S.Georgia, Falklands & Antarctica Springtime

Board in the afternoon and set sail down the Beagle Channel, watching the mountains of South Georgia fade into the distance.

Spend time on deck looking for marine mammals as albatrosses and petrels swoop around the ship. Enjoy the first of your informative lectures as you head towards the Falklands.

On our first day, we plan to visit two of the best islands for wildlife in the West Falklands. Scenic West Point Island is right at the north-westerly point of the islands and is home to nesting colonies of black-browed albatrosses and rockhopper penguins, as well as other birds, such as the striated caracara.

Carcass Island is free of cats, rats and mice and is therefore an important reserve for a variety of small and ground nesting birds, notably the endemic Cobb's wren. Elephant seals loll on the beach here and Commerson's and Peale's dolphins can often be seen in the surf. The lodge here is famous for its hospitality, especially the tea and home baked cakes and biscuits.

The following morning, we plan to visit the very British town of, Stanley, where a visit to the museum is recommended. Lots more birds to be seen in and around the city here too. Set sail in the afternoon.

Cross the Antarctic Convergence as you approach South Georgia in the company of albatrosses and petrels. Keep an eye out for whales from the deck and listen to fascinating information on what is to come.

There is probably a greater concentration of wildlife on South Georgia than anywhere else on earth and this why, when combined with its spectacular glacier and mountain scenery, it is regarded as the jewel in the crown of the Antarctic region. We plan to visit sites such as Salisbury Plain, where tens of thousands of king penguins nest and southern giant petrels fly overhead and Prion Island, home to nesting wandering albatrosses. Many other sites too to see elephant and fur seals, other breeds of albatross, including the beautiful light-mantled sooty, the endemic South Georgia pipit and other species of penguin such as gentoo, macaroni, chinstrap and rockhopper.

The island also has a rich history as a whaling base in the 18th & 19th centuries and we will visit the old whaling settlement of Grytviken, where there is now an interesting museum and visitor centre. Here there is also the grave of the famous explorer, Ernest Shackleton and a replica of the 'James Caird', the small boat in which he navigated the Scotia Sea after the loss of his ship, 'Endurance'.

Crossing the Scotia Sea. Spend time enjoying lectures and on deck looking for wildlife.

We hope to land on this windswept island, where Shackleton left his men encamped, whilst he sailed off on his rescue mission to South Georgia.

All routes are now completely dependent on ice conditions; however, we plan to first sail towards the Antarctic Sound and Weddell Sea.

On the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula, the Weddell Sea in noted for its vast tabular icebergs and colonies of Adelie penguins. We hope visit the Argentinean base at Esperanza, plus Brown Bluff and Paulet island. Dependent on ice and weather conditions, we expect to call at the beautiful Deception and Half Moon Islands. All the while, we will be looking for seabirds and whales, whilst getting close up to Weddell, crabeater and even leopard seals as well as chinstrap and gentoo penguins. Where possible we will enjoy Zodiac excursions and landings twice a day.

Relax as we cross the famous Drake Passage on the way back to Ushuaia. Spend time on deck or exchange images with fellow travellers.

Arrive and disembark