A journey to the Antarctica getting to the Weddell Sea, but first we will visit the South Shetland Islands archipelago in the Welling region, and we have to cross go through the Antarctic Convergence. In our way, we will enjoy of a great variety of flora and fauna, from herbs and moss to Papua and Barbijo penguins and huge petrels. By day 4 we will be navigating near the Weddell Sea in the Antarctic Peninsula, surrounded by huge glaciers and ice floes. We will visit the Paulet Island where we will watch the wreckages of the Nordenskjöld expedition and the Seymour Island.

If the weather condition helps us we will be able to go to Brown Bluff before getting into the Weddell Sea, where we will discover the Devil´s Island. We will go to visit Esperanza Base. Then we will navigate to Neko Port and Paradise Bay, arriving in the most polar place of our expedition. Other interesting points are the Deception Island and the deserted whalers station so we can complete this adventure navigating to the Weddell Sea.

Ushuaia, en la Isla de Tierra del Fuego
We will embark in the morning in the city of Tierra del Fuego (Ushuaia), the southern city of the world. We will navigate by the Beagle Channel the rest of the night.

Drake Passage, Antarctic Convergence, Aitcho & Pingüino Islands
We will navigate through Drake Passage during the next two days. We will cross the Antartic Convergence and we will arrive to Welling area. We will be able to watch different species of albatrosses and petrels. If the weather is favourable for us, we will be able to make our first disembark in Aitcho Island or Penguin Island to the south of the Shetlands.

These volcanic islands are frequently punished by the wind and it is very common to find them covered in fog. A great variety of vegetation and fauna such as moss, lichens, herb flowers, Papua Penguins, Barbijo and giant petrels can be found here.

Weddell Sea
We will a typical itinerary in the Weddel Sea and the Antartic Peninsula. We will navigate by the Weddell Sea, surrounded by antartic ice. Huge ice floes will announce our arrival to the east side of the Antartic Peninsula. A visit to Paulet Island is planned to see the remains of the Nordenskjöld expedition, and Seymour Island, where a great quantity of fossils have been found.

We will also see the Snow Hill Island where the polar expeditions were made in 1902´s winters. It is also possible to visit Brown Bluff and getting into the Weddell Sea, it is possible to visit the Devil´s Island and the Vega Island with a big colony of Adelie Penguins and an amazing view for those excursionists who can get to the top of the hill.

The ice fusion shows a wonderful waterfull which is formed from the closest cliffs to "Well.Met", sometimes. Returning by the Antartic Strait we can maybe visit the argentinian Esperanza Base in the Antartic continent. We could have the opportunity to see some Emperor Penguin on some ice floes. We will navigate to the south and it is planned to offer a zodiac cruise around Astrolabe Island to watch sea fauna.

If the weather allows us, we expect to navigate by Neko Port and Paradise Bay to get to the southern are of our journey, where we will have the opportunity to land in the antartic continent again, in a magnificent landscape with big glaciers. We maybe have the opportunity to watch whales. Deception Island is a big volcano of which crater opens inside the sea, creating a natural port for the cruises. Here we will find thermal waters and an abandoned whaler station until getting to Hannah Point with a fascinating sea fauna.

Drake Passage
In the Drake Passage, we will have the possibility to watch many sea birds, again.

Ushuaia
We will get by the morning and we will disembark in Ushuaia´s Port, again, the southern city in the world.

WEDDELL SEA

Weddell Sea is part of the southern Atlantic Ocean, bounded in the west by the Antarctic Peninsula, in the north by the South Orkney Islands and in the east by Coats Land. At its widest, the sea is around 2,000 km (1250 miles) across. It is in the southeastern part of the Antarctic Peninsula, and it is under the influence of the cold climate of the Antarctic Continent. The south-western and southern borders of the sea are formed by the Larsen and Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelves.

These ice shelves produce huge icebergs which are very abundant in the Weddell Sea. Filchner-Ronne ice shelf is the second biggest ice barrier in the world, and the Larsen shelf is melting due to climate change. Weddell Sea was discovered in 1823 by the British James Weddell. It was in this sea that Shackleton's ship, the Endurance, was trapped and crushed by ice in 1915 because, before winter had started, he turned off the engine and so the ice affected the hull of the ship which caused it to get destroyed due to the force produced.

Shakleton knew he had made a mistake, but it was too late. After 15 months Shackleton and his men managed to arrive at Elephant Island and, finally, they returned safe and sound, which was the most famous survival story of all times. Shakleton was one of a kind. Another survival story in the Weddell Sea that is less famous but not less remarkable is the following: It happened even before Shackleton's epic survival story, in 1902, when Otto Nordenskjöld led the Swedish expedition to the Antarctica from 1901 to 1904.

Nordenskiöld's team of four men spent the winter in Snow Hill Island to conduct some scientific explorations while their Antarctic expedition ship sailed back to Malvinas. The following summer the ship sailed back into the Weddell Sea with the aim of relieving the team, but got stuck in the ice and was finally crushed.

