Tour Overview
When the BBC decided to produce a sequel to Planet Earth - Frozen Planet - the filmmakers turned to Quark Expeditions for logistical support. As a result, a BBC film crew will be shooting footage aboard the first two departures of Emperor Penguins: Snow Hill Island.Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1: Ushuaia, ArgentinaArrive Ushuaia International Airport. Collect your luggage and transfer by taxi to the hotel for check-in. Your included hotel is not far from the airport and the taxi fare is reasonable. Ushuaia, the hub of tourism in Tierra del Fuego, lies in the far south of the island. Dramatically located between the mountains – amongst them Cerro Martial and Monte Olivia – and the sea, the town tumbles down the hillside to the wide, encircling arm of land that protects its bay from the southwesterly winds and occasional thrashing storms of the icy Beagle Channel.
Overnight: Ushuaia Day 2: Embarkation Day- Beagle Channel- Drake Passage
In the late afternoon, the coach transfers you and your fellow adventurers to the pier to board the icebreaker, which is instantly recognizable, as the shape and bulk of the ship are distinctive, especially from a distance. Aboard, during the Welcome Briefing, the Expedition Leader introduces the team of specialists that accompanies every expedition. Afterward a safety briefing occurs during which emergency procedures are explained. That is followed by a practical demonstration.
Breakfast, Dinner
Kaptain Khlebnikov Days 3 & 4: Drake Passage
Crossing the notorious Drake Passage is as much a part of the Antarctic experience as penguins and seals. With the right weather conditions, your passage could be relatively easy, but pack your seasick medication, just in case the Drake lives up to its reputation. Unlike cruise voyages where the schedule of onboard activities is replicated exactly on each sailing, every Icebreaker education program is unique. The Expedition Team changes the content and schedule of presentations to take advantage of the personnel aboard, their background, interest and style. This keeps the presenters fresh and their presentations dynamic. In anticipation of the first landing at the Emperor Penguin rookery, you are shown how to board and exit the helicopters and Zodiacs. By the end of the expedition, riding on the pontoons of inflatable boats and flying in the cabin of a helicopter will be second nature to you. The addition of helicopters for ice reconnaissance, aerial sightseeing and shore transfers is one reason we know and icebreaker is the ultimate Antarctic experience. The choice of activities in the evenings aboard ship is varies. Over a drink in the bar, you can get to know your fellow adventurers. They come from all over the world- Europe, Australasia, South America, North America and Africa. A current movie could be shown in the presentation room. You can always borrow a book about Antarctica from the library and curl up in your cabin with the sound of the ocean drifting through the window.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Kaptain Khlebnikov Days 5 to 7: Weddell Sea
Through Bransfield Strait to the Weddell Sea. Keep in mind that no two expeditions are alike. Landings and wildlife sightings are subject to weather, ice conditions and the natural cycles of the wildlife. It is the element of the unknown that makes expedition-style travel exhilarating. That said, our expeditions have common elements, such as landings, wildlife sightings, helicopter sightseeing, and ice- massive amounts of ice. Icebergs are classified according to their shape: tabular, irregular or rounded. Snow Hill Island Rookery. The rookery is located on sea ice, some distance from Snow Hill Island. The captain navigates to a position in the ice within helicopter range of the rookery. Our onboard helicopters are deployed in a rotation of flights from the ship to the rookery. To protect the birds, the helicopters land no closer than 1-½ miles from the rookery. Keep items in your backpack to a minimum as you must carry all your own gear the entire distance there and back. We cannot predict how many landings will occur during your stay in the vicinity. Rest assured, however, that the Expedition Leader intends to take every possible advantage of good weather and flying conditions. It is our intention during the 2009 expeditions to the rookery to spend three days in the vicinity. As on any Antarctic expedition, but particularly on this voyage, which occurs in the icy Weddell Sea, our itinerary may have to be modified in response to changing weather and ice conditions. As we are visiting early in the season that any other expedition, the Emperor Penguin chicks are still young, so it is possible you may see a few brooding on their parents feet or many huddling together in large communal crèches. While you visit the rookery, you could see a constant trail of adults walking or tobogganing in single file from the sea to the rookery to feed the chicks, then back again to hunt for more food. When an adult returns to the rookery, the parent trumpets. The call is instantly recognized by the chick that whistles in response. To protect the birds, you will be asked to remain at least 15 feet from the birds. However, Emperors are curious and unafraid of human beings. If you stand still and remain quiet, the birds may approach you. If you are crouching on the ice looking down your camera lens, pause and look slowly around you. You may find that you are surrounded by the birds you have been trying to photograph! We encourage everyone, even those who do not normally do so, to carry a camera. Any one of your visits to the rookery may be a source of a once in a lifetime shot. To help you get the most out of your camera, the Expedition Team will include a professional photographer, to conduct workshops and assist you on site!
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Kaptain Khlebnikov Days 8-11: Antarctic Peninsula
We intend to spend the final day or so of this adventure exploring the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands. Life clings to the edges in the Antarctic Peninsula. Rocky shorelines are jealously guarded by its denizens, as habitable real estate is rare. You’ll observe mountains of stone rising steeply from the sea, their summits glistening when the sun strikes the snow that covers them. Fog could descend, obscuring their height. In a sheltered bay, drifting in a Zodiac- its engine turned off momentarily- you’ll experience a silence so complete that you may hear the beating of your own heart. We are certain you will feel your pulse quicken, if a seal or penguin pops out of the water to gaze over the pontoon at you.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Kaptain Khlebnikov Days 12 to 14: Drake Passage or Scotia Sea- Ushuaia, Argentina A day at sea can be as busy as any day ashore. Members of the Expedition Team continue the education program. The subjects can range from a presentation on the historic age of exploration to whales of the southern ocean. The program could also include documentary videos. You could choose to spend time outside on deck watching the large seabirds that have accompanied mariners through the southern ocean since Magellan made his first navigation of the globe. By now you should be able to recognize albatross and petrels on the wing. Ushuaia, Argentina. A small vessel comes alongside and a local pilot boards the ship to help navigate the last stretch of water en route to Ushuaia. We suggest that you watch if the weather is fine. You will enjoy the soft light of an austral summer. We hope these memories will stay with you, as clear and powerful as the day they were formed. The existence of the Emperor Penguin is more than a story of survival and endurance. It is the triumph of life itself.
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