Ross Sea Antarctic Odyssey

Day 1 Embark in Ushuaia, Argentina

In the afternoon, embark in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world located at the Beagle Channel and sail through this scenic waterway for the rest of the evening.

Days 2-3 At Sea

Crossing the Drake Passage.

Day 4 Antarctic Peninsula

Arrive in the Antarctic Peninsula and sail in the early morning through the spectacular Lemaire Channel and land on Pléneau Island, where Elephant Seals haul-out on the beaches. Gentoo Penguins, Kelp Gulls and South Polar Skuas are confirmed breeders. Pléneau Island was first charted by the French Antarctic Expedition of 1903-05 of Jean-Baptiste Charcot and was named after his expedition’s photographer Paul Pléneau. We will also visit Petermann Island with colonies of Adélie and Gentoo Penguins and Imperial Cormorants (Blue-eyed Shags). Petermann island was named after the German geographer August Petermann who was a member of a German Expedition in 1873-74.

Day 5 Polar Circle / Fish Islands

Sailing south through the Penola Strait, cross the Polar Circle and arrive at the Fish Islands. The small islands lying east of Flouder Island are called the Minnows, first charted by the British Graham Land Expedition (1934-37) of John Rymill. Detaille Island was discovered by the French expedition of Charcot (1903-05) and named for a share holder in the Magellan Whaling Company. From 1956 till 1959, The British Antarctic Survey had their “Station W” located on Detaille Island. On both locations you may observe Adélie Penguins and Blue-eyed Shags.

Days 6-7 Bellingshausen Sea

Bellingshausen Sea, where you may see your first pack-ice.

Day 8 Peter I Island

Peter I Island or in Norwegian Peter I Øy is an uninhabited volcanic island (19 kilometres long ) in the Bellingshausen Sea. It was discovered by Fabian von Bellingshausen in 1821 and was named after the Russian Tsar Peter I. It is claimed by Norway and considered a territory by its own. It is sporadically visited by passenger vessels. On earlier landings groups of Elephant Seals and colonies of Southern Fulmars and Cape Pigeons were seen.

Days 9-14 Amundsen Sea

These days sail through the Amundsen Sea along and through the outer fringes of the pack-ice, which - depending of ice-conditions - will give us glimpses of the Antarctic Continent, while your ship will take advantage of the west-going Antarctic coastal current. The sailing along and through the ice is very lively, with sightings of single straggling Emperor Penguins, groups of seals on ice-floes, and also Orca's and Minke Whales along the ice-edge, often accompanied by different species of fulmar petrels. If the sea-ice allows, try to land on Shephard Island in Marie Byrd Land among colonies of Chinstrap Penguins and South Polar Skua's. Shephard Island was discovered by the US Antarctic Expeditions (USAS) of 1939-41 and was named after one of the promoters of this expedition: John Shephard.

Day 15 Ross Ice Shelf

Approach the Ross Ice Shelf, a floating mass of land-ice, with a front of 30 meters high. In the Bay of Whales at the eastern side of the shelf, close to Roosevelt Island (named by the American aviator Richard E. Byrd in 1934 for President Franklin D. Roosevelt), Roald Amundsen gained access to the Shelf and ventured to the South Pole, where he finally arrived on 14 December 1911. For us it is perhaps a chance to climb on the shelf as well.

Day 16 At Sea

Along the Ross Ice Shelf sail to the west.

Days 17-21 Ross Sea

In the Ross Sea your captain intends to visit Ross Island, guarded by Mount Erebus, Mount Terror and Mount Bird with all the famous spots which played such an important role in the dramatic British expeditions of the last century such as Cape Royds with the cabin of Ernest Shackleton. The goal is to visit Cape Evans with the cabin of Robert Falcon Scott; from Hut Point Scott and his men set out for the South Pole. Further attempts will be made to visit the US-station McMurdo and Scott Base (New Zealand). If ice and weather conditions are favorable, the helicopters will be used to offer landings.

From Castle Rock you will have a great view across the Ross Ice Shelf toward the South Pole. Have a view into Taylor Valley, one of the Dry Valleys, where on the planet you are closest to the conditions on Mars. For the Dry Valleys the helicopters will be utilized. This is just one example of helicopter use during this epic voyage.

Days 22-23 West Coast of Ross Sea

Sailing northward along the eastern west coast of the Ross Sea, pass by the Drygalski Ice Tongue and the Italian Station in Terra Nova Bay and further cape Hallet.

Day 24 Cape Adare

Cape Adare is the place where people for the very first time wintered on the Antarctic Continent. The hut where the Norwegian Borchgrevink stayed in 1899, is surrounded by the largest colony of Adélie Penguins in the World.

Day 25 At Sea

At sea, as your ship works her way through the sea-ice at the entrance of the Ross Sea.

Day 26 Balleny Islands

Sail along the Balleny Islands, discovered in 1839 by the British captain John Balleny.

Days 27-28 At Sea

Day 29 Macquarie Island

Macquarie Island is aTasmanian State Reserve and became in 1997 a World Heritage Site. The Australian Antarctic Division has its permanent base on “Macca”. The Australian Frederick Hasselborough discovered the island during a voyage, searching for new sealing grounds. The fauna on Macquarie is fantastic with colonies of King and Gentoo and Southern Rockhopper Penguins. The Royal Penguins (almost one million breeding pairs!) and Macquarie Shags are endemic species. Elephant Seals are also present, as well as various fur seals species such as the New Zealand Fur Seal.

Days 30-31 At Sea

Day 32 Disembark / Invercargill, New Zealand

Arrive in Invercargill (New Zealand) where passengers depart for their homebound journey.