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This special variation on our South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula voyage
will retrace Shackleton's odyssey from the northern Weddell Sea, past Elephant
Island and across the Scotia Sea to the southwestern side of South Georgia
Island.
This voyage is the reverse of our other South Georgia
journeys - it starts in Ushuaia and heads south across the Drake Passage to
the Weddell Sea before reaching the south side of South Georgia Island.
On May 20, 1916, Sir Ernest Shackleton stumbled into the
busy whaling station at Stromness, hungry, exhausted and covered in grime.
He had just made the first ever crossing of South Georgia from King Haakon
Bay. This epic story of survival, which began with the sinking of his ship,
the Endurance, in the Weddell Sea six months before, symbolizes heroic Antarctic
exploration.
"I hold that a man must strive to the uttermost for
his life's set prize"
Lord Byron
(Inscribed on Shackleton's gravestone,
Grytviken, South Georgia)
This spectacular journey combines the rugged beauty of the Falkland Islands,
South Georgia, the
.jpg) |
| Glacier travel on the Antarctic Peninsula. (Antarctica
- Photo by Greg Mortimer) |
South Orkney Islands and the northern tip of the Antarctic
Peninsula.
On our Shackleton Odyssey, a small band of adventurous
souls will have an opportuity to attempt to repeat the mountain crossing.
We expect that leg of the journey to take three to four days. We will be moving
through the mountains as a self-contained expedition, carrying our own clothing,
food, fuel and tents. Each member of the crossing party is required to have
solid outdoor experience, preferably in crevassed alpine terrain. There is
a surcharge for this South Georgia crossing.
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No experience required for this expedition.
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These notes will give you a brief idea of what you may encounter on this
voyage. Our emphasis is
.jpg) |
| Black browed albatross at New Island. (Falkland
Islands - Photo by Sue Werner) |
on Shackleton's voyage, wildlife encounters, personal
contact with the environment, and visits to sites of historical and scientific
interest. However, since this is an expedition style cruise, our actual
program may vary to take best advantage of local conditions and unexpected
opportunities. No two voyages are ever the same; there is always an element
of the unexpected. The Polar Pioneer is not a luxury ship although she is
very comfortable, with well-appointed cabins and common areas. She is maneuverable
and strong, ideally suited for the sea passages between the Antarctic Peninsula,
South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. The bridge is open to us at all
times unless there is some tricky navigational situation. This journey,
imbued with the spirit of Shackleton's heroic voyage, combines the best
of the sub-Antarctic region with the beauty of the Antarctic Peninsula.
We will have time to explore Ushuaia, a bustling community that lays claim
to being the most southerly town in the world. You might decide to take a
trip to the Lapataia National Park to listen to the woodpeckers drumming on
the Antarctic beech trees. Or you might choose to wander up to the glaciers
immediately behind the town, where there is a great view down the Beagle Channel.
Our competent Russian crew will welcome us aboard Polar Pioneer in the afternoon,
at approximately 4:00 p.m. for an expected departure at 6:00 pm. As we sail
down the Beagle Channel, you will settle into shipboard life and enjoy your
first meal on board.
Cape Horn, the most southerly point of
the American continent, has stimulated the imagination of mankind since
Sir Francis Drake inadvertently rounded it back in 1580. Some of us will
approach
.jpg) |
| Enjoying the spectacular scenery. (Antarctica
- Photo by Greg Mortimer) |
this historic crossing with more than a little trepidation
but, despite its reputation, there are times when the Drake Passage resembles
a lake, with lazy southern ocean swells rolling under the keel. At other
times, the intrepid traveler may encounter rough crossings with large waves.
The size of the waves and the force of the gale will undoubtedly take on
gigantic proportions when stories of the Drake Passage are told back home.
At least we won't have to contend with the prospect of running into the
feared Admiral von Spee and his German fleet in these waters, as did Shackleton
and his men!
During our crossing of the Drake Passage, we will commence
our lecture program about the wildlife, geology, history and geography of
the Antarctic Peninsula. The history portions of our lectures will largely
be focused on Shackleton and his legendary voyage. We'll talk about the best
way to approach wildlife and we'll talk about the implications of the Antarctic
Treaty. Antarctica is a photographers' paradise for the professional as well
as for the amateur. We will discuss how you can protect your equipment from
salt water and we'll provide tips for taking good pictures.
