures and to enjoy the delicious gastronomy on board
as you return to Ushuaia.
