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Itinerary
South Georgia by Sailing Yacht
From 28 - 29 days - Nov-Dec - From US $ 16,548
It must be understood that the itinerary outlined below can only be a rough guide to what you will see and do. Every cruise will vary due to weather and ice conditions, requiring that the itinerary be somewhat flexible in the interest of safety and comfort.
This cruise will begin and end in Stanley in the Falklands Islands. The Falkland Islands. The Mount Pleasant Airport is reached via Santiago and Punta Arenas on a once per week basis every Saturday with Lan Chile. Therefore these cruises can only be in multiples of seven days.
There is also a flight more or less once weekly from Brize Norton in the UK on the RAF flight now operated by a sub contracting airlines. This is an expensive, but time saving alternative. However, the flights can be cancelled or delayed without notice due to military priority.
You will board the vessel immediately on arrival and (weather permitting) the next day you will sail for South Georgia. Considering the traverse time there and back, 18 days are envisaged on the island for shore landings. It is the intention to be back in Stanley no later than the night before the Saturday flight out on Day 28 of the schedule.
Day 1: The charter guests will arrive at Mount Pleasant Airport, Falklands Islands and take a 40 minute bus ride to Stanley to meet Pelagic Australis. You will board Pelagic Australis immediately. The afternoon will then be spent stowing personal gear, familiarizing the team with the vessel, and having a safety briefing.
Days 2-4: Weather permitting, the vessel will leave Stanley, bound for the northwest corner of the South Georgia Islands, 750 miles away. In most cases this will be a fast downwind passage in the prevailing westerly winds. Passage time should be approximately three to three and a half days.
Days 5-7: Landfall will be on the Willis Islands and you will continue with a passage through Bird Sound between Bird Island and mainland and anchor at Elsehul Bay. Here you will have a thorough briefing of the guidelines to follow with respect to the wildlife and take your first walk ashore. Weather permitting you will devote 2 days of possible waiting time at Elsehul in order to back track around the northwest corner of the island and enter King Haakon Bay where Shackleton and his men ran ashore. If conditions are calm, a night will be spent near Peggoty Bluff where his trek across the island began.
Days 8-9: Leaving King Haakon you will sail back to the northeast coast through Bird Sound and make for Rosita Harbor in the Bay of Isles. Weather permitting, you will land on Prion Island in the Bay of Isles to concentrate a half day (this is the maximum allowance per visit according to the government’s management plan for this sensitive area) with Great Wandering Albatross. This island has one of the highest concentrations of nesting Great Wanderers in the world. You will then sail overnight to King Edward Point which is the administrative base for the island.
Days 10-11: Two days will be spent in King Edward Point which is a short walk from Grytviken, the premier shore-based whaling facility on South Georgia which was abandoned in the 60’s. Visiting the whaling station which has now been incorporated into the South Georgia Museum is a full day. Long walks behind the station including a possible overland trek to Maiviken Bay are possibilities.
Days 12-13: Sailing to the snout of the Nordenskjold Glacier in Cumberland Bay East is a must. Continually discharging ice into the bay, this is the largest of the glaciers on South Georgia. Later, an afternoon run down the coast brings you to Cobblers Cove, a natural harbor with a dramatic entrance. Gentoo penguins are nesting on the slopes above the cove, while Macaroni penguins can be found up over a pass back to the north (an hour walk). You will spend the night at Cobblers Cove. This is a good storm anchorage, so it will be used as a fall back in case of heavy weather while further down the coast.
Day 14: Weather and surf conditions permitting, you will attempt the beach landing at Prince Andrew Bay a few hours steaming from Cobblers Cove. Behind the beach is the largest colony of King penguins on the Island. In order reach the main part of the colony you will have to trek to the snout of a glacier in order to cross the river flowing from it down to the sea. It is a spectacular wildlife venue on a fine day.
Day 15: Further south along the coast lies Gold Harbor which is one of the most scenic anchorages on the island. Again the landing is on an open shoreline and weather dependent and if successful you will spend the day on the beaches.
Days 16-17: Near the southern tip of the island Cooper Bay affords a rich variety of wildlife, including Fur Seals (in less concentrations and thereby the colonies more easily accessed) and many harems of Elephant Seals with the competing bulls (October cruise only). Two days in the area are required to fully explore the bay. If need be, the nights would be spent nearby in a safer anchorage at Larsen Harbor, a dramatic fjord with a glacier at its head.
Days 18-20: Most like lost due to adverse weather, so you will, in effect, be spending more time in either Cobblers Cove, Larsen Harbor, Rosita harbor or King Edward Point, all with access to the shore in bad weather.
Days 21-22: About this time you will need to be on standby for the return to Stanley. By Day 22, if there is a favorable weather window (considering the return is against the prevailing wind) you will be obliged to take the opportunity, in order to make sure that you arrive on time to make the plane on the Saturday, with at least a day to spare.
