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Peregrine Travel Centre

South Georgia – In Depth (RCGS Resolute)

South Georgia – In Depth (RCGS Resolute)

From USD $13,195

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Description

South Georgia has rightly been called ‘the greatest wildlife show on Earth’ and after our in depth exploration of this remote island in the South Atlantic, we are certain you will agree. This seldom-visited corner of the planet is a place we know intimately and look forward to visiting every season.

Even our experienced expedition staff, some with more than 100 journeys into the polar regions, cherish every visit to South Georgia. It really is that remarkable. Traditionally, our visits to South Georgia last only three or four days and are part of a much longer itinerary that also includes Antarctica. However, after many years of careful preparation and planning, we now offer the unique opportunity to spend eight full days of exploration. This is more than double the time traditionally spent exploring South Georgia.

This particular departure is timed to coincide with the arrival of spring in the Sub-Antarctic region. Early November marks the beginning of the wildlife migration and commencement of the breeding cycle for many species. Scenes of male elephant seals battling for control of the beaches (and the female harems), the intimate and beautiful courtship rituals of the albatross and antics of the young penguin chicks, will have you believing you are ‘on the set’ of your very own wildlife documentary. While the soft light in the mornings and evenings adds to the colour palette for the photographers at this time of the season. For lovers of remote, small-ship expedition cruising, this voyage ticks all the boxes.

Trip Name
South Georgia – In Depth (RCGS Resolute)
Days
15
Overview
Vessel Type: Polar Expedition Vessel Passenger Capacity: 146 Built: 1993 Named after the HMS Resolute, a British Royal Navy Arctic exploration vessel, as well as the Inuit town of Resolute in Canada’s Nunavut Territory, RCGS Resolute will arrive in Canada in November 2018 for its inaugural polar voyage. RCGS Resolute also carries the name of The Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS), since we are exclusive education, environmental science, and expedition partners in Canada’s north. This longstanding partnership works to the benefit of our guests, who have the opportunity to learn from and interact with world-renowned educators, researchers, naturalists, marine biologists, artists, historians and photographers. With an unsurpassed ice classification, a proven track record for stability and safety, large indoor and outdoor viewing platforms, and exceptional maneuverability, RCGS Resolute is ideally equipped to guide guests through the world’s most pristine regions, further expanding our expertise in exploration and discovery. RCGS Resolute will carry a maximum of 146 passengers in unparalleled comfort, with an array of luxury amenities, educational opportunities and activities tailored to guests’ particular interests, and individual, personalized service.  Superb Design and Layout. Throughout the ship there are spaces ideally suited to every need. Spacious outer decks provide 360 degree viewing platforms perfect for photography, wildlife watching, birding and appreciating expansive views.  The salt water plunge pool, large relaxation deck, hot water jacuzzi are all located aft of the wellness centre (massage therapy, Finnish Sauna, steam room) and well equipped gymnasium.  Inside there are multiple areas to explore ranging from our well appointed theatre style presentation room, aft observation lounge and bar, forward observation lounge and bar, and both dining rooms. Add in the One Ocean Expeditions multimedia room, and mobile laboratory and the opportunities are endless.  Six Different Cabin Categories. All cabins feature outside viewing ranging from deck three traditional with port holes, up to decks 4 through 6 offering expansive panoramic windows.  Cabins all have lower berths that have the ability to be single beds, or 1 double bed depending on our guests needs.  Extensive renovations have provided new carpets, high quality cabinetry with soft close drawers, contemporary and spacious bathroom design, all paired with soft accent lighting offering options dependant on our guests daily activities and mood. All cabins offer modern sectional lounge quarters, providing a quiet nook to read or catch up on journalling.  Space is exceptional as each cabin offers 22M squared living space, whilst the One Ocean Suites are absolutely palatial offering 44M squared with enough room to entertain or do back - flips (your choice)! Enjoy Great Dining? So do we. At One Ocean Expeditions, the priority is on the expedition.  However with every activity, option, event, or excursion we find we build up incredible appetites to indulge in superb and extensive menu options.  Our bistro dining room provides early birds the option to get their social caffeine or smoothy start to the day, accompanied by light breakfast style snacks.  Full meal service includes buffet breakfast and lunches incorporating an international flare.  For those with special dietary requirements - no problem, we can accommodate that too.  Dinner is a great opportunity to catch up about the day’s events, as well as look to where we expect to explore next.  Five course menu options are offered a la carte, and seating is open in our business casual dining room featuring 180 degree sweeping views.  There’s also an excellent wine list featuring a range of international wines and other beverages of choice.  Join us on the Bridge. There is an open-bridge policy and guests are welcome to meet the navigating crew at virtually any time of day; there’s always something to learn from the officers on watch and the bridge is one of the best places on the ship for spotting whales and sea birds.  The bridge is closed during times of tricky navigation, pilotage, or weather. Operational Safety. There are no compromises here. The expedition staff and crew onboard RCGS Resolute have the deepest respect for changeable weather in the polar regions and the varying sea and ice conditions. That respect is apparent in every decision made throughout the voyage. The ship carries the most extensive inventory of safety equipment on all excursions and require leaders to undergo vigorous and effective safety training programs. Your expedition team are well prepared, so you can relax and enjoy your voyage.

