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Bouvet Island!

Antarctic Peninsular - South Georgia - South Sandwich - Bouvet Island


 'Grigoriy Mikheev'
'Grigoriy Mikheev/Aleksey Maryshev'

Thursday 20 March - Saturday 12 April 2008 (24 days)

Aboard Aleksey Maryshev



Map of Bouvet Island


Itinerary
Day 1 (March 20 )
In the afternoon we embark in Ushuaia and sail through the Beagle Channel.

Day 2 - 3
In the Drake Passage we witness a multitude of albatrosses, petrels and fulmars.

Day 4
At Hope Bay and Brown Bluff we hope to set foot on the Antarctic Continent. In this area chances are good for encounters with Gentoo Penguins, Weddell Seals, Leopard Seals and Orcas.

Day 5
From Devil Island at the tip of the Weddell Sea is surrounded by huge table icebergs of the Larsen Ice Shelf. We will climb a hill with a gently slope from where we have a great view on the surroundings. At Paulet Island we will observe the last individuals of a large Adelie Penguin colony near the ruins of the Nordenskiöld Expedition from the beginning of the 20th century.

Day 6
At sea we will probably sail along the sea ice drifting north out of the Weddell Sea. On the floes we may see some juvenile Emperor Penguins.

Day 7
On our way north we plan to visit South Orkneys, where the Scotsman Bruce once wintered and where we now may visit the friendly people of an Argentinean base.

Day 8
At sea, on our way to South Georgia, we witness a multitude of albatrosses, petrels and fulmars.

Day 9-11
In South Georgia we will pay visits to the abandoned whaling settlements Grytviken, where now the penguins walk through the streets, and King Edwards Point with the grave of Shackleton. We will walk near the big King Penguin colony on Salisbury Plain and the breeding Wandering Albatrosses on Albatros Island in the Bay of Isles. The last day in South Georgia we will spend in Cooper Bay where we will observe Chinstrap Penguins and Macaroni Penguins and breeding Light-mantled Sooty Albatrosses. Later we intend to sail to Gold Harbour to visit another King Penguin colony and to see many Elephant Seals and Fur Seals. It is a good area for long walks. We conclude our visit with zodiac excursions in the magnificent Drygalski Fjord and Larsen Harbour.

Day 12, at Sea
Our vessel now takes us to the South Sandwich Islands.

Day 13 - 14, South Sandwich Islands
In the rarely visited and uninhabited South Sandwich Islands (British), we will try to land on Zavadovski Island, on the steep-sided Candlemas Island and Saunders Island. These volcanic islands, discovered by James Cook in 1775, with an ice cap on the top, are windswept and often shrouded in mist and fog, but do offer subtle pleasures. There is a nice variety of flora (mosses, lichens and flowering grasses) and fauna, such as Gentoo Penguins, Chinstrap penguins and Southern Giant Petrels. Elephant Seals and Fur Seals also haul out at the beaches.

Days 15 -17, at Sea
In the westerlies we have a pleasant tailwind. Near the Antarctic Convergence, we observe many species and great numbers of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic seabirds.

Days 18-19, BOUVET ISLAND
Due to the unpredictability of landings at Bouvet, we are allocating 48 hours to be able to have multiple opportunities to land at Bouvet Island (Norwegian territory), another volcano in Antarctic waters topped by an ice-cap, with a rich fauna of seabirds and seals near the coasts. At the southwest side of the island we should have the best opportunities to land at Larsöya and Kapp Norvegia, which have some protection from the swell from the west. A third possibility is at Nyröysa, but this area is more exposed and partly out of bounds; as it is a nature reserve. We will allocate these two days for landings at Bouvet Island.

Days 20-23, at Sea
In the westerlies we have side winds and tail winds. On both sides of the Antarctic Convergence, we observe many species and great numbers of Antarctic and sub- Antarctic seabirds. We also get now in more temperate waters with their own brand of species as we approach South African waters, where we meet wintering seabirds from the North like long-tailed Skuas and Sabine Gulls.

Day 24
Arrival and disembarkation in Cape Town, Republic of South Africa.
M/V Grigoriy Mikheev and Aleksey Maryshev
  • Length 66 metres (210 feet)
  • Breadth 12.8 metres (42 feet)
  • Draft 3.5 metres (12 feet)
  • Speed 12.5 knots
  • Passengers capacity 46
  • 19 Russian crew
  • 3 international expedition staff
  • 3 international hotel & catering staff and 1 emergency doctor

The ships are modern, ice-strengthened research vessels, built in Finland for the Russian Academy of Science. They are under long-term contract to Oceanwide Expeditions and have been converted for passenger use and are ideally suited to expedition cruising in polar areas. They comply with the highest international safety and environmental regulations, as well as the Arctic and Antarctic Shipping guidelines. The passengers are accommodated in triple, twin, superior cabins or a suite. All cabins are 'outside' and most cabins have private facilities. The public areas are comfortable and cosy and include a dining room which could also act as the lecture room, a bar with reference books, a small infirmary and a sauna. The best viewing places on board for spotting wildlife are the bridge (where passengers are welcome) and the open-deck areas. The ships carry a full complement of Zodiac crafts, for both cruising and landing ashore. Usually on our voyages the Chef will organize a Polar barbecue on deck. Surrounded by an impressive landscape and accompanied by your fellow-travellers, staff members and the Russian crew members, this event is one to remember.


'Grigoriy Mikheev' deckplan


Accommodation: Cabins as described above subject to availability.

Travel: Please enquire for details.

Leaders: Guides from Oceanwide Expeditions

Prices per person: Ushuaia - Cape Town
Twin not en suite £ 4,150 (as single £7,475)
Twin en suite £ 4,790 (as single £8,620)
Superior twin en suite £ 5,345
Deposit : 10% of cost

Land only single supplement:
£ 180

The prices are per person, and are fully inclusive of the cruise, meals during the voyage, shore excursions by Zodiac and activities throughout the voyage, lectures and leadership by expedition staff, taxes and port charges and pre-departure information.

The prices exclude flight UK/Ushuaia - Cape Town/UK (allow approx. £ 1000 with transfers), any necessary accommodation in Ushuaia or Cape Town, travel insurance, meals ashore, optional tips to leaders and crew, drinks, and other personal expenses.

Please note that we can arrange optional extensions in Ushuaia (see our Patagonia itinerary for details), or anywhere else in Argentina or Cape Town. You can also opt to leave the UK a day earlier and spend a day in Buenos Aires to break the long journey south.

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