iExplore Northern Ring of Fire: The Bering Sea & The Aleutians(Trip #66142)

Tour Overview

On this remarkable cruise aboard the Clipper Odyssey, we'll explore some of the most remote places on Earth – the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands followed by the Kamchatka Peninsula – showcasing a wild and pristine Alaska few travelers get to witness. The history of WWII in Alaska unfolds as we explore Attu, Kiska, and Adak Islands and note rusted military artifacts amid fields of vividly hued wildflowers. And, aboard Zodiacs we investigate secret coves and picture-perfect bays in search of seabirds, brown bears, and Arctic foxes.

WHAT TO EXPECT
For most activities, a moderate level of exertion is required. You will need to climb into and out of Zodiacs for excursions ashore. Many of the landings will be “wet” and require that you wear waterproof, knee-high boots. Ashore, you must be able to walk moderate distances, unaided, over occasionally rough terrain. Average daily temperatures on this voyage range from the 50s°F to the low-70s°F with cooler temperatures in the evening.

As with all travel to this region, the itineraries are pending final permission by the authorities. We have done a tremendous amount of scouting, preparation, and planning for our expedition. In addition, your onboard staff is very experienced in leading trips to these remote areas. We will mail a complete list of recommended clothing and a suggested reading list to you approximately five months prior to departure. Flexibility is a must and participants will most enjoy these remarkable voyages if they travel with a spirit of adventure.

Note: We estimate you will be without your passport for one month while we work on procuring your Russian visa.

Expedition Leaders:

Mike Messick
Mike was raised in Switzerland and began working in expedition travel during a summer break from college. He graduated in 1985 from Skidmore College with a degree in bio/psychology. One of the best expedition leaders in the business, Mike embarked on a full-time career in adventure travel shortly after graduation and has since visited more than 170 countries around the world. Mike has conducted research at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in its onshore laboratory and aboard one of its research vessels. He is a member of The Explorers Club, holds a U.S. Coast Guard captain's license, and has his scuba instructor certificate from NAUI. In 1990 Mike and six others founded Zegrahm Expeditions.

Kevin Clement
Zegrahm Expeditions Director Kevin Clement is fortunate enough to live within the boundaries of Denali National Park. His specialty is subarctic ecology, but his work as a naturalist and an ecotourism and adventure travel guide has taken him from his home in Alaska to all seven continents. On those rare occasions when he's home, Kevin serves as the Denali Foundation instructor for natural history and as a trainer for the park's staff of naturalists. In 1995 he became a Certification Instructor for the Wilderness Education Association and in 1997 joined the adjunct faculty of the University of Alaska. That same year he initiated an outdoor leadership program for the non-profit Foundation, leading students on month-long backcountry courses. He has lived in several other national parks and has guided groups in whitewater rafts, in sea kayaks, and on foot. He holds certifications in scuba diving, swiftwater rescue, and wilderness medicine, as well as a Coast Guard Master's license. Kevin is also an artist. His first career was as an illustrator, and his work has appeared in various art shows, several times winning juror's or people's choice awards. He never travels without his sketchbook.

Dr. T. H. Baughman
Dr. T.H. Baughman is a professor of history at the University of Central Oklahoma. Tim has taught European history for more than 30 years, and has been leading travelers around the world for 25 years. He is the author of six books, lectures widely on European and polar history, and teaches courses in 20th-century European history. His tales of the history of regions visited bring to life their vibrant story. Tim combines a scholar's rigor with a storyteller's images to describe and explain the past.

Dr. Mark Brazil
Mark developed his fascination with the natural world, especially birds, during his boyhood in the landlocked English county of Worcestershire. He then pursued his academic interests in biology during studies in England and Scotland, while exploring the coasts and mountains of Britain in search of birds. Mark earned his Ph.D. from Stirling University, Scotland, for his work on avian ecology and behavior in Iceland. Ornithological research, natural history consultancy for TV companies, and guiding naturalists and wildlife photographers have taken him to all continents, but his particular passion is Asia in all its diversity. Fascinated by island biology, he is a leading authority on the natural history of Japan, where he worked as a professor of biodiversity and conservation at Rakuno Gakuen University near Sapporo. In addition to being a field naturalist, he is a columnist, author, and editor. His books include Wild Asia: Spirit of a Continent, The Birds of Japan (the definitive text of bird biology and distribution in the Japanese archipelago), the monograph The Whooper Swan, and most recently, A Field Guide to the Birds of East Asia.

