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Itinerary
South to North Atlantic Crossing by Small Ship
From 30 - 38 days - Mar-Apr - From US $ 890
DISCLAIMER: All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on local ice and weather conditions and in order to take advantage of opportunities to see wildlife. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises.
2007 Itinerary:
Day 1: In the afternoon, you will embark in Ushuaia and sail through the Beagle Channel.
Day 2-3: While sailing through the Drake Passage, you will witness a multitude of albatrosses, petrels and fulmars.
Day 4: At Hope Bay and Brown Bluff, you will hopefully set foot on the Antarctic Continent. In this area chances will be good for encounters with gentoo penguins, Weddell seals, leopard seals and orcas.
Day 5: Devil Island, at the tip of the Weddell Sea, is surrounded by the huge table icebergs of the Larsen Ice Shelf. You can climb a gently sloping hill, finding at the top a great view of your surroundings. At Paulet Island, you will observe the last individuals of a large Adelie penguin colony near the ruins of the Nordenskiöld Expedition that dates to the beginning of the 20th century.
Day 6: At sea, the ship will probably sail along the sea ice drifting north out of the Weddell Sea. On the floes, you may see some juvenile emperor penguins.
Day 7: On your way north, the ship will visit South Orkney Islands, where the Scotsman Bruce once wintered and where you may now visit the friendly people of an Argentinean base.
Day 8: At sea, on your way to South Georgia, you will witness a multitude of albatrosses, petrels and fulmars.
Day 9-11: In South Georgia, you will pay visits to the abandoned whaling settlements Grytviken, where penguins now walk through the streets, and King Edwards Point, with the grave of Shackleton. You will walk near the big king penguin colony on Salisbury Plain and the breeding wandering albatrosses on Prion Island in the Bay of Isles.
You will spend your last day in South Georgia in Cooper Bay, where you can observe chinstrap penguins, macaroni penguins and breeding light-mantled sooty albatrosses. Later that day, the ship will sail to Gold Harbor to visit another king penguin colony and to see many elephant seals and fur seals. This area will also be good for long walks. The visit will conclude with a zodiac excursion in the magnificent Drygalski Fjord and Larsen Harbor.
Day 12-16: In the westerlies, the ship should have a pleasant tailwind. On both sides of the Antarctic Convergence, you will observe many species of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic seabirds.
Day 17: Today, the ship will approach the unique Gough Island for a zodiac cruise around the island (weather permitting). In previous years the crew managed to circumnavigate all but four miles of the 33 mile circumference of the island in the ship, allowing for the viewing of spectacular scenery and an unprecedented abundance of wildlife. You will feel very privileged to be among the few visitors who have been able to experience Gough and, in particular, to see it at such close quarters and in such favorable conditions. Hopefully you will be lucky enough to repeat this unique experience.
Day 18-20: In the Tristan da Cunha archipelago, the ship will call at the settlement on the west side of the main island. The ship will also try to make landings at Nightingale Island, with millions of seabirds ranging from yellow-nosed albatrosses to brown noddies. One day will be held in reserve for bad weather.
Day 21-24: At sea, the ship will now enter sub-tropical waters, with their own brand of seabirds and dolphins.
Day 25-26: St. Helena will present a good anchorage and landing site. On this island, you will have ample opportunities to enjoy local culture, pleasant climate, and endemic plants and birds. You can also visit the place where Napoleon lived in exile. There will be opportunities to explore the Island on your own, and for snorkeling in the shallow surf near a wreck where you can find many fish.
Day 27-28: These days will be spent at sea.
Day 29-30 (April 30): Ascension Island is a dry volcanic island with a moist and richly vegetated top. The sooty tern (“wide-awake”) colony you will see sometimes consists of more than 1 million breeding pairs. You can try to climb the moist summit of Ascension Island and will take a zodiac cruise around Boatswain Bird Island. There will also be a great opportunity for snorkeling. You may witness egg-laying sea turtles coming ashore at night. (Some passengers may disembark and fly with the scheduled RAF (Royal Air Force) flight to Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, UK.)
In the evening, the vessel will depart from Ascension Island.
Day 31-35: At sea, you will witness the northbound spring migration of northern birds like arctic terns and long-tailed skuas as they join you in crossing the Equator (“the Line”).