Excitement reaches fever pitch as we near our first iceberg
sighting, at the end of day three. The ocean takes on a whole new perspective
once we are surrounded by the surreal presence of floating ice sculptures.
The memory of the sight of your first iceberg is likely to remain with you
for ever.
This morning when we crawl from our bunks
we will be surrounded by ice and mountains, at the head of the Lemaire Channel.
Our intention is to cruise down this famous waterway and make our first landing
in Antarctica on Pleneau Island.
A host of choices is now open to us, and, depending on
the ice and weather conditions, the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula
is ours to explore for the next three days. This is the advantage of having
experienced staff and crew who have made countless journeys to this area.
.jpg) |
| Stromness Bay. (South Georgia Island, Argentina
- Photo by Sue Werner) |
They will use their experience to design our voyage from
day to day. In this way we can make best use of the prevailing weather and
ice conditions. At this point in our journey, we will be so far south that
we will experience approximately 18 hours of daylight at this end of the season,
so we can stay up all night long! There will be plenty of time for sleep when
the trip is over........!
We are always ready to explore new territory, so if the
opportunity arises, that's what we'll do! That's why we call our cruises "Expeditions
of Exploration and Adventure" - who knows where we might be going next?
We will attempt to make shore landings two or three times
a day. To get ashore, we will use our Zodiacs. We will have been briefed on
the merits of these sturdy craft and their use during our Drake Passage crossing.
Sometimes we will cruise along spectacular ice cliffs or follow whales that
are feeding near the surface. In these cases we will appreciate the distinct
advantage of being on a small vessel, which gives everyone the opportunity
to experience these very special close encounters with wildlife.
Hearty meals will be served in our cozy dining rooms
by our European or Australian chefs. The good food and good conversation to
be found there will become a focal point of our shipboard life.
Today we set sail for Elephant Island, a half-submerged mountain cloaked with
an ice sheet at the outer limits of the South Shetlands. En route, our lectures
will resume, and we will discuss how
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| Chinstrap penguin nesting. (Antarctica - Photo
by Sue Werner) |
Shackleton and his men, after the Endurance was crushed
in pack ice in the Weddell Sea, climbed into three open boats and finally,
on April 14, 1916, made landfall on this tiny toe of rock and ice in the vastness
of the Southern Ocean. The men had not been on land for sixteen months! We
plan to sail past Cape Valentine to see the beach where the men first put
ashore. Weather conditions permitting, we will follow the coastline six miles
west to Point Wild, where the men eventually set up camp under two of their
upturned open boats and some old tents. We will attempt to make at least one
landing on historic Elephant Island.
On April 24, 1916, Shackleton and five of his men piled into the James Caird,
the most seaworthy of their open boats, to attempt a perilous journey to
South Georgia, some 1290 kilometers (800 miles) distant. Shackleton hoped
to reach South Georgia in two weeks. There he would enlist the help of the
local whalers to return to Elephant Island and rescue the men who had been
left behind. En route for South Georgia, we'll attempt to follow Shackleton's
course across the Scotia Sea in a southwesterly direction to visit the stunning
South Orkneys, remote and alone as they jut from the sea.
Today we hope to cruise past the South Orkney
Island group and make a landing at beautiful Shingle Cove on Coronation
Island. Alternatively, we may land at the Argentinean research station
.jpg) |
| Iceberg cruising. (Antarctica - Photo by Greg
Mortimer) |
at Orcardas, which was the site of the 1904 Scottish
Bruce Expedition.
Our lecture program will be resumed and we can share our experiences from
visiting Elephant Island and the South Orkneys. We can luxuriate in the comfort
of our ocean crossing as we ponder the hardships Shackleton and his men experienced
as they crawled about on the rocks used as ballast on board their vessel,
the James Caird:
"Nearly always there were gales. So small was our boat
and so great were the seas that often our sail flapped idly in the calm
between the crests of two waves. Then we would climb the next slope and
catch the full fury of the gale where the wool-like whiteness of the breaking
water surged around us."
