The volcanic islands of the South Shetlands are windswept and often cloaked in mist, but they do offer a wide variety of flora (mosses, lichens, flowering grasses) as well as much fauna, including Gentoo penguins, Chinstrap penguins and Southern giant petrels.
At Deception Island, the ship plunges through Neptune’s Bellows and into the flooded caldera. Here you find hot springs, an abandoned whaling station, and thousands of Cape petrels – along with Kelp gulls, Brown and South polar skuas and Antarctic terns. A good hike is a possibility in this fascinating and desolate volcanic landscape.
The South Shetland Islands are a haven for wildlife. Vast penguin rookeries, beaches ruled by Antarctic fur seals and Southern elephant seals make every day spent in this amazing island group unforgettable. Sailing through the narrow passage into the flooded caldera of Deception Island is breathtaking.
King George Island, the largest of the South Shetland Islands, features colonies of nesting Gentoo and Chinstrap penguins, Kelp gulls, Blue-eyed cormorants, Antarctic terns and Southern giant petrels and is home to scientific bases of many different countries. Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins as well as Elephant seals await you at Livingston Island.
Our expedition team will prepare us to explore the Antarctic Peninsula, whose remarkable history provides the type of excitement normally associated with early explorers. You will have plenty of time to enjoy the amazing scenery - a pristine wilderness of snow, ice, mountains and waterways, with an incredibly wide variety of wildlife. Apart from penguins and seabirds, you are very likely to see Weddell seals, Crabeater seals and Leopard seals, as well as Minke whales, Killer whales (orca) and Humpback whales at close range.
Depending on ice conditions we hope to navigate some of its beautiful waterways, such as the Gerlache Strait - a region of mountainous islands, broad straits, protected bays and narrow channels that offer moments of solitude. A profusion of tall peaks humans have never climbed and vast glaciers flowing inexorably seaward are the main physical features. We also hope to sail through the Neumayer and Lemaire Channels, narrow passages between towering rock faces and spectacular glaciers.
We plan to make at least two landings per day. Paradise Bay is perhaps the most aptly named place in the world, as we attempt a landing on the continent proper. After negotiating the iceberg strewn waters of the Antarctic Sound, we hope to visit the bustling Adélie penguin colony (over 100,000 pairs breed here) and Blue-eyed cormorant colony on Paulet Island. The Nordenskjöld expedition built a stone survival hut here in 1903. Today its ruins have been taken over by nesting penguins.
Further exploration may take us to the Melchior Island group and Cuverville Island, which lies in the scenic Errera Channel in the centre of the Gerlache Strait. A well-defined raised beach forms a nesting site for many Gentoo penguins. We may also visit Portal Point, Neko Harbour, Pléneau Island and if ice conditions permit, Petermann Island for a visit to the southernmost colony of Gentoo penguins.
Note: Weather conditions will determine our exact itinerary and departure times.