The crew managed to reach Paulet Island, where they spent the winter in a primitive hut. Nordenskjöld and the others finally met in Hope Bay, where they were picked up by the Argentine Navy. All survived but one. There were no dead in Shackleton's expedition.

Climate
Since the Weddell Sea is under the direct influence of the harsh continental Antarctic climate, the average temperatures are lower than in the northeast part of the Antarctic Peninsula, about 1º C (34º F). From February to March, end of the southern summer, temperatures drop below zero. Strong winds can occur at any time, and so can alter our program.

Note: The ice packs formed in the Weddell Sea at the beginning of the winter season can stay up to the end of summer. We expect to be able to enter this area, but it all depends on nature. Pack-ice is unpredictable and may prevent our ships from completing the planned itinerary.

Flora and Fauna
Wildlife in the Weddell Sea is different from that in the northeast coast of the Peninsula. Vegetation is even scarcer and animal species, such as the Adélie and Emperor Penguins slowly replace their more low-Antarctic cousins, the Gentoo and Chinstrap Penguins. The Weddell Sea is blocked by the ice packs during many months of the year; therefore, it can be hard or even impossible for some species to find a place to mate.

Interesting Places
Antarctic Sound it is named after the ship of Otto Nordenskjöld's expedition. The sound that separates the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula from Dundee Island is also called "Ice-berg Alley," because of the huge ice-bergs that are often seen there.

Brown Bluff
There we will find Gentoo and Adélie penguins under the steep rocks. Leopard seals often escape from the coast.

Paulet Island is a volcanic island, situated just at 5 km (3 miles) southeast of Dundee Island. The island has a diameter of about 3 km (1.8 miles) and the summit crater is 353 meters (660 feet) high. The geothermal heat keeps the island free of ice. The island is home to a rookery of more than 100,000 pairs of Adélie penguins. The remains of the primitive hut in which 22 men of the Swedish expedition to the Antarctica spend the winter of 1903 can still be seen.

Snow Hill Island is located east of the Antarctic Peninsula, and it is completely ice-covered, hence its name. In 1902 the Swedish expedition led by Otto Nordenskjöld built a hut on the island. Nordenskjöld and the three members of the expedition crew had to spend two winters, one was planned and the other unexpected.

All rates are per person in american dollars, in double twin accommodation. The prices in dollars apply for all the sales made outside Europe. A 5% of discount will be granted for bookings of one or more consecutive voyages (except for the programa "Atlantic Odyssey"). Please, consider that all the dates and prices are subjet to possible changes. All the trips operate with a minimum of 70 passengers. The "Plancius" can accommodate a top of 110 passengers.

Individual occupancy (single base)
All the cabins are available for Single occupancy to 1.7 times the price for this cabin.

The rates includes:

? Trip on board as indicated in the itinerary.
? All meals during the trip on board, including snacks, coffee and tea.
? Free use for rubber boats and snowshoes.
? Regular Transfer from the cruise to Ushuaia Airport (right after the disembarkation)
? All land tours and activities during the voyage in Zodiac boats.
? Conference programs by well known naturalists and coordination by the experimented team expedition.
? All taxes and port expenses during the program.
? Informative reading material before embarking.

The rates do not include:

Any air prices (regular or charter flights), any previous and/ or later service to the cruise, transfers to the cruise; passport and visa expenses; any arrival or return govern taxes in the country, meals on land, luggage, cancellationa and personal insurance (which is advisable), expenses for excess luggage and any other aditional expense, such as laundry, bar, drinks or calls; also the tips to waitresses and other personal service on board, after the trips.

It has been arranged that, in case, the fuel prices rise or exceed 80 dollars per barrel 90 days before departing, around the world, OceanWide Expeditions keeps the right to charge 25 dollars for fuel, per passenger, per night, which must be paid by the contracting part of OceanWide.

Itinerary
The itineraries published are for reference only. The programs are subject to weather and ice conditions and the Expedition Leader decisions to take advantage for all the opportunities to watch wild and vegetal life. Flexibility is essential for expedition cruises. The disembarkations are always subject to weather conditions, the availability in every place where we descend and environmental regulations (IAATO).

Navigation and disembarking plans will be fixed with IAATO about 5 months before beginning the season. The final navigation plan will be stablished by the Expedition Leader on board. The application of the navigation plan is subject to embarkation capacity and the Captain´s judgement.

Considering the high prices on fuel, it has been arranged that OceanWide Expeditions keeps the right to reduce the engine speed (even navigating with one engine), if this is possible, unless these affects the essencial development of the voyage which has been programmed or the ship security, the crew and the passengers would be in danger.

Rubber Boots and coats during the expedition
On board the "Plancius" all the passengers can use a pair of tough rubber boots for free. Sizes must be requested to OceanWide´s booking department, al least 8 weeks before departing. A voucher with all the final travel documents will be sent approximately, 4 weeks before departing. All demand about the necessary equipment for the land tours and navigations, will not be accepted without order or voucher, once we are embarked in the cruise.