John Buchanan
John is a professor of geology and director of the environmental science program at Eastern Washington University. While his academic focus includes sedimentology, hydrogeology, and geomorphology, he is easily excited about all things geological. He has recently participated in National Geographic Society funded caving expeditions to Central America where he is mapping and studying the region's longest caves. John is also an experienced world traveler, an avid photographer, and a passionate amateur astronomer.

Russell Evans
Russell Evans is a 6th generation Falkland Islander who grew up working on farms on Pebble and Saunders Islands. In the mid 1990s, Russell left farming to pursue his interest in the sea and small boats (especially sail boats), and he went to work crewing and skippering commercial work boats for island companies. He has spent the past few years as dive boat support, assisting with scientific research and medical evacuations, conducting sightseeing trips to local islands, and working with cruise ships that visit the region. His work background and independent sailing explorations provide him with considerable cumulative knowledge of the waters around the Falklands. Russell began working on expedition ships as a Zodiac driver/ naturalist in December 2003. After falling under the spell of the Antarctic, he takes every opportunity to return. His passion for the sea and interest in travel has led Russell to choose a career in expedition travel and he has recently worked in that capacity as a Zodiac driver in the Arctic and British Isles. He is very much an outdoors person, enjoying hiking and camping with a keen interest in wildlife and photography.

Bob Quaccia
Bob chose adventure as a career more than thirty years ago when he became a commercial fisherman in Alaska. He has recently spent three summers as a skiff operator for the Alaska Marine Mammal Observing Program, which has taken him to the remote waters of Kodiak and Yakutat with a focus on sustainability. Bob holds a B.S. in biology with the bulk of his studies in natural history. He is currently the Programs Director for the Rogue Valley Audubon Society and has served on the board for two terms.

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1: July 25, 2010
Home/Anchorage, Alaska
Independent arrival in Anchorage and transfer to our hotel. Introductions and a briefing before dinner; overnight at our hotel.
Overnight: Anchorage

Day 2: July 26, 2010
Anchorage- Seward- Embark Clipper Odyssey
After a morning at leisure and lunch at our hotel we board motor coaches for Seward where we embark the Clipper Odyssey.
Clipper Odyssey

Day 3: July 27, 2010
Kodiak Island
We dock at the town of Kodiak, a bustling port settled by Russian fur traders in 1784. By 1792, Alexander Baranof established the town as the first capital of Russia’s North American colonies. We visit the 1794 Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox church, with its prominent blue onion domes, and Erskine House, a National Historic Landmark built in 1809 and now housing the Kodiak Baranof Museum. Exhibits in the Alutiiq Museum detail the history and culture of these native people who lived here millennia before the Europeans arrived.
Clipper Odyssey

Day 4: July 28, 2010
Geographic Harbor- Katmai National Park and Reserve
We sail along the Alaska Peninsula today, a stunning, nearly uninhabited wilderness, stopping to investigate islands and coves. Nearly hidden at the far reaches of Amalik Bay, Geographic Harbor is surrounded by magnificent volcanic scenery; access through the narrow entrance of the harbor is tidal dependent. We cruise the area by Zodiac, watching for brown bears along the beaches.
Clipper Odyssey

Day 5: July 29, 2010
Aghiyuk Island- Semidi Islands
The Semidi Islands are home to two and a half million birds. We make a Zodiac landing to walk on a small, sandy beach covered in driftwood sea-carved into intriguing silvery shapes. Also by Zodiac, we trace the shores of Aghiyuk Island, home to huge colonies of seabirds: northern fulmars, common murres, and blacklegged kittiwakes. In the evening search for whales in these waters, famed for seasonal migrations, as we head toward the Shumagin Islands.
Clipper Odyssey

Day 6: July 30, 2010
Unga Island- Shumagin Islands
We anchor at Unga Island today; its multiple bays offer excellent Zodiac cruising opportunities to spot sea otters and birds, including peregrine falcons. Ashore, we walk amid fields of wildflowers and spongy tundra. Scattered pieces of multicolored petrified wood are remnants of an ancient metasequoia forest, evidence that the region once enjoyed a warmer climate.
Clipper Odyssey