Ernest Shackleton
Weather permitting, we will enter King Haakon Bay and make a ceremonial landing
at Cave Cove where 'The Boss' made his first landfall after his epic open
boat voyage.
South Georgia is a tiny speck in the far South Atlantic Ocean, in one of the
most desolate parts of the planet. A 9,000-foot mountain range traces the
spine of this long, narrow island. Between the mountains, shattered glaciers
carve their way through tussock grass to the deeply indented coastline.
Here we spend four days exploring
South Georgia, investigating the network of harbors along the
.jpg) |
| Orca whale. (Photo by Sue Werner) |
northern side of this wonderful island. We combine
the fascination of local history with wildlife havens by visiting the old
whaling station at Grytviken. Nearby are enormous penguin rookeries in St.
Andrews Bay, Royal Bay, Gold Harbour and Salisbury Plain, to name just a
few.
Though geographically speaking the island lies in the sub-Antarctic
area, as do the islands of Macquarie and Heard, it has a climate more in keeping
with the true Antarctic regions. This is because South Georgia lies wholly
within the Antarctic Convergence. South Georgia is a British possession, having
been claimed and named for King George III by Captain James Cook on January
16th, 1775, who records in his journal:
"The wild rocks raised their lofty summits till they
were lost in the clouds and the valleys lay buried in ever-lasting snow.
Not a tree or a shrub was to be seen, no, not even big enough to make a
toothpick. I landed in three different places, displayed our colours and
took possession of the country in His Majesty's name under a discharge of
small arms."
Quote from "Antarctic Housewife"
by Nan Brown.
Cruising towards the Falklands we will resume our
lecture program. While at sea, you will be entranced by the ceaseless flight
of the many seabirds that follow in our wake. You may decide to join the bird
watchers on the bridge, or you may decide just relax and read a favorite book.
Weather permitting, we will visit Sea Lion Island,
a low-lying island that appears dull and uninteresting as we approach. Despite
its appearance, the mud flats, beaches and tussock grasses are teeming with
creatures including, of course, the sea lions that breed here. We may even
be lucky enough to run into the resident pod of orca whales that cruise the
shore, looking for unwary sea lions.
We may also visit New Island,
half of which is owned by Ian Strange, a naturalist who is dedicated to
the study and preservation of the island's wildlife. After landing in
our Zodiacs, we will take a short walk across the grassy slope behind
his farmhouse, arriving at a large rock-hopper penguin
.jpg) |
| On the fly bridge. (Antarctica - Photo by
Greg Mortimer) |
colony balanced on the edge of spectacular cliffs
that drop steeply to the crashing surf. Between the penguins' nests are
gentle black-browed albatrosses sitting serenely on their beautifully formed
nests. The air is filled with soaring albatrosses, turkey vultures, skuas
and other species of sea birds. We will also visit a small colony of Magellanic
penguins, whose burrows can be seen amongst the tussock grass.
Time permitting, we will also visit West Point Island,
where we will enjoy the hospitality of the family that owns and farms this
island. We may walk or be ferried by jeep to another rock-hopper penguin rookery
and black-browed albatross colony. Finally, if time allows, we will also visit
Port Stanley, the capital of the Falklands. We can visit the museum, go shopping,
send post cards back home or simply enjoy a beer at the Globe Hotel.
Time to head back to Tierra del Fuego, with more lectures
and videos on the way as we work to complete our Antarctic education. It will
be a time for reflection and discussion about what we have seen and felt and
the impact that this voyage has had on our lives.
During the early morning hours, we will cruise up the Beagle Channel, docking
in Ushuaia around 9:00 a.m. You may decide to spend your time exploring Ushuaia,
a bustling community that lays claim to being the most southerly town in the
world. You might decide to take a trip to the Lapataia National Park to listen
to the woodpeckers drumming on the Antarctic beech trees. Or you might choose
to wander up to the glaciers immediately behind the town, where there is a
great view down the Beagle Channel. Or you might choose to take an excursion
down the Beagle Channel to visit the historic Harberton Farm and to admire
the soft greens and greys of Tierra del Fuego after the intense blues of Antarctica.
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