The adventure begins traversing the famous Beagle Channel. Destination - Antarctica! ArgentinaPlowing through the notorious Drake Passage on the M/V Akademik Ioffe South Atlantic OceanRocking and rolling on the Drake Passage! South Atlantic OceanA magnificent towering castle iceberg! Antarctic PeninsulaAn enormous humpback whale breaches the waves in the Gerlach Straits A humpback whale flaps his pectoral fin in a regal salute A tip of the flipper as if to say goodbye Arching backward - the humpback whale plunges back into the sea Sunset cruise though ice flows and bergy bits on New Years Eve Crystal Sound near the Antarctic CircleCruising Northwest on Crystal Sound Cruising Northwest on Crystal Sound at sunset Cruising through tinning ice flows and bergy bits on Crystal Sound Into the open waters on Crystal Sound Taking in the beauty of Crystal Sound as sunset approaches Magic hour on the ice strewn waters of Crystal Sound Last rays of the day on Crystal Sound Painted skies over the French Passage Antarctic PeninsulaFire in the sky! Orange rays radiate from behind snow covered peaks French PassageBetween Heaven and Earth French PassageEngine controls and plotting instruments on the bridge of the M/V Akademik Ioffe Bransfield StraitsTowering peaks overshadow an expedition ship entering the narrow and majestic Lemaire Channel Plodding slowly through the ice-choked Lemaire Channel Watching ice flows and bergy bits pass by on the Lemaire Channel Pushing through the ice on the Lemaire Channel Antarctic PeninsulaThe M/V Corinthian cruises beneath the towering peak of 2822m Mount Francis Lemaire ChannelWith wings outstretched, a Gentoo penguin looks across the snowy expanse of Booth Island Antarctic PeninsulaThree Gentoo penguins waddle down the snow-covered slopes of Booth Island Five Gentoo penguins ascend snow-covered slopes to their nests on Danco Island An Antarctic tern attacks a Gentoo penguin too close to its nest Booth Island, Antarctic PeninsulaA soaring Antarctic tern hunts for a meal at Booth Island Zodiac cruising past glorious ice sculptures Wilhelmina BayEthereal ice near Trinity Island Sculpted by the wind and sea at Yarlour Islands An gigantic and stunning blue ice bridge at Wilhemina Bay Grandeur and Majesty at Portal Point Chinstrap penguins play hide and seek on a snowy ridge Graham Land, Antarctic PeninsulaChinstrap penguins swim behind a zodiac cruising past a sculptured iceberg Cierva CoveNatures beautiful art sculpted by wind and water Cierva CoveA brown skua rests on a whale of an iceberg! Wilhelmina BayTowering mountains and beautiful reflections at Neko Harbour A glorious sunset painted in hues of pink and mauve Bransfield StraitA docile crabeater seal rests on a rocky shore Oh my back is itchy! A Weddell seal squirms on an ice flow Graham LandWith its wings outstretched, a curious Adelie penguin approaches the photographer Brown Bluff, Weddell SeaAn Adelie penguin trumpets for its mate Brown Bluff, Weddell SeaPortrait of an Adelie penguin and its jagged teeth Brown Bluff, Weddell SeaAdelie penguins trumpet and sway back and forth in mating rituals Brown Bluff, Weddell SeaTrumpeting their affection in a squall Brown Bluff, Weddell SeaTwo Adelie chicks are warmed and protected by their parents Brown Bluff, Weddell SeaAdelie chicks chirp to be fed Brown Bluff, Weddell SeaEntering the narrow and hazardous Neptunes Bellows Deception Island, South Shetland IslandsApproaching majestic Whalers Bay at Deception Island The immense caldera of volcanic Deception Island A brown skua floats above an ancient decaying whalers boat at Deception Island Gee I wonder what this is! Curious Chinstrap penguins at Deception Island Chinstrap penguins waddle down the volcanic black sand beach at historic Whalers Bay Deception Island, South Shetland IslandsI dont want to go in! A Chinstrap penguin hesitates entering the