The Falklands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula

Wednesday, December 28, 2005 to Wednesday, January 25, 2006


This expedition is full. Contact us if you would like to be on the waiting list,
or join us for a future expedition - it is worth the wait!


This is a voyage of discovery to a stunning world devoted to peace and science and preservation of natural habitats. From Tierra del Fuego albatross and petrels escort us east to the busy penguin rookeries of the Falklands, then to South Georgia, an essentially uninhabited rugged land of towering mountains and myriad life, and on to Antarctica with hopes of reaching Crystal Sound south of the Antarctic Circle. During the brief summer months of light, an astounding abundance of life returns to crowd the headlands and beaches. Just in the last 100 years, the "heroic age" of Shackleton, Amundsen, and others opened Antarctica to the world. Join us on this adventure, aboard the warm, comfortable 87 meter ice ship, "M/V Polar Star" for an expedition offering an unparalleled three days in the Falkland Islands, six in South Georgia, one in the South Orkneys and seven along the Antarctic Peninsula. Maximum time will be available for photography with many landings throughout. Our priority is assuring that everyone is respectful of wildlife, including moving at penguin pace and staying quiet and clear of colony boundaries and fragile vegetation. During days at sea, the ship's bridge and the stern will be covered to identify interesting sightings. The contrasts will be striking from summer in the Falklands and Ushuaia, sometimes warm, to summertime in Antarctica, hovering at the freezing mark, often above freezing with beautiful blue skies.



December 28, 2005 to January 25, 2006
The amazing Cheeseman Expedition to Antarctica

We are full members of IAATO

Costs: All meals included beginning with breakfast on December 30 through breakfast on January 24. Please see Payments & Cancellations section at the foot of the itinerary.

Cabin Cabin size Cost per person Deposit
3rd deck double cabins with shared bath 100 sq. ft. $11700 $750
3rd and 4th deck double cabins with private bath 115 sq. ft. $12700 $750
3rd and 4th deck suites with private bath 140 sq. ft. $14000 $1000
3rd, 4th, and 5th deck large suites with private bath 180 sq. ft. $15250 $1000
4th deck Drake suite with private bath 250 sq. ft. $17500 $2500
FOLLOW THIS LINK TO A DECK PLAN OF THE SHIP




Itinerary Updated 9/04

Airfares: GROUP FARE FROM MIAMI AND JFK: $1092 round trip from Miami to the international airport (EZE) in Buenos Aires on Aerolineas Argentinas and EZE/Ushuaia (avoids transfer to the domestic airport, AEP in BA), departing Dec. 28, return Jan. 24. Separate fare round trip Buenos Aires/Ushuaia: approximately $400. For JFK fare and other details contact our travel agent. All fares subject to change. Quoted 8/03.

Our travel agent:
Deposit Schedule: Please see "Payments & Cancellations" at the foot of the itinerary.

GROUP SIZE: 94 participants, plus our staff of fifteen, the Polar Star Expeditions staff of six, including Hotel Manager, Assistant Hotel Manager, Bartender, Head Chef and Sous-chefs, and the crew of the M/V Polar Star. With under 100 passengers everyone can land without having two groups. Regulations require that not more than 100 passengers be on shore at one time.

A Non-Smoking Expedition



Flight Schedule: This is the schedule as of 9/04 if you would like to join us on Aerolineas Argentinas December 28, return on January 24 without having to use the domestic airport (AEP) in Buenos Aires.

DATE Aerolineas Argentinas ORIGIN/DESTINATION TIME
Dec. 28 AR 1303 Miami/Buenos Aires 8:40 pm – 7:15 am
Dec. 29 AR 1892 Buenos Aires EZE/USH 8:30 am – 1:20 pm
Jan. 24 AR 1892 USH/Buenos Aires 2:00 pm - 5:28 pm
Jan. 24 AR 1302 Buenos Aires/Miami 11:15 pm – 6:00 am Jan. 25
This flight schedule is subject to change.


Itinerary In Brief:



Leaders:
With the highest leader/participant ratio (by far) in the Southern Ocean, we have assembled a world-class set of leaders with a diversity of expertise. From zoologist to artist, photographer to geologist, ecologist to historian, we can guarantee an enriching experience that will broaden your perspective of the wondrous world of Antarctica.

