in search of the emperor penguins

Expedition Log

Weddell Sea – In Search of the Emperor Penguins

27 November, 2016 – 07 December, 2016

On board the M/V Ortelius

MV Ortelius was named after the Dutch cartographer Abraham Ortelius (1527-1598) who published the first modern world atlas, the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Theatre of the World) in 1570. MV Ortelius was built in 1989 in Gdynia, Poland, as a research vessel for the Russian Academy of Science and was named Marina Svetaeva. In 2011 she was purchased by Oceanwide Expeditions. The vessel was re-flagged and renamed Ortelius. Now the ship is sailing as a 125-passenger vessel. Ortelius is 91 m long, 17,6 m wide and has a maximum draft of 5,80 m, with an Ice Strength rating of UL1/1A, top speed of 13 knots and one diesel engine generating 3200 kW.

Captain Ernesto Barría

and his international crew of 57

including

Hotel Manager – Michael Frauendorfer (Austria)

Chief Steward – Dejan Nikolic (Serbia)

Head Chef – Gabor Kiss (Hungary)

Sous-Chef – Richard Arokiasamy (Malaysia)

Ship’s Physician – Veronique Verhoeven (Belgium)

and

Expedition Leader – Sebastian Arrebola (Argentina)

Assistant Expedition Leader – Christophe Gouraud (France)

Guide & Lecturer – Tobias Brehm (Germany)

Guide & Lecturer – Arjen Drost (The Netherlands)

Guide & Lecturer – Kurtis Oman (Canada)

Guide & Lecturer – Sandra Petrowitz (Germany)

Guide & Lecturer – Cheryl Randall (Great Britain)

Guide & Lecturer – John Yeh (Australia / Taiwan)

welcome you all on board

the Ortelius!

Day 1 – November 27th

Ushuaia

1600 GPS position: 54°48.0’ S / 068°17.9’ W Weather: 13°C, partly cloudy, wind: SW 4

On a pleasant Sunday afternoon in Ushuaia at the end of the world (“Fin del Mundo”), we

were about to embark on a very special journey. At the pier, our new home for the next ten

days was waiting for us: Ortelius, the ship that would take us to Antarctica in search of the

Emperor penguins. Our luggage had already been brought on board, and soon we settled into

our cabins and started to explore our new surroundings.

Once everybody was on board, we

gathered in the lecture room on deck 3

for the first meeting. Third Officer

Warren acquainted us with the safety

features of the vessel, with a few rules to

keep in mind on board a moving ship.

Afterwards, Hotel Manager Michael

introduced us to the Ortelius and her

features, providing very welcome

orientation. Equipped with a lot of new

knowledge, it was time for the

mandatory safety drill. So we gathered in the bar, put on our big orange lifejackets, and went

through a roll call to make sure everybody was there. We got a look at the lifeboats, and by

the time the drill was done, Ortelius was about to leave the pier. Bidding farewell to Ushuaia,

we snapped our first few pictures of the trip as we started sailing into the Beagle Channel and

towards Puerto Williams on the Chilean side to pick up the helicopters which were to play a

vital role in our voyage plans. Black-browed albatrosses were swooping past the ship,

accompanying us on our way.

In the early evening we gathered

again in the bar. Expedition

Leader Sebastian and his team

introduced themselves, and we

had a toast to the success of our

voyage. Before too long it was

dinner time, and we enjoyed the

first of many delicious meals on

board. The timing turned out to

be perfect: just when dinner was

finished, the first of the two

helicopters approached Ortelius,

flying a loop before actually

landing, thus providing a lot of

photo opportunities in beautiful

evening light. Almost all of us

were gathered at the top deck

watching in excitement. It was a

bit windy by now but that did not

stop us from taking photos and

videos, and excitedly discussing

the events. Then the second

helicopter came in, racing the

dark clouds and winning by a few

seconds before the first raindrops landed on our cameras, jackets, and noses. The wind picked

up considerably, so much so that the crew had to postpone the scheduled bunkering of fuel,

and Ortelius even had to leave the Puerto Williams bay. The pilots had made it just in time.

Day 2 – November 28th Puerto Williams & Beagle Channel

0800 GPS position: 54°53.9’ S / 067°44.8’ W Weather: 10°C, partly cloudy, wind: W 8

Upon waking we found ourselves … in front of Puerto Williams, Chile! The wind that had

picked up yesterday evening just after the helicopters landed on board Ortelius did not drop

during the night, postponing our fuel bunkering to the late morning. While bunkering, we

gathered in the lecture room and met our Expedition Leader Sebastian who introduced us to

the IAATO guidelines we would have to follow in Antarctica. In other words, we learned how

to behave around wildlife, and how to cope with the challenging environment. This

interesting briefing was followed by instructions about zodiac operations. Shortly after, we

were called once again to the lecture room to collect our rubber boots. Lunch was very

welcome to refill our energy deposits after this knowledge intake!

After lunch, as Ortelius was sailing the Beagle Channel, we enjoyed the outside decks and the

nice scenery of Tierra del Fuego. We encountered more seabirds, passing by a shag colony,

and we practiced taking photographs of albatrosses as many Black-browed albatrosses were

flying around the ship.

At about 18:30, we left the sheltered waters of the Beagle Channel and officially entered the

mythic Drake Passage. The ship started to roll and it was time (already) to gather in the dining

room for another good meal. Some of us preferred to retire in our cabins, others made their

way to the bar to share polar stories and other travel adventures!

Day 3 – November 29th At Sea towards Antarctica: Drake Passage

0800 GPS position: 57°06.3’ S / 064°48.7’ W Weather: 6°C, overcast, wind: NW 4

It had been an eventful night so the considerably calmer conditions of the morning were very

welcome. We awoke to the same grey weather and an endless carpet of waves but the rolling

of the vessel had eased, and one by one, or two by two, we made our way to the dining room

for breakfast.

Afterwards, Sandra’s talk about Antarctica touched on many interesting aspects of the White

Continent – history, ecology, wildlife, climate, to name a few, and also how Antarctica got its

name. With the movement of the ship easing and some of the outside decks being opened

again, we dared venturing outside for fresh air which still contained a considerable amount

of humidity. After lunch, we gathered in the lecture room for another mandatory briefing.

This time Expedition Leader Sebastian introduced us to the helicopter operations, a very

fascinating topic. Equipped with a whole lot of new information, we soon proceeded to the

next necessary step towards visiting Antarctica: the vacuum-cleaning of our outer garments

in order to prevent the introduction of non-native species. So the big vacuuming party in the

bar started, and we carefully checked and cleaned jackets, pants, gloves, hats and backpacks.

Meanwhile, the sun peeked through the clouds, and after having finished our cleaning duties,

we treated ourselves to some delicious chocolate cake made by our on-board baker, and to

another visit to the outer decks.

