Deep Weddell following Nordenskjöld

Arrive in Ushuaia, where you will be met by a representative of Aurora Expeditions and transferred with your fellow expeditioners to your assigned pre-voyage hotel. If you are already in Ushuaia, we ask you to make your way to your hotel. Check-in is from 3.00 pm. This afternoon, visit the Aurora Expeditions hospitality desk in the lobby at Las Hayas Ushuaia Resort, Luis Fernando Martial 1650, between 8.00 am and 12.00 pm, or 3.00 pm and 7.00 pm, to collect your luggage tags, and confirm if you wish to join our Beagle Channel and Isla de Los Lobos Cruise (sea lion island) tomorrow. Our team will confirm details regarding your embarkation day, answer any questions and provide you with information on where to dine or purchase last minute items.

Expeditioners arriving after 7.00 pm will find a welcome pack waiting for them at check-in. We ask you to visit our hospitality desk tomorrow between 8.00 am – 10.00 am. The remainder of your time is at leisure. All meals today are at your own expense.

Assigned accommodation: Las Hayas Ushuaia Resort or Los Acebos Ushuaia Hotel

As we commence the Drake Passage crossing, we make the most of our time getting comfortable with the motions of the sea. Our expedition team will help you prepare for our first landing, introducing you to important wildlife guidelines and biosecurity procedures and starting our lecture program to help you learn more about Antarctica’s history, wildlife and environment.

Our Antarctic wildlife experiences begin as we enjoy watching and photographing the many seabirds often seen soaring around the ship, including majestic albatrosses and giant petrels following our vessel. On sea days you can enjoy the facilities on board the vessel, including the gym, wellness centre and well-stocked polar library, or take in the sea views from one of the observation lounges.

On day four the excitement is palpable as you near the South Shetland Islands and the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, with everyone converging on the observation decks to spot their first iceberg. Now that you’re south of the Antarctic Convergence the ocean takes on a whole new character, as you’re surrounded by porpoising penguins and dramatic icebergs. The memory of your first iceberg sighting is likely to remain with you for a lifetime.

Time and weather permitting, we may attempt our first Antarctic landing in the late afternoon.

It’s almost impossible to describe the feeling of arriving in Antarctica. Stepping outside and taking a deep breath of some of the most fresh, crisp air on earth is an experience to cherish forever.

Once you arrive, the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands are ours to explore.

It was here that Nordenskjold and his team caught their first glimpses of Antarctica and made their first landings, just over one hundred years ago. After making landfall at Harmony Cove and exploring the South Shetland Islands, they continued into the Gerlache and Orleans Straits, creating the first detailed charts of these coastlines from their wooden sailboat, the Antarctic.

Your experienced expedition team, who have made countless journeys to this area, will design your voyage from day to day, choosing the best options based on the prevailing weather, ice conditions and wildlife opportunities.

While on the Peninsula we generally make landings or Zodiac excursions twice a day. Make sure you rug up before joining a Zodiac cruise to view spectacular ice cliffs or explore grounded icebergs, keeping an eye out for whales, seals and penguins, which frequently travel and feed in these waters. Zodiacs will also transport you from the ship to land, where you can visit penguin rookeries, discover historic sites and explore some of our favourite spots along the Peninsula.

While ashore we aim to stretch our legs, wandering along pebbly beaches or perhaps up snow-covered ridgelines to vantage points with mountains towering overhead and ice-speckled oceans below. If you have chosen an optional activity, you will have the option to do that whenever conditions allow, and of course keen polar plungers will have the chance to fully immerse themselves in polar waters - conditions permitting!

In addition to Zodiac cruises and shore excursions, we may ship-cruise some of the narrow, dramatic straits separating offshore islands from the mainland, or linger in scenic bays to marvel at sculptural icebergs and photograph spectacular scenery. This is a great time to enjoy the observation lounge or make your way to the bridge (open at the Captain’s discretion) for uninterrupted views of Antarctica in all its splendour. Keep an ear out for the creak and deep rumble of glaciers as they break off, calving into the sea. Take a quiet moment to experience the wonder of this incredible white continent.

Towards the Weddell Sea

Remote and inaccessible, entry into the Weddell Sea is highly prized among polar adventurers. Your passage begins at the northernmost extreme of the Antarctic Peninsula, in the beautifully barren Antarctic Sound. In this seldom-visited part of the Peninsula volcanic peaks tower above penguin colonies, and wave-sculpted icebergs parade through the deep channels leading to the Weddell Sea.

When Captain Carl Anton Larsen skilfully steered the Antarctic through these waters in 1902, the Swedish Antarctic Expedition became the first to transit this now-famed waterway, which is named for their vessel. Unbeknownst to him, their uneventful passage through the Antarctic Sound was a stroke of good fortune: the region has since gained the nickname ‘Iceberg Alley’ and a reputation for being frequently filled with ice driven into the sound by the powerful Weddell Gyre.

Continuing further east, embrace the expedition spirit as you forge your way as far as possible into the Weddell Sea. The Weddell Sea is renowned for its breathtaking tabular icebergs and expansive sea ice, which attracts an abundance of wildlife, including crabeater seals, Weddell seals and an array of seabirds. Take some time out on deck to observe the flight of storm petrels, prions and Antarctic cormorants drawn here by the rich blooms of Antarctic krill that flourish in the shelter of this ice-covered sea. This part of the Weddell Sea is also a stronghold for Adelie penguins, which flourish in the presence of abundant ice and krill.

This is the natural amphitheater where the grand drama of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition (SAE) unfolded, and sites of historical significance are scattered across the eastern shores of the Antarctic Peninsula. As you sail through these historic seas, join your expedition team in the lecture room to hear presentations on the local wildlife and geology, and the stunning story of struggle and survival behind Nordenskjold’s adventure.

One of the great legacies of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition was the discovery of an extensive array of fossils including gastropods, large clams, and ammonites. Nordenskjold, a trained geologist, was inspired to visit the region after Captain Carl Anton Larsen discovered petrified wood on Seymour Island during an earlier Antarctic expedition in 1892. Returning to the same region, Nordenskjold collected the first samples of fossilised penguins, and discovered plant fossils from the Jurassic era. These discoveries led him to theorise that Antarctica may once have been much warmer, and covered by temperate forest with ferns and tropical plants, a view widely accepted today.

We aim to cruise these dramatic coastlines explored by Nordenskjold and his men, and attempt to land at some of the historic locations that provided a backdrop for this incredible story of Antarctic survival.

The Drake Passage is the name given to the infamous stretch of open ocean between the tip of South America and the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula.

It usually takes 2 or 3 days to cross the Drake Passage, and this is a great time to learn from your expert Antarctic naturalist guides. Through a series of fascinating talks and lectures, you'll begin to learn more about the remarkable wildlife and awe-inspiring geology of the Antarctic continent.

Your guides are always on hand to help you identify the sea bird species that always follow the ships, as well as spotting whales and other cetaceans that can be seen en route to the Antarctic Peninsula or the South Shetland Islands.

Ushuaia, located in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, serves as the southernmost city in the world and the starting point for many Antarctic expedition cruises.

The city offers a range of options, from small-ship expeditions to larger vessel tours, providing travelers with an unforgettable experience in the remote and beautiful Antarctic. Many cruises visit the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia, and the Falkland Islands, allowing visitors to see diverse wildlife and stunning landscapes.

In addition to the natural beauty, Ushuaia also boasts a rich history and a stunning national park, making it a unique destination worth exploring. Overall, Ushuaia is the perfect base for those seeking adventure and a once-in-a-lifetime experience in the Antarctic.