Our February 22 to March 13, 2009 Antarctica Explorers' Cruise departure of Ocean Nova to the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) will have Antarctic historian Jonathan Shackleton aboard. He comes by his penchant for Antarctica naturally, as he is the cousin of Sir Ernest Shackleton.
THE EXPLORERS’ CRUISE TOUR OFFERS 2 ITINERARIES, AN ACTIVE EXPEDITION AND A CLASSIC RELAXED ADVENTURE. ALL DEPARTURES FOLLOW THE SAME ITINERARY, BUT THE ACTIVE TRIPS OFFER MORE THRILLS!
ACTIVE ADVENTURES (Antarctic quest)
Aboard the Akademik Shokalskiy, The Akademik Sergey Vavilov and the M/S Ocean Nova: Active exploring aboard nimble, ice-strengthened ships with frequent Zodiac landings; specialist presentations and interaction within a close-knit group of adventurers. Polar camping, sea kayaking, mountaineering and cross-country skiing options available.
CLASSIC relaxed Adventures (Explorers cruise)
Aboard the Lyubov Orlova and the Clipper Adventurer: Ice-strengthened expedition ship designed to carry about 120 passengers on a relaxed, comfortable adventure — with regular Zodiac landings; specialist presentations and guidance ashore; an interactive polar arts program on many departures.
Our Explorers’ Cruise combines the comfortable Classic Antarctica adventure with visits to the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia. In the South Shetland Islands, we visit enormous penguin rookeries, land on beaches ruled by Antarctic fur seals and observe southern elephant seals wallowing in mud pools.
The Antarctic Peninsula, an awe-inspiring wilderness of snow, ice, waterways and mountains, is the most readily accessible part of the White Continent. See the enormous rookeries of gentoo, chinstrap and Adélie penguins, blue-eyed shags, kelp gulls, cape petrels, snowy sheathbills, Antarctic terns, Weddell, crabeater and leopard seals, orcas, humpback whales and minke whales. The Peninsula also has a remarkable history and we learn about some of the most important and dramatic expeditions to this remote corner of the world.
The Falkland Islands are home to great concentrations of wildlife, including several species found nowhere else in the world. Flightless steamer ducks, Magellanic and gentoo penguins are just some of the highlights.
South Georgia has its own astonishing concentrations of wildlife and awe-inspiring scenery. Thousands of king penguins greet us at Salisbury Plain, wandering albatrosses nest and fur seals breed at Prion Island, elephant seals and a number of king and gentoo penguins crowd the beaches. The island also played a significant role in Ernest Shackleton’s epic journey after the sinking of his ship, the “Endurance”, when he managed to reach the whaling station in Stromness.
The program of lectures continues during the sea crossings as our expedition staff introduce some of the wildlife we are likely to encounter and cover all topics from the history of exploration to the geology of the region. |
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Accommodations
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