Time flew by, and finally we got to meet Captain Ernesto Barría who introduced himself during

our first recap of the voyage. This institution, as we were to learn, was a great way to both

look back and ahead: The Expedition Staff members would give mini-talks about interesting

topics, and Sebastian would introduce us to the plans for tomorrow. This time, Kurtis

acquainted us with the Antarctic Convergence and the worldwide system of ocean currents

being driven by the circumpolar current of Antarctica, and Sandra talked about Abraham

Ortelius, the Flemish cartographer our vessel was named after. Sebastian announced the trial

run for the helicopter operations for tomorrow afternoon, conditions allowing. Exciting plans

indeed!

As the forecast had suggested that the weather

would turn foul again towards the evening, the

galley team had searched for a Drake-proof

alternative to normal plated dinner: pizza! With

the conditions being much better than expected,

we enjoyed the delicious meal even more! Soon

afterwards most of us had climbed into their

bunks and fallen asleep, being gently rocked by

Ortelius’ movements which were virtually non-

existent in comparison to last night.

Day 4 – November 30th At Sea towards Antarctica: Nelson Strait & Bransfield Strait

0800 GPS position: 61°17.0’ S / 060°27.8’ W Weather: 2°C, cloudy, snow; wind: NNW 6

We woke in the Drake Passage to Michael’s dulcet tones calling us down for another delicious

buffet breakfast. Those up and about were treated to views of Fin whales crossing paths with

the ship through the mighty Southern Ocean. The birds were loving the windy conditions, and

on the outer decks we enjoyed

stunning views of many of the

smaller albatross: Light-mantled

Sooty albatross, Black-browed

and Grey-headed. The visibility

reduced and a light snow flurry

enveloped the ship – we could

feel Antarctica getting closer.

Sebastian called us all down to the lecture room for our second mandatory helicopter briefing,

recapping our groups and preparing us to fly in Antarctica. Our youngest expeditioner drew

group Echo as the first to fly, and the bond between group Delta grew immediately!

After another cup of coffee and a bit of fresh air, we met again in the lecture room for Arjen’s

introduction to tubenoses, true seabirds which are very much at home in the windy southern

Atlantic.

After enjoying lunch and some more of Marlon’s freshly baked bread, we finally saw land! We

made our way into the calmer water of Nelson Strait between the South Shetland Islands, and

our helicopter practice run began. The two helicopters were taken out of the hangar and onto

the helideck. Group Echo was called up to the muster station, and all the preparation was put

into practice – adjusting our lifejackets, collecting our ear defenders, dropping off our luggage

and stepping into the helicopters for the first time with palpable excitement!

The weather demonstrated how quickly it can change and with wind gusting and the swell

picking back up, we ended our practice run before safety was compromised. In Antarctica,

flexibility has to be practiced too!

Over dinner and during the evening we continued our journey towards our ultimate

destination: the Weddell sea, across the Bransfield Strait, into Antarctic Sound. It was difficult

to sleep with all the excitement!

Day 5 – December 1st Weddell Sea: Admiralty Sound


Well, well, well … What a day! We were up early to finish the last few groups’ practice runs

with the helicopters and as we did this we sailed further south into the Weddell sea. In the

early morning the light on James Clark Ross Island was sensational, and the distinctive shape

of Cockburn Island was like a beacon drawing us further south through the morning.

Being too windy

for helicopter

operations, we

moved in close to

the fast ice, our

most likely

opportunity to see

Emperor penguins.

Lo and behold we

saw a couple of

lone penguins on

the ice, much

larger than their

Adélie cousins: Emperor! The only thing to do was to lower the zodiac boats and try and get

a closer look. So we did this and went out as a group.

The channel between

Snow Hill and James

Clark Ross Islands is a

funnel for the area’s

tides, producing very

strong currents. The

bridge measured

icebergs traveling at

two nautical miles per

hour! A few of our

boats were unlucky

enough to get trapped

by ice floes, an

experience not often

had these days and in

the footsteps of heroic

adventurers. The rest

of us had a few

precious moments with

a single Emperor

penguin as he casually

tobogganed across the

ice before slipping into

the icy waters not to be

seen again. We went on

to see a single

Crabeater seal,

Weddell seals with their distinctive patches, nonchalant Adélie penguins, acrobatic Snow

petrels, Giant petrels and Skuas. Meanwhile in the ice, a very rare treat, a Snow petrel caught

an icefish just meters away from the zodiacs. With the ship to the rescue, we all went back

on board to have a lovely lunch and warm our cold toes.

Later this afternoon, the weather conditions improved and we were able to fly the

helicopters. A reconnaissance flight over the fast ice revealed not one but five Emperor

penguin colonies, the largest population in recent memory, a good year for the chicks. To our

disappointment, the ice conditions were poor, with water visible through the thin sea ice, and

heavily crevassed over the southern tip of the island, such that landing on the ice to visit the

colonies was impossible, much too dangerous to walk on let alone land a helicopter on.

So we did the next best thing: we took a flight over the Emperor penguin colonies, keeping

our distance of course so as not to disturb them, to get a different perspective on the world

around us. We saw huge icebergs frozen in the expanse of sea ice, with seals hauled out

around their breathing holes and all shades of blue through massive pans of sea ice and ocean.

The odd line of Emperor penguins marching from open water to their colony crossing the

expanse of ice they call home. Finally, an unforgettable sight as the helicopter slipped down

through the air back onto the ship we call home, half stuck in the ice.

There were many smiling faces in a noisy dining room at dinner, the sign of a good day in

Antarctica!

Day 6 – December 2nd Weddell Sea: James Clark Ross Island & Devil Island

0800 GPS position: 64°24.4’ S / 057°22.0’ W Weather: 2°C, cloudy, wind: W 5

In the evening the Captain had brought Ortelius out of Admiralty Sound, the strait between

James Clark Ross Island and Snow Hill Island, so in the morning we had to sail back in. Again

the expedition team was on the bridge to scout for Emperor penguins on the edge of the sea

ice, but this time they had less luck than the day before. However, as the weather conditions

were good – it was not too windy, there was no precipitation, and the clouds were just high

enough – the Captain, Sebastian

and the pilots decided to land the

helicopters on James Clark Ross

Island. Group Kilo was the first to

get ready, unscrew their life-

jackets, put on ear defenders and

head to the muster station. After

a short but exciting helicopter

flight we landed on James Clark

Ross Island.

This island clearly had a volcanic origin, as was confirmed by one of our geologists Kurtis, and

as could be seen by the dark rocks and the very fine sand (or ash) in between. Only a few

patches of snow remained. On land we could take a 20-minute walk towards a viewpoint. At

this point we had a great look over a glacier and the frozen Admiralty Sound, all the way to

Snow Hill Island. Somehow here it looked and felt like we had reached the end of the world.

Close to the viewpoint we found a dead seal, most likely a Leopard seal, completely dried up.