Doug Cheeseman (Zoologist, Co-Expedition Leader, Lecturer, and Zodiac Driver) Doug is fantastically energetic and enjoys lecturing on marine mammals and Antarctic ecology, as he has since 1984 aboard the many Antarctic expeditions. This will be his twelfth trip to the Southern Ocean. Doug and GAIL CHEESEMAN (Naturalist) started their own wildlife tour company in 1980, leading in-depth trips throughout the world. Known as the nonsmoking company, Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris offers the only nonsmoking expedition for passengers to Antarctica. Gail has a command of tour logistics, but loves the marine mammals, seabirds and landings best. Gail and Doug have been leading international natural history tours together since 1975 and give high priority to wildlife photography and providing maximum time in the "field".

TED CHEESEMAN (Ecologist, Co-Expedition Leader, Photographer, Lecturer and Zodiac Driver) Ted will keep us abreast of ecological happenings in the Southern Ocean, and enthusiastically take on many other important task during the journey. He has a master's degree from Duke University in Conservation Biology and will share his expertise in ecology and ethnology during the voyage, both on land and onboard ship. You can enjoy his photography at the family business website, www.cheesemans.com, which he created and maintains.

ART FORD (Historian Lecturer onboard, Geology Guide onshore) An Antarctic geologist, Art led or participated in first explorations in Antarctica for USGS beginning in 1960 in the Thiel Mountains near the South Pole. He has lectured for us since 1996. Art obtained his PhD in geology from University of Washington and taught at San Diego State University. His many publications include the Antarctica chapter in the Encyclopedia Britannica. His many lectures include the history of exploration of the Weddell Sea presented at the Library of Congress to the Society for the History of Discoveries. Read a short biography of Art and research abstract from talks he has given for the Explorer's Club Northern California Chapter and at Stanford University (beware, the biography has many images, thus a long download time.)

WALT VENNUM (Geologist, Lecturer and Zodiac Driver) Geology professor at Sonoma State in California for many years and former Antarctic geologist for the U.S. Geological Survey, Walt has led many Antarctic voyages, including lecturing for Society Expeditions and with us in 1992 and 1998. He has recently retired from teaching at Sonoma State, so is free to join us on this charter.

TIM DAVIS (Professional Photographer, Lecturer and Zodiac Driver) Tim has lectured on all our previous Antarctica charters and will teach two photo sessions onshore. He has written, with his wife, Renee Lynn, excellent articles on nature photography and now lectures on digital photography and the use of "Photoshop". He also is an expedition leader for Lindblad in the Galapagos.

ROD & MARLENE PLANCK (Professional Natural History Photographer, Lecturer and Naturalists on Watch at Sea) Rod's book, Nature's Places, is a masterpiece of superb photography. On shore Rod will teach two photo sessions and at sea Marlene and Rod, both excellent naturalists, spend every moment possible on watch. Rod and Marlene lead superb nature photo workshops and seminars. Check out their website at www.rodplanck.com.

JIM DANZENBAKER (Lecturer and Naturalist on Watch at Sea) Jim is a very enthusiastic seabirder and will lecture on seabird ornithology. Onshore Jim will lead the way to the best viewing areas and point out interesting wildlife behavior. Jim also leads small group tours to the Neotropics.

HUGH ROSE (Naturalist, Lecturer and zodiac driver) Hugh brings to this expedition a decade of professional guiding experience in Alaska and Antarctica. Hugh will share his understanding of wildlife, natural history, geology and photography with walks onshore, including two photo sessions. Hugh also leads our Alaskan journeys, to great praise from all participants.

EDWARD ROOKS (Professional Wildlife Artist, Lecturer and Zodiac Driver) Edward has led wonderful tours for us to his native Trinidad where he grew up beside the sea. A naturalist par excellence with an artist's eye, he will teach drawing workshops both during days at sea and onshore. Edward excels in helping you uncover your unknown artistic talent, if you choose to join his workshops. A Trinidad native, Edward also leads our Trinidad & Tobago nature tour.

BUFF CORSI (Videographer and Biologist) will hold a multi-part seminar on videography during the expedition and will produce both the ship's log and video documentary. Buff pursued her lifelong interest in biology for many years at the California Academy of Sciences as head of their travel program. Always a photographer, has come to love the creative process of video editing.

CARTER COX (Captain of Zodiac operations) Carter has led Zodiac operations for all of our previous Cheesemans' Antarctic expeditions without mishap and an excellent operations manager. When the weather gets rough, trust Carter to stay in control. Carter is one of Doug's former students in biology, zoology and ecology. He is a contractor when at home in Northern California.