Days 23-28: Passage back to Stanley, arriving no later than the night of Day 28.
Day 29: Flight from Mount Pleasant Airport back to Punta Arenas with a direct connection to Santiago.
This cruise will begin and end in Stanley in the Falklands Islands. The Falkland Islands. The Mount Pleasant Airport is reached via Santiago and Punta Arenas on a once per week basis every Saturday with Lan Chile. Therefore these cruises can only be in multiples of seven days.
There is also a flight more or less once weekly from Brize Norton in the UK on the RAF flight now operated by a sub contracting airlines. This is an expensive, but time saving alternative. However, the flights can be cancelled or delayed without notice due to military priority.
You will board the vessel immediately on arrival and (weather permitting) the next day you will sail for South Georgia. Considering the traverse time there and back, 18 days are envisaged on the island for shore landings. It is the intention to be back in Stanley no later than the night before the Saturday flight out on Day 28 of the schedule.
Day 1: The charter guests will arrive at Mount Pleasant Airport, Falklands Islands and take a 40 minute bus ride to Stanley to meet Pelagic Australis. You will board Pelagic Australis immediately. The afternoon will then be spent stowing personal gear, familiarizing the team with the vessel, and having a safety briefing.
Days 2-4: Weather permitting, the vessel will leave Stanley, bound for the northwest corner of the South Georgia Islands, 750 miles away. In most cases this will be a fast downwind passage in the prevailing westerly winds. Passage time should be approximately three to three and a half days.
Days 5-7: Landfall will be on the Willis Islands and you will continue with a passage through Bird Sound between Bird Island and mainland and anchor at Elsehul Bay. Here you will have a thorough briefing of the guidelines to follow with respect to the wildlife and take your first walk ashore. Weather permitting you will devote 2 days of possible waiting time at Elsehul in order to back track around the northwest corner of the island and enter King Haakon Bay where Shackleton and his men ran ashore. If conditions are calm, a night will be spent near Peggoty Bluff where his trek across the island began.
Days 8-9: Leaving King Haakon you will sail back to the northeast coast through Bird Sound and make for Rosita Harbor in the Bay of Isles. Weather permitting, you will land on Prion Island in the Bay of Isles to concentrate a half day (this is the maximum allowance per visit according to the government’s management plan for this sensitive area) with Great Wandering Albatross. This island has one of the highest concentrations of nesting Great Wanderers in the world. You will then sail overnight to King Edward Point which is the administrative base for the island.
Days 10-11: Two days will be spent in King Edward Point which is a short walk from Grytviken, the premier shore-based whaling facility on South Georgia which was abandoned in the 60’s. Visiting the whaling station which has now been incorporated into the South Georgia Museum is a full day. Long walks behind the station including a possible overland trek to Maiviken Bay are possibilities.
Days 12-13: Sailing to the snout of the Nordenskjold Glacier in Cumberland Bay East is a must. Continually discharging ice into the bay, this is the largest of the glaciers on South Georgia. Later, an afternoon run down the coast brings you to Cobblers Cove, a natural harbor with a dramatic entrance. Gentoo penguins are nesting on the slopes above the cove, while Macaroni penguins can be found up over a pass back to the north (an hour walk). You will spend the night at Cobblers Cove. This is a good storm anchorage, so it will be used as a fall back in case of heavy weather while further down the coast.
Day 14: Weather and surf conditions permitting, you will attempt the beach landing at Prince Andrew Bay a few hours steaming from Cobblers Cove. Behind the beach is the largest colony of King penguins on the Island. In order reach the main part of the colony you will have to trek to the snout of a glacier in order to cross the river flowing from it down to the sea. It is a spectacular wildlife venue on a fine day.
Day 15: Further south along the coast lies Gold Harbor which is one of the most scenic anchorages on the island. Again the landing is on an open shoreline and weather dependent and if successful you will spend the day on the beaches.
Days 16-17: Near the southern tip of the island Cooper Bay affords a rich variety of wildlife, including Fur Seals (in less concentrations and thereby the colonies more easily accessed) and many harems of Elephant Seals with the competing bulls (October cruise only). Two days in the area are required to fully explore the bay. If need be, the nights would be spent nearby in a safer anchorage at Larsen Harbor, a dramatic fjord with a glacier at its head.
Days 18-20: Most like lost due to adverse weather, so you will, in effect, be spending more time in either Cobblers Cove, Larsen Harbor, Rosita harbor or King Edward Point, all with access to the shore in bad weather.
Days 21-22: About this time you will need to be on standby for the return to Stanley. By Day 22, if there is a favorable weather window (considering the return is against the prevailing wind) you will be obliged to take the opportunity, in order to make sure that you arrive on time to make the plane on the Saturday, with at least a day to spare.
Days 23-28: Passage back to Stanley, arriving no later than the night of Day 28.
Day 29: Flight from Mount Pleasant Airport back to Punta Arenas with a direct connection to Santiago.