In these places it is very cold and dry, making decomposition very slow, and animals might

get mummified before they decompose. As the two helicopters together could only take nine

people ashore at a time, the first people had to leave before the last ones had arrived. And

then unfortunately the weather changed: snow flurries started to move in, and the wind was

picking up, making helicopter operations dangerous. So the decision was made to abort the

landing, even though not everybody had left the ship. The people on land were all gathered

at the base camp and were taken back to the ship as quickly as possible. Fortunately,

everybody made it back before the helicopters had to stop operations. It was a nice enough

place to land, but we still didn’t want to get stuck for several hours or days …

As it didn’t look like the conditions would change for the better, we started to sail north again,

out of Admiralty Sound. On the way, the hut where members of the Nordenskjöld expedition

had wintered could be barely made out in the fog, and some Antarctic shags, Adélie penguins

and Wilson’s storm petrels were seen.

During a briefing our

Expedition Leader Seba

informed us about the plans

for later today and

tomorrow, and we were

delighted to hear that we

would get the chance to do

another landing quite soon:

During dinner we arrived at

Devil Island, where we

would go ashore. We

landed in between two

large Adélie penguin

colonies. It was really nice to sit down and watch these very pretty black and white penguins

walk around, steal pebbles or incubate their eggs. The ground was surprisingly green for

Antarctica, with things that could be considered plants growing everywhere. Apart from the

many Adélie penguins we also saw several Wilson’s storm petrels fly around; they were

breeding in the scree slopes above the penguin colony. We returned to the ship cruising

around the big icebergs in the bay, nicely lit by the setting sun. Back on the ship the mood

was cheerful after this really special Antarctic day!

Day 7 – December 3rd

Antarctic Peninsula: Brown Bluff & Gourdin Island

0800 GPS position: 63°30.3’ S / 056°52.1’ W Weather: 4°C, clear skies, no wind

The morning started with very nice weather: blue sky, no wind, and sunshine bathing the

area, illuminating the icebergs and glaciers in a magnificent way. Quite a few of us were

outside before breakfast, enjoying the gorgeous views. During the night, Ortelius had sailed

towards Brown Bluff in Antarctic Sound where we planned to do our morning landing. Right

after breakfast, we put on warm clothing, rubber boots and lifejackets for going ashore in the

zodiacs. The approach to the landing site was quite spectacular as we were zig-zagging in

between icebergs, taking in the great scenery with the cliffs of Brown Bluff in the back and

glaciers to each side. Penguins were porpoising and diving underneath us, clearly visible in

the clear waters.

The beach was crowded with Adélie

and Gentoo penguins waiting for their

opportunity to jump into the cold

water. Further inland, we were able to

watch Gentoo penguins on their rocky

nests, protecting their eggs from the

cold and from predators. Some of the

penguins already had their chicks – we

were very lucky to see them so early in the season, especially as the chicks were still tiny,

fluffy and very cute!

Some of us also climbed up a steep talus slope to find some Snow petrels nesting in between

the rocks – a fantastic and rare sight.

In the meantime, the four groups that had not been able to fly the past day embarked the

helicopters for a scenic flight in the area, before coming ashore as well to spend some time

with the penguins.

We were all back on the ship in time for another delicious lunch while Ortelius continued her

journey through the Antarctic Sound, passing by the Argentinian Esperanza Station soon after

we finished our lunch. Near the station the Protector, a British patrol vessel, was anchored.

At around 15:00, we came close to Gourdin Island, the destination for our afternoon activity.

As it turned out, big tabular icebergs were blocking the ship’s anchorage, and shallow areas

prevented us from navigating around them. No problem at all though – we boarded the

zodiacs and headed out on a fantastic cruise past the majestic blocks of ice formed over

thousands of years. The light was absolutely perfect for photography, the sea flat calm. For a

moment, one could forget that we were sailing in Antarctica had it not been for those white

giants floating on the water, and the land covered in snow and ice.

After arriving at Gourdin Island, we were able to watch Adélie, Chinstrap and the occasional

Gentoo penguin climbing up the slopes and hopping across rocks and snow, jumping in and

out of the water and porpoising in and out from open sea. It was a busy place – every corner

opened up a new surprise to us. We navigated through narrow channels and open bays with

Crabeater and Weddell seals basking in the sun on the shoreline. Towards the end of the

cruise, just before heading back to the ship, we decided to quickly stretch our legs on shore,

giving us the opportunity to have a closer look at the penguins.

Unfortunately, everything eventually comes to an end, and so it was time to head back to

Ortelius where the galley team had another yummy dinner ready for us. Afterwards,

Sebastian filled us in on the plans for the coming day which sent most of us straight to bed as

it would be a very (!) early start for our last day in Antarctica …

Day 8 – December 4th South Shetland Islands: Deception Island & Half Moon Island

0800 GPS position: 62°57.6’ S / 060°37.4’ W Weather: 2°C, cloudy, snow, wind: ENE 6

We woke early to Seba announcing our approach to Neptune’s Bellows, the narrow chasm in

the crater rim of the sunken caldera of Deception Island. We gathered on the outer decks and

held our breath as Captain Barría guided us through the eastern side of the 300-metre gap,

with Ravn Rock waiting just below the surface to founder another ship in the middle of the

passage.

After passing the stern of Southern Hunter wrecked on the western beach, we turned to

starboard and made our way into Whalers Bay. After a short zodiac ride, we stepped onto the

volcanic ash beach and breathed in the beautiful smell of sulphur indicating the island’s

ongoing geothermal activity.

From the rusting dry dock where we landed, we had time to wander through the remains of

the Norwegian whaling station which operated on shore from 1911 to 1931. During that time,

whales were harpooned at sea, floated alongside ships into Whalers Bay, winched up the

slipway and flensed. We walked around the pressure cookers in which the bones, meat and

entrails were boiled to extract as much oil as possible, with waste bones crushed down for

fertilizer. The sheer scale of the oil tanks added to the eerie silence of the old whaling station,

a sobering reminder of such a destructive era of exploitation.

The hangar beyond the whaling station was a reminder of the feat of the Australian Sir Hubert

Wilkins, making history in Deception Island by becoming the first person to fly an aeroplane

in Antarctica in 1928.

We walked around the buildings from the British Base B, established in 1943 as part of

Operation Tabarin, conducting scientific research and reinforcing British territorial claims in

Antarctica. The base was damaged beyond repair in the mudflows resulting from the volcanic

eruption of February 1969, and the buildings are a fascinating insight into that devastating

force of nature.

Many of us walked along the shoreline past a couple of Gentoo and Chinstrap penguins and

the old water boats and enjoyed stretching our legs on the way up to Neptune’s Window with

its steep precipice into the ocean below.

