South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula

Pick up your packed lunch at the hotel before you are transferred to the airport to take the once-weekly flight from Punta Arenas, Chile to Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands (not included in the trip cost). When you arrive in the early afternoon, you will be transferred to the ship in Stanley, or if you are on our Falkland Islands extension, you will be in Stanley already to board the ship. Stanley is an attractive town and the last center of human population you will see until your arrival in Ushuaia, Argentina at the voyage’s end. You should have some time before boarding to walk through town and explore this small corner of the British Empire that appears as if time has forgotten it. You will then be welcomed aboard by our Captain and our fine staff and crew and enjoy your first dinner aboard the ship before departing for South Georgia!

Pick up your packed lunch at the hotel before you are transferred to the airport to take the once-weekly flight from Punta Arenas, Chile to Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands (not included in the trip cost). When you arrive in the early afternoon, you will be transferred to the ship in Stanley, or if you are on our Falkland Islands extension, you will be in Stanley already to board the ship. Stanley is an attractive town and the last center of human population you will see until your arrival in Ushuaia, Argentina at the voyage’s end. You should have some time before boarding to walk through town and explore this small corner of the British Empire that appears as if time has forgotten it. You will then be welcomed aboard by our Captain and our fine staff and crew and enjoy your first dinner aboard the ship before departing for South Georgia!

By morning you’ll be far from the Falklands, heading southeast with albatross and other seabirds following the ship. You’ll stay busy by joining lectures on photography, wildlife, and ecology, familiarizing yourself on all aspects of ship life, preparing for what to expect on South Georgia Island, and enjoying views from the ship. You’ll cross the Polar Front (aka the Antarctic Convergence) where two bodies of water meet, and as the salty, cold Antarctic water mixes alongside warmer, fresher water from the north, the water temperatures plummet from about 39 to 43°F (4 to 6°C) to 32°F (0°C) in about eight cruising hours, creating nutrient-rich waters for birds, fur seals, and whales. Watch and photograph birds on the wing; wandering albatross, black-browed albatross, plus a few southern or northern royal albatross should be following the ship. On previous expeditions, almost a dozen species of petrels (including three storm-petrel and common diving-petrel species), six species of albatross, thousands of Antarctic prions, southern fulmars, greater and sooty shearwaters, and snow petrels have all been sighted. Whales you may encounter include fin, Antarctic minke, and southern right whales. During this time at sea, you’ll cross about 730 nautical miles with the prevailing current in our direction.

Arrival time at South Georgia will depend on weather conditions and currents. We aim to spend six full landing days on South Georgia, one of the most remote islands in the world, to explore this wild landscape of penguins, albatrosses, and seals. The mountainous rugged interior, a geologic continuation of the Andes chain, is carved by more than 150 glaciers into spectacular fjords and ringed by islands. Our timing in this voyage is carefully chosen to experience South Georgia in a seldom seen but extremely vibrant time. You’ll arrive before the peak of fur seal breeding (usually in November and December), when males stake out territories at densities so high that travel ashore becomes both dangerous and disruptive. Instead, you arrive during the peak of southern elephant seal breeding. Many large male ‘beachmasters’ seek to own a stretch of beach and are willing to fight in great tonnages of seal jousting because here lie their best hopes for breeding. The male elephant seal puts so much into his territorial defense that his life expectancy is less than half of a female’s. If he is a successful ‘beachmaster’, however, this short life is one of great glory!

In the northeast of the island, you’ll land or zodiac cruise at some of the special sites that become very difficult to impossible to land on once fur seals are in the height of their breeding, and then you will travel south to experience the scale and density of penguin breeding colonies at St. Andrews Bay and Salisbury Plain, absorbing the great richness and variety offered by South Georgia to voyagers so fortunate as ourselves. Here are some of the landing sites we hope to reach, though we will not be able to visit them all.

Due to the expeditionary nature of our voyage, specific stops cannot be guaranteed. Flexibility is paramount in expedition travel; our itinerary depends on the conditions. In addition, as of 2023, due to confirmed positive cases and the presence of avian influenza virus on South Georgia Island, some sites may be temporarily closed and subsequently reopened in current and future operating seasons. This is an ongoing situation, and we will adapt our itinerary as necessary to adhere to current or updated biosecurity protocols and environmental factors. We strive to land often and stay as long as possible, abiding by the Guidelines for Responsible Ecotourism from the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) and the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Island.

