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Weddell Sea - In search of the Emperor Penguin

AMR22 Nov 21 - Dec 01, 2008 10 nights aboard Aleksey Maryshev

An Emperor Penguin rookery, is situated south of Snow Hill Island. Although we will not be able to reach that far through the ice, we will try to sail between Snow Hill Island and James Ross Island close to the ice-edge and observe the young Emperor Penguins on their way to the open water. If the weather and /or ice-conditions are adverse, we will try again the next day. If on the other hand the weather is great, but we can not find any Emperor Penguins, our programme would still unfold on Snow Hill Island with a visit to the historic hut of the Swedish Nordenskjöld Expedition and a visit to Seymour Island in order to see fossils.

Day 1 In the afternoon, we 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.

Day 2 & 3 During these two days we will sail across the Drake Passage. When we cross the Antarctic Convergence, we arrive in the circum-Antarctic up welling zone. In this area we may meet Wandering Albatrosses, Grey Headed Albatrosses, Black-browed Albatrosses, Light-mantled Sooty Albatrosses, Cape Pigeons, Southern Fulmars, Wilson's Storm Petrels, Blue Petrels and Antarctic Petrels. If the winds are favourable we might do our first landing in Antarctic waters in the evening of the third day at Aitcho Island or Penguin Island at the South Shetlands. These volcanic islands are windswept and often shrouded in mist and fog, but do offer subtle pleasures. There is a nice variety of flora (mosses, lichens and flowering grasses) and fauna, such as Gentoo Penguins, Chinstrap Penguins and southern Giant Petrels.

Day 4 We will sail into the Weddell Sea and if the Antarctic Sound is accessible and the ice does not prevent us to sail further, we might see the huge tabular icebergs that announce our arrival to the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula. We plan to visit Paulet Island with a million pairs of Adelie Penguins. In the afternoon we visit Snow Hill with the remains of the Nordenskiöld expedition.

Day 5 Between Snow Hill Island and James Ross Island we will make our first attempt to observe Emperor Penguins on the ice-edge making their way to open water. In case this should fail we will tray again on day 6. We might also visit Seymour Island, where many fossils can be found, and the Argentinean station Esperanza on the Antarctic Continent, where we can observe Adelie Penguins, Cape Petrels, Pale-faced Sheathbills, Skuas, Kelp Gulls and Antarctic Terns.

Day 6 If the ice allows us to go further into the Weddell Sea area we will visit Devil Island and Vega Island with a large colony of Adelie Penguins and a magnificent view for those hikers who can make it to the top of the hill. Melting ice sometimes provides spectacular waterfall from the cliffs close to point 'Well-Met'.

Day 7 On our way north through the Antarctic Sound we might pay a visit to the Argentinean station Esperanza on the Antarctic Continent. We will still look out for Emperor penguins on the ice-floes. In the afternoon we may visit Gourdin Island, with three penguin species; Chinstraps, Gentoo and Adelies.

Day 8 In the morning we have planned to visit Half Moon Island where we can see Chinstrap and Gentoo Penguins, various other bird-species and Southern Elephant Seals and Weddell seals. Early in the afternoon we will sail to Deception where we have the last landing of our voyage at Pendulum cove.

Day 9 & 10 In the Drake Passage we have again a chance of seeing many seabirds and to take advantage of the knowledge of our lecture team.

Day 11 We arrive in the morning in Ushuaia and disembark.