Day 36: The Cape Verde Islands offer a variety of nature phenomena and have friendly people. The ship will land at Praia, on the main island Sao Tiago, where you will explore the island by bus making excursions during the main part of the day. In the evening you will have the opportunity to visit a cafe in Praia with Cape Verdian music and other expressions of local culture.
Day 37: In the early morning, you will sail by Boavista with its satellite islets Curral Velho and Baluarte, breeding places for magnificent frigate birds, brown boobies and several species of procellariiformes.
In the afternoon, you will disembark on Sal, an extension of the Sahara desert, where you will take a bus excursion to the southern coast of the island.
Day 38: At midnight, you will fly to Lisbon in Portugal (not included in program cost), if you are not staying in Sal.
Passengers can also disembark in Praia during the evening of Day 38 and stay for a day or more in a hotel in Praia, taking a later flight to Lisbon.
2008 Itinerary:
Day 1: In the afternoon, you will embark in Ushuaia and sail through the Beagle Channel.
Day 2-3: While sailing through the Drake Passage, you will witness a multitude of albatrosses, petrels and fulmars.
Day 4: At Hope Bay and Brown Bluff, you will hopefully set foot on the Antarctic Continent. In this area chances will be good for encounters with gentoo penguins, Weddell seals, leopard seals and orcas.
Day 5: Devil Island, at the tip of the Weddell Sea, is surrounded by the huge table icebergs of the Larsen Ice Shelf. You can climb a gently sloping hill, finding at the top a great view of your surroundings. At Paulet Island, you will observe the last individuals of a large Adelie penguin colony near the ruins of the Nordenskiöld Expedition that dates to the beginning of the 20th century.
Day 6: At sea, the ship will probably sail along the sea ice drifting north out of the Weddell Sea. On the floes, you may see some juvenile emperor penguins.
Day 7: On your way north, the ship will visit South Orkney Islands, where the Scotsman Bruce once wintered and where you may now visit the friendly people of an Argentinean base.
Day 8: At sea, on your way to South Georgia, you will witness a multitude of albatrosses, petrels and fulmars.
Day 9-11: In South Georgia, you will pay visits to the abandoned whaling settlements Grytviken, where penguins now walk through the streets, and King Edwards Point, with the grave of Shackleton. You will walk near the big king penguin colony on Salisbury Plain and the breeding wandering albatrosses on Prion Island in the Bay of Isles.
You will spend your last day in South Georgia in Cooper Bay, where you can observe chinstrap penguins, macaroni penguins and breeding light-mantled sooty albatrosses. Later that day, the ship will sail to Gold Harbor to visit another king penguin colony and to see many elephant seals and fur seals. This area will also be good for long walks. The visit will conclude with a zodiac excursion in the magnificent Drygalski Fjord and Larsen Harbor.
Day 12-16: In the westerlies, the ship should have a pleasant tailwind. On both sides of the Antarctic Convergence, you will observe many species of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic seabirds.
Day 17: Today, the ship will approach the unique Gough Island for a zodiac cruise around the island (weather permitting). In previous years the crew managed to circumnavigate all but four miles of the 33 mile circumference of the island in the ship, allowing for the viewing of spectacular scenery and an unprecedented abundance of wildlife. You will feel very privileged to be among the few visitors who have been able to experience Gough and, in particular, to see it at such close quarters and in such favorable conditions. Hopefully you will be lucky enough to repeat this unique experience.
Day 18-20: In the Tristan da Cunha archipelago, the ship will call at the settlement on the west side of the main island. The ship will also try to make landings at Nightingale Island, with millions of seabirds ranging from yellow-nosed albatrosses to brown noddies. One day will be held in reserve for bad weather.
Day 21-24: At sea, the ship will now enter sub-tropical waters, with their own brand of seabirds and dolphins.
Day 25-27: St. Helena has a good anchorage and landing site. On this island, you will have ample opportunities to enjoy local culture, pleasant climate, and endemic plants and birds. You will visit the place where Napoleon lived in exile. There will be opportunities to explore the Island on your own and for snorkeling in the shallow surf near a wreck where you can find a lot of fish.