STEVE HENRY (Ship's Doctor) and LINDA HENRY (ship's nurse) will be on their fifth polar charter with us since the turn of the century! Steve is retired as a head doctor at Kaiser Hospital in California. Linda is also a professional in the medical field.

Try and find another tour with 15 leaders!
Itinerary in full:

Wednesday, December 28, 2005. International Flights to Ushuaia
Plan to fly on Aerolineas Argentinas from Miami, which has an excellent connection with a direct flight from the international airport to Ushuaia, or depart to arrive in Buenos Aires by mid-morning on December 29 at the latest to connect with the afternoon flight from the domestic airport in Buenos Aires to Ushuaia. Three hours minimum is necessary between flights to have time to transfer with your baggage from EZE, the international airport, to AEP, the domestic airport. Our travel agent, Ana Craven, is happy to assist with your flights or call us for suggestions.

Thursday to Friday, December 29 – 30. Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego National Park
Flights are available to Ushuaia from Aeroparque Airport (AEP) in Buenos Aires both morning and afternoon and from the international airport (EZE) at 8:30 am. Transfer to the Hotel Albatross, an excellent hotel centrally located in this beautiful town. Ushuaia has grown from 8,000 to more than 50,000 inhabitants in the last 20 years. Although becoming the largest town in Tierra del Fuego so quickly has resulted in some growing pains, it is a charming town, especially on a sunny day. Many shops are devoted to tourism. We will hope for blue skies. Dinner is on our own the 29th. On Friday, the 30th, luggage will be sent ahead to the Polar Star. After a continental breakfast, hope for blue skies for a trip to Tierra del Fuego National Park in Southern Beech forest. Picnic lunch included. Walk up to a lookout, a good spot to sight Andean Condor. Peale's Dolphins are a possibility in the channels within the National Park and the walk along the shores is fascinating. Land birds include three species of caracara, an incredible diversity of geese, thrushes and other Tierra del Fuegan passerines. On our previous trips we have sometimes found Magellanic Woodpecker and Andean Condor. After a delicious lunch, plan to stop at the excellent small natural history and cultural museum near the waterfront in Ushuaia.

By 4 pm, board the M/V Polar Star, waiting at the dock. We'll find our cabins and get ready for embarkation in the early evening. The Polar Star will pull anchor and head east down the Beagle Channel. As Ushuaia fades in the distance, we will find ourselves cruising largely uninhabited scenic shores. It's difficult to believe that all along these shores of the Beagle Channel are hollows where the Hshgans (Tierra del Fuegans) once built their huts. The beautiful evergreen Nothophagus trees (Southern Beech), strongly wind pruned, fill every protected valley between the gently rolling hills with mountains behind. Look for new species, such as Chilean Skua, South American Skua, King Cormorant (Blue-eyed Shag), Dominican (also called Southern Black-backed and Kelp Gull) and Dolphin gulls, and Black-browed Albatross. Our staff on board will spot and identify these species. Enjoy our first dinner together aboard ship, a very special occasion indeed. Dusk will linger late enticing us to stay up watching for seabirds and the spectacular scenery. After sunset, phytoplankton phosphorescing on the water and a brilliant, starry sky may be the rewards.

Saturday, December 31. At Sea
Familiarization on all aspects of ship life and preparations for what to expect the next three days in the Falklands will keep us busy with time in between for viewing from the bridge or stern. Wandering Albatross should be following us today, plus many Black-browed Albatross and always there's a chance of a Royal Albatross in these waters. We should see about 10 species today, mostly in the tubenose family, meaning those birds with tube-like structures on the bill leading to the nostrils, including Kerguelen Petrel (rare), Thin-billed Prion, Wilson's Storm-Petrel, Giant Petrel, Sooty Shearwaters and the albatrosses. The weather could be quite balmy, about 15 C, between 50 - 60 F, if the skies are blue. Photographers on the stern will have a field day following birds on the wing in their viewfinders. Tonight, enjoy a welcome with our Captain and our fine staff and crew on this dramatic New Year's Eve celebration as we begin the year 2006, a memorable holiday gathering with all our shipmates.

