Great Antarctic Explorers
One Departure
Start: Christchurch, New Zealand
Finish: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Day 1
Christchurch, New Zealand
You’ll spend the night on New Zealand’s South Island in our host hotel before boarding the icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov.
Day 2
Embarkation Day
We’ll transfer our guests from the host hotel in Christchurch to the port of Lyttelton, where you will embark. This is the same port from which Scott sailed to Antarctica at the commencement of his final expedition to the White Continent.
Day 3-5
Exploring Campbell and Enderby Islands
Anonymous whalers and sealers were often the first to visit subantarctic islands, such as Enderby and Campbell. Now protected habitats, the islands are nesting grounds for Royal Albatross, while Enderby is home to the rare Yellow-eyed Penguin. We plan to go ashore, if conditions permit.
Day 6-9
Sailing to the Ice Edge
As we sail southward a full program of onboard activities will be underway. In addition to presentations by Adrian Raeside, author, cartoonist and explorer’s grandson, our Expedition Team will provide insight into the natural history of the southern polar region. On deck there will be photo opportunities as we sail the ice edge, searching for Antarctic wildlife. The Expedition Leader may deploy the onboard helicopters to provide spectacular aerial views of glaciers and mountains.
Day 10
Drygalski Ice Tongue
This extension of the David Glacier is named for Erich von Drygalski, a German geophysicist who pioneered the study of ice formations. He used a balloon to take aerial photographs. We’ll be using helicopters for aerial photography.
Day 11-12
McMurdo Station, Scott Base, Cape Evans and Cape Royds
It is a haunting experience to enter the small, dark huts left behind by the expeditions of Scott and Shackleton – some still stacked with tinned goods, along with seal blubber that was hoarded as emergency fuel. This visit may, however, be particularly poignant as you share Adrian’s first visit to the hut that played such a significant role in the life of his grandfather.
Day 13-14
The Dry Valleys and the Ross Ice Shelf
Although each voyage is painstakingly planned, it is impossible to provide prior to departure a definitive summary of the journey you will actually experience. The Expedition Leader in cooperation with the ship’s Captain adjusts the route as the expedition unfolds to take advantage of the best weather and ice conditions. For this reason, no itinerary provided in advance of the voyage should be considered exact.
As you approach in helicopters from the sea, the expanse of fast ice stops abruptly, revealing a parched land with no vegetation other than lichen that grow inside rocks. It is a surreal experience to explore the Dry Valleys on foot, surrounded by odd granite formations sculpted by powerful winds.
Day 15-16
The Bay of Whales
This indentation in the Ross Ice Shelf was a significant location in the story that Adrian will relate about his grandfather’s journey with Robert Falcon Scott. It was from the Bay of Whales that Raold Amundsen launched his successful attempt to be the first to reach the South Pole, besting Scott by a month.
Day 17-21
The Ross Sea
While we sail the Ross Sea, you will hear more about the many discoveries of James Ross, after whom the sea and the ice shelf were named. We expect to land at Cape Adare, a breeding ground for over half a million Adelie Penguins. The Cape is also the location of another of Antarctica’s historic huts. It was constructed in 1899 by Carsten Borchgrevink, the first person to winter over in Antarctica.
Day 22-23
Macquarie Island
Three million Royal Penguins, virtually the entire world population, live on Macquarie Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. King Penguins and elephant seals share the islands with the Royals. We plan shore landings if conditions permit. The island is subject to inclement weather many days of the year.
Day 24-26
North to Hobart, Australia
Our final days at sea include presentations summing up the legacy of the great explorers. Adrian has graciously agreed to donate sketches he will make during this voyage to a charity auction to raise funds for the preservation of the Historic Huts of the Antarctic Heroic Age of Exploration. The auction will occur on the final leg of this journey, prior to disembarking in Hobart.