Elsehul

This little sheltered cove sits on the northwestern extremity of South Georgia on the eastern side of the rugged Paryadin Peninsula, blocking Southern Ocean westerly winds with 400-meter walls built of ancient sedimentary rocks folded and stacked during the formation of the Andes. Later in season, the beaches of Elsehul will become prohibitively dense with fur seals, so this is an ideal time to visit and see the sublimely beautiful gray-headed albatross nesting on steep tussock grass slopes. Gray-headed albatross are the first to lay eggs here, so you are sure to find them sitting on nests looking over Elsehul’s dramatic cove, a sight that few can hope for in a lifetime of travel! Black-browed albatross and macaroni, gentoo, and king penguins nest here, plus you may see southern giant-petrels quietly incubating their eggs.

Right Whale Bay

Fur seals are starting to set up territories here at this time, a beach that in the height of the breeding season looks to be alive with a constant frenetic movement of seals. At the east end of this dramatic walled cove, you’ll find a colony of king penguins, many lounging in front of a waterfall pouring out of the island’s interior.

Salisbury Plain

60,000 pairs of king penguins call this glacial plain home, making it a beloved site for any who explore South Georgia. Salisbury is located in the Bay of Isles, looking out on the wandering albatross breeding islands of Prion and Albatross. King penguins have a staggered breeding season where each adult’s activities are dependent upon what they did the season before. Those that had no chick or an early fledging chick the previous year will be courting and mating, whereas those that did have a chick in the previous year may delay breeding. These early breeders have the best chances of successfully fledging a chick this year. You will find molting penguins lining the freshwater streams that run from the glaciers to the sea. The charming South Georgia pipit, the world’s southernmost passerine (perching bird), will look upon us curiously while singing. Hopefully snow will still be on the ground around the colony, a canvas of white upon which the penguins walk. The king penguins share the beach with fur seals and elephant seals, and many giant-petrels will be patrolling the shores to forage for the penguins that did not make it through the winter.

Prion Island

If open for visitation, you arrive just before the young, overwintering wandering albatross fledge, starting years of seafaring life before finally returning as young adults to breed. Each pair of albatross has a private estate with at least 30 square meters of open space around its nest site for courtship and takeoffs and landings, a real contrast with the king penguin’s territory of less than one square meter. Tragically, wandering albatross are declining rapidly because of illegal fishing vessels mining ‘white gold’, another name for Chilean seabass or Patagonia toothfish.

Grytviken and King Edward Point

Grytviken was one of the most active whaling stations in the history of whaling, but the flensing plan is now empty and the boilers silent. More than 60 years of whaling history is told in the exhibits of the South Georgia Museum. The natural history exhibits are enriching, and after browsing and perhaps doing a little museum store shopping and mailing postcards, take a short walk around the bay to visit the whaler’s graveyard where Shackleton and his right-hand man Frank Wild lie. The history of Antarctic exploration comes alive as you listen to tales of the adventures of Sir Ernest Shackleton. This famous explorer crossed the rugged backbone of South Georgia from the west to arrive at Stromness seeking help for his men stranded on Elephant Island. The crew of the Endurance, hand-picked by Sir Ernest Shackleton in England for his 1914–1917 expedition, survived on the nutritious, though unappetizing, penguin and seal meat while waiting for rescue on Elephant Island. Their ship, the Endurance, was crushed by ice in the Weddell Sea months before, and eventually Shackleton and his men sailed in small boats and landed at Elephant Island with hardly any room to survive below the steep cliffs along the shore. From Elephant Island, Shackleton and a handful of men sailed in a small boat to South Georgia, returning to Elephant Island 105 days later to rescue the stranded men.

Fortuna Bay

In the lee of the central rib of South Georgia’s impressive mountains, you will have good chances for clear skies and calm conditions. Fortuna Bay ends in an extended glacial alluvial plain covered with a fine grass where a photogenic king penguin colony resides. Search for nesting light-mantled albatross on the steep tussock slopes above the king penguin colony.