Day 7: July 31, 2010
Baby Islands- Dutch Harbor- Unalaska Island
This morning we sail among the Fox Islands group of the Aleutians, watching for Minke whales, the smallest baleen whale in the northern Pacific. The five tiny, volcanic Baby Islands, today’s first destination, teem with puffins and whiskered auklets. Dutch Harbor was originally used by the North American Commercial Company to process fur seal pelts. Today, it is the busiest fishing and processing port in Alaska. We stroll among WWII relics of the U.S. Army, visit the school, and view the oldest onion-domed Russian church in Alaska.
Clipper Odyssey

Day 8: August 1, 2010
St. George Island, Pribilof Islands
North in the Bering Sea lies the tiny archipelago comprising the five Pribilof Islands. They were discovered in 1786 by the Russian explorer Gerassim Pribilof who successfully located what he was hoping to find: fur seals by the thousands, which the Russians later harvested nearly to extinction. Today, the northern fur seal is protected and cannot be hunted commercially. The Pribilof breeding population now numbers more than 700,000. Bird colonies abound, with some 225 species recorded in the islands. We explore the small town of St. George whose residents include about 150 people of Aleut and Russian descent. A picturesque Russian Orthodox Church commands a vista of the Bering Sea, and a cliff-top blind provides a remarkable view of a fur seal rookery. More parakeet auklets breed on St. George than anywhere else, and the nearly quarter million nesting red-legged kittiwakes make up 98 percent of the world’s population.
Clipper Odyssey

Day 9: August 2, 2010
St. Paul Island
St. Paul is home to 800 Aleuts, the largest such community in the world. Enjoy a stroll through town, then walk among a profusion of tundra wildflowers, watching for Arctic foxes often spotted here. Zodiac excursions and walks to the edge of the cliffs reveal birds by the thousands—horned and tufted puffins; red-legged kittiwakes; red-faced cormorants; and crested, least, and parakeet auklets.
Clipper Odyssey

Day 10: August 3, 2010
At Sea
As we sail towards the Aleutian Islands our onboard experts share their knowledge about the flora, fauna, and fascinating history of this region. Birders and nature enthusiasts watch from the decks for a chance at the “Holy Grail” of North Pacific seabirds, the extremely rare short-tailed albatross, which has in recent years, substantially increased in numbers.
Clipper Odyssey

Day 11: August 4, 2010
Adak Island, Aleutian Islands
Today our ship enters the long chain of Aleutian Islands, which stretch in an arc one thousand miles long, bridging the Bering Sea between Kamchatka and Alaska. Each of the 124 islands is the summit of an underwater volcano, and nearly all are part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, a 3.5 million-acre preserve. The refuge is home to an estimated 40 million seabirds of 55 different species. While the Japanese invaded and occupied the far western Aleutian Islands of Attu and Kiska, U.S. forces built facilities on Adak Island to support efforts to retake the islands and to guard against a possible counter-offensive. In 1943, 27,000 troops were stationed in Adak. In 1997, the U.S. Navy released control of the island to the Aleut Native Corporation. Only about 300 people live here today, making a living from fishing and various commercial enterprises that utilize the abandoned buildings and lengthy airstrip. Once ashore we board motor coaches and have the choice to explore the island to get a sense of its significance in WWII, or to go on a birding excursion to look for red-faced cormorants, Aleutian terns, and gray-crowned rosy-finches. Time permitting, we take Zodiacs along the shores for wildlife viewing—among the species we watch for are sea otters, harbor seals, and ancient, marbled, and the increasingly rare Kittlitz’ murrelets.
Clipper Odyssey

Day 12: August 5, 2010
Kiska Island
This island was once the site of Japanese troop occupation in WWII. When the Americans arrived they found that the Japanese had all been evacuated under cover of fog; evidence of their existence remains in a 1,200 foot long pier, wooden boardwalk, and a grounded Japanese two-man submarine. History unfolds as we explore the island with our historian and naturalists and note the evidence of Japanese presence amid myriad flowers and plants.

In the afternoon we have the opportunity to view the world’s largest nesting population of least auklets. In our Zodiacs we cruise Sirius Point, a relatively recent headland created from lava flow and a special habitat for these seabirds. We hope to see thousands of auklets and other small alcids as they come and go in their feeding routines.