icy water Whalers Bay, Deception IslandChinstrap penguins frolic on the beach at Whalers Bay Chinstrap penguins muzzle in a mating ritual at Whalers Bay Deception Island Glacial meltwaters tumble over a small horsehoe-shaped escarpment Deception IslandA zodiac boat cruises on the still waters of Orne Harbour A Chinstrap penguin guards its young chick at Orne Harbour A trumpeting Chinstrap penguin reveals its sharp cerrated beak used to feed on krill Neko HarbourA Chinstrap, left, observes a Gentoo penguin. Penguin species do not interbreed Roberts PointGentoo penguins gather on the slopes of Neko harbour to nest and breed. A Gentoo penguin closely guards its chick from another threatening Gentoo Neko HarburA Gentoo warms and shelters its young chicks at Neko Harbour A gentoo feeds a plump youngster. Both parents help raise the chicks Neko HarbourA Gentoo penguin basks in sunlight as its young chick chirps Neko HarbourA gentoo penguin swims past in shallow water hunting for tasty krill Danco IslandPassengers cruising in a zodiac watch a feeding humpback whale Graham PassageA diving humpback whale reveals its distictive ridged tale fluke Graham PassageThe M/V Sergey Vavilov polar ship enters the pristine waters of Paradise Harbour Surrounded by towering snow covered peaks, kayakers paddle the mirrored waters at Paradise Harbour Orange huts of an Argentine research station at Almirante Brown are dwarfed by a glaciated mountain peaks Paradise HarbourSnow covered mountain peaks are reflected in the still waters of Paradise Harbour Mountain peaks at Paradise Harbour glow as sunset nears The golden glow on Christmas Eve at Paradise Harbour Dream a little dream! Golden light at midnight at Paradise Habour A huge iceberg carved with blue caves floats in the Bransfield Strait near Deception Island The rustic Ukrainian Vernadsky research station nestled at Marina Point on Galindez Island The Wordie House British research station on Winter Island. Today it is a protected historic site My tent and snowshoes all setup for a night of camping on Winter Island Antarctica! Chinstrap penguins preen and prepare their nests in early morning light at Half Moon Bay, Livingston Island A huge and noisy Adelie penguin colony congregates at Hope Bay The M/V Akademik Sergey Vavilov polar ship is dwarfed by a gigantic pinnacle iceberg and glacier Turret PointPassengers descend to a waiting zodiac for an excursion to inhospitable Elephant Island Through a choppy sea passengers explore the towering and dramatic Elephant Island Chinstrap and Macaroni penguins climb up to their nests on jagged Elephant Island With distictive yellow eyebrown feathers, a Macaroni penguin pauses on a rocky ledge Elephant IslandThree Elephant seals growl and howl in a hilarious three part harmony on the rocky shore of Elephant Island More growling and howling by the Elephant Seal Trio! The song is almost over! Ahh, time for a nap! A yawning and sleepy Elephant seal reveals its pink mouth A massive tubular iceberg floats off the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula Antarctic SoundTaller than the ship, a crew member watches warily as the M/V Sergy Vavilov cruises past a huge tubular iceberg Antarctic SoundGigantic icebergs float off the coast of Deception Island in late evening light Bransfield StraitA towering iceberg glows in hues of orange and red as sunset approaches Bransfield StraitPeace and tranquility on the Erebus and Terror Gulf Floating clouds glow at sunset on the Erebus and Terror Gulf Moonrise Serenade. A nearly full moon chases the purple hues of the Belt of Venus Active SoundA Cape Petral glides above the Drake Passage in search of its next meal Southern Atlantic OceanA Southern Albatross soars on air currents above the Drake Passage A spectacular view of the Andes Mountains approaching the world’s most southern harbour. Ushuaia, Argentina