Shackleton Walk to Stromness

Shackleton, Crean, and Worsley were very near the end of their dramatic and perilous self-rescue when they stumbled down into Fortuna Bay from the interior of the island. They had just one short hike remaining, a westward walk of about three miles to Stromness Harbour to reunite with civilization after over 17 months in the Antarctic. You’ll retrace their trek over a 300-meter ridge with a stunning view across the König Glacier down to Stromness’s rusting inactive whaling station to reunite with the ship.

Godthul

Gentoo penguins are now the principal resident of this site where whaling once dominated. Starting in 1908, whaling vessels anchored here and left remains of whalebones and wooden platform boats called jolles. Two waterfalls feed small lakes on the shoreline before jagged peaks. Listen for the beautiful light-mantled albatross courtship calls as they soar in synchronized flight overhead.

St. Andrews Bay

Few places in the world are so far beyond description that any attempt rings hollow. St. Andrews Bay is one, with more than 150,000 pairs of king penguins forming a colony that covers a vast landscape. You will be mesmerized as you view penguins spanning multiple football fields. As you walk over the glacial moraine bordering the colony, the large visual mass of penguins along with their calls and smells hit you, and is an experience you will never forget. You must see, hear, and smell it to believe it.

During this time of year, king penguins will be far from the only attraction at St. Andrews. The southern elephant seal, the world’s largest seal, gather here by the thousands creating one of the densest concentrations of life on the planet. Expect to see thousands of females with young pups nursing. You can hope to witness beachmaster combat and breeding bouts. St. Andrews Bay has a reputation for volatile weather because it lies at the foot of three glaciers, where cold air can pour off these glaciers turning a calm quiet morning into a howling, harrowing landscape of katabatic winds in an astonishingly short time, so do pay attention to our expedition leaders!

Gold Harbour

This is one of the most protected sites on South Georgia Island with great chances for clear blue skies. Fair or foul, you will find a beach at least as densely packed with southern elephant seals as St. Andrews Bay (though a smaller beach, so fewer numbers overall). In addition, observe about 25,000 pairs of king penguins, which line a glacial meltwater river winding behind the beach, a gentoo penguin colony, and steep slopes with light-mantled albatross nesting on their flanks. A tumbling icefall borders the back of the harbor making for stunning landscapes dramatized by the occasional explosion of glacial blocks tumbling down the cliff face.

Royal Bay

Several landing sites attract us to Royal Bay, though accessing the exposed bay is highly weather dependent. A growing king penguin colony has topped 30,000 pairs at Brisbane Point in recent counts, with constant activity upon the cobblestone beach boulders through what can be heavy surf. A fjord-like glacially carved valley empties into Moltke Harbour, a backdrop for up to 1,000 elephant seals.

Cooper Bay

A colony of marvelous macaroni penguins and South Georgia’s only colony of chinstrap penguins reside here. A hike up through tussock slopes will reward you with macaronis in a frenzy of early breeding season activity. You are sure to see chinstraps traveling through the surf and loafing on the beach or an iceberg. The Government of South Georgia has restricted access to the main chinstrap colony here and on Cooper Island due to a 2004 outbreak of avian cholera, and the colony will probably still be closed to landings. Cooper Bay sits just inside from Cooper Island, a rat-free island that is extremely important breeding habitat for burrow-nesting seabirds and South Georgia pipits. Cooper Island is designated a “Site of Special Scientific Interest”, and thus closed to all landings.

Drygalski Fjord and Larsen Harbour

Southern South Georgia differs strikingly in geology from the remainder of the island, and in the sheer-walled Drygalski Fjord you can really see this difference. As you cruise up the fjord, you can see granite, gabbro, and metamorphic rocks to starboard (ship’s right), remnant of the Gondwana continental margin. To port (ship’s left), the mountains are built of the “Larsen Harbour Complex”, uplifted ocean floor basalt and gabbro that rose in the formation of the Andes, and then was ripped and rafted east to its present location over the last 40 million years. The Risting Glacier calves frequently into the fjord’s waters, stirring up marine life that is quickly snapped up by Antarctic terns and perhaps a few snow petrels. A small colony of Weddell seals who are likely to have pups ashore with them reside in Larsen Harbour.