FALKLAND ISLANDS

Sunday to Tuesday, January 1 – January 3. Falkland Islands
We'll celebrate New Year's Day on New Island. Out of the 300 or more islands in the Falklands, we plan to land on four of the best for wildlife viewing and photography. The Falklands, a British colony approximately 300 miles east of South America and 700 miles north of Antarctica, about 400 miles from Ushuaia, has a temperate, but very foggy climate where we hope to enjoy some of their rare Austral summer sunshine. On New Island, West Point Island, Carcass Island, and Steeple Jason Island, three species of penguins in their colonies, Rockhoppers, Magellanics, and Gentoos will be the highlights. We may walk to seek out the Magellanics and land birds of the Falklands, species that are not at South Georgia. We must pay close attention to staying out of the areas that contain many fragile prion burrows and Southern Giant Petrels nests (especially on New Island and Steeple Jason). We should see most of the birds of the Falklands including the fantastic flightless Steamer Ducks, Ruddy-headed Goose, caracaras, shorebirds, and passerines, such as Tussock-bird, Dark-faced Ground Tyrant, Long-tailed Meadowlark, and Black-throated Finch. The Black-browed Albatross will be nesting high in the cliffs where we will have amazing views of them pair bonding and sitting on their conical mud nests. Here South American Fur Seal is a good possibility although their numbers have been declining rapidly. Highlights include the Peale's and Commerson's Dolphins that occasionally bow ride on the ship or even alongside the Zodiacs going from ship to shore and back. We will also meet our hosts, Tony Chater and Ian Strange on New Island, the Napier family who own Westpoint Island, and on Carcass, owner Rob McGill. These islands are privately owned and open to ecotourism on a very limited basis. Carcass Island has the best species diversity due to never having rats on the island. The owners of these islands are keenly working to protect the resident wildlife. Both the owners on New Island, Ian Strange and Tony Chater, are artists and have designed many of the wonderful Falkland postal stamps, real collector's items. Ian Strange is also author of the excellent field guide to the natural history of the Falklands.

Two fantastic landings are planned on Monday: in the morning on Westpoint Island and in the afternoon on Carcass Island. On Tuesday we hope to land on the outermost northwest island, Steeple Jason, a privately owned reserve, where more Black-browed Albatross nest than anywhere else on earth! The vast colony of albatross is mind-boggling. All the other Falkland specialties are there also. Landings are always subject to weather conditions, so we will pray for calm weather characteristic of this season.

Wednesday to Thursday, January 4 – 5. At Sea Southeast to South Georgia
By morning we will be far from the Falklands, southward bound, heading southeast to South Georgia! In these waters we cross the Polar Front (aka the Antarctic Convergence) and officially enter Antarctic waters. The birds appearing, although not in great numbers, will be outstanding, especially the large albatrosses. The richness of these waters is evident in the marine mammal life, especially the fur seals on fishing forays. There is a chance of sighting whales such as Fins and Minkies. Fin Whales are very difficult to approach, as they are the fastest of the rorqual whales and can quickly leave us behind. We have counted in these waters eight species of petrels (Cape, Soft-plumaged, White-headed, Atlantic, Blue, White-chinned, and Southern and Northern Giant Petrels), three species of storm-petrels (Gray-backed, Black-bellied and Wilson's), Common Diving-Petrel, six species of albatross, (Grey-headed, Light-mantled Sooty, Wandering, Northern and Southern Royal, and of course, Black-browed), thousands of Antarctic Prions, plus Greater and Sooty shearwaters and Southern Fulmars.

At the ever-changing "Polar Front", two bodies of water meet. As the fresher, cold Antarctic water mixes alongside warmer, saltier water from the north, water temperatures plummet from about 4 to 6? C (warmer, saltier water) down to 0? C (fresher Antarctic water) in a period of about eight hours cruising. With this change the bird population begins to include more Cape Petrels, Southern Fulmars, and even Snow Petrel as we come around the northeast end of South Georgia. One year Snow Petrels were sighted at 53? latitude south, further north than previously sighted, normally not north of 55? latitude. It is excellent birding in this area. During this time at sea, crossing about 1000 nautical miles from the Falklands, we will have slide lectures on the wildlife, wildlife photography, ecology, geology, and history of the Scotia Sea and South Georgia. The prevailing current will be in our direction.