Itinerary



Day 1 - DAY 1 / SANTIAGO (CHILE) TO STANLEY (FALKLAND ISLANDS)
We depart Santiago this morning on our special charter flightdirect to Stanley, the small capital of the Falkland Islands. Weare met on arrival and transfer from the airport into town. Thereis time to explore the town, or enjoy a guided visit to nearbyGypsy Cove which provides our first opportunity for observingthe local wildlife, including nesting Magellanic penguins andother sea birds. Making our way to the port, we board ourexpedition ship, RCGS Resolute in the afternoon. After settlinginto our cabins and exploring the ship, we meet our expeditionteam and fellow passengers. Excitement is in the air as weenjoy a welcome cocktail and cast off to explore one of themost remote islands on Earth.
Day 2 - DAYS 2-3 / AT SEA – TOWARDS SOUTH GEORGIA
This stretch of the South Atlantic is rich in its bio-diversityand showcases an abundance of astonishing wildlife. Weare joined by hundreds of seabirds including the wanderingalbatross. Giant petrels and smaller Cape petrels are alsoconstant companions as we make our way to South Georgia.Photographing these magnificent birds takes patience andskill and our photography expert will be on hand to show youthe best techniques. Join the ship’s Captain on the bridge andlearn about the operations of our modern research vessel.Throughout the day our onboard experts educate us with aseries of presentations about the environment, wildlife andhistory of the locations we hope to visit in the coming days.History is a key theme of this voyage and the epic story ofShackleton is central to our journey.
Day 3 - DAYS 4-5 / KING HAAKON BAY AND THE NORTHWEST COAST OF SOUTH GEORGIA
Majestic snow-covered mountains greet us on arrival in SouthGeorgia. Weather permitting, we begin our exploration onthe southern coastline. We hope to navigate the ship into thevery historic location of King Haakon Bay. It was here thatShackleton and his men made landfall in their small lifeboat –the 'James Caird', after completing the perilous ocean crossingfrom Elephant Island, a century ago. This is a very dramaticplace, visited by just a handful of ships each season. From here,we make our way around to the more protected waters of thenorth-eastern coast.We can now indulge in an in-depth exploration, navigating intothe bays and harbours the entire length of the island. ElsehulBay allows for great Zodiac cruising and will be a possiblelocation we will launch the kayakers for a paddle. One of themost anticipated sites in South Georgia is Salisbury Plain. Theblack sand beaches and tussock covered dunes are hometo a staggering abundance of king penguin adults and theiryoung. The rookery is estimated to have a population of up to100,000 adult and juvenile penguins. This is just one of severalsuch king penguin rookeries on South Georgia. At the heightof breeding season, the rookeries are believed to have morewildlife per square foot than any other place on the planet.The majestic ‘Kings’ are not the only wildlife on display as weexplore the rugged coastline. Fur seals can be seen poking theirheads above the water, the elephant seals enjoy lazing aboutthe beach, while the skuas and giant petrels fill the skies above.Meanwhile, the albatross – our constant companion on thisjourney – is never far away.
Day 4 - DAYS 6-7 / FORTUNA BAY, STROMNESS, GRYTVIKEN AND CENTRAL NORTH COAST
Fortuna Bay is a majestic three-mile long fjord. It was namedafter the ship 'Fortuna' – one of the original vessels of theNorwegian–Argentine whaling expedition which establishedthe first permanent whaling station at Grytviken - further alongthe coast. History comes into sharp focus as we continue westto Stromness and onto Grytviken. From 1912 until the 1930s,Stromness (and nearby Leith and Husvik), operated as whalingstations and the rusted and ghostly remnants of these oldstations seem out of place in such a pristine environment. Thisarea is key to the Shackleton story and it was here in 1916, thatShackleton and his companions, Frank Worsley and Tom Crean,arrived after their epic mountain crossing from King Haakon Bayon the south coast. This is after having completed their 800-mile journey by small boat from Elephant Island in Antarctica. If the weather co-operates, we hope to hike in Shackleton'sfootsteps, the last few miles across the saddle separatingFortuna Bay from neighbouring Stromness. Eventually we enterthe broad expanse of Cumberland Bay, anchoring off Grytviken– the largest of the old whaling stations on South Georgia. Ahighlight of our landing here is a visit to the grave site of SirErnest Shackleton and his loyal right-hand man, Frank Wild.
Day 5 - DAYS 8-9 / ST ANDREWS BAY, GOLD HARBOUR AND EASTERN COAST