Cape Disappointment

Captain Cook was the first to lay eyes on South Georgia and his great hope was that he had found the tip of a great southern continent. The name Cape Disappointment reflects his feelings when he found that South Georgia was no continent at all. He was not too impressed with South Georgia without apparent exploitable resources, but the black-browed albatross that breed in large numbers on the sheer slopes did not mind his departure. Although they are less numerous because of long-line fishing practices, they are still impressive in numbers.

Your route to Antarctica will be packed with wildlife watching opportunity from the ship’s deck and attending informative lectures. The waters between South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula are rich with fin whales; in good conditions we have observed as many as a hundred in a single day! Be on the lookout for Antarctic petrel, Kerguelen petrel, and one of the most beautiful birds of the Southern Ocean, the snow petrel. Our lectures are designed to add scientific and historic depth and knowledge to your expedition, and our workshops will focus on photographic techniques and critiques to enhance your photos.

Due to the expeditionary nature of our voyage, our passage length may vary depending on ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. Sailing time may exceed two days between South Georgia Island and the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands. The average cruising speed of the Plancius is 10.5 knots.

We hope to make good time on the navigation from South Georgia to the Antarctic Peninsula giving us six days to explore the Antarctic. The early season is an exciting time as ice is begins to recede, allowing passage to some of our favorite landing sites. During the spring season, penguin colonies are re-forming with penguins courting, setting up nests, and some laying eggs. We’re very excited to share the Antarctic’s early season with you. These are some of our favorite sites and routes we choose from, although we will not be able to visit them all!

Due to the expeditionary nature of our voyage, specific stops cannot be guaranteed. Flexibility is paramount in expedition travel; our itinerary depends on the conditions. In addition, as of 2023, due to confirmed positive cases and the presence of avian influenza virus in the Antarctic region, some sites may be temporarily closed and subsequently reopened in current and future operating seasons. This is an ongoing situation, and we will adapt our itinerary as necessary to adhere to updated biosecurity protocols and environmental factors. We strive to land often and stay as long as possible, abiding by the Guidelines for Responsible Ecotourism from the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) and the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Island.

The South Shetland Islands

These are a string of volcanic islands, some still active, that run parallel to the Antarctic Peninsula across the Bransfield Strait. Fondly known as the “Banana Belt of Antarctica,” these islands boast the richest concentrations of terrestrial wildlife in the Antarctic because of their proximity to the rich upwelling waters from the great Circumpolar Current. Even with our luxuriously in-depth itinerary, we will have to choose between many very compelling sites.

Deception Island is a favorite on our voyage. This horseshoe-shaped, volcanic island is still active, as its hot thermal pools demonstrate. Deception Island offers stunning views of an icy landscape starkly contrasted by black beaches and clouds of steam rising from hot sands. Hopefully, you will experience the outer caldera, and then venture inside the caldera via a narrow gap called Neptune’s Bellows. Bailey Head is home to about 60,000 chinstrap penguins, but the sea can make landings tricky with steep swells crashing on an exposed beach. Inside Deception’s huge caldera, a landing at Whaler’s Bay may include a short hike up the mountainside among the lichen-draped cliffs to the scenic overlook at Neptune’s Window after walking past Weddell seals basking on the beach.

On a clear day, the chinstrap penguins of Half Moon Island make a delightful foreground to the breathtaking coastline of nearby Livingston Island. At this end of the Earth, the vast scale of nature will open our senses and we ask you to give great respect to the fragile vegetation and the wildlife colonies.

Chinstrap and gentoo penguins breed on Aitcho Island, an island covered in mossy green carpets, a surprisingly bright contrast to Antarctica’s intensely achromatic landscapes. Conditions permitting, walk across the island past the southern elephant seal wallows, offering a terrific chance to see (and smell!) the world’s largest species of seal, along with the chance to see hauled out Weddell seals and southern fur seals.

From the South Shetlands, we sail southwest across the Bransfield Strait into the fabled Gerlache Strait. Here you can expect whale sightings to ring out from the bridge as the Antarctic Peninsula landscape rises into a glacier-draped view of mountainous proportion. You’ll sail the waters around Anvers Island, Dallmann Bay to the north, and the Gerlache to the east. Hope for magnificent sunsets, sculpted blue icebergs, and close penguin and whale encounters, each with the potential for an experience that you will never forget.