Back on board we enjoyed a well-deserved breakfast as the ship made its way into the back

of the caldera, into Telefon Bay and Pendulum Cove. The weather conditions were steadily

worsening and zodiac operations were not possible. Sebastian once again arranged plan B,

and as we began our turn back towards the Bellows, a Humpback whale was spotted close to

the ship, a great sign of nature rebalancing.

Outside Deception, we made our

way along the south coast of the

beautiful, heavily glaciated

Livingston Island and towards Half

Moon Island. We came ashore to

find an Elephant seal lounging

close to the water boat near the

landing site, and enjoyed the

raucous chatter of Chinstrap

penguins up on their rocky nests.

We watched as they waddled

through the snow, to and from their incubation duties. We also watched as two human

penguins decided to strip off and get wet. It didn’t last long before they were bundled back

up and off to the ship, squawking as noisily and happily as ever!

We had just begun our passage from Half Moon Island when a number of Humpback whales

were spotted from the bridge. Soon enough, we were surrounded by them and everyone had

great views of these magnificent creatures moving so gracefully through the water. After a

spectacular show, it was finally time to bid farewell to Antarctica and make our way out of

McFarlane Strait. We could feel the beginnings of the Drake Passage through the daily recap

in the bar, but luckily it stayed calm all through dinner, even with a little time to spare in the

bar!

Day 9 – December 5th At Sea towards Ushuaia: Drake Passage

0800 GPS position: 59°50.7’ S / 062°37.5’ W Weather: 2°C, fog, wind: NW 5

The Drake Passage, named after Sir Francis Drake who, blown off course in a storm in the 16th

century after coming through the Straits of Magellan, concluded that a connection between

the Atlantic and Pacific oceans must exist. The first passage through the strait was made by

Dutch Captain Willem Schouten onboard the Eendracht in the early 17th century, naming Cape

Horn during this voyage for his hometown of Hoorn.

For us in the 21st century, the passage remains one of the

most notorious stretches of oceans anywhere in the world,

with the lack of any significant land mass around the

Southern Ocean at this latitude meaning that storms have

an infinite fetch to gather strength. Fortunately for us the

worst storms happen in winter time and our crossing so far

had been anything but rough. A gentle rocking

accompanied us all day as we reflected on the experiences

we had had, sifted through our hundreds of pictures,

caught a talk or two in the lecture room from Christophe

about penguins, Kurtis about glaciers, icebergs and sea ice,

or Sebastian with Nordenskjöld but otherwise watched the

waves drift past as the ship glided through the fog.

Day 10 – December 6th At Sea towards Ushuaia: Cape Horn & Beagle Channel


The forecast had been not too promising but stunningly enough, after a rather calm night we

woke up to great sunshine and a superb view of Cape Horn. With the permission of the

Chilean authorities, our Captain brought Ortelius as close as 3 nautical miles from the mythic

cape. With some more photographs on our memory cards, we gathered in the dining room

for a good breakfast (and soon dashed out again for even more photos). At 10:30, it was time

for some more information intake – this time Cheryl gave us more information on some of

the to the marine mammals we have seen on our journey.

After lunch Michael and Dejan called us

by deck to come to reception and settle

our ship’s accounts. This was also the

time to hand in our rubber boots and

return the lifejackets. Soon afterwards

we heard Seba’s announcement that the

helicopters would be departing soon.

We quickly grabbed our jackets and

cameras and gathered on the top deck

to watch the helicopters take off and

circle the ship for a last goodbye – again just in time before the wind picked up and rain clouds

moved in.

Most of us returned to the bar to share photos and stories with our fellow passengers while

some others took a very welcome nap, being rocked gently by the amazingly peaceful seas off

the southern tip of South America.

At 17:45 we all gathered again in the bar. Sebastian explained about the disembarkation

tomorrow, but then the main focus of interest was Arjen’s slide show of the trip. He had been

putting together photos and videos into a fascinating compilation. All the moments and

memories kept coming back, and we thoroughly enjoyed the great work of the photographers

and videographers. We then welcomed Captain Ernesto Barría for his farewell speech and

clinked glasses to our successful voyage before it was time for the last dinner on board – a

BBQ buffet! While Ortelius made her way towards the coast and into Beagle Channel, we

celebrated our last evening on board in style.

Day 11 – December 7th Ushuaia

0800 GPS position: 54°48.6’ S / 068°18.0’ W

The last morning! What need we say more … After our final breakfast on board Ortelius, we

bid farewell to the ship and her crew, to the Expedition Team and the Hotel Team, and finally

also to our newly-found friends. Then we stepped down the gangway one more time, our

luggage already waiting for us on the pier. One last photo, and another one, and one more,

adding to our treasure vault of moments to be remembered, relived, and cherished.

Antarctica had gotten hold on us, and by the time we were disembarking, quite a few of us

had already made plans to return to the magnificent White Continent …

Total distance sailed on this voyage:

1.712 nautical miles / 3.170 kilometers

On behalf of Oceanwide Expeditions,

Captain Ernesto Barría and the Officers,

all Crew, Expedition Team and Hotel Team,

it has been a pleasure travelling with you!

Have a safe return to home – we hope

to welcome you on board again soon.

www.oceanwide-expeditions.com

http://www.oceanwide-expeditions.com/

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Gentoo Penguin Pygoscelis papua x x x

