SOLAR ECLIPSE: ANTARCTIC PENINSULA
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SOLAR ECLIPSE: ANTARCTIC PENINSULA
ITINERARY SUMMARY
| Day | Place | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ushuaia | Embark on the Silver Cloud |
| 2-4 | Drake Passage | Enjoy these days at sea as you head towards the Solar Eclipse viewing |
| 5 | Eclipse Position / Day at Sea | Experience this once in a lifetime experience witnessing the total Solar Eclipse |
| 6 | Elephant Island | Learn about the history of this very iconic Antarctic Island |
| 7-8 | Antarctic Peninsula | Experience the wonder and awe of the incredible Antarctic Peninsula |
| 9 | South Shetland Islands | Explore these islands, what many consider the jewel in Antarctica's crown |
| 10-11 | Drake Passage | Travel this notorious waterway as you journey back to South America |
| 12 | Ushuaia | Disembark the Silver Cloud where your incredible journey began |
SHIP OFFERING THIS ITINERARY
SILVER CLOUD
Spacious yet intimate, the yacht-like Silver Cloud carries 240 guests in incomparable comfort and style combining spacious ocean-view suites and private verandas with excellent dining and entertainment options. Silver Cloud epitomizes a vision of world-class cruise accommodations, cuisine, service and amenities. The Silver Cloud is equipped with a fleet of zodiacs and expert guides to escort you on excursions from the ship.
Day 1 Ushuaia, Argentina
Overview:
Embark on the Silver Cloud, settle in and attend a mandatory safety drill before leaving port. During the afternoon you will be introduced to some of the important crew members and along with your Expedition Team. At sail-away bid farewell to Tierra del Fuego, the ‘Land at the End of the World’.
Days 2-4 The Drake Passage
Sailing the legendary Drake Passage is an experience that few are ever lucky enough to experience. The southern tip of the Americas already feels like a wild enough environment – but the sensation of watching the distant cliffs of the peninsula known as the ‘End of the World’ fade into the horizon, is one that’s equal parts epic, eerie and magical. Set sail, to slowly drop off the bottom of the map from Cape Horn, and voyage on an expedition down into the icy underworld of Antarctica. The Drake Passage is an extraordinary voyage of romantic ocean faring legend, as you aim for Antarctica’s icy realm. On arrival, skyscraper sized icebergs salute you, as you traverse the waters of this continent where snow and ice dwelling creatures like penguins and whales roam undisturbed. Your first sight of this most-unexplored place will most likely be the South Shetland Islands. Walk in the footsteps of some of history’s greatest and bravest explorers as you explore famed, snow-covered landmasses like Elephant and Deception Island. If the journey across Drake Passage sounds daunting, don’t worry – even in rough seas you’re never alone, and will often be accompanied on this spine-tingling adventure by soaring albatrosses and maybe even a protective pod of humpbacks and hourglass dolphins or two. Converging warm and cool ocean currents attract some spectacular animal life to the passage.
Day 5 Eclipse Position / Day at Sea
Calling all skywatchers, umbraphiles and astronomers! Extremely rare and very exciting, a full solar eclipse is a bucket list experience if ever there was one. Scheduled for 4th December, 2021 the next eclipse will take place only in Antarctica and you will be positioned in the small path of totality for maximum effect. This experience is not available for the average cruisers; imagine being surrounded by brilliant light one minute, then complete blackout the next, before enjoying the mysterious shadow-play as you wind back to the blinding white of Antarctica. Watch how the curious wildlife will react to the eclipse, making sure to note their behaviour and let the onboard naturalist know. Other onboard expedition staff will share their insightful knowledge in order to help you gain a better understanding of this incredible phenomenon. As if a trip to the seventh continent was not special enough!
Day 6 Elephant Island, Antarctica
Promising thrilling adventure, legendary tales and immaculate Antarctic beauty, Elephant Island is perhaps Antarctica’s best-known location. The exploits of its early explorers have immortalised this harsh, monochrome island in the tomes of human history. Believed to take its name from the elephant seals that early explorers spotted lolling on its rocks, the volcanic island was not properly explored until 1916 – when Ernest Shackleton and his men were stricken by the weather and sought salvation on its shores. Their story of survival, stranded in this barren land, is one of humanity’s most evocative and inspiring accounts. Elephant Island is written deep into the legend of Antarctic exploration, and you’ll discover Shackleton’s tale for yourself as you arrive in the island’s icy realm. The remarkable, slowly flowing Endurance Glacier – which you’ll see on arrival here – takes its name from their ship, The Endurance. Visit the monument that stands to Shackleton, often surrounded by a migrating crowd of tiny gentoo penguins, at Point Wild – the spot where he and his 28 crew members camped for four and a half months of Antarctic winter. Eventually, Shackleton and a handful of courageous others sailed for South Georgia Island, before returning to secure the rescue of the remaining crew members. Aside from sailing amid breathtaking winter vistas, witnessing incredible fauna and feeling the sheer rush of an adventure to the unknown – one of the true joys of any Antarctic cruise is to follow in the footsteps of the brave explorers who first sought out the alluring nectar of these dangerous, evocative landscapes.
Days 7-8 Antarctic Peninsula
Silver Explorer will arrive at Ushuaia in the morning. Following breakfast, disembark Silver Explorer. Expedition highlights and wildlife listed here are possible experiences only and cannot be guaranteed. Your Expedition Leader and Captain will work together to ensure opportunities for adventure and exploration are the best possible, taking into account the prevailing weather, wildlife activity and ice conditions. Expedition Team members scheduled for this voyage are subject to change or cancellation.
A flexible itinerary allows us to take advantage of favourable sea and weather conditions. In the true spirit of expedition cruising, each day the Expedition Leader and Captain will determine our best course depending on weather, ice conditions and wildlife we may encounter.
Day 9 South Shetland Islands
Lying close to the northwestern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, separated by the Bransfield Strait, the South Shetland Islands fall under the jurisdiction of the Antarctic Treaty, suspending claims on their sovereignty. Several countries maintain research bases here, and with plump elephant seals, and crowds of Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adelie Penguins also calling the islands home, it can even feel a little crowded at times. King George Island is the largest and most hospitable island, hosting the majority of the research stations – some of which are populated all-year-round by tiny, hardy crews. Don’t be fooled though, these islands offer extraordinary adventure in one of the most remote locations on earth. The triple peaks of Mount Foster tower above the archipelago, and you’ll feel your heart pumping a little quicker, as you sail into the core of Deception Island’s magnificent collapsed volcano caldera. Hike the luna landscapes within, and even dip into the improbably warm, geothermally-heated waters of Pendulum Cove. Elephant Island, meanwhile, is written deep into the history of Antarctic expedition legend, as the site where Ernest Shackleton and the stricken crew of the Endurance miraculously survived a harsh Antarctic winter, in 1916.
Days 10-11 Drake Passage
Return to South America via the Drake Passage. Reflect on the incredible journey that you’ve had in the White Continent and the incredible experience of witnessing a total solar eclipse.
Day 12 Ushuaia
Disembark after breakfast in Ushuaia, where your incredible adventure began. Farewell to your new found friends and experienced expedition teams.