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Adelie penguins, Paulet Island
Kaptain Khlebnikov, Ross Sea © David McEown
Seal, Paulet Island
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Duration: 29 nights
Departing: November
On 21st November 1915, Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew watched as their ship sank out of sight following several months trapped amongst the ice. This voyage retraces part of their route through the Weddell Sea, with landings at Elephant Island and South Georgia, both of which played an important role in one of the greatest survival stories of all time. In addition will be the chance to visit historic stone huts left behind by the Nordenskjold expedition, another incredible example of the heroic bravery of the early Antarctic explorers.
Itinerary
| Day 1 Ushuaia, Argentina
Arrive in Ushuaia for an overnight stay and final preparations for your adventure.
| | Day 2 Embarkation Day
After a morning at leisure you will board the ice-breaker and set sail through the Beagle Channel and out onto open sea.
| | Days 3-4 At sea
Watch for pelagic birds as the icebreaker steams eastward through the Southern Ocean en route to Elephant Island. | | Day 5 Elephant Island
The crew of Endurance who sheltered on Elephant Island’s rocky shoreline for four and a half months did not have inflatable landing craft and navigation charts to assist them. Even with these modern conveniences, the local conditions can challenge Zodiac drivers, but to set foot here will be a highlight of your voyage. | | Day 6 Brown Bluff
Today’s shore landing at Brown Bluff will be your first chance to set foot on the Antarctic continent. You will be surrounded by Adelie and Gentoo penguins, two of the six species of penguins you could encounter on this expedition. All who step ashore will receive a certificate marking the occasion. | | Day 7 Paulet Island
In 1901 the vessel Antarctic sailed from Sweden, with Otto Nordenskjöld aboard. He reached Paulet Island in 1902, going ashore, unaware that a year later the island would be the backdrop for a dramatic - some say miraculous – reunion. The account of the Swede’s adventure may not be as well known as Shackleton’s, but is equally as dramatic. Your Expedition Team will share the story with you before you go ashore. Paulet Island is also home to a large colony of Adelie penguins, blue-eyed shags and weddell seals. | | Day 8-11 The Weddell Sea
Using the helicopters to provide aerial views of the pack ice, you will spend the next few days following in the footsteps of the crew of Endurance. Shackleton used every ounce of leadership to encourage his men to drag three lifeboats up and over pressure ridges of ice and across treacherous leads for five weeks. Unlike Shackleton and his men, after a landing on the pack ice you can return to a warm safe cabin.
| | Days 12-17 Princess Martha Coast and the Anniversary Celebration
The eastward journey will end at Neumayer Station (70° 34’ 23”S, 8° 10’ 45”W). En route to the Princess Martha Coast you may visit up to three Emperor Penguin rookeries and various research stations. When Hjalmar Riiser-Larsen flew over in 1931, this shore of the Weddell Sea was still unknown. Here, towering cliffs of ice up to 35 metres high rise from the sea. You will be well below the Antarctic Circle, where the sun never sets, as you explore the Princess Martha Coast of Queen Maud Land. | | Days 18-20 The Weddell Sea
Aerial sightseeing aboard the icebreaker’s helicopters affords spectacular views and fantastic photo opportunities of the ship crushing through pack ice on the northward journey. There may be seals resting on the ice floes below. | | Days 21-22 South Sandwich Islands
Stretching 305 km (190 miles) from south to north, the volcanic Sandwich Islands were first charted by the inimitable explorer Captain James Cook in 1775. The First Lord of the Admiralty at the time was the fourth Earl of Sandwich. The astute Cook honored the Lord by naming the archipelago after him. During your visit experience the largest chinstrap penguin rookery in the world. The sound of a million penguins calling to their chicks can be heard from a great distance.
| | Day 23 At Sea
Continue sailing north to South Georgia, which lies south of the Antarctic Convergence, the biological boundary separating Antarctica from the rest of the world. Albatross and petrels should be gliding alongside the ship, as they have since sailors first navigated these waters. | | Day 24 Drygalski Fjord and Cooper Bay, South Georgia
South Georgia may be the most awe-inspiring island in the Southern Ocean. Abundant wildlife, glaciers tumbling to the sea, vast tussock covered plains, and deep fjords combine to create lifelong memories. On the southeast coast, a 1 mile wide fjord slices 7 miles into the island. The ship will cruise through the fjord toward a spectacular glacier. You will want to keep your camera handy as Macaroni and Chinstrap penguins are found in rookeries in Cooper Bay.
| | Day 25 Gold Harbour and St. Andrews Bay, South Georgia
Vibrant King penguins breed all year round at St. Andrews Bay and Gold Harbour. You’ll be able to take photos of chicks, adolescents – so different from their parents that they were thought to be a different species – and adults. Fur seals and elephant seals may also be seen along the beaches. | | Day 26 Grytviken and Fortuna Bay, South Georgia
After two days of wildlife viewing, you’ll be immersed in the history of Antarctica once again. Grytviken, a former whaling station, is the location of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s final resting place. There will be time to pay your respects before visiting Fortuna Bay. | | Days 27-28 At Sea
Voyage recap sessions and identifying seabirds on the wing are two of the shipboard activities that will engage you during the crossing to the Falkland Islands. Keep a weather eye open as you cross the Antarctic Convergence, fog could surround the ship as you leave Antarctic waters for the southern Atlantic. | | Day 29 Stanley, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Upon disembarkation in Stanley, you will be transferred to the airport for the flight to Santiago, Chile. You’ll spend the night in Santiago at a centrally located hotel. Sample the local wines as you bid your new companions farewell. | | Day 30 Santiago, Chile
Breakfast is included this morning prior to your departure for home. |
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This unique departure marks the 95th anniversary of the sinking of the Endurance, and celebrates the heroic survival story of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his men. During this expedition, his cousin Jonathan Shackleton will provide a historian’s insight into the events that led to the sinking of HMS Endurance and the qualities of leadership that were instrumental in the rescue of the crew stranded on Elephant Island.
Price From
£18009
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Holiday valid to
01 January 1900
Price Includes One night pre-expedition hotel accommodation with breakfast, in Ushuaia. (The number of guests per room is the same as cabin occupancy on the ship. Due to limited availability, travelers who reserve a suite on board are accommodated in standard rooms at the hotel.) • One night post-expedition hotel accommodation in Santiago, including a group transfer from Santiago airport to the hotel • Group flight from Stanley, Falklands Islands to Santiago, Chile • Shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping • All breakfasts, lunches and dinners on board throughout your voyage. (Please inform us of any dietary requirements as far in advance as possible. Unfortunately, the ships’ galleys cannot prepare kosher meals.) • Coffee, tea, cocoa available around the clock • Leadership throughout the voyage by our experienced Expedition Leader, including shore landings and other activities • All shore landings per the daily program • All Zodiac transfers and cruising per the daily program • All helicopter transfers and aerial sightseeing according to each day’s program • Formal and informal presentations by our Expedition Team and guest speakers as scheduled • Photographic Album on DVD, documenting the voyage • A pair of waterproof expedition boots on loan for shore landings • A Quark Expeditions parka – yours to keep • Hair dryer and bathrobe in every cabin • Comprehensive pre-departure materials, including a map and an informative Antarctic Reader • All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program • All luggage handling aboard ship • Emergency Evacuation Insurance for all passengers to a maximum benefit of $100,000 per person.
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