Our next few days take us to St Andrews Bay and GoldHarbour – places that are teeming with wildlife including furseals, elephant seals and massive colonies of the colourfulking penguins. As with all of our landings we will exercise everyopportunity to explore on foot with our experienced guides.Gold Harbour is so called because the sun's rays make thecliffs yellow with their light in the morning and evening. It’s anexhilarating location. Drygalski Fjord at the far eastern extremityof the island has been called one of the most spectacular sitesin South Georgia and we think you will agree.
Day 6 - DAY 10 / GODTHUL AND PRION ISLAND
Our exploration of South Georgia is not over and we navigateour way back along the northern coastline. There are a fewspecial locations we have in mind – including the old whalingdepot at Godthul. There is a terrific hike here up to a beautifullake. Nearing the end of our visit to South Georgia, we hopeto enjoy a shore landing at Prion Island – which many considerthe jewel in the crown. This location has been designated as a‘Special Protected Area’ by the South Georgia Government dueto the breeding wandering albatross colonies at this location.Boasting the largest wingspan of any living bird, typicallyranging from 2.5 to 3.5 m (8ft to 11ft), albatross spend mostof their life in flight, landing only to breed and feed. Distancestravelled each year are hard to measure, but one bird wasrecorded travelling 6000 km in just twelve days. We areexceptionally lucky to be able to attempt a landing here as thesite is closed to visiting ships between late November and earlyJanuary, due to the concentration of fur seals on the beaches.The boardwalks provide access to several observation platformswhere we view nesting wandering albatross in close proximity.As we depart South Georgia, we pause to reflect on our time inthis spectacular location and chart our return course towardsthe Falkland Islands.
Day 7 - DAY 11-13 / AT SEA TOWARDS FALKLAND ISLANDS
Our final days are spent catching up on journal entries, orperhaps downloading and reviewing photos at the multimediastation with our photography expert. For some, it’s achance to catch some well-earned rest after a busy ten daysof exploration. The wonderful lounges on the ship providesfantastic panoramas and are a great place to sit with a bookand a hot drink. The educational presentations continue andwe enjoy an entertaining and memorable voyage recap by ourExpedition Leader. A particular highlight of our return journeywill be frequent sightings of the majestic albatross, petrels andother seabirds as they soar above the ship on the winds of theSouthern Ocean. Take the time to enjoy a quiet moment onthe outer deck and reflect on a truly remarkable journey to thefarthest reaches of the planet.
Day 8 - DAY 14 / SEA LION ISLAND, FALKLAND ISLANDS
We wake to the sight of landfall in the Falklands. ApproachingSea Lion Island, we first note the very barren and windsweptlandscape, exposed to the prevailing weather that originatesin the Drake Passage. Launching the Zodiacs we go ashore toview the incredible diversity of wildlife found here. Three speciesof penguin including gentoo, Magellanic and rockhopper, aswell as southern elephant seals and South American sea lionsare known to inhabit the area. King cormorants and striatedcaracaras are just some of the bird species we may see. As wecruise along the coast of the Falklands, bound for Stanley, weenjoy a special dinner attended by the ship’s Captain.
Day 9 - DAY 12 / ARRIVE STANLEY (FALKLAND ISLANDS) – VOYAGE CONCLUDES – FLY BACK TO SANTIAGO (CHILE)
This morning we find ourselves back in the port of Stanley. Wesay goodbye to our crew and after some free time in town,make our way to the airport for our return charter flight toSantiago. On arrival in Santiago our journey comes to an end.Onward regional and international flight connections may bepossible this evening. Discuss the options with your bookingagent. A transfer is provided to a downtown location for thosechoosing to stay and explore Santiago and the delights of Chile.
Day 10 - Please Note:
Polar exploration can be unpredictable. Specific sites visited will depend on prevailing weather and ice conditions at thetime of sailing. The above itinerary should be read as a ‘guide only’ and may change. The ship’s Captain in conjunction with the Expedition Leadercontinually review the sailing plan throughout the voyage, making adjustments to the itinerary along the way to take advantage of optimal weatherand ice conditions or to maximize our encounters with wildlife. Decades of experience spent exploring these waterways mean we have a largenumber of outstanding landing sites and zodiac cruising locations to consider, even when the weather conditions may not be ideal or when heavyice may hinder our planned route. A flexible approach is something we encourage you to bring to the ship.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
06-11-201921-11-2019USD $13,195Triple Private
06-11-201921-11-2019USD $14,995Twin Private
06-11-201921-11-2019USD $15,995Superior
06-11-201921-11-2019USD $16,395Superior Plus
06-11-201921-11-2019USD $18,095Shackleton Suite
06-11-201921-11-2019USD $19,995One Ocean Suite

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