Adélie Penguin Pygoscelis adeliae x x x

Chinstrap Penguin Pygoscelis antarctica x x x

Emperor Penguin Aptenodytes forsteri x x

Southern Royal Albatross Diomedea epomophora x

Light-mantled Albatross Phoebetria palpebrata x x

Grey-headed Albatross Diomedea chrysostoma x

Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris x x x x x x

Southern Giant Petrel Macronecets giganteus x x x x x x x x x x

Northern Giant Petrel Macronecets hallii

Southern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialoides x x

Cape Petrel Daption capense x x x x x x

Blue Petrel Halobaena caerulea x

Snow Petrel Pagodroma nivea x x

Antarctic Petrel Thalassoica antarctica x

Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus x x

White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis x x

Wilson’s Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus x x x x x x

Black-bellied Storm-petrel Fregatta tropica x

South Polar Skua Catharacta maccormicki x

Chilean Skua Catharacta chilensis x

Brown Skua Catharacta antarctica x x x x

Antarctic Shag Phalacrocorax bransfieldensis x x

King Shag Phalacrocorax albiventer x x x

Dolphin Gull Larus scoresbii x

Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus x x x x x x

Antarctic Tern Sterna vittata x x x x

South American Tern Sterna hirundinacea x x

Snowy Sheathbill Chionis alba x x

Crabeater Seal Lobodon carcinophagus x x

Weddell Seal Leptonychotes weddellii x x x

Leopard Seal Hydrurga leptonyx x

Southern Elephant Seal Mirounga leonina x

Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae x x

Fin Whale Balaenoptera physalus x

Dusky Dolphin Lagenorhynchus obscurus x

Dolphins

Gulls and Terns

Sheathbills

Seals

Baleen Whales - Rorquals

MAMMALS MAMMALIA

Skuas

Shags

Wildlife List – Weddell Sea - In search for the Emperor Penguin

aboard M/V ORTELIUS / November 27 - December 7, 2016

Penguins

Albatrosses

Petrels

Storm Petrels

A

CD

E

F

G

- Weddell Sea -In Search of Emperor Penguins

with

Oceanwide ExpeditionsNovember 27 – December 7, 2016

December 1 • Admiralty SoundA – Zodiac cruise at the fast ice edge

Scenic helicopter flight over emperor penguincolonies and Snow Hill Island

December 2 • Admiralty Sound, Erebus and Terror GulfB – Helicopter landing on James Clark Ross IslandC – Zodiac landing on Devil IslandDecember 3 • Antarctic SoundD – Continental landing at Brown BluffE – Zodiac cruise and landing at Gourdin IslandDecember 4 • South Shetland IslandsF – Zodiac landing at Whalers Bay, Deception IslandG – Zodiac landing on Half Moon Island

B

Emperor PenguinColonies

Helicopter Landing on James Clark Ross Island

Fast Ice

Sebastian Arrebola – Expedition Leader

Sebastian was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he

earned a degree in Tourism. He took a one-year mountain

guide training course, climbing in different parts of

Argentina such as Mendoza, Bariloche, and Tierra del

Fuego.

Sebastian was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he

earned a degree in Tourism. He took a one-year mountain

guide training course, climbing and hiking in different parts

of Argentina. In 2000, he moved to Ushuaia, Argentina,

where he became a tour guide in Tierra del Fuego.

Concurrently, he worked on several vessels visiting sea

mammals and birds colonies at the southernmost tip of

South America. He sailed to many places, including the Mediterranean Sea, the Canadian

Arctic, Svalbard, Antarctica, Argentina, Chile, and around the mystic Cape Horn. In 2002, he

moved to England for almost two years, where he took several courses accredited by the Royal

Yachting Association.

Sebastian has specialised in polar tourism and natural history. His first trip to Antarctica was on

board a 36 ft (12 m) sailing boat, during this one-month voyage he developed skills on ice-

navigation, and familiarised himself with the Antarctic Environment. He has led several

expeditions to Antarctica on board different vessels, lecturing on Geography, Ice, and Antarctic

History. Since 2008, he extended his polar experience to the Arctic, sailing in the Canadian

Arctic, part of the Northwest Passage and Svalbard.

As a lecturer on Antarctic topics, he has been invited to the annual meeting of the International

Superyacht Society, in Fort Lauderdale, Unites States, and to the Antarctic week organized

annually in the city of Ushuaia, Argentina.

He has written several articles related to Antarctica in different magazines and publication, like

The Great Southern Route, Superyacht Times, and Boat International among others.

Sebastian is co-founder and president of FUNDACIÓN PARA LA CONSERVACIÓN DEL

PATRIMONIO ANTÁRTICO, an NGO devoted to the conservation of the Antarctic Heritage.

He is also co-author of “ANTARCTICA, DISCOVERING THE LAST CONTINENT”.

Sebastian speaks English and Spanish.

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Christophe Gouraud – Assistant Expedition Leader Christophe was born in France in 1978 and has been passionate about birds since h e w a s a c h i l d . A f t e r spending f i ve years in Canada studying ecology, Christophe went to Alaska. H e l i v e d o n t h e t i n y M idd le ton I s l and a s a research assistant to study the ecology of seabirds,

mainly the Black-legged Kittiwake. He explores Polar Regions since 2007 and joined many cruises in Svalbard, Greenland, Canadian Arctic, Russian Far East, Antarctica, the Falklands and South Georgia.

In 2009, he joined the International Fund for Houbara Conservation and worked as a biologist field worker in Morocco, United Arab Emirates and Kazakhstan, on the Houbara Bustard.

In the footsteps of Buffon, Cuvier and Temminck, Christophe inventories collections of birds that have been collected during the 18 and 19th centuries. He is the scientific referant of the Baillon collection (La Châtre, France) and the Caire-Chabrand collection (Barcelonnette, France).

Tobias Brehm – Guide & Lecturer

Tobias spends as much time as possible out in nature to observe and learn from and about Earth and Nature. He likes to share this passion with interested people and has facilities to explain these fascinating mechanisms and phenomena. With a B.Sc. in Geosciences and a M.Sc. in Economic Geology, Tobias’ experience mainly originates from his work as an exploration geologist within the mining and metals industry. He has worked on projects in Australia, Iceland, Greenland and all across Canada with a focus on remote, helicopter-based fieldwork within the Yukon Territory and northern British Columbia; in areas that not many people have a chance to see and enjoy. When telling about his work and experiences, Tobias realized numerous times that there are many misconceptions in regards to geology and that geologists are generally not trying well enough to reach out to the ‘general public’. In addition, many people seem to be ‘disconnected’ from nature in some ways. This led him to join the Oceanwide Expeditions team in 2014 to share his love and knowledge about Earth and Nature, especially of Polar Regions,

with others. Throughout his geological career, Tobias has travelled all across the world experiencing many different cultures and environments. He has been to Alaska and the “Lower 48” (i.e. Yellowstone National Park), to nearly all of Canada, Australia & Tasmania, Peru, Iceland, to nearly all of Europe and to desert countries like the Sultanate of Oman. However, he feels most comfortable in rugged, mountainous terrain of Polar Regions. At home, he spends his time climbing mountains and exploring the mystical spheres of caves or abandoned mines. DEUTSCH: Tobias verbringt möglichst viel Zeit in der Natur, um die Erde und Natur zu beobachten, von ihnen und etwas über sie zu lernen. Er möchte diese Begeisterung gerne mit anderen teilen und ihnen diese faszinierenden Mechanismen und Phänomene näher bringen. Durch seinen B.Sc.-Abschluss in den Geowissenschaften und M.Sc.-Abschluss in der Rohstoffgeologie hat Tobias seine Erfahrung hauptsächlich aus seiner Arbeit als Explorationsgeologe in der Bergbau- und Rohstoffindustrie. Er hat an Projekten in Australian, Island, Grönland und ganz Kanada mitgearbeitet. Bei seiner Tätigkeit in Kanada lag der Fokus hauptsächlich auf hubschraubergestützter Geländearbeit in entlegenen Gegenden des Yukons und im nördlichen Teil British Columbias. Nicht viele Menschen bekommen die Gelegenheit, diese zu sehen und zu genießen. Wenn er von seiner Arbeit und seinen Erfahrungen erzählt, hat Tobias schon zahlreiche Male feststellen müssen, dass es viele Missverständnisse in Bezug auf die Geologie gibt und dass Geologen in der Regel nicht gut genug versuchen, die ‚normale Bevölkerung’ zu erreichen. Zudem scheint es, als wären viele Menschen in gewisser Weise von der Natur ‚distanziert’. Dies führte ihn 2014 zum Oceanwide Expeditions Team, wo er seine Liebe zur und sein Wissen über die Erde und die Natur, vor allem in den Polargebieten, mit anderen teilen kann. Während seiner geologischen Karriere ist Tobias durch die ganze Welt gereist und konnte zahlreiche verschiedene Kulturen und Gebiete kennen lernen. Er war schon in Alaska und in den „Lower 48“ (z.B. Yellowstone Nationalpark), in fast ganz Kanada, Australien & Tasmanien, Peru, Island, in nahezu ganz Europa und dem Sultanat Oman in der Wüste. Am wohlsten fühlt er sich jedoch in den schroffen Gebirgslandschaften der Polarregionen. Wenn er zu Hause ist, klettert er auf Berge und erkundet die mystischen Sphären von Höhlen oder aufgelassenen Bergwerken.