Day 28-29: These days will be spent at sea.
Day 30-31: Ascension Island is a dry volcanic island with a moist and richly vegetated top. The sooty tern (“wide-awake”) colony sometimes consists of more than 1 million breeding pairs. You can try to climb the moist summit of Ascension Island and will take a zodiac cruise around Boatswain Bird Island. There will also be a great opportunity for snorkeling. You may witness egg-laying sea turtles coming ashore at night. (Some passengers may disembark and fly with the scheduled RAF (Royal Air Force) flight to Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, UK.)
In the evening, the vessel will depart from Ascension Island.
Day 32-36: At sea, you will witness the northbound spring migration of northern birds like arctic terns and long-tailed skuas as they join you in crossing the Equator (“the Line”).
Day 37: The ship will land at Fogo, a volcanic island in the Cape Verde Islands. Here, you will see recent and well preserved lava that has emerged from the ground within the last 10 years and has suffered little weathering due to the dry atmosphere of the islands. The ship will land a short distance from the capital, São Felipe, and you will take an excursion into the crater to the village of Portela, where the people, unbelievable as it may seem, make wine. Though perhaps not one of the greatest vintages of the world, it will still deserve tasting because of its curious origins. Upon returning to São Felipe, you will relax for a while before embarking for an early dinner, after which you can try an evening zodiac cruise in order to see the sea birds before dark.
Day 38: Praia, on Santiago, the main island of the southern group, has a character of its own. You will make an excursion to Cidade Velha, a city steeped in history, and can observe the massive fortress on the hill, built to deter English marauders in the period when the Crowns of Portugal and Spain were united and Portuguese possessions were sought by Drake and Raleigh in the same way as the Spanish ones. You will also see the ruins of the Cathedral, the oldest Christian Church in the tropics, and the slave whipping post in the main square. The village is well watered and there are plantations of sugar cane, which support a rum distillery, and several species of birds. You can enjoy a guided stroll around the city of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, and a city full of a unique variety of folk music, which you can hear as you pass the various bars.
Shortly after midnight, you will fly to Lisbon in Portugal.
Passengers can also disembark in Praia during the evening of Day 38 and stay for a day or more in a hotel in Praia, taking a later flight to Lisbon.
2007 Itinerary:
Day 1: In the afternoon, you will embark in Ushuaia and sail through the Beagle Channel.
Day 2-3: While sailing through the Drake Passage, you will witness a multitude of albatrosses, petrels and fulmars.
Day 4: At Hope Bay and Brown Bluff, you will hopefully set foot on the Antarctic Continent. In this area chances will be good for encounters with gentoo penguins, Weddell seals, leopard seals and orcas.
Day 5: Devil Island, at the tip of the Weddell Sea, is surrounded by the huge table icebergs of the Larsen Ice Shelf. You can climb a gently sloping hill, finding at the top a great view of your surroundings. At Paulet Island, you will observe the last individuals of a large Adelie penguin colony near the ruins of the Nordenskiöld Expedition that dates to the beginning of the 20th century.
Day 6: At sea, the ship will probably sail along the sea ice drifting north out of the Weddell Sea. On the floes, you may see some juvenile emperor penguins.
Day 7: On your way north, the ship will visit South Orkney Islands, where the Scotsman Bruce once wintered and where you may now visit the friendly people of an Argentinean base.
Day 8: At sea, on your way to South Georgia, you will witness a multitude of albatrosses, petrels and fulmars.
Day 9-11: In South Georgia, you will pay visits to the abandoned whaling settlements Grytviken, where penguins now walk through the streets, and King Edwards Point, with the grave of Shackleton. You will walk near the big king penguin colony on Salisbury Plain and the breeding wandering albatrosses on Prion Island in the Bay of Isles.
You will spend your last day in South Georgia in Cooper Bay, where you can observe chinstrap penguins, macaroni penguins and breeding light-mantled sooty albatrosses. Later that day, the ship will sail to Gold Harbor to visit another king penguin colony and to see many elephant seals and fur seals. This area will also be good for long walks. The visit will conclude with a zodiac excursion in the magnificent Drygalski Fjord and Larsen Harbor.