Day 13: August 6, 2010
Attu Island
Massacre Bay on Attu is a remote outpost on this ruggedly mountainous, westernmost Aleutian island. The site of the only land battle fought on North American soil during WWII, Attu’s evocative heritage reveals rusty Quonset huts, the occasional spent cartridge shell, and other military artifacts attesting to the American occupation of the island after it was retaken from the Japanese in 1943. Today, a nature walk reveals placid fields of vividly hued wildflowers carpeting the now green battlefields: lupines, Alaskan paintbrush, and iris.

On Attu, we have a chance to observe the endemic Aleutian races of rock ptarmigan and song sparrow but the island is legendary among birders for its reputation as a magnet for Asian species such as wood sandpiper and olive-backed pipit which regularly stray across the Bering Strait to make landfall on this lonely outpost.
Clipper Odyssey

Days 14 & 15: August 7-8, 2010
At Sea- Cross International Date Line
Today we spend a relaxing day at sea and lose a day as we cross the International Date Line.
Clipper Odyssey

Day 16: August 9, 2010
Petropavlovsk, Russia
Upon arrival and clearance, we set out for an exploration of Petropavlovsk, one of the oldest towns in the Russian Far East. Vitus Bering arrived in Kamchatka and laid the first foundation stone in 1740 in this huge and well-sheltered harbor. Hospitable local guides bring us to the museum of ethnography and natural history, the gold-domed Orthodox cathedral, and the marketplace.
Clipper Odyssey

Day 17: August 10, 2010
Kronotskiy Biosphere Reserve
In 1934 the Soviet Union set aside this beautiful area as a reserve and since then it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the most pristine parts of the Kamchatka Peninsula and features volcanoes, some of which are still active; hot springs; and geysers. Though not inhabited, it is still used extensively by small numbers of indigenous people.
Clipper Odyssey

Day 18: August 11, 2010
Petropavlovsk- Disembark Clipper Odyssey- USA
Today, for those not continuing on Voyage II, disembark the Clipper Odyssey and transfer to the airport for your independent flights to the USA. Cross the International Date Line, arriving home on the same day.

CLIPPER ODYSSEY

The Clipper Odyssey is a 110-passenger luxury vessel, ideally suited for expedition cruising. She carries a fleet of Zodiacs, which allows us to land anywhere nature or curiosity dictates, and a glass-bottom boat, giving us a topside-look at the undersea world. All cabins have an ocean view, safe, minibar, individually controlled heat/air conditioner, in-room music system, and sitting area with sofa. Passengers can track the progress of their voyage on the Global Positioning System broadcast in each cabin. Beds can be configured for twin or queen-size sleeping arrangements. All cabins have an en suite bathroom with shower. The Clipper Odyssey maintains a gourmet kitchen, providing American and international specialties. Facilities on board the Clipper Odyssey include a dining room, lounge, small library and gym, outdoor pool, massage room, and gift shop. An elevator services all passenger cabin decks. The Clipper Odyssey has an infirmary staffed by a registered physician and a sophisticated telecommunications system permitting Internet access and telephone and fax communication with any location around the world. Ship registry: Bahamas.

Departure Dates

2010 Departure Date:
July 25 to August 11

Prices

2010 Prices:
Category 1: $9,980 per person.
Category 2: $10,880 per person.
Category 3: $11,780 per person.
Category 4: $12,680 per person.
Category 5: $13,580 per person.
Category 6: $14,480 per person.
Suite $17,980 per person.
Single/Cat. 2: $13,680
Single/Cat. 3: $14,780

Limited singles available at the quoted single rates above. Additional singles may be available at 1.7 times the share rate (suite not applicable).

Inclusions:: Accommodations in our hotels and on board Clipper Odyssey as outlined in the itinerary; all onboard meals; all group meals on land; group transfers; services of the expedition staff, including lectures, briefings, slide/film shows; all group activities and excursions; landing and port fees; all gratuities.

Exclusions:All air transportation; excess baggage charges; airport arrival and departure taxes; transfers for independent arrivals and departures; passport and/or visa fees; travel insurance; items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar charges, alcoholic beverages, e-mail/fax/Internet/telephone charges.

Trip Information

PRACTICAL INFORMATION ON BOARD THE CLIPPER ODYSSEY

Accounts Onboard
Upon embarkation, a shipboard account is automatically opened for your convenience. The "chit" system is used for all onboard purchases, including bar charges, gift shop purchases, laundry, medical services, communication, etc. You will sign a chit for each purchase, and the amount will be debited to your shipboard account, which is presented for settlement at the end of the voyage. The U.S. dollar is the currency used on board. Cash, traveler's checks, and Visa, MasterCard, and American Express are accepted for payment of shipboard accounts.

