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ATLANTIC ODYSSEY
Antarctica to the Cape Verde Islands
Birdquest's Atlantic Odyssey birding and wildlife watching tour is an epic journey from Tierra del Fuego to Antarctica, South Georgia, Gough, Tristan da Cunha, St Helena, Ascension and the Cape Verde Islands. Our Atlantic OIdyssey tour is one of the most extraordinary opportunities to see pelagic seabirds, not to mention the penguins, amazing scenery, little-visited islands and the rest, all at a very economical price compared to the standard Antarctic expedition cruise.
Wednesday 27th March -
Sunday 5th May 2013
(40 days)
Leaders:
to be confirmed and Oceanwide Expeditions staff
Group Size Limit: 20
Tour Category: Easy
From the frozen wastes of Antarctica to hot, steamy, tropical seas, this extraordinary journey of almost 10,000 kilometres (6,000 miles) from Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego to the Cape Verde Islands by way of the Antarctic Peninsula, the Weddell Sea, the South Orkneys, South Georgia, Gough Island, Tristan da Cunha, St. Helena and Ascension offers the adventurous traveller the chance to visit some of the farthest flung places on earth and to experience a seabird extravaganza beyond most birdwatchers’ wildest dreams.
This superb opportunity is made possible by the need to bring cruise ships back from Antarctica to Europe in spring for the start of the Arctic cruising season. Our remarkable journey on board one of these vessels will not only provide splendid opportunities for observing a bewildering array of seabirds, from penguins and albatrosses to frigatebirds and tropicbirds, at sea, but will also give us a chance to wander through their breeding colonies, as we step ashore on some of the remotest islands in the world. Opportunities for whale-watching will also be superb, especially in Antarctic waters and the Southern Ocean, where we are likely to enjoy some spectacular views of these leviathans sounding right next to our ship.
Our journey begins in earnest at Ushuaia, the southernmost town in the world and our base for some enjoyable birding amidst the splendid scenery of Tierra del Fuego National Park. Soon we join our ship and sail out of the Beagle Channel into the turbulent waters of the Drake Passage, where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet. We will be heading southeast, past the South Shetland Islands to the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, an icy finger of land pointing towards South America and first seen by human eyes only as recently as 1820.
Antarctica is the last frontier on our ever-shrinking planet, an uninhabited continent of more than twelve million square kilometres almost entirely encrusted with ice – an awesomely silent but starkly beautiful frozen world that every traveller longs to explore but so few ever see. Here we will gaze in wonder at some of the world’s most magnificent scenery – towering volcanoes, stark mountain ranges, lowering headlands, icebergs like floating cathedrals, all enhanced by the peculiar quality of the light, which lends an ethereal beauty to the savage grandeur of the landscapes. This is a land of superlatives, at one and the same time the coldest, highest, windiest, driest, most barren and least known area on earth.
During our explorations, we hope to be able to step ashore on the continent itself at Hope Bay or Brown Bluff, visit Adelie and Gentoo Penguin colonies at Devil Island or Paulet Island, and cruise amongst the majestic icebergs in the Weddell Sea. Here, amongst the ice floes, we will be hoping to find that most sought-after of all Antarctic birds, the Emperor Penguin, along with immaculate Lesser Snow Petrels and striking Antarctic Petrels.
From the Antarctic Peninsula we sail northeast across the Scotia Sea to South Georgia, calling in at the remote South Orkney Islands if ice conditions permit, and enjoying spectacular sea-watching as we pass through some of the richest seas on earth.
South Georgia, the most mountainous of the Subantarctic islands, appears like a series of snow-covered peaks rising from the sea, scalloped with fjords carved by more than 150 glaciers. Here we will experience some of the most unforgettable wildlife spectacles of our journey as we walk amidst huge colonies of stately King Penguins, stand close to gigantic Southern Elephant Seals and enjoy superb views of nesting Wandering Albatrosses. We will also be calling in at Grytviken, a former Norwegian whaling station where we can visit the excellent whaling museum and the grave of Sir Ernest Shackleton.
Five days of open sea separate South Georgia from our next port of call at Gough Island, but the diversity and abundance of seabirds and cetaceans is sure to provide us with some of the best sea-watching imaginable, especially as we approach Gough. With its millions of breeding seabirds of 20 species, Gough Island is a strong contender for the title of most important seabird colony in the world. Although we will not be allowed to land on this strict nature reserve, we should be able to cruise close inshore and catch site of the two endemic landbirds, the Gough Moorhen and Gough Bunting.
