This expert led Antarctic Diving, Wildlife & Marine Life adventure offers a unique opportunity to experience the White Continent above and below water, and explore deeper into Antarctica by crossing the Southern Polar Circle. Antarctica is one of the most remote and least dived locations in the World and experienced dry suit divers can be richly rewarded by diving in this challenging and unique marine environment. Only a proportion of those who have dived in Antarctica have done so beneath Antarctica's Polar Circle - a line which at 66°33'39" South marks the point beneath which in midsummer the sun never drops beneath the horizon.

Our onboard team carries a vast array of experience and knowledge. As with all of our voyages, there will be expert wildlife guides and leaders with a passionate knowledge of human polar history. The team will include Aqua-Firma Marine Scientist, Charlotte Caffrey, and of our dive team, Kelvin Murray, former scientific diving supervisor of the British Antarctic Survey, is likely to be onboard. Kayaking and polar camping require additional guiding expertise and are both options are available on this voyage.

This exploratory voyage will first focus on the best dive sites of the Antarctic Peninsula and its offshore islands.  Geologically, the Peninsula is a mountainous extension of the South American Andes, forming a coastal spine of mountains whose peaks rise 3,000 metres from the ocean. Its coastal mountain scenery is flanked by breathtaking glaciers, deep fjords and ice bergs more than a mile long - an environment that will humble the most seasoned explorer.

The icy oceans of the Peninsula and its many offshore islands are a rich feeding ground for whales including orcas, humpbacks, blue and sperm whales. The Peninsula is also a breeding ground for macaroni, chinstrap and gentoo penguin colonies, inviting great opportunities for their close observation.

Seals can be found in large numbers on the Peninsula, of which the largest seal is the Leopard Seal, which at up to 3.2 metres in length, is one of two top predators in Antarctica. Leopard seal encounters have proven a particular highlight of our previous Antarctic trips. On past expeditions these magnificent creatures were observed for long periods at close quarters whilst both diving and snorkelling. Having the opportunity to witness them ambush and then feed upon their penguin prey underwater is a truly exhilarating and memorable experience. (Click Here to read more about encounters with Leopard seals).

The macro marine life on the Peninsula includes a fascinating array of species you are unlikely to see anywhere else in the World. Giant isopods (10cm) crawl along the seabed like enormous woodlice, 34 armed star-fish in stunning colours hide amongst kelp walls, and shy Antarctic bloodless fish, filled with their own special anti-freeze survive in these waters. This voyage in the late Antarctic summer is timed to take advantage of increasing underwater visibility and receded sea ice which enables access deeper south, across the Southern Polar Circle. This is an area where ice covers marine life for longer each year, so it will be fascinating to see how macro life changes the deeper we go.

Wildlife & Polar History

For both divers and non-divers, this voyage provides a unique opportunity to see and learn more about the entire polar ecosystem and its rich history of exploration. Divers will have the opportunity to participate in zodiac exploration and land excursions after their dives have been completed. Some may also decide to enjoy fully guided land excursions as alternative to the planned days diving. 

This voyage is perfect for divers with non-diving partners who are in search of an equally inspiring experience. Each day, facilitated by our specialist marine scientific staff, all participants will have the opportunity to share experiences, photographs and video footage with the experts and divers who have been exploring below the waterline.  To enhance your understanding, there will be a programme of inspiring evening lectures about the wildlife, ecology, history and conservation of Antarctica.

Photographs kindly provided by Charlotte Caffrey, Linda Ashmore, Keith Hiscock, Göran Ehlme, Franco Banfi and Paul Nicklen

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Dates & Prices 2013

Cabin type (all cabins en suite)	Mar  9th- 20th             2013     (11n / 12 days)
Quad cabin	£4480 / €5190
Triple with port hole	£4890 / €5690
Twin with port hole	£5320 / €6190
Twin with window	£5590 / €6490
Twin deluxe	£5890 / €6890
Superior	£6570 / €7650
Diving supplement	£320 / €350
Kayaking	£280
Camping	£80
Leica Akademie Photo Workshops	£270
Vessel details

A fuel surcharge of £16 / €18 per day will apply unless the price of Brent crude falls below US$80 90 days before the voyage.

Single supplement: Single occupancy price is 1.7 times the per person cabin price. There is no single supplement if you are prepared to share a cabin with another passenger of the same gender.