Air Conditioning and Heating
The ship is fully air-conditioned and heated throughout with individual controls in each cabin.

Baggage
Baggage is restricted only per the airlines' regulations (See Baggage Allowance section under General Information). We do recommend that you travel with soft luggage, as this is less bulky to store and storage space aboard the ship is limited. Please ensure that your baggage is clearly labeled with your name and home address and attach yellow Zegrahm Expeditions luggage tags, which will be provided with your final documents packet, to each piece of luggage. Our staff will use these tags for easy identification of group passengers and baggage.

Bar
There will be a bar on board stocked with liquor, beer, and wine. Please check the daily program for hours of bartender service. The ship carries a small, but varied, supply of fine wines and champagnes. Upon request, the service staff will be happy to retain unused portions of bottled wines ordered with your meals for consumption at subsequent seatings.

Bridge Visits
The bridge is available to visit most times throughout the day. However, the bridge will be closed to visitors during maneuvers in port, when anchoring, during periods of inclement weather, and at the captains' discretion.

Cabins and Service.
Cabins are serviced daily by your cabin attendant. If you require additional housekeeping service, please advise the reception desk.

All cabins feature an ocean view, two twin lower beds that can be made into a queen-size bed, sitting area with sofa, bathroom with tub and shower, in-room music system and intercom system for announcements, ample wardrobe space, three-sided mirror, personal safe, minibar and small refrigerator, television, and hair dryer.

Contact Information
There are three computers available for use in the Library, which have an Internet connection, via satellite, and can be used to access the web and personal e-mail accounts online. Personal laptops may also be used to access this service. The Library is the only area of the ship that has a wireless Internet connection. Cards can be purchased at Reception to utilize this service. Facilities for incoming and outgoing phone calls and faxes are also available. You will be charged for all personal communication to and from the ship.

Please be aware that due to our often remote location, all communications are subject to the availability of our satellite connection.

Daily Programs
The daily program is distributed to all cabins and posted in common areas every evening on board. The program announces the cruising schedule, lectures, and shore excursions. Weather conditions may, of course, alter the day's intended program.

Dietary Needs
Special dietary foods can be provided, but we must be notified in writing on the Personal Information Form. The galley is equipped to prepare or serve most special dietary foods except kosher cuisine.

Dining and Meals
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served in the dining room on the A-Deck. A light buffet breakfast and lunch are also served in the Lido Lounge on the Lido Deck, with limited seating available in the adjacent Lido Bar during pleasant weather for passengers wishing to dine outside. Dinner is served only in the dining room on the A-Deck, and all dinners are prepared individually. The dining room accommodates all passengers in one seating. Table service is provided for all evening meals, and all of our meals will be open seating. Coffee, tea, and juice are available 24 hours a day in the Lido Lounge.

Electricity
The electricity on board runs at 110 volts, and outlets take standard, U.S. flat-prong plugs.

Elevator
An elevator services all passenger decks from the A-Deck to the Sun Deck.

Exercise Facilities
A gym is located on the Bridge Deck. Current equipment consists of a universal exercise machine, free weights, elliptical trainer, stationary bikes (one recumbent, one normal), and a treadmill. A 70-meter, dedicated jogging track is located on the uppermost Sun Deck.

Gift Shop
A shop stocked with gift items and toiletries is located adjacent to the Lido Lounge on the Lido Deck. There is a limited range of goods mainly local items, T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, souvenirs, film, and basic toiletries. Hours of operation are posted in the daily program, and purchases will be debited to your shipboard account.

Gratuities
All gratuities for onboard staff and crew are included in the cost of the expedition.

Hair Dryer
Each cabin is equipped with a hair dryer.

Hair Salon
The ship does not offer hair cutting or hair styling services.

Identification Badges
Electronic ID badges with your name and a barcode will be provided for all participants. Upon embarkation, a digital photograph will be taken and matched to your barcode number. This identification badge all you will need to disembark and reboard the ship. When disembarking for landings or Zodiac cruises, your pass must be scanned. Upon return to the ship, your card will be scanned again and your identity verified. Passengers will not be allowed to embark the ship without a badge.

