Antarctica Diving Expedition

"Antarctica - Southern Shetland Islands"

Experience the world under the ice floes, dive with walruses, common seals, leopard seals and penguins. Daily possibilities to join the nature group for exciting land excursions.
The voyage starts in the late season, moving south to the exciting Polar Circle. Ice conditions are normally favourable with very good visibility under water, such as the Lemaire Channel. We will have fair opportunities to dive with leopard seals and to spot killer whales.

The Itinerary

Read this itinerary as a guide only; our exact route and program varies according to ice and weather conditions - and the wildlife we encounter. Flexibility is the key to the success of this expedition. The Captain and Expedition Leader will assess daily conditions and take full advantage of every opportunity to dive or make landings with our Zodiacs.
The itinerary shown below is for a 12 day voyage around the Antarctica Peninsula and corresponds to the Classic Antarctica cruise. Some diving cruises are Weddel Sea cruise, Polar Circle cruises or Explorer cruises. Please refer to the corresponding itinerary for the day by day details.

DAYS 1-2:
In the afternoon, we embark in Ushuaia and sail through the Drake Passage, which is often quite rough. When we cross the Antarctic Convergence, we arrive in the circum-Antarctic upwelling 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. Near the South Shetland Islands, we have our first glimpse of icebergs

DAYS 3-11:
At Deception Island, we will try to land at Baily Head with chinstrap penguins. Deception Island is a huge volcano of which the crater opens into the sea, creating a natural harbour for the ship. Here we find hot springs, an abandoned whaling station, thousands of cape penguins and many Dominican gulls, brown and south polar skuas and Antarctic terns. Wilson’s storm petrels and black-bellied storm petrels nest in the ruins of the whaling station in Whalers Bay.
Cuverville Island is a small precipitous island, nestled between the mountains of the Antarctic Peninsula and Danco Island. It contains a large colony of gentoo penguins and breeding pairs of brown skuas. The second part of the day we sail to Rongé Island, with chinstrap penguins. From there we sail through Paradise Bay with its myriad icebergs and deep cur fjords, while having chances of seeing large whales. We do some zodiac cruising between the icebergs in the inner parts of the fjords.
We sail through the spectacular Lemaire Channel to Petermann Island with Adelie penguins and imperial shags. We also try to land at Pleneau Island with elephant seals. In this area chances are very likely to encounter 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. Sailing north through Neumeyer Channel and Gerlache Strait, we arrive at Charlotte Bay, where we cruise with zodiacs among the icebergs, and observe leopard seals and minke whales.
Half Moon Island is a friendly volcanic island with chinstrap penguins, gentoo penguins, imperial shags, sheatbills and brown skuas. Weddell seals and elephant seals can also be spotted. We may also choose to land at Hannah Point, which has a very rich wildlife with elephant seals, cape pigeons, giant petrels, macaroni penguins and gentoo penguins.
On the Drake Passage (two days sailing back to Ushuaia) we see again many seabirds.

DAYS 12: Ushuaia
After breakfast we disembark and transfer by complimentary bus to the exit of the port, which is centrally located in town.

General Information

Rated: Extreme. Only for highly experienced divers having already dry suit diving experiences (at least 10)

Important: Vessels do not wait ! We advise passengers to arrive in Ushuaia one day before. In case your international flight to Buenos Aires or your flight to Ushuaia is delayed or cancelled, you still have time to arrive on time for the departure. If you miss the departure, no money is paid back.

Additional services: These itineraries do not include any land or air service in Argentina. We can book hotels, transfers between airports and airport/hotel, excursions and domestic flights. Contact us for a quotation !

Aboard Maryshev
January 17 to 28, 2007 - Weddell Sea 12 days
February 22 to - March 8, 2007 - Polar Circle 12
March 5 to March 15, 2007 - Classic Antarctica 11
Deck	Cabin Type	11 days	12 days	12 days
-	Twin without bathroom	$ 4557	$ 5243	$ 5929
		€ 3782	€ 4351	€ 4921
		£ 2551	£ 2936	£ 3320
-	Twin with private bathroom	$ 5184	$ 5968	$ 6811
		€ 4302	€ 4953	€ 5653
		£ 2903	£ 3342	£ 3814
-	Superior with private bathroom	$ 6027	$ 6948	$ 7928
		€ 5002	€ 5767	€ 6580
		£ 3375	£ 3890	£ 4439
Diving suplement of: $970 / € 805 / £ 543
- The more expensive 12 days fare (right column) corresponds to the January 17 to 28, 2007 Weddell Sea Cruise

Aboard Maryshev
December 27 to January 17, 2007 - Explorer cruise
Deck	Cabin Type	22 days
-	Twin without bathroom	$ 11368
		€ 9435
		£ 6366
-	Twin with private bathroom	$ 13132
		€ 10899
		£ 7353
-	Superior with private bathroom	$ 1470
		€ 1220
		£ 823
Diving suplement of: $1862 / € 1545 / £ 1042
This is the Explorer cruises with execptional dives around the Falklands, South Gerogia and the Antractica Peninsula

Included:
• Voyage aboard the vessel as indicated in the itinerary
• All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship
• All dives, shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage
• All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program


Not included:
Any airfare, whether on scheduled or charter flights; passport and visa expenses; government arrival and departure taxes; meals ashore; supplement for single hotel accommodations; baggage, cancellation and personal insurance (which is strongly recommended); excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar and beverage charges and telecommunications charges; and the customary gratuity at the end of the voyage for those who have served you aboard (guidelines will be provided).

Special booking & cancellation conditions
A deposit of 20% of the expedition rate is required to confirm a reservation with final payment due 60 days prior to departure. In case the contracting party books more than 9 travel participants or more than 9 berths on a ship voyage in one reservation, special conditions will apply (contact us)
All requests for cancellations must be received in writing. Cancelation fees are as follow:
- Up to and including 60 days prior to departure:    20 % of the total price
- from 59 days up to and including 30 days prior to departure:    30 % of the total price
- from 29 days up to and including 15 days prior to departure:    45 % of the total price
- from 14 days up to and including 6 days prior to departure:    75 % of the total price
- from 5 days up to and including the day of departure :    100 % of the total price

Please note that all dates & rates are subject to change. All voyages will operate subject to a minimum of 30 participants