
Antarctic Circle Voyage 2012-13
Sailing in comfort aboard the comfortable and well-appointed Ioffe or Vavilov, we begin this 12-night expedition at the tip of South America. We chart a course through the Drake Passage with a goal of heading directly south to the Antarctic Circle at 66°33'S. The farther south we go, the more sea ice we will find and our aim is to cross the circle before getting stopped by this ice. Few ships go this far south and we will take full advantage of being on a modern, ice-strengthened vessel of this caliber.
Marguerite Bay and Detaille Island are two places that we might visit while traveling south of the circle. Who knows, we may even try to camp ashore south of the circle. We will slowly make our way back up the peninsula, visiting penguin rookeries as we go When we arrive at the Antarctic Peninsula, be prepared to be dazzled. Even our experienced crewmembers many of which have visited the southern region a hundred times or more are still astonished by its pristine beauty. The abundance of wildlife here is truly extraordinary including five seal species, massive penguin rookeries of gentoo, Adelies and chinstraps as well as a profusion of seabirds from albatross to skuas. It is nature you will experience up close and personal on frequent excursions inland.
Our journey will take us to Petermann Island or Wilhelmina Bay where we encounter colossal icebergs and, of course, the ice landscapes that stretch as far as the eye can see. Hardy adventurers or those with a yen for history have the chance to camp out on the ice overnight and feel the thrill and audacity of early explorers who attempted to conquer this continent.
As with all our expeditions, safety is our top priority. For that reason weather, ice or other conditions may require us to change our itinerary and shore excursions as we go but that is half the fun of Polar exploring. Predictability is a word that has no relevance in this environment.
Itinerary
| Day Number(s) | Title |
|---|---|
| 1-4 | Ushuaia, the Beagle Channel and into Antarctic waters |
| 5 | The southern region of the Antarctic Peninsula and attempt to cross the Antarctic Circle |
| 6-12 | The Antarctic Peninsula |
| 13-14 | The Drake Passage |
| 15 | Ushuaia |
Trip Highlights
Gallery
Video
From Our Blog
At A Glance
Trip Length |
13 days |
Trip Code |
ACV |
Activities |
|
| Cruising (Moderate) | |
Countries Visited |
|
| Antarctica, Argentina | |
Start City |
|
| Ushuaia | |
End City |
|
| Ushuaia | |


































