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Antarctic Peninsula

Unknown Antarctica

(Ushuaia- Ushuaia)

MOL23 03 December – 15 December, 2009 (11 days)


Aboard Professor Molchanov

© Franco Banfi/Oceanwide Expeditions
Icy conditions in the Leamaire Channel
Icy conditions in the Lemaire Channel

Your unique chance to be part of a true expedition voyage!



Map of Antarctic Peninsula Polar Cruise


During this exploration voyage we will offer landing sites that have never been offered before by Oceanwide Expeditions and in some occasions (probably) by none of the Antarctic ship operators. Flexibility is the key-word during this thrilling expedition. As information about most of the landing sites is limited or “unknown”, the target itinerary can only mention the scheduled landing sites and some general – but very basic - information. But this can’t be a surprise, as said, this is “unknown” Antarctica. Join us for an exciting exploration voyage aboard Professor Molchanov.

Please note that the following itinerary is for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on local ice and weather conditions and in order to take advantage of opportunities to see wildlife. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises.

Itinerary
Day 1
In the afternoon, we embark in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world located at the Beagle Channel and sail through this scenic waterway for the rest of the evening.

Day 2 & 3
During these two days we will sail across the Drake Passage. When we cross the Antarctic Convergence, we arrive in the circum-Antarctic up welling zone. In this area we may meet Wandering Albatrosses, Grey Headed Albatrosses, Black-browed Albatrosses, Light-mantled Sooty Albatrosses, Cape Pigeons, Southern Fulmars, Wilson’s Storm Petrels, Blue Petrels and Antarctic Petrels.

Day 4
We intend to explore Low Island, an island 9 miles long and 5 miles wide, situated ca. 14 miles south east of Smith Island, in the South Shetland Islands. As the name already suspects, the island has a low elevation and is inconspicuous. The island was known to sealers as early as the beginning of the 19th century.

Day 5
We will sail along the Wright Ice Piedmont at the Antarctic Continent at Graham Land, mapped in the fifties of the last century based on photographs taken between 1955-57. The piedmont was named after the brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright who made the first flight with an aero plane in December 1903.

Exploration of Roe Island, an island lying in the entrance of the Curtiss Bay, just about 2 miles west of Graham Land (Antarctic continent), named after the Britsish pioneer aircraft designer Alliott Verdon-Roe, who made aircrafts since 1908. Seaplane Point is situated a few miles of Roe Island at the Antarctic Continent. It was named in association with Curtiss Bay, after Glenn Curtiss, an American engineer who pioneered sea-planes from 1911.

Day 6
We stay on the west coast of Graham Land and reach Valdivia Point, named after the German ship “Valdivia”, by the Swedish Antarctic Expededition of Nordenskjöld. Further west we will call Challenger Island and Bluff Island.

Day 7
We reach the western side of Brabant Island and will explore Avicenna Bay, Buls Bay and Freud Passage.

Day 8
At the north east cost of Anvers Island we will visit Fournier Bay, probably first sighted by a German expedition under the command of Dallmann in 1873-74, chartered by the French Antarctic expedition under Charcot (1903-05) and named after the French navy admiral Ernest Fournier. In Inverleith harbour (also on the nort east coast of Anvers), we will make a landing and can spot an Antarctic Tern colony and may observe Weddell Seals.

Day 9
We will explore the Flandres Bay along the west coast of Graham Land (Antarctic Continent), explored by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition in 1898 under Gerlache. The Lemaire Channel is not “unknown”, but we will sail through this channel in a different way; with zodiacs ahead of the mother vessel. We will also make a landing on Deloncle Bay in the Lemaire Channel.

Day 10
We make a final landing at the continent at Waddington Bay, offering a beautiful scenery and we may observe Crabeater Seals and Weddell Seals on the ice-floes and possibilities to spot Minke Whales and we sail through the French Passage, heading for Ushuaia, Argentina.

Day 11 & 12
Two full days in the Drake Passage, where we have again a chance of seeing many seabirds and to take advantage of the knowledge of our lecture team.

Day 13
We arrive in the morning in Ushuaia and disembark the vessel.

M/V Professor Molchanov
  • Length 71,6 metres (236 feet)
  • Breadth 12,8 metres (42 feet)
  • Draft 4,5 metres (15 feet)
  • Speed 12,5 knots
  • Passengers capacity 52
  • 20 Russian crew
  • 3 international expedition staff
  • 3 international hotel & catering staff and 1 emergency doctor
'Professor Molchanov/Multanovskiy'
'Professor Molchanov'
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.


'Professor Molchanov' deckplan
Accommodation: Cabins as described above subject to availability.

Travel: We can arrange flights and overnight accommodation for you if necessary. Please contact us for prices and availability.

Leaders: Guides from Oceanwide Expeditions

Prices per person:
MOL23
Triple not en suite£ 4,565
Twin not en suite £ 5,080
Twin en suite £ 5,810
Superior twin en suite £ 6,680
Suite £ 7,265
Deposit : 20% of cost per person





Please enquire for single supplements.

The prices are per person, and are fully inclusive 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 return flights UK/Ushuaia (please allow approximately £1500.00), overnight accommodation in Ushuaia, transfers in Ushuaia, travel insurance, meals ashore, optional tips to leaders and crew, drinks, and other personal expenses.

The current fuel surcharge is £30.00 per night per passenger and £455.00 per passenger for the Atlantic Odyssey. However, if 2 months prior to departure, world fuel prices are lower than US $130.00 per Barrel Brent we will reduce this accordingly.

Please allow two days either side of the cruise dates for travel and an overnight at each end of the cruise in case of any delays.

Please note that we can arrange optional extensions in Ushuaia (see our Patagonia itinerary for details), or anywhere else in Argentina. 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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