Included
Voyage as indicated in draft itinerary.
All meals, snacks, coffee and tea.
All shore excursions and zodiac activities.
Diving.
Dive master service.
Diving weights.
Free use of rubber boots.
Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff.
All miscellaneous services taxes and port charges throughout the programme.
Comprehensive pre-departure material.
Carbon offset for your voyage and flights if booked through us.

Excluded
Airfares.
Pre and post land arrangements.
Transfers to and from the vessel.
Cancellation and personal insurance.
Passports and visas.
Arrival and departure tax.
Meals ashore.
Baggage.
Items of a personal nature (alcohol, laundry etc).
Tips.

Day 1 Ushuaia

In the afternoon we will embark in Ushuaia and set sail through the Beagle Channel in the evening.

Day 2

We sail across the Drake Passage. Once we cross the Antarctic Convergence, we arrive in the circum-Antarctic up welling zone. In this area we may meet wandering albatrosses, grey headed albatrosses, black-browed albatrosses, light-mantled sooty albatrosses, cape pigeons, southern fulmars, Wilson's storm petrels, blue petrels and Antarctic petrels.

Day 3

We see our first icebergs close to the South Shetland Islands.

Depending on weather conditions, the captain may decide to sail the narrow English Strait between Robert Island and Greenwich Island. By late evening on the third day, we will then be in sight of Aitcho Island, South of the Shetlands. If the conditions prevent us from maneuvering through the English Strait, we will instead continue sailing South of Livingston. These volcanic islands of the South Shetlands are very much vulnerable to the elements and often shrouded in mist and fog. However, these islands harbour a wonderful variety of flora, including mosses, lichens and flowering grasses. A diverse range of wildlife also inhabit these islands, such as Gentoo Penguins, Chinstrap Penguins and southern Giant Petrels.

Days 4 - 9 Antarctica

Our first day in Antarctica may include a landing at Hannah Point, where we will find a wide variety of wildlife, including Gentoo Penguins, Chinstraps and southern Giant Petrels, as well as Elephant Seals hauling out on the beach.

The next stage of our journey will take us to Deception island, an incredible location where we intend to land. Deception itself is a sub ducted crater, which opens into the sea, creating a natural harbour for the ship. Here we will find hot springs, an abandoned whaling station, thousands of Cape Pigeons and many Dominican Gulls, Brown and South Polar Skuas and Antarctic Terns. Wilson's Storm Petrels and Black-bellied Storm Petrels can often be seen nesting in the ruins of the whaling station in Whalers Bay. Keen walkers may wish to hike from Baily Head over the ridge of the crater into Whalers Bay, while our ship braves its entrance into the crater through the spectacular Neptune's Bellow into the ring of Deception Island.

On our way further South we will sail to Orne Islands, home to large colonies of Chinstrap Penguins. Here we will be treated to beautiful views across the Gerlache Strait and Cuverville Island, a small precipitous island, nestled between the mountains of the Antarctic Peninsula and Danco Island, home to a large colony of Gentoo Penguins and breeding pairs of Brown Skuas. When sailing to Paradise Bay, with its myriad icebergs and deep cut fjords, we will have the opportunity for zodiac cruising and diving between the icebergs in the inner parts of the fjords. Leopard seals idly rest on the bergs in this area waiting for the chance to ambush a passing penguin. Here we will also hope have one of the most spectacular wall dives in the Antarctic. The wall drops down to 75m. Thanks to the nearby Shag colony, there is an abundance of marine life. We will have the unique opportunity to step out on to the Antarctic Continent.

We sail through the spectacular Lemaire Channel to Petermann Island where we can find Adelie Penguins and Blue-eyed Shags. We also try to land at Pleneau Island home to Elephant Seals. In this area there are good chances for encounters with Humpback Whales, Minke Whales and Fin Whales.

We head south along the Argentine Islands to Crystal Sound, south of the Polar Circle. The landscape is very impressive with very high mountains and huge glaciers. At the Fish Islands we land at one of the southernmost Adelie Penguin and Blue-eyed Shag colonies in the Antarctic Peninsula. At Detaille Island, south of the Polar Circle, in Crystal Sound we reach probably our farthest south. Sailing north again through Neumayer Channel and Gerlache Strait, we arrive at the Melchior Islands with a very beautiful landscape with icebergs, where we may encounter Leopard Seals, Crabeater Seals and whales.

Day 10

Weather reports will guide our departure time from Antarctica.

Day 11

Sailing across the Drake Passage where we have again a chance of seeing many seabirds.

Day 12 Ushuaia

We arrive back into Ushauia in the morning and disembark.