Arjen Drost – Guide, lecturer

When Arjen arrived in Spitsbergen for the first time in 1999 as a biology student, he fell in love with

the Arctic. After three summers of research on Barnacle Geese in Ny Ålesund, Spitsbergen he started

guiding in small expedition cruise ships for Oceanwide Expeditions. Here he loves to share his

passion for the Polar Regions with others.

Arjen was born in the Netherlands and soon started watching birds. Many hours were spent finding

and watching birds in the local neighbourhood and enjoying nature. His choice to start studying

biology came to no surprise for anybody. During this study he specialized in ecology, especially the

interaction between herbivores and plants.

For 10 years Arjen has combined guiding in the Arctic with a full time teacher job at a secondary

school in the Netherlands, where he taught biology. Now he has quit his job as a teacher to be a full

time expedition guide for Oceanwide Expeditions which allows him to combine guiding in the Arctic

with that other cold and white place: Antarctica.

In his spare time Arjen is a keen nature and wildlife photographer, giving photo workshops and

lectures and is co-author of several Dutch books on nature photography.

Arjen speaks English, Dutch and German.

Kurtis Oman – Guide, geologist

Hi there, I am excited to be one of your guides onboard! I am from a small town

outside of Ottawa, Canada. Most of my time growing up was spent paddling and

hiking on the lakes, rivers and forests of beautiful shield country in Ontario. I

have been working in the outdoor tourism industry as a guide for over a decade,

spending my summers in the Canadian arctic and sub-arctic leading multi-week

canoe and sea kayak expeditions and my winters here, in the south playing

around the ice. As well as being a guide and adventurer I have training as a

geologist, I have a passion for rocks and landscapes with particular interests in

earth systems and mineralogy. I am happy to talk and share some knowledge

over a cup of tea or glass of whiskey in the lounge, not only on geology but on

all things natural science. Above all, my biggest passion is living and playing in

the outdoors and sharing those experiences with you.

Sandra Petrowitz – Guide & Lecturer

From early on, Sandra has been a dedicated naturalist, traveler and photographer. Fueled by curiosity and a deep passion for being out and about, her extensive journeys have led her (and her camera) across the globe. When visiting the polar regions for the first time she immediately fell for the high latitudes’ nature and light. So besides stories and photos, she brought home the polar bug, and has been returning frequently to the Arctic and Antarctica ever since. Holding a degree in journalism, Sandra has a background in working as an editor, free-lance journalist and writer. An avid photographer, she has a wide interest in all kinds of nature and wildlife observations. Sandra frequently leads specialized photo trips to the polar regions but also to places like Botswana and Jordan, and has published two books on travel photography.

Cheryl Randall – Guide & Lecturer

An Oxford law graduate, Cheryl worked

as a corporate lawyer at a leading London

law firm for four years, before leaving

England in pursuit of a more active,

outdoor lifestyle. She then spent sixteen

months driving around Australia in a

Toyota Landcruiser; the perfect segway

for a change of career on life’s magical

journey!

Cheryl decided to turn her passion for

adventure to a career at sea. As a

professional sailor, Cheryl sailed over

20,000nm on some of the world’s most beautiful superyachts, seeking her endless

summer in the Mediterranean and Caribbean, traversing the huge locks of the

Panama Canal en route to the blissful isolation of a Pacific crossing. Cheryl loves

all watersports; her ultimate diving highlight as a Rescue Diver has been swimming

with hammerhead sharks off the Costa Rican Cocos Islands.

Always captivated by Antarctica’s rich history, ancient landscapes and abundant

wildlife, Cheryl has now crossed the Drake Passage sixty times to reach the great

white south. Cheryl’s search for sunlight takes her to the Arctic in the boreal

summers, whether guiding intimate groups across the vast Canadian wilderness

by canoe or sea-kayak or enjoying wildlife interactions in Svalbard, Norway.

Fantastic Arctic wildlife experiences include wolves strolling in to camp, sea-

kayaking with narwhal, and having a polar bear lick the bow of the ship whilst in

the pack ice! In 2014, Cheryl was privileged to be part of the Victoria Strait

Expedition which located Sir John Franklin’s HMS Erebus (last seen in 1845), in

the Canadian Arctic, earning the Erebus Medal recognising her contribution to the

discovery.

Always looking for new ways to view the world, Cheryl holds her Private Pilots

Licence and this summer gained her float plane rating, flying amongst the stunning

30,000 Islands of Georgian Bay, Ontario.

An avid explorer, Cheryl most recently travelled through the colours, smells and

sounds of Rajasthan, India, after having fulfilled her lifelong dream of crossing

Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Among her solo travels, Cheryl includes as

highlights hiking up Kota Kinabalu in magical Borneo, ballooning over the

Serengeti at dawn and being lucky enough to meet Lonesome George in the

Galapagos Islands.

John Yeh - Guide & lecturer

I was born on 1958 in Taiwan and lives in Sydney, Australia since 1991. I joined “Chinese Boy Scouts” from Junior High to college. During in Boy Scouts those years I learned a lot from the team work, camping skill, tracking skill, wildlife, plants etc. I was in the army service for 2 year as a Lieutenant. I have taken up orienteering in Gobi desert, China twice on 2013. I really enjoy traveling and outdoor challenging.

I had EE bachelor degree and was R/D engineer for 7 years before work as a regional Sales manager in South Europe and GM for Australia/New Zealand. I have traveled 27 countries and covered 6 continentals during my working carrier. I changed my working carrier into tourism industry since 2013 and work as “Senior International Business Consultant” & “Expedition Guide”. I have been to Antarctica 7 times and twice for Arctic till Dec/2015 and really enjoy dealing with people.

