2023.24 Crossing the Circle (Flights from Buenos Aires)

DETAILLE ISLAND Detaille Island lies in Lallemand Fjord, just south of the Antarctic Circle. Station W, of the British Antarctic Survey, is a historical research hut established in 1956. Researchers overwintered here, setting out on expeditions and conducting scientific investigations. Stepping inside is a walk back in time as the hut has been impeccably preserved. Revel in 1950s memorabilia such as jars of HP Sauce and canned butter, a little beyond their expiry dates, and imagine overwintering here, below the Circle. ENTERPRISE ISLAND Located in Wilhelmina Bay, this island's protected coves were once used by whalers. A Zodiac cruise exploring the island passes the rusting remains of a wrecked whaling ship, and provides opportunities to search for humpback whales. LEMAIRE CHANNEL One of the most scenic locations on the peninsula’s west coast, this dramatic strait runs between the towering cliffs of Booth Island and the Antarctic Peninsula. The channel may become impassable when ice fills the narrow, 6.8-mile (11 km)-long passageway, so we’ll hope for clear waters. MELCHIOR ISLANDS This group of low, glaciated islands in Dallmann Bay is where you may see hauled-out male fur seals as they

land at D'Hainaut Island, home to an Argentine refuge hut and whaling remains in the form of a wooden boat and whale skeletons. Weddell seals are often seen in the area and a gentoo penguin rookery is situated on the island. NEKO HARBOUR Little evidence remains that this bay was once used by the floating whale factory ship Neko . You might see whale vertebrae being used by resident gentoo penguins as shelter from the wind. PARADISE HARBOR Paradise Harbor is a wide bay and natural harbor on the West Antarctic Peninsula. Mountains, glaciers and ice cliffs offer spectacular views. Icebergs regularly calve from the glaciers, providing a place for seals, penguins and seabirds to rest and play. An Argentine base, Almirante Brown Station—named after Admiral Guillermo Brown, father of the Argentine Navy—is also located in Paradise Harbor, and was operated from 1951 until a large section of it burned down in 1984. It has since been partially rebuilt and is used as a summer research base. PETERMANN ISLAND Here, near the Lemaire Channel, you can stand ashore and see the southernmost breeding colony of gentoo penguins. Adélie penguins, shags and south polar skuas also inhabit the island. PORT LOCKROY As part of Operation Tabarin during the Second World War, a secret British base was built in this sheltered harbor, located on the west side of Wiencke Island. Now a designated historic site, the base is a museum and post office. Proceeds from your purchases in Port Lockroy support the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, which preserves British and other historic sites dating to the Heroic Age of Exploration. A large gentoo penguin population resides here.

EXPEDITION SPIRIT Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy—and excitement—of expedition travel. When traveling in extremely remote regions, your Expedition Team must consider the sea, the ice and the weather to guide the route and itinerary details. This itinerary is a tentative outline of what you may experience on this voyage; please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed. By the same token, wildlife encounters as described are expected, but not guaranteed. Your Expedition Team will use their considerable experience to seek out wildlife in known habitats, but the presence of any particular species of bird or marine wildlife is not guaranteed.

recuperate from their battles for supremacy at the end of their breeding season.

MIKKELSEN HARBOR Located on the south side of Trinity Island and surrounded by stunning ice cliffs and several reefs, Mikkelsen Harbor is a 1.86-mile (3 km)-wide bay, discovered by a Swedish Antarctic expedition in 1901-04. Enjoy a Zodiac cruise of the beautiful waters, or if conditions allow,

Call your Travel Professional or a Quark Polar Travel Adviser at 1.888.892.0073 | Visit QuarkExpeditions.com for additional details

18

Powered by