After embarkation in the late afternoon, you will cruise down the historic Beagle Channel towards open sea. Stay on deck to keep watch for seabirds, penguins and rainbows.

Sail across the notorious Drake Passage. When you traverse the Antarctic Convergence Zone, where the relatively warm waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet the icy cold waters of the Antarctic, you may meet wandering, grey-headed, black-browed and light-mantled albatrosses, along with cape, Wilson’s storm, blue, and Antarctic petrels, as they fish in the nutrient rich waters.

No two polar expeditions are alike, and on this voyage through the icy Weddell Sea all shore landings and wildlife sightings will be determined by weather and ice conditions, as well as the natural cycles of the wildlife. It is this element of the unknown that makes expedition-style travel so exhilarating and adventurous, as well as unpredictable.

Should conditions be favourable and the route to Snow Hill Island be free of the pack-ice that so often envelopes it, the ship will try to creep close enough for helicopter transfers to take you to a carefully selected landing site. Located on the sea ice, the emperor penguin rookery is situated some distance from Snow Hill Island. Deployed in a rotation of flights, the on-board helicopters will land as close to the penguins as possible, yet at a safe distance (at least 0.75 nautical miles/1.4 km) to protect the birds. You will then step out onto the sea ice to hike closer to the colony (approx 45 minutes hiking). Conditions permitting, the chance to spend time with these regal looking birds and their fluff-ball chicks will be a highlight of your expedition. If it is not possible to reach Snow Hill Island there may be an opportunity to see individual emperor penguins at sea and experience Antarctica from above on a helicopter excursion.

During your time in the Weddell Sea other landing sites may include Devil Island, home to a large colony of Adélie penguins, spectacular Brown Bluff with its steep canyon walls, or the old refuge hut at Duse Bay. Gentoo and chinstrap penguins may also put in an appearance, along with seals and whales.

Crossing the Drake Passage you will again have a chance of seeing many seabirds and to enjoy a series of lectures from the Expedition Team.