From Gough we will proceed to Tristan da Cunha, the remotest inhabited island in the world, where we will go ashore to meet some of the islanders and perhaps buy a few postage stamps – a major source of revenue in these islands. We also hope to be able to visit nearby Nightingale Island, with its huge seabird colony including over two million pairs of Great Shearwaters, large rookery of Subantarctic Fur Seals and Southern Elephant Seals, and three endemic landbirds – a thrush and two buntings. If we are very fortunate with the weather, we will be able to land on Inaccessible Island and seek the world’s smallest flightless bird, the incredible Inaccessible Island Rail.
Our next destination, St. Helena, lies to the north of the Tropic of Capricorn and is another four days sailing away. As we leave the cold waters of the South Atlantic behind and enter the warm waters of the tropics, we finally say goodbye to our last albatrosses and pick up an entirely different set of seabirds and cetaceans, along with our first flying-fish. On St. Helena, we will visit the house where Napoleon lived in exile, and look for the island’s only surviving endemic landbird, the St Helena Plover or Wirebird (so-named because of its long, spindly legs). We will also take a trip out in a local boat to look for dolphins and to visit a group of islets with breeding seabirds.
Continuing on almost to the Equator, we will come to Ascension Island where we will visit an enormous breeding colony of Sooty Terns, circumnavigate a small islet that supports the entire world population of Ascension Frigatebirds, and visit a beach at night to witness the amazing spectacle of Green Sea Turtles laying their eggs in the sand.
Eventually we will reach the Cape Verde Islands, where Cape Verde Shearwaters and Fea’s Petrels await us and where we should have the chance to see some of the endemic landbirds. Then, sadly, it will be time to disembark from our ship for the last time and take a flight back to the ‘real world’.
Now that the era of the 50-80 passenger Russian expedition ships is sadly passing into history, larger vessels are becoming the norm for expedition cruising. We shall be sailing on the Plancius, a converted Dutch naval vessel operated by the well-respected Oceanwide Expeditions, who are based in The Netherlands. Significantly more comfortable and more modern than the old Russian ships, the Plancius is still not a ‘cruise ship’ in the traditional manner and is designed for exploring wild places and enjoying wild nature, rather than enjoying luxurious surroundings and ‘black-tie’ dinners with the officers.
Plancius can accommodate up to 114 passengers in 53 passenger cabins, all with private toilet and shower. Cabins consist of 4 quad cabins with two lower single beds and two upper single beds, a total of 39 standard twin and deluxe cabins (with two lower single beds) and 10 twin superior cabins (almost 50% larger, with one queen-sized bed). Cabins have storage space and an outside view. Public facilities include restaurant/lecture theatre, an observation lounge/bar with panoramic views, a library and a small shop. Food is plentiful, of good quality, waitress-served and prepared by European, North American or Australasian chefs. The ship carries a small complement of expedition staff who, as well as guiding zodiac cruises and excursions ashore, double up as guest lecturers and give informal talks on the environment, wildlife and history of the areas visited. The bridge is normally open to all (except when the ship is docking) and the big ‘picture’ windows provide a great viewpoint whenever it is too breezy to stand comfortably at the bow.
Landings are carried out by means of a fleet of Zodiacs, the rugged, fast-moving inflatables developed by Jacques Cousteau for expedition work which allow safe landings on remote coastlines in all types of conditions. The sheer speed and efficiency with which the crew and expedition staff carry out these landings, coupled with the small complement of passengers, allows everyone plenty of time ashore, a key factor when considering any cruise of this type. Further information about the cruise, including photographs and details of the ship layout, including cabin layouts, are available on the Oceanwide Expeditions website: www.oceanwide-expeditions.com.
The great advantage of taking this particular cruise, if you are especially interested in seeing wildlife, is that the itinerary and day to day schedule are strongly wildlife-orientated, and the group will also benefit by having an experienced ornithologist guide.
Birdquest has operated tours to Antarctica and the Subantarctic Islands since 1990.
(Note: The above is a summary of the tour. For more information please download the detailed, day-by-day itinerary. The button is at the top right of the page.)
Accommodation & Road Transport: The hotel in Ushuaia is of a good standard. For details of the ship, see the introductory section. The few road transfers and excursions will be by small coach or minibus.