Day 12-16: In the westerlies, the ship should have a pleasant tailwind. On both sides of the Antarctic Convergence, you will observe many species of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic seabirds.
Day 17: Today, the ship will approach the unique Gough Island for a zodiac cruise around the island (weather permitting). In previous years the crew managed to circumnavigate all but four miles of the 33 mile circumference of the island in the ship, allowing for the viewing of spectacular scenery and an unprecedented abundance of wildlife. You will feel very privileged to be among the few visitors who have been able to experience Gough and, in particular, to see it at such close quarters and in such favorable conditions. Hopefully you will be lucky enough to repeat this unique experience.
Day 18-20: In the Tristan da Cunha archipelago, the ship will call at the settlement on the west side of the main island. The ship will also try to make landings at Nightingale Island, with millions of seabirds ranging from yellow-nosed albatrosses to brown noddies. One day will be held in reserve for bad weather.
Day 21-24: At sea, the ship will now enter sub-tropical waters, with their own brand of seabirds and dolphins.
Day 25-26: St. Helena will present a good anchorage and landing site. On this island, you will have ample opportunities to enjoy local culture, pleasant climate, and endemic plants and birds. You can also visit the place where Napoleon lived in exile. There will be opportunities to explore the Island on your own, and for snorkeling in the shallow surf near a wreck where you can find many fish.
Day 27-28: These days will be spent at sea.
Day 29-30 (April 30): Ascension Island is a dry volcanic island with a moist and richly vegetated top. The sooty tern (“wide-awake”) colony you will see sometimes consists of more than 1 million breeding pairs. You can try to climb the moist summit of Ascension Island and will take a zodiac cruise around Boatswain Bird Island. There will also be a great opportunity for snorkeling. You may witness egg-laying sea turtles coming ashore at night. (Some passengers may disembark and fly with the scheduled RAF (Royal Air Force) flight to Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, UK.)
In the evening, the vessel will depart from Ascension Island.
Day 31-35: At sea, you will witness the northbound spring migration of northern birds like arctic terns and long-tailed skuas as they join you in crossing the Equator (“the Line”).
Day 36: The Cape Verde Islands offer a variety of nature phenomena and have friendly people. The ship will land at Praia, on the main island Sao Tiago, where you will explore the island by bus making excursions during the main part of the day. In the evening you will have the opportunity to visit a cafe in Praia with Cape Verdian music and other expressions of local culture.
Day 37: In the early morning, you will sail by Boavista with its satellite islets Curral Velho and Baluarte, breeding places for magnificent frigate birds, brown boobies and several species of procellariiformes.
In the afternoon, you will disembark on Sal, an extension of the Sahara desert, where you will take a bus excursion to the southern coast of the island.
Day 38: At midnight, you will fly to Lisbon in Portugal (not included in program cost), if you are not staying in Sal.
Passengers can also disembark in Praia during the evening of Day 38 and stay for a day or more in a hotel in Praia, taking a later flight to Lisbon.
2008 Itinerary:
Day 1: In the afternoon, you will embark in Ushuaia and sail through the Beagle Channel.
Day 2-3: While sailing through the Drake Passage, you will witness a multitude of albatrosses, petrels and fulmars.
Day 4: At Hope Bay and Brown Bluff, you will hopefully set foot on the Antarctic Continent. In this area chances will be good for encounters with gentoo penguins, Weddell seals, leopard seals and orcas.
Day 5: Devil Island, at the tip of the Weddell Sea, is surrounded by the huge table icebergs of the Larsen Ice Shelf. You can climb a gently sloping hill, finding at the top a great view of your surroundings. At Paulet Island, you will observe the last individuals of a large Adelie penguin colony near the ruins of the Nordenskiöld Expedition that dates to the beginning of the 20th century.
Day 6: At sea, the ship will probably sail along the sea ice drifting north out of the Weddell Sea. On the floes, you may see some juvenile emperor penguins.
Day 7: On your way north, the ship will visit South Orkney Islands, where the Scotsman Bruce once wintered and where you may now visit the friendly people of an Argentinean base.
Day 8: At sea, on your way to South Georgia, you will witness a multitude of albatrosses, petrels and fulmars.
