Solar Eclipse in Antarctica at M/V Sylvia Earle

16 days - 15 nights

Solar Eclipse in Antarctica

Day 1 - Ushuaia

We will be waiting for you at the airport of the city of Ushuaia to transfer you to your hotel in the city center.

Día 2 - Boarding and departure from Ushuaia

We will look for your luggage at the hotel to transfer it to the ship. You can take advantage of the morning to visit the city of Ushuaia and its surroundings before heading to the port in the afternoon to meet with your expedition team and board around 4:00 pm (the final boarding time will be provided in your final documentation) . Ushuaia is located beneath the spectacular mountains of Tierra del Fuego on the edge of the Beagle Channel. You can choose to enjoy a tour of the Tierra del Fuego National Park or visit the small museum, which has informative exhibits about the original inhabitants and the current population of Tierra del Fuego. Ushuaia is a tax-free port with a reputation for delicious Argentine chocolates and leather goods, and is a great place to buy souvenirs and gifts. There are a lot of excellent restaurants available, so if you are looking for a quick coffee, an excellent meal of crab or asado, there are several options. As the ship moves away from the port, we will meet on the deck to begin our adventure with spectacular views of Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego. You will have time to settle in your cabin before our briefings. On the first night, you will meet your expedition companions and the friendly expedition team that will offer you a welcome dinner to celebrate the beginning of an exciting adventure in Antarctica.

Day 3 - Drake Passage

As we begin the crossing of the Drake Passage, we make the most of our time to feel comfortable with the movements of the sea. Our expedition team prepares you for our first landing with important wildlife guidelines and biosafety procedures. We will also begin our conference program to help you learn more about the history, wildlife and environment of Antarctica. Our experiences with wildlife begin when we enjoy watching and photographing the many seabirds, including majestic albatrosses and giant petrels that follow us. They rise and fall skillfully, using the air currents created by the ship to gain momentum.

Día 4 - We approach South Shetland Islands

On the fourth day we approach the South Shetland Islands and the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, the emotion begins to be felt when on the horizon we begin to see the first icebergs. The ocean acquires a new perspective once we are below the Antarctic Convergence and we are surrounded by the surreal presence of floating ice sculptures. The memory of your first great iceberg sighting is likely to remain with you throughout your life. If the weather allows us, we can try our first landing in Antarctica at the end of the afternoon.

Day 5 to 10 - Antarctic Peninsula

It is almost impossible to describe the feeling of reaching Antarctica. Discovering your first iceberg and taking a deep breath of fresh air is an experience that will accompany you forever. Once we arrive, we can explore the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands and we have a wealth of options available to us. Because we are so far south, we will experience approximately 18-24 hours of daylight. Their experienced expedition team, who have made countless trips to this area, will use their experience to design your day-to-day trip, choosing the best options based on the weather, ice conditions and wildlife opportunities.

We generally go out on Zodiac boats twice a day. We visit penguin colonies, historic cabins, and explore some of our favorite places throughout the peninsula. As we disembark, we want to stretch our legs, wander along pebble beaches, or perhaps climb up snow-capped ridges to strategic points with high mountains and ice-covered oceans. If you have chosen an optional activity, you will have the option to do it whenever conditions allow. You can navigate the straits that separate the islands from the mainland coast, or stay in scenic bays to watch whales. This is a good time to enjoy the observation room or head to the bridge to enjoy uninterrupted views of Antarctica in all its glory. Watch for the crunches and deep roar of glaciers as they make their way from the summit to the sea, and take a quiet moment to experience the wonder of this incredible white continent.

Day 11 to 13 - Solar eclipse in the South Orkney Islands

According to NASA, the optimal position to experience the solar eclipse is in the Weddell Sea. The eclipse is visible from the following geographic regions: Antarctica, South Africa, the South Atlantic, but the entire eclipse will only be visible in Antarctica. The moment of the greatest eclipse takes place on December 4, 2021 at 07:34:38 ​​TD (Dynamic Earth Time) or (07:33:28 UT1). Historically, early December would be considered too early to visit the South Orkney Islands due to extensive sea ice. However, conditions have changed each year and it is possible to enter the South Orkney on December 4, 2021; The unknown is part of what makes the experience even more exciting.

The eclipse belongs to Saros 152 and is number 13 of 70 eclipses in the series. All the eclipses in this series occur at the descending node of the Moon. The total solar eclipse of December 4, 2021 is preceded two weeks earlier by a partial lunar eclipse on November 19, 2021. All of these eclipses occur during a single eclipse season, a period during which the Sun appears close enough from one of the lunar nodes to allow a solar eclipse to occur. Each season lasts approximately 34 days and repeats at intervals of approximately 173 days.

The Endurance, Sir Ernest Shackleton's ship, was trapped in formidable sea ice in the Weddell Sea, so Weddell certainly ranks high on the list of most polar adventurers. A small group of islands located to the east of the Antarctic Peninsula collectively form the Antarctic Sound, which is the gateway to the Weddell Sea. With a deserved reputation as an iceberg alley, many large tabular icebergs escape the Weddell Sea through the Antarctic Sound, which often makes navigation difficult. However, the rewards can be great. The fossils are a reminder of a milder era: gastropods, large clams, and spiral ammonites, all turned to stone.

The Weddell Sea boasts a large colony of Adelie penguins just outside the Antarctic Sound, some of which breed on the rocky slopes of a small volcanic island, where a large colony of blue-eyed Wilson's Antarctic petrels vie for space. We observe chinstrap penguins in and out of the water, where you will likely see humpback, minke, and orca whales. With good ice and good luck, you can even get up close to a well-known emperor penguin colony.

Day 14 to 15 - Returning through the Drake Passage

Today, our landings come to an end when we enter the Drake Passage for our return trip to South America. With lectures and videos to complete our Antarctic experience, there is still plenty of time to enjoy the magic of the Southern Ocean. There is time to reflect and discuss what we have seen and experienced, and the impact this trip has had on our attitude to life. When we approach the tip of South America, our Captain can sail near the legendary Cape Horn, if the weather and climate allow us.

Day 16 - Ushuaia

During the morning, we sail through the Beagle Channel, before arriving at the Ushuaia dock, where we can disembark around 8:00 am. We say goodbye to the expedition team and fellow travelers. The cost of the trip includes a transfer to the center of Ushuaia before continuing to the airport.