Over the last few decades, the Southern Ocean has experienced a significant warming trend, showing clear evidence of climate change. The Antarctic Peninsula has been feeling climate change the most with a massive 9°F (5°C) warming in average winter temperatures over the last 50 years. Although this has dramatically changed and reduced ice distributions, you will still be among a world of spectacular icebergs!

Western Antarctic Peninsula ~ The Danco Coast, Neumeyer Channel, and Lemaire Channel

Weather and ice distributions will determine whether we travel south down the west coast or sail east through the Antarctic Sound into the Weddell Sea; happily, you have ample time for a thorough exploration of the Antarctic Peninsula. When heading south, travel along the picturesque Danco Coast on the west coast of Graham Land. This area has awe-inspiring scenery with coastlines deeply indented with bays and scattered with islands. Impressive mountains rise sharply from the coast to the central Graham Land Plateau and glaciers descend to narrow piedmont ice shelves. Extensive Zodiac cruising and landings during the best light will allow you to soak in the serenity of this majestic place.

As you travel along the coast, you’ll wander into Wilhemina Bay, Neko Harbour, and Paradise Bay, among the most beautiful areas in Antarctica. These waters rank high on our list of favorite places for Zodiac cruising. Enjoy views of sculpted icebergs and surfacing whales as we cruise the inner bays near spectacular glaciers and ethereal mountains. You can expect wonderful whale behavior in these plentiful summer feeding grounds. The krill swarms are enormous, sometimes even visible on the ship’s depth sounder. Gentoo and chinstrap penguin colonies reside here, sometimes side-by-side, along with their attendant scavengers: snowy sheathbills, brown skuas, south polar skuas, and kelp gulls. Our potential landing in Neko Harbour on the Antarctic continent will treat you with a walk to an incredible view.

Enjoy the scenery from the ship as it navigates through stunning Neumeyer and Lemaire Channels or around the south end of Anvers Island into Biscoe Bay where you will be surrounded by ice-draped peaks soaring dramatically out of the water. Crabeater, Weddell, and leopard seals are often hauled out on the ice floes and whales may even surface between the floes, so keep your cameras ready! Tall, hanging ice cliffs, the fronts of highly fractured tidewater glaciers, decorate most of the shoreline for unforgettable scenery. At the southern part of the Lemaire Channel you’ll arrive at Petermann Island. Located at 65S, Petermann is outstanding for seeing gentoo and Adélie penguins making feeding trips in large groups along a snow-filled penguin highway to and from their nests. The clear water is beautiful for observing and photographing penguin activities. Petermann has seen a reversal in abundance between the two species, with half the numbers of Adélie penguins found here twenty years ago, but twice the numbers of gentoos.

Additional landing sites along the western Peninsula are expected, but which ones will depend on conditions (as is the case with any landing). Port Lockroy, located at the end of the very narrow and beautiful Peltier Channel close to Neumeyer Channel, has a British Antarctica Survey maritime museum and a sprawling gentoo penguin colony. Tiny Cuverville Island is also a treat with gentoo penguins walking amid the snow and entering and exiting the beach.

As you return, you will likely pass through the South Shetland Islands again, possibly for a landing at Yankee Harbour on Greenwich Island. Look for macaroni penguins among the chinstrap and gentoo colonies and keep an eye out for the usual rookery scavengers (skuas, gulls, giant-petrels, and sheathbills). Here you will find excellent examples of Antarctica’s only two flowering plants, the Antarctic hair grass and Antarctic pearlwort, the continent’s complete flora at one site!

Named after the 16th Century English seaman, Sir Francis Drake, this waterway of about 600 miles separates the southernmost tip of South America from Antarctica. You cross the Polar Front approximately halfway across Drake Passage. Those on watch may sight several species of albatross and petrel following the ship; it is a particularly good area for royal albatross and blue petrel. Stay on the lookout for pods of sperm whales and other whales. Almost 500 miles north of the South Shetlands, you will near Cape Horn, with a distant view before turning northeast toward the Beagle Channel. The offshore area is as rich as seawaters can be and seabirds are usually present in huge numbers, especially sooty shearwaters and black-browed albatross if the sea is calm. Sometimes you may see Peale’s dolphins in schools of hundreds of individuals. This evening you’ll navigate back up the Beagle Channel to dock in Ushuaia.