Due to more Chinese travelers visiting Antarctica & Arctic as me work as a expedition guide I can deliver more conservation education to those travelers. Hope our future generation can see the last piece of wild land in the earth. This is my passion and willing to do more in the near future. 我于1958年出在台湾, 1991 年移居澳洲雪梨. 初中到专校我参加”中国童⼦军”, 在这期间我学会了团队合作的重要性, 露营技巧, 野外求⽣及追踪技巧,野⽣动植物的辨识及应⽤. 服过两年兵役, 任职少尉分队长. 2013 参与两项⼽壁徒步赛事及⾼中拓展训练. 我喜爱旅⾏及户外挑战运动. 我已取得电机⼯程学⼠学位, 有7年电⼦线路研发经历, 也担任过南欧区域业务经理及澳洲/新西兰公司总经理. 在这些年⼯作期间⾛访过27各国家及6⼤洲. 2013转换职场到旅⾏业, 担任公司资深国际业务顾问及荷兰南北极探险旅⾏探险队员.截⾄ 2015年12⽉, 已去过南极7次, 北极2次, 享受跟旅客对话及互动的过程. 鉴于南北极旅⾏中国旅客数量逐年增加, 做为探险队员可以有很好的机会传递⽣态保育教育, 好让我们后代⼦孙可以欣赏到地球上最后⼀⽚野⽣净⼟. 这是我热衷的事, 希望未来能做得更多.

Veronique Verhoeven – Doctor

No one wants to get sick on the ship!!

….but if you do, you are in the good hands of ship’s doctor Veronique.

When she was nine years old, her grandma gave her for Christmas a book on Christopher Columbus,

which fascinated her so much that she decided she wanted to become an explorer too.

For years she fell asleep at night dreaming of future great adventures.

However, soon she found out that many of these explorers die young, poor and miserable, and she

decided to change career.

That is how she ended up being an emergency doctor and a Professor in general practice at the

University of Antwerp, Belgium.

Her first experience in the polar regions was a trekking expedition with scientists in Svalbard in 2005,

where she acted, besides as the doctor, also as a cook and a watch keeper for polar bears at night.

Since this wonderful experience, she has returned to the Arctic and the Antarctic every year, with

Oceanwide Expeditions.

Among her hobbies are whitewater kayaking, kitesurfing and playing the oboe in an orchestra.

Write a Blog, Win a Trip!Fancy yourself as a travel writer? Enter our annual travel writing competition for your chance to win a free cruise to Antarctica in March 2017!

Write about your experience!

What was it like to camp out under the Auroras? Was it scary when you encountered a polar bear? Was this your first cruise and were you nervous about crossing open waters?

After all, how your expedition made you feel is what you’re going to carry with you for the rest of your life. If you share your experience you just might win yourself a cruise to Antarctica in March 2017!

Here’s what you need to do:

Write a post (600 – 1200 words) in Dutch, English, or German about what excited you the most on your Oceanwide Expeditions cruise. The topic is entirely up to you.

Get it seen! You can either get it posted online yourself (for example, as a post on your own blog) OR send it to us so we can post it for you on our blog.

Create a hyperlink or two inside of your post that links back to the particular trip you took as found on our website. The link could connect to the ship’s page, the trip itinerary, the particular destination’s page, or perhaps a page related to one of the activities you enjoyed.

Add 1 to 3 pictures (they should be 1 MB minimum in size, in landscape format and attached separately when you decide to send your entry to us).

Send it in! You can either send your post to us at [email protected] OR send us the URL (the web address) if you posted the blog somewhere else. Either way, make sure you include your full name, e-mail address and phone number.

Read the full terms and conditions on oceanwide-expeditions.com/page/contest-terms

ENTRIES CLOSEDECEMBER 31

COMPETITIONTRAVEL WRITING

2016

PRIZES

Our lucky winners will be contacted by e-mail and Facebook by January 15, 2017 and will receive the award

in March 2017.

A cruise to Antarctica valued at over €6000

A €250 voucher good for Oceanwide Expeditions!


2x

7x

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

CONTESTPHOTOGRAPHY

2016

Picture Yourself Winning a Free Cruise!Everyone knows a picture is worth a thousand words, but did you know that your photos might now also be worth a chance to win a free cruise to Antarctica valued at over $6000 in March 2017!

Share your experience!

Did you catch a rare seabird on the wing? Do you have a panorama of the Northern Lights filling the sky? Did you get up close and personal with a penguin? Did you capture a look of awe or wonder on a fellow passenger’s face?

If you’ve been a passenger on any one of our past voyages we want to see your pictures.

You’re free to send in as many pictures as you wish. The best pictures are the ones that capture what it’s like to take one of our special expeditions to the remote and beautiful ends of the Earth.

Read the terms and conditions of the contest on www.oceanwide-expeditions.com/page/contest-terms

UPLOAD YOUR PHOTO ATWWW.OCEANWIDE-EXPEDITIONS.COM/FANTASTIC-PHOTO/CREATE

The size of your photo should be between 1MB and 8MB. Entries close at December 31, 2016

PRIZES

A cruise to Antarctica valued at over €6000



2x

7x

Captain Ernesto Barría, his International Crew of 57

including

Hotel Manager –Michael Frauendorfer (Austria)

Chief Steward – Dejan Nikolic (Serbia) Head Chef – Gabor Kiss (Hungary)

Sous-Chef – Richard Arokiasamy (Malaysia) Ship’s Physician – Veronique Verhoeven (Belgium)

and

Expedition Leader – Sebastian Arrebola (Argentina) Assistant Expedition Leader – Christophe Gouraud (France)

Guide & Lecturer – Tobias Brehm (Germany) Guide & Lecturer – Arjen Drost (The Netherlands)

Guide & Lecturer – Kurtis Oman (Canada) Guide & Lecturer – Sandra Petrowitz (Germany) Guide & Lecturer – Cheryl Randall (Great Britain)

Guide & Lecturer – John Yeh (Australia / China-Taiwan)

Welcome you all on board the Ortelius!

Sunday 27 November, 2016

Welcome on board!

Ushuaia, Argentina 14.00 Boarding. Once you are on board, please do not leave the ship

anymore! We will move your luggage from the pier to your cabin. App. 15.00 Please meet in the lecture room (Deck 3) for a mandatory

briefing on safety on board and lifeboat procedures. Your hotel manager Michael Frauendorfer will also tell you all about life on board your new home!

App. 16.00 Departure from Ushuaia. App. 18.15 Welcome cocktail! Please join Captain Ernesto Barría, Expedition

Leader Sebastian Arrebola and his team in the bar for a toast to our forthcoming Antarctic adventures!

App. 19.00 Welcome dinner is served in the Dining Room (deck 4, both

sides by reception) – enjoy your meal! This evening we will sail in the open sea. If you are likely to become seasick, please take your medication straight after dinner! Be aware of the potential risks of a moving vessel:

• Hold on to the handrails – one hand for the ship, one for yourself. • Be aware of slamming doors – never hold on to doorframes. • Keep the portholes closed. Do not store any items under the portholes, as some

drops of seawater may seep through. • Store your breakable valuables away safely, preferably into the drawers. And

make sure your cupboards and drawers are tightly closed.