In addition to verifying that all passengers are safely on board before sailing to our next destination, this system assists us in ensuring that no unauthorized individuals board the ship.

Laundry
Basic laundry service is available on board. Please allow 24 hours turn-around time, although laundry picked up in the morning will usually be available the afternoon of the same day. Prices will be posted on board, and charges will be debited to your shipboard account, payable at the end of the voyage.

Lectures
Our onboard staff will present a series of informative lectures during the voyage. We plan to provide a lecture series that will cover all features of our expedition and the surrounding environment. These presentations are an integral part of this expedition and are designed to lend greater depth and understanding to your travel experience.

Library
A library is located on the Main Deck with books and games available for public use.

Mail
The purser handles the mailing of passengers' letters and postcards during the voyage. Postage rates and mailing instructions will be posted at reception. Mail will be sent when the ship is in port. Postage fees will be debited to your shipboard account, payable at the end of the voyage.

Massage
There is a massage therapist onboard offering personalized massages. Hours and prices will be posted onboard.

Medical Services and Special Needs
Facilities may not be available for the physically challenged traveler. If you have special needs, please contact our office directly.

A qualified physician will be on board throughout the voyage. Any applicable fees for services rendered on board will be debited to your shipboard account and presented for settlement at the end of the voyage.

Passengers requiring special medications should bring sufficient quantities to last the duration of the expedition. If you are under regular treatment for any ailment or disease, you should bring a summarized medical history as well. It is essential that persons with any medical problems and related dietary restrictions inform us well before departure so we may brief the ship's staff accordingly.

If you use a hearing aid that might be turned off at night or would otherwise require special assistance in case of an emergency, please advise the reception desk at the time of boarding.

Passports
Passports will be collected upon embarkation and returned at the end of the voyage. Please bring a photocopy of your passport's information page with you to be used for currency exchange and identification on our landings.

Safety at Sea
Safety at sea is of utmost importance aboard this ship. All officers are trained in emergency procedures, and regular drills are held to instruct the crew in their emergency duties. By international law, passengers must participate in a lifeboat drill within 24 hours of sailing. Upon embarkation, all passengers will be requested to locate their life jacket in their cabin and note their lifeboat and muster station. This mandatory lifeboat drill will be scheduled as soon as is convenient for the expedition leader and captain.

Life preservers are mandatory on Zodiac excursions. All passengers must have their life preserver secured properly before leaving the ship to board the Zodiac.

While the ship is your temporary home, it is also a mobile one, and it is essential that you take certain safety precautions. Here are some basic rules:
· Always turn on lights before moving about in a dark cabin.
· Walk, never run, aboard the ship, and be extra careful when walking on wet or icy decks.
· Wear shoes with slip-resistant soles, especially when walking on deck.
· Avoid large, open areas during rough weather, especially outside decks and the bridge. Do not move about unnecessarily.
· During particularly rough weather hold on to handrails in stairways, be very careful in the bathroom, never hold a door by its frame in case the ship's movement causes the door to close on your hand, and secure all baggage in your cabin and any loose items in your bathroom or on shelves, bureaus, or desks.

Shipboard Amenities
Shipboard facilities include a small library, gym, outdoor swimming pool, lounge, infirmary, and gift shop.

Smoking Policy
Smoking is permitted outside on deck in designated areas only. There is a no-smoking policy throughout the interior of the ship. When smoking on outside decks, please do not throw cigarettes over the side of the ship.

Valuables
Please try and leave any nonessential valuables at home. Zegrahm Expeditions is not responsible for the loss or theft of any jewelry, cash, etc. You are encouraged to use the personal safe is provided in each cabin.

Water
The ship's water supply provides potable water, but passengers are asked to practice conservation at all times.

Zodiacs
Zodiacs are the favored means of transportation, and the ship has a fleet that will be used for landings in suitable areas. Their flat-bottom design permits these craft to land directly onto beaches. You can expect, nonetheless, to wade through shallow surf to reach the shore during wet landings.

Zodiacs cruise at an approximate speed of four knots and in windy weather can make for rather splashy rides. We therefore recommend wearing wet-weather gear for Zodiac transfers, and life preservers are absolutely mandatory. You will be given a briefing on the safe use of these boats. Please see the section Proper Use of Zodiacs for further information about procedures during Zodiac landings.