Walking: The walking effort is mostly easy, but there are a few optional harder walks.
Climate: In southern Argentina conditions are typically cool, with sunny periods and showers. Around the Antarctic Peninsula the temperature is generally around freezing point (around 4-5°C, or 39-41°F at South Georgia) and on sunny days it can feel relatively warm if there is no wind (but it feels decidedly cold on windy days at sea). Sunny spells are interspersed with (often longer) overcast periods and some rain or snow are to be expected. At Gough and Tristan da Cunha, the climate is cool with maximum temperatures around 11-15°C (52-59°F) and a high probability of low cloud and rain. On St. Helena, Ascension and the Cape Verde Islands, the weather is usually warm or hot and humid, with maximum temperatures around 27-31°C (81-88°F). There is a possibility of some rain in this mid-Atlantic section.
Bird/Sea Mammal Photography: Opportunities outstanding in the south, quite good in the north.
Important Note: This unique trip is very much at the mercy of the weather and sea conditions, especially in the South Atlantic where frequent periods of high winds and rough seas can make landing on islands in the Tristan da Cunha group very difficult. In Antarctica, the precise itinerary may vary from year to year according to local ice conditions. Adverse weather conditions may prevent landings on exposed coasts and on some islands, but it is unusual for more than two or three landings to have to be called off during a cruise.
Cape Verde to Madeira Extension: Oceanwide Expeditions have told us that they plan on offering an extension from the Cape Verde Islands to Madeira via the Canaries. More information will be made available at a later date.
Tour Price: (provisional): For Ushuaia/Praia cruise-only arrangements: $9200 in a quad-berth cabin with private bathroom; $11340 in a twin-berth cabin with porthole and private bathroom; $11700 in a twin-berth cabin with window and private bathroom; $12040 in a deluxe cabin with private bathroom; $12880 in a superior cabin with private bathroom. Supplement for shore-based arrangements at Ushuaia and Praia as per the special Birdquest itinerary, including 2 nights accommodation: $900. (Ushuaia/Praia cruise-only prices cover the cruise arrangements from embarkation on the ship at Ushuaia port to disembarkation from the ship at Praia.) Price includes all transportation, all accommodations, all meals, bottled water during shore-based stays, some drinks, all excursions, all entrance fees, all tips for local drivers/guides and for accommodations/restaurants ashore, leader services. Gratuities for the expedition staff and crew are not included in the tour price. Gratuities are entirely at your discretion. The staff work very long hours to make such cruises a success, including a great deal of night sailing, and we have been told that most passengers give gratuities of around US$380-570 for such a 38 days cruise.
Important: Owing to the possibility, however small, of a severe airline delay, we would recommend that all participants who are joining the tour on a ‘cruise-only’ basis have two nights at Ushuaia prior to the cruise. Kindly note that in the event you do not arrive in time, the ship will not wait and neither the cruise operator nor ourselves can make a refund in such circumstances. Arriving early also has the advantage that your luggage could still catch up with you, should it go astray. We can make hotel bookings for you in Ushuaia on request, should you not wish to take our standard pre-cruise land programme in Tierra del Fuego.
Single Cabin/Room Supplement: Single occupancy of twin-berth cabins can be obtained in return for an 80% supplement on top of the Ushuaia/Praia cruise-only price (superior cabins are available for single occupancy for a 100% supplement). Please note that if you are willing to share but no cabin-mate is available you will not have to pay the single occupancy supplement. Single room supplement in Ushuaia: (provisional): $128. (Please note that if you are sharing a cabin on board ship but there is no room-mate available at Ushuaia, then you will have to pay the supplement for a single room ashore.)
Deposit: 20% of the tour price. If booking more than 12 months before departure, the initial deposit is only 10% of the tour price.
Air Travel To & From The Tour: Our in-house IATA ticket agency can arrange your air travel in connection with the tour from a departure point anywhere in the world, or you may arrange your own air travel if you prefer. We can tailor-make your itinerary to your personal requirements, so if you would like to travel in advance of the tour (and spend a night in an hotel so you will feel fresh when the tour starts), or return later than the end of the tour, or make a side trip to some other destination, or travel business class rather than economy, we will be happy to assist. Please contact us about your air travel requirements.
Birdquest LLC, 3721 Executive Center Drive, Suite 268, Austin, TX 78731
Ph: 512-343-1700, Fax: 512-343-1701
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