Antarctic Dream
Day 1: Depart from Ushuaia
Passengers board the "Antarctic Dream”
where you will be greeted by your Expedition Leader and staff and shown to your
cabin. Your check in starts at 2:30 pm
Days 2 and 3: Crossing the 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". Yet, mosses and lichens thrive during the short summer at
the low-lying peninsulas of these rugged islands located directly adjacent to
the Antarctic Peninsula.
Day 4: King George Island
King George Island will give you an early taste of what the Antarctic really is. It
was discovered by the British adventurer William Smith in 1819 and is the
biggest island of the South Shetlands; nearly
90% of it is covered by the Collins glacier.
During the morning, you will disembark in Potter Bay
and visit the Argentine scientific base, Jubany. Here there will be great
chances of finding marine elephants. In the afternoon you will disembark at Aitcho Island
which is in between Greenwich and Robert Islands
and is part of the South Shetlands. You should
be able to see Gentoo and Chinstrap penguins as well as Weddell Sea seals and
sea elephants before continuing with the crossing of the Bransfield and Gerlache Straits
to enter Andvord 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, including thousands of nests of Gentoo,
Chinstrap, and Adelie penguins. 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. This area is also of substantial
historical interest and was extensively explored by several expeditions during
the 19th century. Passengers should feel the same sense of excitement as the
early explorers as you keep a lookout from the Bridge or other vantage points
while your vessel threads her way through this dramatic and pristine region. 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 between 1897 and 1899
and it is called Neko after the Norwegian whale ship which operated in this
area from 1911 to 1912 and from 1923 to 1924. 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 - Peterman Island
You 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, you will be able to visit Petermann Island which is the most southern land
point of our expedition. Here you will disembark and will be able to see the
most southern colony of Gentoo penguins which nest near our landing spot. On
this island you 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
your zodiacs and visit impressive ice formations.
Day 7: Paradise Bay - Cuverville Island
Day 8: Deception Island - Whaler's Bay - Pendulum Cove
You continue sailing to Deception Island which is at the northwest side of the Peninsula. Deception Island is the largest active volcano in the area and one of the main sources of seismic and volcanic activity in the Antarctic. Sailing through the narrow passage into its huge flooded crater is a thrilling experience. Do not forget to bring your bathing suite as swimming in this water is a unique experience. During the morning you will try to disembark in Whaler’s Bay and Pendulum Cove. In the afternoon and depending on weather conditions you will disembark at Hannah Point Livingstone Island). This is one of the best places in the Antarctic to see fauna and you should see Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins, giant petrels, Wilson petrels, skuas and blue-eyed shags. With luck you should also see sea elephants.
Days 9 - 10: Drake Passage
Today, you 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.
Day 11: Ushuaia, Argentina
After and early breakfast you will land at 9:00 am and bid farewell to the other guests. Thus ends an incredible and unique expedition.
NOTE:
Please note that
you should regard this itinerary as a guide only; our exact route and program
varies according to the weather conditions we encounter. Flexibility is the key to success for all
expedition of the M/V Antarctic Dream. The vagaries of conditions in the south
compel us to draw to your attention.
- Itinerary described is subject to change
-
We reserve the
right to change the itinerary
- Weather conditions, availability of anchorages, political conditions and other factors
beyond our control can change the itinerary
- Changes will be
made in the best interests of all the passengers aboard and regard to the
safety of the vessel.
- Passengers have
no right to any refund or other considerations in the event of these inevitable
itinerary changes.