Disembarkation in Buenos Aires
We docked early in Buenos Aires, where our guests disembarked and waved farewell to the ship that had safely and comfortably carried them to some of the most remote places on Earth. Saying goodbye to the crew and Expedition Team was an emotional moment for many, especially for those for whom this jo...
Reaching Buenos Aires
We started with a morning stretch and after breakfast, an amusing quiz about the underwater soundscape. Some guests joined part two of a talk about the peoples of Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia. Emotions about reaching the end of our voyage grew after a warm and sincere farewell from the Captain, Cr...
At sea
Today we returned passports to our guests, a bittersweet moment that served as a reminder that we have only one more day left together on this remarkable voyage. The Guest Scientists delivered a fascinating talk on the Southern Ocean food chain, followed by a lively Q&A session on whales and dolphin...
Along the Argentinian Coast
Many began the day with a stretching session in the Science Centre. Then the Expedition Team hosted various talks, including the evolution of marine mammals, a workshop on feathers, another on cetacean teeth, and another outside in the sunshine about the actual size of whales. Taking care of our gue...
Puerto Madryn
We arrived at Puerto Madryn in the early morning darkness, but the sun came up in a spectacular sunrise to welcome our day ashore. Many joined the walking tour here, learning about the history of the the city and region. Others went out for a whole day trip to the Valdes Peninsula to experience wond...
Heading to South America
We had smooth seas and lovely weather as we sailed towards the coast of Argentina, and we hosted a number of interesting talks and activities. The Science Team shared methods of tracking penguin movements and hosted a talk about underwater forests. On deck we held the Citizen Science NASA GLOBE Clou...
Leaving the Falklands
Today was a busy day, including our guests cleaning and handing in their trusty rubber boots. As a reminder of Stanley, we hosted a short talk on the Falklands-related history of SS Great Britain, who's mizzen mast is on Victory Green. The Expedition Team hosted a talk on the fossils of Antarctica,...
Saunders Island
Due to a technical issue, the ship was delayed leaving Stanley. As the Captain and Tomski explained, although the problem turned out to be a small one and easily resolved, it took time to pinpoint it. They emphasised the priority of safety, so although we were unable to visit West Point Island, Plan...
Stanley
Many braved the strong winds as we were given harbour clearance and sailed through the Narrows into the calm of Stanley Harbour. It was very exciting to see the iconic Christchurch Cathedral ahead of us in the mist and rain. However, once we docked, the weather changed and we had a glorious morning....
On Our Way to the Falklands
Today's behind-the-scenes visit for those interested was the engine room. The Chief Engineer explained in detail how our myriad systems operated to ensure an efficient and safe operation. The Expedition Team hosted great talks, including showing underwater drone footage from the Guest Scientists on...
Crossing the Drake Passage Heading Northbound
We were promised some waves today and waves we got, however none more than 5 metres high. The sky was blue, the sea was bright and shimmering, and there were many birds and albatrosses around the ship, enjoying the thermals. We saw snowy and grey-headed albatrosses, and a special treat of six light-...
Telefon Bay, Deception Island
We had an incredible morning landing at Deception Island! The bay at one end of the volcanic caldera had experienced heavy snowfall, making it a monochromatic, almost-lunar landscape. We were actually hiking in the area of the last eruption in August 1970, which added an extra layer of excitement, a...
Melchior Islands
By the afternoon the drizzle had vanished and the sun shone for a wonderful Zodiac cruise around nearby islands. Back on board, some guests attended a lecture about Roald Amundsen as we slowly sailed past the snow-covered mountains of nearby Brabant Island.
Cuverville Island
This morning, we went ashore at Cuverville Island, where there were hundreds of gentoo penguins and even a lone chinstrap! Most were undergoing their annual moult, seeming very frustrated as they had just spent two weeks unable to go to sea while renewing their feathers. We all enjoyed observing the...
