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Day 1
Arrive to Christchurch where we overnight
in a central city hotel, dinner will be a chance to
meet with your fellow expeditioners on this
centennial celebration of Shackleton’s Nimrod
expedition.
Day 2
Shackleton departed from Lyttleton at
4.00p.m. on January 1st, 1908, we plan to depart at
the same time 100 years later. Our voyage south will
include the Sub Antarctic Islands unlike
Shackleton’s.
Day 3
A day at sea to relax into the rhythm of
life on the ocean and have informal lectures and
discussions from our on board lecture staff.
Day 4
Arriving at Snares in time to see the
estimated 6 million sooty shearwaters departing to
sea is just the start of a wildlife experience with
Snares crested penguins grouped on the shoreline,
New Zealand fur seals and sea lions, endemic tomtit
and fern birds on a zodiac cruise experience of
sheltered inlets and caves.
Day 5 and 6
Auckland Islands, has two main harbours
from past volcanic activity. We visit Enderby Island
in the northern Port Ross for a day ashore allowing
time for observations of breeding New Zealand (
Hooker’s) sea lions, the yellow-eyed penguins as
they emerge from the forest and cautiously proceed
to the beckoning sea, numerous bellbirds and red
crowned parakeets. Southern royal albatross nest on
the sward beyond the forest.
Our southern visit in Carnley Harbour is to South
West Cape where a climb takes us up to the white
capped albatross colony. A zodiac cruise in the
sheltered waters is an alternative to either natural
history or historical sites.
Day 7
A day of pelagic observations and
lectures in preparation for Macquarie Island.
Day 8 and 9
An up thrust of the earths crust this
sliver of land supports teeming wildlife – endemic
royal penguins, inquisitive king penguins, gentoo
and rockhopper penguins. Southern elephant seals
breed here also. Your time ashore becomes a total
sensory overload of wildlife – take the time to sit
and watch. Our visit to the Australian Base with
their hospitality, gives a glimpse of the research
undertaken here.
Day 10 - 13
As we make our way across the Southern
Ocean our eyes will scan for pelagic species –
listen for the call of “whale”, watch in awe as they
might cross our path. Our daily programme will
prepare us for our time in Antarctic with informal
lectures and discussions. Crossing the Antarctic
Circle the days lengthen and our ice experience will
begin with bergy bits and tabular bergs frequenting
the sea.
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Day 14 – 23
Our visit to the Ross Sea region
highlights Antarctica’s most historic region, due to
the unpredictable nature of ice and weather
conditions a day by day itinerary is not possible.
The Captain and Expedition Leader will take
advantage of every opportunity to make landings or
zodiac cruises.
Our first continental landfall is planned for Cape
Adare, where Borchgrevink’s Hut still stands built
in 1899 for the first wintering over expedition on
Antarctica. The land spit of Cape Adare is blanketed
by Adelie penguins, at the height of the season up
to one million birds. As we depart the Downshire
Cliffs are spectacular.
The Admiralty Range heralds our arrival to Cape
Hallett where we land next to an abandoned
American-New Zealand Base. Offshore from Cape
Hallett are Possession Islands where Sir James Clark
Ross claimed the land for Queen Victoria, England.
Terra Nova Bay is surrounded by the Society Range,
centre for the Italian summer base of Baia Terra
Nova. With its granitic outcrops it is very
different to the volcanic nature of Ross Island. If
possible we also plan a landing at Inexpressible
Island.
One of the few places to gain an appreciation of the
scale of Antarctica from is Franklin Island, a
landing here means an attempt of the summit.
The largest ice shelf is found at the southern end
of the Ross Sea. Impenetratable and daunting low
lighting creates images of warmth in a land of cold.
Ross Island is the centre of activity historical and
present within the Ross Sea. Cape Bird at the
northern end is a summer station for Adelie penguin
researchers, Cape Royds with Shackleton’s 1907-1909
Nimrod expedition hut is also the southern most
adelie colony. Cape Evans has Scott’s second hut
erected in 1911 and further south at Hut Point is
Scott’s Discovery Hut from 1901-1904. The American
McMurdo base is close to Hut Point with New
Zealand’s Scott Base a short distance further on.
Orca (Killer Whales) frequent with ice channel or
ice edge and Emperors have been seen on voyages in
this area.
Day 24 - 27
Departing the spectacular ice carved nature of
Antarctica we steam northwards to Campbell Is. with
time to recover from the extensive daylight hours of
Antarctica and enjoy shipboard life.
Day 28 - 29
We anchor at Campbell Is in Perseverance Harbour for
our visit ashore where we walk to Col Lyall Saddle
to observe the Southern royal albatross, the rugged
scenery and take in the special nature of this
island which has been cleared of introduced sheep
and rats and is making a recovery with increasing
small birds and plant life.
Day 30
A final day at sea to reflect on the experiences we
have shared.
Day 31
Arrive at the Port of Bluff, after formalities we
will disembark and transport is provided to the city
of Invercargill. |
