Brown Bluff

A towering, ice-capped volcanic cliff on the southeast side of the Antarctic Sound, Brown Bluff is located near the northern coast of the Weddell Sea

Brown Bluff

Region: Antarctica

Destinations: Antarctic Peninsula

The Basaltic Rocks of Brown Bluff

The cliff face is made of rust-colored basaltic tuff, rocks that about one million years ago were part of a huge volcano with a diameter of more than 12 km (7.5 miles). Brown Bluff is part of the Antarctic Continent and is a popular destination on Weddell Sea voyages.

Brown Bluff Beaches

Below the cliff lies a 3-km-long (2 miles) beach that is blocked on both sides by large glaciers spilling into the adjacent sea, delivering bergs and brash ice (fragments of small floating ice) that sometimes block off access to Brown Bluff. The coast is also very exposed to wind, waves, and tidal currents, so landing (and leaving) can be difficult.

  

The Bird Life of Brown Bluff

Snow petrels and Cape petrels breed on the lower slopes of the cliff. Above the rocky beach, an extensive Adélie penguin rookery with about 20,000 breeding pairs can be seen, along with a smaller gentoo penguin rookery of about 600 pairs. Leopard seals often patrol Brown Bluff's coast to hunt penguins, and whales frequently pass through the Antarctic Sound

Related cruises

Weddell Sea – In search of the Emperor Penguin, incl. helicopters

Searching for the Elusive Emperor Penguins

OTL22-24 A true expedition, our Weddell Sea cruise sets out to explore the range of the Emperor Penguins near Snow Hill Island. We will visit the area via helicopter and see a variety of other birds and penguins including Adélies and Gentoos.

m/v Ortelius

m/v Ortelius

Cruise date:

10 Nov - 20 Nov, 2024

Berths start from:

12100 USD

Weddell Sea – In search of the Emperor Penguin, incl. helicopters

Searching for the Elusive Emperor Penguins

OTL23-24 A true expedition, our Weddell Sea cruise sets out to explore the range of the Emperor Penguins near Snow Hill Island. We will visit the area via helicopter and see a variety of other birds and penguins including Adélies and Gentoos.

m/v Ortelius

m/v Ortelius

Cruise date:

20 Nov - 30 Nov, 2024

Berths start from:

12100 USD

Falkland Islands - South Georgia - Antarctica

Meet at least six penguin species

PLA24-24 This Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Antarctic Peninsula cruise is an animal-lover’s dream come true. The expedition explores one of the last untamed areas on Earth – a land of ruggedly beautiful landscapes and amazingly varied wildlife.

m/v Plancius

m/v Plancius

Cruise date:

6 Dec - 25 Dec, 2024

Berths start from:

16500 USD

Falkland Islands – South Georgia – Antarctica

Meet at least six penguin species

OTL25-25 This Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Antarctic Peninsula cruise is an animal-lover’s dream come true. The expedition explores one of the last untamed areas on Earth – a land of ruggedly beautiful landscapes and amazingly varied wildlife.

m/v Ortelius

m/v Ortelius

Cruise date:

10 Dec - 29 Dec, 2024

Berths start from:

13550 USD

Falkland Islands - South Georgia - Antarctica

Meet at least six penguin species

HDS25-25 This Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Antarctic Peninsula cruise is an animal-lover’s dream come true. The expedition explores one of the last untamed areas on Earth – a land of ruggedly beautiful landscapes and amazingly varied wildlife.

m/v Hondius

m/v Hondius

Cruise date:

17 Dec, 2024 - 4 Jan, 2025

Berths start from:

14600 USD

Loading