SOUTH GEORGIA ISLANDS
(our favorite place in the world!)
Friday to Wednesday, January 6 – 11. South Georgia Island
Arrival time at South Georgia will depend on weather conditions and could be by mid-day on the 6th. One of the most remote islands in the world, South Georgia provides a magnificent highlight of our trip, as we spend six days in this wild landscape of penguins 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. South Georgia has incredible possibilities for landings, all along the eastern coastline, which we will explore during these six days. At Cooper Bay we will strive to get close to the marvelous Macaroni Penguins, the more southerly equivalent of the Rockhoppers, which nest at this accessible landing. Macaronis, the most numerous of all the penguins at South Georgia, nest in the most inaccessible areas, down fairly steep cliffs. The easiest penguins to see and photograph, as long as the weather cooperates, are the King Penguins which nest on the uplifted beach terraces, such as at Gold Harbour and Fortuna Bay, tightly packed white dots viewed from the ship, flowing from the hills like glaciers. At Salisbury Plains in the Bay of Isles, an estimated 250,000 King Penguins nest. South of Grytviken, St. Andrew's Bay is also high on our list of landings for a huge King Penguin colony, the largest colony at South Georgia.

An unforgettable experience will be on Prion Island in the Bay of Isles. Each pair of Wandering Albatross has a private estate with at least 30 meters square of open space around the nest site for courtship and take-offs and landings, a real contrast with the King Penguin's territory of one meter square. Here also are the Southern Giant Petrels quietly incubating as long as you keep your distance. The beautifully torpedo sculptured Light-mantled Sooty Albatross nests on the cliffs and glides by, calling its eerie vocalization. The most southern land bird is here, the South Georgia Pipit, endemic to only South Georgia. South Georgia Pintails reside in freshwater ponds among the tussock grass. These ducks survive the winter months by scavenging at carcasses. Also on Prion Island, we'll keep our distance from the Antarctic Fur Seals. We provide walking sticks for anyone who does not carry a tripod in case you need to tickle their whiskers, a safe way to keep an aggressive seal at bay. Female Antarctic Fur Seals control males by snapping at their whiskers.

At Grytviken whaling station, we absorb whaling history, which thrived for over 50 years. The museum now has excellent natural history exhibits as well. South Georgia is now a British Antarctic Territory. The history of Antarctic exploration comes alive as we listen to Art Ford, our historian, tell of the adventures of Sir Ernest Shackleton. This famous explorer crossed the rugged backbone of South Georgia from the west to arrive at the Stromness Whaling Station on the east side seeking help for his men stranded on Elephant Island. The "Endurance" crew, hand picked by Sir Ernest Shackleton in England for his 1914-1917 expedition, survived on the nutritious through unappetizing meat of penguins and seals while waiting for rescue on Elephant Island. Their ship, the "Endurance", was crushed by ice in the Weddell Sea. Shackleton and his men had set off in small boats and landed at Elephant Island with hardly any landing room below the steep cliffs along the shore. From here, Shackleton and a handful of men continued in a small boat to South Georgia, returning to Elephant Island 105 days later to rescue the men. Alongside the graveyard in Grytviken where Shackleton is buried, many young Southern Elephant Seals now snooze together, no longer hunted for oil.

We will also visit a Chinstrap Penguin colony at Cooper Bay and Gentoo Penguins in many small colonies along the northeast coastline. At this time they are nesting at the height of their breeding activities and are frequenting the beaches. Penguins porpoise alongside the ship, as we travel the wild and rugged coastline. There may even be a Fairy Prion if you have an eye for searching through the large prion flocks circling the ship. Unfortunately the whales were so thoroughly decimated in the last century that few are to be seen in the South Georgian waters; they have not yet made a comeback. In '98 we had excellent looks at Fin Whales on the way to South Georgia and on the 2000 charter near the South Orkneys well over 100 Fin Whales were sighted, so we are hopeful that more will be seen in the future. Also on our previous charters two species of beaked whales, Southern Bottlenose Whale and Cuvier's Beaked Whale, were seen, with several sightings of the former. The bones of Blue Whales and other cetaceans are often seen on shore at South Georgia and on the Peninsula, but we still have never seen a Blue Whale in Antarctica waters. Southern Right Whales are beginning to make a comeback in this area.