• The outside decks and stairs can be very slippery if raining. • Be careful with hot liquids

Monday 28 November, 2016

07.45 Wake-up call. 08.00 Breakfast time! Breakfast is a buffet, available for one hour in the

dining room on deck 4. 10.00 Sandra invites you to an introduction to the White Continent

in the lecture room, deck 3. 11.30 Rubber boots and lifejackets hand out. Please stand-by for

announcements! We will call you to the lecture room by deck number.

12.30 Lunch is served in the dining room. 14.00 Join Sebastian for a mandatory briefing on zodiac operations and

International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) briefing. Sebastian will describe the procedures that we will use ashore to keep everyone safe, to minimize our impact and to protect the wildlife we are hoping to enjoy. Everyone must attend this briefing.

15.00 Vacuum Time! Please come to the bar to vacuum camera bags,

backpacks, pockets and velcro of pants and outer jackets that you plan to take ashore. We’ll call you deck-by-deck to avoid queues. Staff will be here to help you.

19.00 Dinner is served in the Dining Room. Bon appetit! A reminder for your bridge visits:

• Please do not take food and drinks on to the bridge. • Refrain from touching anything.

Tuesday 29 November, 2016


dining room on deck 4. 10.00 Sandra invites you to an introduction to the White Continent

in the lecture room, deck 3. 12.30 Lunch is served in the dining room. 14.00 Please join Sebastian in the lecture room on deck 3 for a

mandatory briefing on helicopter operations. 15.00 Vacuum Time! Please come to the bar to vacuum camera bags,

backpacks, pockets and velcro of pants and outer jackets that you plan to take ashore. We’ll call you deck-by-deck to avoid queues. Staff will be here to help you.

18.30 Recap of the day. Join your expedition team in the bar! 19.00 Dinner is served in the Dining Room. Bon appetit! A reminder for your bridge visits:


Wednesday 30 November, 2016


dining room on deck 4. 10.00 Please join Sebastian in the lecture room on deck 3 for a

mandatory briefing on helicopter operations. 11.15 Arjen invites you to an introduction to the tubenoses in the

lecture room, deck 3. 12.30 Lunch is served in the dining room. TBA Weather dependant, we might start with our practice run of the

helicopter operations! We will start calling you by groups (starting with the first group drawn) to the muster station. Please stand-by for announcements.

19.00 Dinner is served in the Dining Room. Bon appetit! A reminder for your bridge visits:


Thursday 1 December, 2016

05.35 Approx. Wake-up call for Group Kilo. 06.00 Approx. We will start with the practice run for the rest of the

groups. 07.30 Breakfast time! Breakfast is a buffet, available for one hour in the

dining room on deck 4. Activities today will be highly dependent on weather conditions. Please

stand by announcements regarding the plan for the day. 12.30 Lunch is served in the dining room. Activities today will be highly dependent on weather conditions. Please

stand by announcements regarding the plan for the day.

19.30 Dinner is served in the Dining Room. Bon appetit!

Saturday 3 December, 2016

06.30 Wake-up call. 07.00 Breakfast 08.30 We would like to land you at Brown Bluff on the Antarctic

Continent! This is the home of many Adélie and Gentoo penguins.

12.30 Lunch is served in the dining room. 15.00 We hope to offer you a landing at Gourdin Island. This tiny island

is the home of many Adélie, Gentoo penguins and their cousins the Chinstrap penguins.

19.00 Join your expedition team for your daily recap in the bar! 19.30 Dinner is served in the Dining Room. Bon appetit!

Sunday 4 December, 2016

04.30 Wake-up call. 04.40 We enter the caldera of Deception Island through the narrow

Neptunes’s Bellow. 05.00 Pastries and juice are available in the bar. 05.30 Landing at Whalers Bay. 08.00 Breakfast. 9.30 Landing at Telefon Bay. 12.30 Lunch is served in the dining room. 18.30 Join your expedition team for your daily recap in the bar! 19.00 Dinner is served in the Dining Room. Bon appetit!

Monday 5 December, 2016

The Drake Passage!

Locations for lectures may change depending on sea conditions. As ever, it will be worthwhile keeping a good lookout outside for birds and mammals sharing our journey across the Southern Ocean. 08.00 Wake up call and breakfast buffet will be announced 10.30 Christophe invites you to an introduction to the penguin

ecology in the lecture room, deck 3. 12.30 Lunch buffet is served in the dining room 15.00 Kurtis invites you to a cool lecture: Glaciers, Icebergs and Sea

Ice in the lecture room, deck 3. 16.30 Join Sebastian for a talk about the Swedish Antarctic

Expedition in the lecture room, deck 3. 18.30 Daily recap in the bar 19.00 Another delicious dinner is served!

Tuesday 6 December, 2016

The Drake Passage! Locations for lectures may change depending on sea conditions. As ever, it will be worthwhile keeping a good lookout outside for birds and mammals sharing our journey across the Southern Ocean. 08.00 Wake up call and breakfast buffet will be announced 10.30 Cheryl invites you to an introduction to the marine mammals

of the Southern Ocean in the lecture room, deck 3. 12.30 Lunch buffet is served in the dining room 14.00 Rubber boots and lifejackets collection. Please stand-

by for your deck to be called, thank you! 14.00 Another adventure before reaching Ushuaia: Settling

your accounts at reception. Please listen for announcements as Michael and DJ will call you deck by deck.

17.45 A super slide show of the trip will be shown in the bar,

followed by… …Captain’s Cocktails in the bar 19.00 Farewell dinner is served!

Wednesday 7 December, 2016 Arrival in Ushuaia & Disembarkation

07.00 Wake up call!

The bridge, bow and aft will be closed this morning Please put your check-in luggage in the corridor outside your cabin before breakfast. It will be brought to the pier for you

07.30 Breakfast buffet available for one hour in the dining room During breakfast the stewards will make a start changing the beds,

but of course you are welcome to leave your hand luggage on the table, and to use the bathroom in your cabins after breakfast

After breakfast, please wait in the bar until we announce that the ship has been cleared (by the Argentine Customs Officials). Please do not step ashore before you hear an announcement that the ship has been cleared! It helps us a lot if you DO NOT wait in reception please

Once the ship is clear, you’ll be able to collect your passport, and

head down to the pier to identify your luggage. We anticipate that buses will be ready for disembarkation at

around 08.30 if we have cleared Customs by that time. Do listen for announcements for disembarkation and bus timings

For those of you heading into town or to local hotels, taxis will be

available from the end of the pier, a short walk from our berth

On behalf of Oceanwide Expeditions, Captain Ernesto Barría, and all the crew and staff, it has been a pleasure travelling with you and we hope

to welcome you back on board again soon!

in search of the emperor penguins

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