Antarctica Seasonal Guide

Discover the Antarctic Region Seasonal Guide

A

A

B C C

D

A Elephant Seals and King penguins and their chicks, South Georgia B Black browed Albatross, West Point Island,

The Falklands C Southern Right whales arrive in Spring/Early

Summer D Patches of sea begin to freeze in the Fall

Antarctica guards its secrets in an icy grip for all but five magical months, when the sea ice slowly retreats and penguins, seabirds, whales and seals make their way south for an intense breeding and feeding season.

Purpose built for Polar regions, Scenic Eclipse’s strengthened hull and Polar Class 6 rating allows you to safely access places others can’t, from the first month to the last. Walk straight on to sea ice from the ship, watch penguin chicks hatch, herald the arrival of seal pups on the beaches and humpbacks offshore – every voyage offers unique experiences. You can add the wonders of South Georgia and the Falkland Islands to your itinerary and combine these, with the 6-star ultra-luxury of Scenic Eclipse for your ideal voyage. Here are some seasonal highlights to help you plan which voyage to choose: Spring/Early Summer

November – December On the Antarctic Peninsula, Spring is a favorite time for many, especially photographers, who delight in pristine snowscapes. Fast ice clings to bays along the west coast, and one ship’s barrier is another’s gateway to wonder. On board Scenic Eclipse, The World’s First Discovery Yachts™ your dreams become reality. Flightsee^ above magnificent Lemaire Channel, heliski^* hidden powder stashes, and explore the ice edge the rarely-seen sea floor in our custom-built submersible, Scenic Neptune^. Watch penguins begin courting, nest-building thievery and egg incubation. By late December, chicks hatch to be fed by parents that share fishing and feeding duties. Minkes, humpbacks and Southern Right whales arrive to feed beneath near 24-hour daylight. Our Into the Weddell Sea voyage visits the famous Snow Hill Island, where thousands of Emporer penguins nurture their young, before returning to the Antarctic Peninsula’s west side. If ice conditions allow, navigating south, further than most expedition ships go, discover exquisite waterways like Lemaire Channel, the Gullet and Crystal Sound to celebrate crossing the Antarctic Circle (66°33’S). Where we may reach rarely-visited Marguerite Bay for a true Discovery Adventure. On South Georgia, testosterone runs high among male fur and elephant seals, who battle to create and protect their harems. King penguins balance eggs on their feet and albatross reveal their gawky, gorgeous chicks. By mid-tolate December, in both South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, most penguin chicks have hatched.

Summer

January – Early February During peak season on the Antarctic Peninsula, rookeries are full of chicks, parents dodge leopard seals and skuas scan for the unattended. Crabeater and Weddell seals lounge on ice floes, females often nursing newborn pups. Ice retreats to allow easier access to the Antarctic Circle and the Weddell Sea and opens up new vistas to enjoy from our two custom built helicopters^. As summer winds down, adolescent chicks fledge and are curious, often approaching visitors before running the leopard seal gauntlet on their first swims. On South Georgia, penguin chicks almost as big as their parents need constant feeding and are old enough to play with juvenile seals. Days continue to be long and temperatures rise above 5°C, the warmest of the year. On board Scenic Neptune^, explore waters never dived before by submarine. Enjoy a seal ballet, schooling pelagic fish and maybe even whales. In the Falkland Islands, Magellenic penguin chicks emerge from burrows, and King penguin chicks hatch. Fall

Late February – Early March As autumn approaches, cormorant chicks bravely begin to fly and whales, now well fed, group up before beginning their great migration north to breeding grounds. Brilliant sunsets herald nightfall, patches of sea freeze as you watch, courting leopard seals captivate with eerie song and the last gentoo penguins are chased out into the Southern Ocean by winter’s ever-increasing ice barrier. South Georgia is alive with millions of fur seal pups cavorting in swim schools, king penguins packing beaches while the newly-discovered Type D orcas and elusive sperm whales pass nearby.

^Submarine, helicopter and helicopter experiences at additional cost, subject to regulatory approval, availability, weight restrictions, medical approval and weather and ice conditions. Helicopters are unable to operate in South Georgia. *Guests will need to have advanced skills to participate.

“Nothing prepares you for the vast, open sky; the mirror calm waters; the monolithic ice; and the deafening silence of the poles. It is as close to visiting another planet as you can get!