Antarctic Expedition - Punta Arenas to Punta Arenas

Welcome to Chile's City at the End of The World – a wind-whipped, fractured land of islands, glacial fjords and mountains, which drop away towards Antarctica. A hardy city, where the temperature hovers in single figures throughout much of the year, Punta Arenas nevertheless offers a warm welcome and refuge, ahead of - and following - epic adventures and expeditions south across the Drake Passage. Captain Scott stopped here in 1904 – testing the postal service sending 400 letters of his successful return - and the city welcomed the rescued Ernest Shackleton and his Endurance crew to these shores in 1916. Punta Arenas is a remote place, but with custom-free status, and more than 120,000 people calling it home it's also surprisingly cosmopolitan. The commercial centre of Magallanes Punta Arenas is fueled by Chilean oil and gas - and establishing itself as a global centre for Antarctic research, with teams from various countries basing themselves here. The town is built around the Plaza de Armas, its central square - be sure to kiss the toe of the Monumento del Indio Patagon statue, said to guarantee you good luck on your return. Look down across this colourful city, stretching out to meet the waters of the Straits of Magellan, from the viewpoint at Cerro De La Cruz. Natural wonders abound in the region, whether it’s Alberto de Agostini National Park’s glacial sculptures, or Torres del Paine National Park’s soaring mountains, rushing waterfalls and picturesque lakes. Offshore, in the Strait of Magellan, you can find the birdlife sanctuary of Magdalena Island - an uninhabited island, where hundreds of thousands of penguins march and crowds of cormorants and gulls call out.

Set sail on your initial transit, familiarise yourself with the elegant Silver Cloud and the Expedition Team members. Partake in wildlife, geography and history discussions hosted by your expert Team Members and naturalists and attend talks by your guest lecturers preparing you for the exciting adventures that lie ahead.

The Drake Passage has a notorious reputation for its turbulent seas due to the westerly winds and the funnelling effect of the passage, but with modern navigational aids and stabilizers Silver Cloud brings you safely across these southern waters.

Spend some time on deck watching the horizon and the variety of seabirds that glide in the air currents of our ship’s wake -such as the Black-browed Albatross, Cape Petrels, White-chinned Petrels and Sooty Shearwaters.

Start your Antarctic experiences at the top of the Antarctic Peninsula, venturing into Antarctic Sound and its magnificent array of tabular icebergs, historical sites and Adelie and gentoo penguin rookeries.

Depending on weather and ice conditions you may visit Brown Bluff, Hope Bay and cruise the Antarctic Sound. Brown Bluff, (a 2,200-foot bluff on the Antarctic continent) is an ice-capped, 745-metre-high, flat-topped mountain with a prominent cliff of reddish-brown volcanic rock. The coastal area at the base of Brown Bluff is used by Adelie and gentoo penguins, kelp gulls, and Cape petrels as a breeding area. Under good climatic conditions a walk onto a nearby glacier might be feasible.

Hope Bay has one of the largest Adelie penguin colonies in Antarctica and a Zodiac cruise past the Argentine Station “Esperanza” shows some of the penguins, Weddell seals and blue-eyed shags.

While sailing in Antarctica’s vast white wilderness, your itinerary is flexible and in the true spirit of expedition cruising, each day the Expedition Leader and Captain determine the best course depending on weather, ice conditions and wildlife you may encounter. 

Here are some of the places you may visit: Cuverville Island was discovered by Gerlache’s Belgian Antarctic expedition of 1897–99. Large, bare rock areas provide nesting sites for gentoo penguins. Snow petrels and Cape petrels may also be seen, whilst Wilson’s storm-petrels nest in the higher scree of the island. During Zodiac cruises, hauled-out Weddell seals are quite often encountered. Under good conditions one can climb part of Cuverville’s hill for spectacular panoramic views.

Paradise Bay is well named for its spectacular scenery of mountains, glaciers and icebergs. The Silver Cloud sails past Argentina’s “Base Brown”, one of many Antarctic research stations. You can also view the wildlife from sea level while cruising in your Zodiacs. Apart from observing cormorants in the cliffs there is a good chance to see crabeater seals relaxing on ice floes; whales have been seen regularly.

Petermann Island is named for geographer August Petermann and was discovered by a German expedition in 1873-74. During your landing, be able to observe rookeries of Adelie penguins, gentoo penguins and blue-eyed shags. Petermann has various geological features, especially rock surfaces showing glacial polish and some glacial grooving.

Pleneau Bay lies at the south end of the Lemaire Channel, and was first explored during Charcot’s 1903–05 French Antarctic Expedition. Gentoo penguins, kelp gulls and south polar skuas are usually found breeding on Pleneau Island and Southern elephant seals are often hauled-out in wallows. Enjoy the spectacular scenery of icebergs nearby either from shore or during a Zodiac cruise.

End your Antarctic sojourn in the South Shetland Islands. Port Foster, Whalers Bay and Telefon Bay are all located in Deception Island, an excellent example of a caldera that can be reached from the sea. Plan to sail into the caldera through the narrow entrance called Neptune’s Bellows. Ashore Deception Island’s interesting history -from whaling to scientific studies- still shows remains of a former whaling station, including the boilers used to make whale oil in the early 1900s, and houses belonging to a British research base. The unique volcanic features of the area can be seen during hikes.

The Aitcho Islands have gentoo and chinstrap penguin colonies. Southern giant petrels and skuas are never far from penguin rookeries and elephant seals quite often look for company near the landing site.

Navigating your return through the Drake Passage, watch for seabirds and wildlife you may have missed on your initial crossing. There are opportunities to attend additional presentations offered by the Expedition Team lecturers and to edit the many photos taken as you travel towards Ushuaia. During the last afternoon, your Photographer/Videographer shows the Voyage –DVD.

After breakfast, disembark Silver Wind.