Friday to Sunday, January 12 – 14. Cruising South via the South Orkneys to Paulet
Our route to Antarctica will be most interesting, dictated by the pack ice. Icebergs will be scattered throughout our path as we approach the South Orkney Islands. We'll also have two days at sea to gather on the bridge to spot Humpback Whales, Southern Fulmars and hopefully Antarctic Petrel, Kerguelen Petrel, and Snow Petrel, one of the most beautiful birds of the Southern Ocean, and search for blue icebergs with penguins aloft. For the first time Juan Fernandez Petrel was sighted on our 2000 charter between South Georgia and South Orkneys. Some of the lecturers onboard ship during this time will be Jim Danzenbaker on skuas and penguins, Doug Cheeseman on whales and seals, Walt Vennum on geology, Ted Cheeseman on climate change, Edward Rooks on drawing wildlife, and Rod Planck and Tim Davis on photo techniques in the ice. The Observation Lounge will be a great place to view spectacular iceberg scenery as we travel further south.

At the South Orkneys we plan one landing if ice conditions permit, at 60? latitude South. Shingle Cove in the NW corner of Iceberg Bay on the south coast of Coronation Island was named for the shingle on the landing beach at the south shore of the cove. The cove is beautifully colored with orange lichens, green grass and moss and has nesting Snow Petrels and Pintados nearby. (In this area of Antarctica and south we follow a strict eco-code: maintain 15 feet from all wildlife, except if you are approached by an animal, meaning both birds and mammals, and absolutely avoid walking on lichens, moss and the one species of grass.)

ANTARCTICA!

Monday to Saturday, January 15 – 21. Antarctic Peninsula
At this end of the Earth, one senses a deep spiritual presence. Great respect must be given to the fragile vegetation and to the wildlife colonies. Each member is requested to keep the protocol information fresh in mind during all landings! We will hope for magnificent sunsets, sculpted blue icebergs, and close penguin and whale encounters, each with the potential of an in-depth experience that we will never forget. We will be cruising historical waters where the Swedish Expedition led by Nordenskjold and the British Expedition led by Shackleton passed in their attempts to reach the continent via the Weddell Sea. Theirs are the most amazing true survival accounts that one could imagine. We hope to visit sites where the penguins and seals that sustained these explorers have taken over and left no clues or only faint clues of the makeshift homes where men spent many months before being rescued. If ice conditions permit, we will arrive at the Peninsula via Paulet Island, site of a large Adelie Colony and another island that supplied sustenance to stranded sailors from the Nordenskjold Expedition, an equally exciting survival story to Shakleton's experience. A warming trend has been experienced in the Southern Ocean during the last few decades, showing clear evidence of climate change. The Antarctic Peninsula has been feeling this warming the most, with an amazing 9°F warming in average winter temperatures over the last 50 years. This has dramatically changed, and reduced ice distributions. But we will still be among a world of spectaular icebergs! Normally while we are here, in the Antarctic summertime on the Peninsula, the coldest temperatures we will experience during landings will be in the 30s F. It is more like winter temperatures at west coast ski resorts, very pleasant with a jacket on, and certainly nothing like wintertime temperatures in Antarctica.

Our first Antarctic Peninsula landing, we hope, will be Paulet, beside the Weddell Sea, the only place where we can count on finding Weddell Seals hauled out and penguins on icebergs. It is the largest Adelie Penguin colony that we will encounter and is located on a very interesting volcanic island. On the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula, we will enter Bransfield Strait, and then head southward toward Gerlache Strait. Here the Humpback Whales have made a tremendous comeback. We should have some wonderful whale behavior studies in the wonderful summer feeding grounds here. The krill swarms are enormous, visible on the ship's fathometer (depth sounder). We will find many Gentoo Penguin colonies and Chinstraps, often in mixed colonies on our Antarctica landings, and their attendant scavengers, Snowy Sheathbills, Brown and South Polar Skuas, and Kelp Gulls.

Paradise Bay, Lemaire Channel, Neumeyer Channel, the South Shetland Islands Paradise Bay, one of the most beautiful areas in Antarctica, is one of our favorite places for Zodiac cruising in the inner part of the bay near the spectacular glaciers and ethereal mountains. Conditions permitting, we may walk up for an unforgettable view of surrounding mountains and glaciers at Almirante Brown, an Argentine station in Paradise Bay on the Peninsula. Don't try the ship's satellite phone while in these bays; it won't penetrate the high peaks! Here we are completely surrounded with ice-draped peaks soaring out of the water for several thousand feet. While cruising in bays along the Antarctic Peninsula, hope to discover Weddell, Crabeater, and maybe Leopard Seals on ice floes.