Day 9-11: In South Georgia, you will pay visits to the abandoned whaling settlements Grytviken, where penguins now walk through the streets, and King Edwards Point, with the grave of Shackleton. You will walk near the big king penguin colony on Salisbury Plain and the breeding wandering albatrosses on Prion Island in the Bay of Isles.
You will spend your last day in South Georgia in Cooper Bay, where you can observe chinstrap penguins, macaroni penguins and breeding light-mantled sooty albatrosses. Later that day, the ship will sail to Gold Harbor to visit another king penguin colony and to see many elephant seals and fur seals. This area will also be good for long walks. The visit will conclude with a zodiac excursion in the magnificent Drygalski Fjord and Larsen Harbor.
Day 12-16: In the westerlies, the ship should have a pleasant tailwind. On both sides of the Antarctic Convergence, you will observe many species of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic seabirds.
Day 17: Today, the ship will approach the unique Gough Island for a zodiac cruise around the island (weather permitting). In previous years the crew managed to circumnavigate all but four miles of the 33 mile circumference of the island in the ship, allowing for the viewing of spectacular scenery and an unprecedented abundance of wildlife. You will feel very privileged to be among the few visitors who have been able to experience Gough and, in particular, to see it at such close quarters and in such favorable conditions. Hopefully you will be lucky enough to repeat this unique experience.
Day 18-20: In the Tristan da Cunha archipelago, the ship will call at the settlement on the west side of the main island. The ship will also try to make landings at Nightingale Island, with millions of seabirds ranging from yellow-nosed albatrosses to brown noddies. One day will be held in reserve for bad weather.
Day 21-24: At sea, the ship will now enter sub-tropical waters, with their own brand of seabirds and dolphins.
Day 25-27: St. Helena has a good anchorage and landing site. On this island, you will have ample opportunities to enjoy local culture, pleasant climate, and endemic plants and birds. You will visit the place where Napoleon lived in exile. There will be opportunities to explore the Island on your own and for snorkeling in the shallow surf near a wreck where you can find a lot of fish.
Day 28-29: These days will be spent at sea.
Day 30-31: Ascension Island is a dry volcanic island with a moist and richly vegetated top. The sooty tern (“wide-awake”) colony sometimes consists of more than 1 million breeding pairs. You can try to climb the moist summit of Ascension Island and will take a zodiac cruise around Boatswain Bird Island. There will also be a great opportunity for snorkeling. You may witness egg-laying sea turtles coming ashore at night. (Some passengers may disembark and fly with the scheduled RAF (Royal Air Force) flight to Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, UK.)
In the evening, the vessel will depart from Ascension Island.
Day 32-36: At sea, you will witness the northbound spring migration of northern birds like arctic terns and long-tailed skuas as they join you in crossing the Equator (“the Line”).
Day 37: The ship will land at Fogo, a volcanic island in the Cape Verde Islands. Here, you will see recent and well preserved lava that has emerged from the ground within the last 10 years and has suffered little weathering due to the dry atmosphere of the islands. The ship will land a short distance from the capital, São Felipe, and you will take an excursion into the crater to the village of Portela, where the people, unbelievable as it may seem, make wine. Though perhaps not one of the greatest vintages of the world, it will still deserve tasting because of its curious origins. Upon returning to São Felipe, you will relax for a while before embarking for an early dinner, after which you can try an evening zodiac cruise in order to see the sea birds before dark.
Day 38: Praia, on Santiago, the main island of the southern group, has a character of its own. You will make an excursion to Cidade Velha, a city steeped in history, and can observe the massive fortress on the hill, built to deter English marauders in the period when the Crowns of Portugal and Spain were united and Portuguese possessions were sought by Drake and Raleigh in the same way as the Spanish ones. You will also see the ruins of the Cathedral, the oldest Christian Church in the tropics, and the slave whipping post in the main square. The village is well watered and there are plantations of sugar cane, which support a rum distillery, and several species of birds. You can enjoy a guided stroll around the city of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, and a city full of a unique variety of folk music, which you can hear as you pass the various bars.
Shortly after midnight, you will fly to Lisbon in Portugal.
Passengers can also disembark in Praia during the evening of Day 38 and stay for a day or more in a hotel in Praia, taking a later flight to Lisbon.
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