Neko Harbour
We sailed north through a storm and eventually, in the morning, having experienced very high swell, we arrived into the peaceful waters of Bismarck Strait and then into beautiful Neko Harbour. The Expedition Team hosted a talk on the working sled dogs of Antarctica and what happened when they were b...
Sailing along the Peninsula
We sailed back through The Gullet, which is often blocked with ice. However, the ice played a different game today and allowed us free passage through this narrow strait, our passage to the Gerlache Strait, and our next destination, Neko Harbour, had to be routed via a very stormy sea. Most guests m...
Stonington Island
In the afternoon, we visited the historically significant British and US bases at Stonington Island, where a huge glacier loudly shed deep blue ice into the sea right in front of us. We ended the day sailing north past the Argentine Base San Martin, heading for our route north back through The Gulle...
Red Rock Ridge
A welcoming committee of Weddell seals and a solitary Adélie penguin met us at Red Rock Ridge, where we witnessed a brilliantly backlit view of glaciers, bergs, mountains, and sky. Indescribable in words! It was a moment of peace and grandeur none of us will ever forget. Here, some brave people took...
Sea Ice Landing
After lunch, the calm conditions continued, and we were very lucky because the Captain and Tomski found a suitable ice floe for us to actually land on! An utterly unique experience to be standing on ice that had the sea beneath our feet and not solid rock!
Zodiac Cruising in George VI Sound
This was a day that left even the most experienced travellers in awe. In the morning, in perfect Zodiac cruising conditions, we expertly manoeuvred around the icebergs and floes of this beautiful body of water. However, the pinnacle of excitement was seeing six emperor penguins on an ice floe and on...
Horseshoe Island
Today was our first landing in Antarctica, and to make it even more special, it was below the Antarctic Circle! Horseshoe Island was named for the shape of the mountain range, and contains a hut from the 1950s, British Base Y. Some guests hiked across part of the island, which was great exercise and...
The Gullet
Then we successfully navigated the incredibly narrow, icy stretch of water known as 'The Gullet'. On our way, many saw a minke whale, humpback whales, and crabeater and fur seals. Our Expedition Team hosted a talk on ice, a microscope session, and for the brave few, the very icy Antarctic Circle cro...
Liard Island
This afternoon we carried out Zodiac cruises around impossibly beautiful sculptured icebergs. We spotted about 20 fur seals playing by a berg, some Weddell seals, and for many of us, two chinstrap penguins!
Crossing the Antarctic Circle
Excitement mounted at dawn we spotted our first sight of Antarctica. It was a thrill!. Bets were on to guess the closest time of our crossing the Antarctic Circle later that morning. The results: We crossed at 09:15 hrs, 25 March 2026, 66°33.402’ S; 067°28.313’ W. A true moment to remember!
Reaching the Antarctic Peninsula
We had rolling seas in the night, but woke to seabirds all around the ship, the star of which, for many, was the light-mantled albatross, with its distinctive white eye ring. It was a full day of hosted lectures from the Expedition Team, from bird pathogens to the whales and dolphins we could see on...
Crossing the Drake Passage Heading South
Today began with a rolling sea of about 4 metre swells and cresting waves. However, the air was full of birds. Some were lucky to see at least 10 snowy (wandering) albatrosses following the ship. Others caught sight of two humpbacks and two bottlenose whales in the distance. The Expedition Team cond...
The Beagle Channel
After breakfast, our guests were welcomed by our Hotel Manager, Milos, and Tomski, our Expedition Leader, who gave an overview of our voyage and explained that as we are now 'expeditioners', we need to prepare for Plans A, B, C, or even D on any given day, depending on what nature brings us. Then ou...
Embarkation Day
After a tour around historical Punta Arenas, our guests headed for the dock and with mounting excitement, boarded MS Fram. After collecting their rubber boots to keep for the voyage, our guests were offered refreshments in the Explorer Lounge on Deck 7. Then they attended the mandatory safety briefi...