Cruising onboard ship down to Petermann Island will certainly be an unforgettable experience. Hanging ice cliffs, the fronts of highly fractured tidewater glaciers, back most of the shoreline. Petermann Island, at 65? S in the southern part of the Lemaire Channel, has a large colony of Adelies and Gentoos, with Blue-eyed Shag colonies on the edges. We will plan an evening landing here in beautiful light hopefully, taking full advantage of the continuous daylight. Weather and ice conditions permitting we will continue south towards Crystal Sound. We seek the Antarctic Circle, 66°33' south - a crossing to be celebrated - and beyond to Detaille Island. A historic British Antarctic Survey hut remains here, abandoned to the thousands of nesting Adelie Penguins. Even if we are stymied in our southward progress, the jagged walls of the Transantarctic Mountains will reward us with fantastic scenery behind a fairyland of ice temples.

After a memorable southernmost navigation, we begin our return north, on the lookout for more cetaceans, including Killer Whales and even rare beaked whales. We plan to visit the sprawling Gentoo Penguin colony at Port Lockroy, located at the end of the very narrow, beautiful Peltier Channel close to the Neumeyer Channel. We'll try a landing at tiny Cuverville Island with Gentoo Penguins on the headlands and/or at adjacent Rongé Island near a Chinstrap Penguin colony. Perhaps cruise with Humpbacks swimming among the icebergs offshore, although this happening is quite unusual.

Deception Island in the South Shetlands is one of the most exciting islands, as it is very active volcanically. We hope to land on both the outside wall and inside the caldera center, which opens to the ocean via a narrow gap called "Neptune's Bellows". The landing at Bailey Head on the outside has close to half a million Chinstraps nesting at this time of year, but the sea must be absolutely flat to land on the beach, limiting our chances of landing. However inside Deception's huge caldera we can cruise and make several fascinating landings, including hiking up the mountainside to Pintados (Cape Petrels) nesting in the lichen draped cliffs. One of the most unique experiences is soaking in thermal pools alongside the beach at Pendulum Cove in clouds of steam. The water temperature can be fairly comfortable, although sometimes it's so hot that it's necessary to mix it with colder water. If you stiffen up your arms and flap underwater like a penguin, it helps. Somehow penguins are a lot more agile underwater than we are! Normally there are a number of Weddell Seals basking on the beach, but this area is an Area of Scientific Concern and is not open beyond the high tide mark to walking. We land if the tide is correct and the weather is favorable. Further north in the South Shetland Island Group we might encounter more lichens and even lush moss. In the penguin colonies we will also encounter all of the usual rookery scavengers: skuas, gulls, giant-petrels, and Snowy Sheathbills, some of them also guarding their nests. Kelp Gulls especially are very wary and easily frightened from their nest, so we have to give them a wide berth when one is on eggs, such as at Hannah Point, an excellent landing site. About five pairs of Macaroni Penguins are nesting in the Chinstraps and Gentoos colonies at Hannah Point.

Due to the expeditionary nature of our voyage, specific stops cannot be guaranteed, but we will be visiting many islands with large penguin rookeries. Accompanied by our naturalists, land often and stay as long as possible, abiding by the "Guidelines for Responsible Ecotourism".

Sunday to Monday, January 22 – 23. DRAKE PASSAGE & BEAGLE CHANNEL
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. We cross the Antarctic Convergence approximately halfway across the Drake Passage at about 59¾ 08´ S and 63¾ 20´ W. Those on the lookout may sight several species of albatross and petrels, a good area for Blue Petrel, also for Royal Albatross following the ship. Sperm Whales and other pods of whales have been sighted in the Passage. On the 23rd, almost 500 miles north of the South Shetlands, we should be near Cape Horn. Although a landing is not possible at the Cape Horn Lighthouse mostly due to the chilly relations between Chile and Argentina, we will get as close as possible, within one mile. The offshore area is as rich as Monterey Bay in California and the seabirds are usually present in huge numbers, especially Sooty Shearwaters and Black-browed Albatross if the sea is calm. Peale's Dolphins are also a good possibility, sometimes in schools of hundreds. This evening back in the Beagle Channel, enjoy a scenic cruise all the way to Ushuaia.

Tuesday to Wednesday, January 24 – 25. Return to Ushuaia
By early morning we will dock at Ushuaia where we will be reluctant to say good-by to our spirited shipmates! Disembark the ship after breakfast and connect with our flight back to Buenos Aires or to other points in Argentina. Our outfitters, Rumbo Sur, will collect the checked luggage in their luggage van to be checked in as a group at the Ushuaia Airport. For homeward flights with the present schedule, fly by early afternoon from Ushuaia, arriving at the international airport in Buenos Aires to connect in the evening to Miami, New York, London and other points with night flight connections. If you wish to stop in Buenos Aires, that can be arranged also. By March, the very descriptive trip log, with daily sightings throughout this incredible journey will be in the mail to each member of the expedition.

