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semicircumnavegat¡on of antarctica |
Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina/Lyttelton, New Zealand |
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Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
We arrive in the southernmost city in the world and transfer independently to the Hotel Los Nires or similar centrally-located hotel. |
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Ushuaia
A chance to wander around Ushuaia, nestled between the spectacular snow-capped mountains of the Andes and the famous Beagle Channel. Embarkation begins later in the afternoon and, once we have settled into our cabins, the Kapitan Khlebnikov sets sail along the Beagle Channel - heading east towards the Drake Passage. |
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Drake Passage & the South Shetland Islands
Our journey across the famous Drake Passage, named after the 16th-century English navigator Sir Francis Drake, is an experience in itself. Our ship is accompanied most of the way by albatrosses - including the magnificent Wandering, Black-browed and Sooty Albatrosses. We cross the Antarctic Convergence, a biological barrier where cold polar waters sink beneath the warmer waters of the more temperate zones. Along the way, our lecture series begins with presentations on the unique wildlife, geology, glaciology and history of this wild and remote corner of the Southern Ocean. When land is sighted we know we have reached the South Shetland Islands. This impressive archipelago, lying to the north and roughly parallel to the Antarctic Peninsula, is a haven for wildlife. We may visit vast penguin rookeries, land on beaches ruled by Antarctic fur seals or observe wallowing southern elephant seals. We also hope to visit one of the many research bases in the islands and look for Antarctica's only two flowering plants - which thrive here during the short southern summer. |
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Antarctic Peninsula
We continue south and cruise along the Antarctic Peninsula - an awe-inspiring wilderness of snow, ice, narrow waterways and towering mountains. We navigate dramatic Neumayer Channel towards Port Lockroy, home to a thriving colony of Gentoo Penguins and Blue-eyed Shags. Later we will cruise through the Lemaire Channel, a narrow geological fault between the towering mountains of the Antarctic Peninsula and Booth Island; often choked with ice, this is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful waterways in the world. We may also visit Vernadsky Station, where British scientists were among the first to discover the depletion of the world's ozone layer in 1983; today, the base is operated by the Ukraine who give us a warm welcome. |
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Crystal Sound & Marguerite Bay
We continue across the Antarctic Circle and enter the rarelyvisited region of the far south. Only a fully-classed icebreaker can safely negotiate the ice-bound waters of this distant corner of the world. This is a good area for wildlife watching and we hope to see Minke whales and orcas, as well as Weddell, crabeater and leopard seals. Depending on conditions, we continue to the British Rothera Station in the most beautiful northern part of Marguerite Bay. |
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Bellingshausen Sea & Peter I Island
We are now heading towards the pack ice of the Amundsen Sea and hope for sufficiently good conditions to land at Peter I Island. This remote outpost of striking mountains and glaciers was discovered by Bellingshausen in 1821, although it has always been so remote and inaccessible that no-one actually landed here until more than a century later. It is home to Adélie and Chinstrap Penguins, Storm Petrels and Southern Fulmars. |
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Amundsen Sea
We have several thrilling and adventurous days breaking through the pack ice of the Amundsen Sea. Flexibility is paramount on a genuine polar expedition such as this and our exact day-by-day itinerary will be ruled by local conditions. If we are making reasonable progress, and the weather is good, we will board the helicopter for views of the Kapitan Khlebnikov forcing its way through this remote fairlyland of ice. |
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Ross Ice Shelf
Excitement builds as we approach the immense Ross Ice Shelf, which is roughly the same size as France and the world's largest body of floating ice. We hope to land on top of the ice shelf by helicopter and plan to navigate along mile-long tabular icebergs that have calved from this remarkable frozen barrier. Continuing west, we cross the International Dateline and lose a day. |
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Ross Island & McMurdo Sound
Pushing still farther south we anchor along the ice fronting McMurdo Station. Depending on conditions and final permission we are invited to tour the station - which lies in the shadow of Mount Erebus. The base surrounds Scott's remarkably preserved 1901-04 Discovery Hut - a stark contrast to the modern industrial-looking site today.
We may also have the opportunity to visit New Zealand's Scott Base, which is a few miles away on the other side of the bay. Then we plan to visit the site of Sir Ernest Shackleton's hut at Cape Royds, which was built during his Nimrod polar attempt in 1907-09. Shackleton and his fellow adventurers are long gone, of course, but their hut is far from deserted. It has been reclaimed by the original inhabitants of the area - thousands of Adélie Penguins - in the world's southernmost penguin rookery.
At nearby Cape Evans we have the opportunity to visit the historic site of Scott's hut, which has been beautifully preserved by the staff of the Antarctic Heritage Trust. Under the supervision of New Zealand staff, we will be able to see inside and witness the living conditions almost exactly as they were when Scott, Wilson and Ponting occupied these quarters nearly a century ago. Weather and ice conditions permitting, we also hope to offer helicopter flights to one of the most spectacular and seldom visited areas of Antarctica - the Dry Valleys - where rain has not fallen for millions of years. |
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Ross Sea & Cape Adare
Located between Cape Washington and the Drygalski Ice Tongue, Terra Nova Bay was discovered by Scott's Discovery Expedition 1901-04. The Bay is the site of an Italian summer research station. Dense pack ice often challenges vessels near Cape Hallett, where the United States and New Zealand established a now-abandoned base during the 1957-58 International Geophysical Year. Views of the 12,000-foot Admiralty Range herald our arrival at Cape Adare. Behind the broad open beach, we see the 1899 hut where Carsten Borchgrevink was the first to overwinter on the Antarctic Continent. Cape Adare is home to 260,000 pairs of Adélie Penguins - the largest colony of this species anywhere in the world. |
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Pack Ice & Southern Ocean
As we sail north our lecture program continues and, in particular, we are introduced to the wildlife-rich sub-Antarctic islands of New Zealand. |
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Campbell Island
We sail into Perseverance Harbour, a drowned volcanic caldera that cuts across the island. A boardwalk leads us from a small meteorological station over the tussock grass to the hilltop observatories of the Royal Albatross. |
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Enderby Island (Auckland Islands)
Today we arrive at Enderby Island, an enchanting site renowned for its southern rata forest, richly covered with lichens, mosses and ferns. We hope to encounter nesting Royal Albatrosses, endangered Yellow-eyed Penguins, Redcrowned Parakeets and a host of other endemic and indigenous wildlife. Enderby is the epicentre of the world's Hooker's sea lion population and these rare animals joust and spar on the wide, sandy beaches. |
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At Sea
Today is our last full day and we join our lecturers to re-live some of the highlights of our 5,000-mile adventure. |
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Lyttelton, New Zealand
Today we bid farewell to the Kapitan Khlebnikov and transfer by coach to nearby Christchurch Airport for our flights* to Auckland and home. |
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