Boots must be returned to the expedition team once the trip has finished. Rubber boots are of high quality, which help to keep feets warm and they are very comfortable. All coats which will be used during the expeditions can be requested also at a special price. Termins and conditions are on the request form.

Land tours and Zodiac Navigations
Guided land tours, hiking, fauna-watching and navigations in Zodiac are included in the price and they are offered to all the passengers during the cruise. The objective is to experience wild life and its nature as much as possible.

Bilingual Trips
English is the predominant language in the ship. There will be also german-speaking staff on board for bilingual trips (english-german). Security instructions, welcome on board, every announcement about activities inside or outside the cruise, daily meetings to give information, will be provided in english and german. Conferences given in english and german may change in content. During them, there will not be translated at the same time, however a resume will be given in the second language when these are finished.

Direction and guide during the different land activities, will depend on each passenger´s chosen group according to their own skills as for physical conditions. In the Artic, the objective is to divide the group in three groups: one group for intense hiking, one group for intermediate rhythm level to have more time to take pictures and one last group with free time to visit the region. One member of german language team might not be always available for each group. During the navigations in Zodiac botes, may not have bilingual guide necessarily.

Camping
Some of the cruises to Antartica offer an exciting option to open air which gives an intensive experience about wild life in the Antartica. All camping equipment and needed tools will be provided, such as tents, sleeping bags to water and wind proof. This refuge protects from weather conditions during the night to open air in the Antartica. The mattresses and sleeping "polar" bags provide comfort during all night.

The maximum number of participants for this camping optional is 15 passengers per night. An expedition guide will guide us during the land activities. Campings are subject to wether conditions, to camping availability and environmental regulations, of course. One of those nights must be reserved before the voyage, any other aditional night can be organised on board. These prices are indicated in the exit and price list.

Hiking and trekking
During the hiking and trekking tours, they will be a bit more extensive than tradicional tours. Generally, there are 3 possibilities to offer so they can be more energetic. There will be easy, intermediate and more intense trekking around the disembark region. There will be also tailor made trekking for each person, according to their own skills. In the Antartic, the main point is an average of 2 trekking per day, each one of 2 and 3 hours duration, during the disembarkation made either in the morning or in the afternoon.

In the Artic, several full day trekking are offered with lunch included. The final decision about this tours will depend on the Expedition Leader, the same day these activities are fixed. It is advisable to bring a pair of special boots for trekking and warm polainas. Snowshoes will be provided on board according to available number of boots and they can be used together with the rubber boots provided by OceaWide. These hiking and trekking activities are for free.

Kayak (K)
In general, it is planned to offer 4 days for kayaking at least. Basical experience in kayak is required and a very well physical condition is essential. Parallel to all the activities, the main objective is to do these kayak activities during the disembarkations which are made either in the morning and/ or in the afternoon.

The final decision about this tours will depend on the Expedition Leader, the same day these activities are fixed. OceanWide will provide the Kayaks and neopreno suits. Those persons who do Kayak must bring their own warm polainas. Kayaking is subject to weather and ice conditions. These prices are indicated in the exit and price list.

Diving (D)
Divers must have an advanced experience in dive suits and dive in cold waters. It is expected to do among one and two different diving activities per day, at the same time that the other activities. Diving depends on weather and ice conditions. Diving professional and guides will be responsible for the passengers´security who choose this exciting activity. The basical equipment is on board, such as diving tanks, compressors, weights and other essential diving elements. They have to bring their own warm polainas. These prices are indicated in the exit and price list.

Ski Trekking(T)- Shackleton Crossing
A group of 12 hikkers will carry their sledges with the needed equipment (food, heaters, fuel, between 20 and 30 kg) through mountain lands. During the journeys where there is no snow, the sledge can be carried as a backpack. The Ski Trekking involves bringing mountain and ski equipment, winter camping for walks on the glaciers.

A very well physical condition is required for the participants and they must have some experience to do this exhausting activity in an alpine environment, sometimes with extreme temperatures. Besides, they must be familiar with ski and rescue crack techniques. The activity will be done in alpine land, which is difficult to access sometimes, it is very cracked and potentially dangerous. There is no climbing activities in this trips, because climate conditions and strong wind can make these tours very challenging.

There is always the possibility to keep inside the tents because of bad weather. Mountain guides with UAIGM approval, will lead the journeys and they will be in charge for the expedition security; there will be also one person with medical experience. There will be a minimum of one guide every 4 passengers. Basical equipment is available on board (sledges, snowshoes and essential elements to practise alpine mountain activities).

The trekkers must bring their own ski equipment (a pair of skis, skiing boots) and adecuate clothing. They have to fill in a form with medical and personal information, so they can do this activity. Besides, they must hand in an experience in mountain skiing and trekking report. The applications will be studied for their admission. These prices are indicated in the exit and price list.