The ship and crew: The ice-ship, M/V Polar Star, is the flagship of our charter company, Polar Star Expeditions. We are chartering the entire ship for this expedition, so that we can make our in-depth itinerary possible. The "M/V Polar Star" is 86.5 meters (268 feet) in length with a maximum speed of 14 knots. She can carry sufficient fuel and provisions for up to 70 days, and can make sufficient water throughout the voyage that we do not have to restock. She was built in Finland in 1969, and joined the Swedish Maritime Administration's fleet of icebreakers with the name of NJORD. She went through major rebuilding and modernization in 1988, and again in 2000. Karlsen Shipping Norway A/S now owns her. The Polar Star is the first icebreaker to be fully converted for expedition cruising, with an extensive stabilization system. The ship's chefs will prepare varied cuisine with 3 choices at dinner, including a vegetarian choice. Polar Star Expeditions provides a top Hotel Manager, assistant and bartender. Excellent laundry service is available through the cabin stewardesses. The M/V Polar Star has a large dining room, a lecture hall, bar, library, lounge, and small shop. It is staffed with a Canadian, European and Philippine crew, and has a small infirmary. She will carry ten Zodiacs, allowing faster access to landings - more time ashore! A "chit" system will operate for onboard payments.
Reservations: To reserve a place, please call us to choose a cabin and assure space availability. Mail the reservation form (requires Adobe Acrobat) and deposit (amount depending on cabin selection and date of reservation) to:
Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris
20800 Kittredge Road
Saratoga, CA 95070

Telephone: (800) 527-5330
Locally (408) 741-5330
Fax: (408) 741-0358
For questions, comments or reservations,
e-mail us at: info@Cheesemans.com
or use our information form.

Payments & Cancellations:


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Until 120 days or more prior to departure, payments are refundable except $300.
Refunds given 119-80 days prior to departure will be subjected to a charge of 10% of the tour price, 79-60 days prior to departure, 40% of the tour price, and 60 days or less prior to departure, 100% of the tour price.

Travel Insurance: Trip insurance forms are available from us and will be sent with in-depth trip information and your deposit receipt at the time of making your reservation.

Single Occupancy: No single cabins are available. Double occupancy cabins may be booked on a single basis at 1.9 times the published rate. If you are willing to have a roommate, there will be no single supplement charge.

Electrical Current: 110 and 220 volts available in most rooms. The electrical outlet sockets are the standard European two round pin system, with at least one USA-style outlet per room. From or other countries with different systems, bring a suitable adapter.

Not included in base price: Dinner on 29 December as outlined in the itinerary, air transportation, airport departure taxes, separate transfers in Buenos Aires. Personal items, such as laundry, bar charges, wine, liquor, faxes/telephone/cable charges, insurance. Gratuity to the ship's crew (approximately $10-12 per passenger per day recommended).

Conditions: Non-smoking Policy. Travel to remote places like Antarctica is exciting, but understanding and accepting the risks, both medical and logistical, are important. There is a small infirmary on board the ship and minor medical problems can be treated. Due to the remoteness of most of our itinerary, there can be no expectation for medical evacuation by air or ship, even in cases of trauma. If this fact concerns you too much, do not choose this trip for your vacation. Anyone with health problems needing close medical supervision should not consider going on this trip. Enough medication for the duration of the trip should be brought with you for any chronic medical problems, including medication or patches for seasickness. When you send your tour deposit and signed reservation form, you certify to us that you do not knowingly have any physical or other conditions that would create a risk for yourself or for other trip participants.

Responsibility: Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris, Saratoga, California, act only as agents and shall not be responsible or become liable for any delay incurred by any person in connection with any means of transportation, nor for the loss, damage or injury to person or property by reason of any event beyond the control of the agency or default of such agency suppliers. The right is reserved to cancel the cruise prior to departure, in which case full refund will constitute full settlement to the passenger. Termination of this expedition in progress for any reason will not necessarily result in a refund, and no refund will be made for partially used portions of air tickets or land arrangements. All rates are based on current tariffs and exchange rates and are subject to adjustment in the event of any change therein. Baggage is at the owner's risk.