Antarctica Cruise : Shackleton Odyssey, 20 days / 19 nights
Polar Pioneer was built in Finland in 1985 as an ice-strengthened research ship, and for many years she plied the treacherous waters of the USSR's northern coast. In 2000 she was refurbished in St Petersburg to provide comfortable accommodation for 56 passengers. This class of vessel has a fine reputation for polar expedition cruising, due to its strength, manoeuvrability and small number of cabins. All cabins have outside portholes plus ample storage space. The Russian captain and crew are among the most experienced ice-navigators in the world and their enthusiasm is legendary. Polar Pioneer is not a luxury vessel as such, but this is our most popular ship for travel to the Polar regions. The accommodation is simple yet comfortable, and the meals are wholesome and uncomplicated. A small fleet of inflatable Zodiacs with outboard motors enable us to travel from ship to shore.
Triple
Two lower and one upper bunk, desk, small washbasin, ample storage and hanging space, portholes. Showers and toilets are close by and are shared with other cabins. Located on the main deck
This special variation on our South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula voyage retraces Shackleton’s odyssey from the northern tip of the Peninsula, past Elephant Island and across the Scotia Sea to the south-western side of South Georgia.
Day 1 :
We board our ship Polar Pioneer mid-afternoon, then slip away from the dock in the early evening. The cruise down the Beagle Channel provides a fine view of the mountains and beech forests of Tierra del Fuego.
Day 2 :
While crossing the Drake Passage, accompanied by albatross and petrels, we are busy with lectures and briefings.
Day 3 :
By mid-afternoon, we should have crossed the Antarctic Convergence cold water boundary to Antarctica, and hope to see our first icebergs near the South Shetland Islands.
Days 4 - 5 :
We make contact with penguins, seals and whales in the beautiful Gerlache Strait, using our Zodiacs to cruise among the ice or make landings.
Day 6 :
At the northern end of the Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctic Sound is often choked with icebergs but this waterway provides a wildlife-rich corridor into the Weddell Sea. We begin to retrace Shackleton's path near Paulet Island.
Day 7 :
If the weather is kind we will land on the steep slopes of Elephant Island, the unexpected home for Shackleton's men for many months.
Day 8 :
We cruise among the mountainous South Orkney Islands.
Day 9 :
Cruise the Scotia Sea towards South Georgia.
Day 10 :
We enter King Haakon Bay on South Georgia, hopefully stopping for a ceremonial landing at Cave Cove where Shackleton made his first landfall after the epic open boat voyage.
Days 11 - 15 :
Exploring the whaling stations, bays and promontories of South Georgia. These will be busy days as we immerse ourselves in South Georgia's extraordinary wildlife diversity - at places like Salisbury Plain, St Andrews Bay and Gold Harbour, where hundreds of thousands of king penguins line the beach, or Albatross Island, where the lords of the Southern Ocean, the wandering albatross, nest among tussock grasses.
Days 16 - 17 :
While at sea we have time to reflect on our days on South Georgia and enjoy the delights of birdwatching from the outer decks.
Day 18 :
We visit the southern islands of the Falklands, bristling with nesting birds.
Day 19 :
We complete our lecture program during the short hop to the South American coast.
Day 20 :
We dock in Ushuaia after cruising back along the Beagle Channel in the early morning. Transfer to a city hotel or commence your homeward journey.
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