Emperor Penguins: Snow Hill Island

Begin your journey in Ushuaia, a small but bustling port town at the tip of South America. This Argentine hot spot is the ideal gateway for you to explore the southern extent of Patagonia while preparing for your adventure ahead. Get active in the mountains or savor some handcrafted chocolate at a café in town.

In the late afternoon, you and your fellow travelers are transferred from your group hotel to the pier to board Kapitan Khlebnikov. This iconic icebreaker should be instantly recognizable at the port, as the shape and bulk are distinctive, especially from a distance.

As Khlebnikov sets sail, pass through the historic Beagle Channel, which opens up to the vastness of the Southern Ocean. Named after the famed ship on which Charles Darwin voyaged, the channel presents many great photo opportunities to capture seabirds hovering overhead and possibly seals and sea lions cavorting in the water.

Crossing the legendary Drake Passage is as much a part of the Antarctic experience as penguins and seals are. With ideal weather conditions, your passage could be relatively easy, but be prepared for some rough seas in case the Drake lives up to its reputation. These two days have an air of anticipation, as you prepare for your first landing at the elusive Snow Hill emperor penguin rookery. Plenty of activities can keep you engaged at sea, including educational and informative presentations by your Expedition Team. Learn about such things as the history of whaling in Antarctica and the emperor penguins’ biology, unique habitat, and adaptive behavior.

You may also want to spend some time on deck, with your binoculars and camera at the ready, looking out for wandering albatross, petrels, whales, and dolphins. Crossing the polar front, keep a close watch, as you should see your first iceberg, too.

While approaching the island, remember that no two polar expeditions are alike, particularly this voyage through the icy Weddell Sea, since landings and wildlife sightings are determined by weather and ice conditions, as well as the natural cycles of the wildlife. But it’s exactly this element of the unknown that makes expedition-style travel so exhilarating and adventurous.

That said, your expeditions can have some elements in common, such as landings, wildlife sightings, helicopter sightseeing, and ice—truly massive amounts of ice! Having broken away from the ice shelf, large tabular icebergs, so named for their plateau-like flat top and steep sides, signal your arrival to Antarctica.

Located on sea ice, the emperor rookery is situated some distance from Snow Hill Island, so your captain navigates your ship to a position in the ice that’s within helicopter range of the rookery. As you draw near, keep your eyes peeled for curious penguins that may be attracted to the open water by the ship. Deployed in a rotation of flights, the on-board helicopters land as close to the penguins as possible, yet still at a safe distance (at least 0.75 nautical miles/1.4 km), to protect the birds. Since you must carry your own gear to the rookery and back across sea ice several feet thick, try to keep items in your backpack to a minimum. A must-bring, however, should be your camera.

Photographers and nature lovers alike— carry a camera during your rookery visits, because any visit could reward with that once-in-a-lifetime shot. Your Expedition Team includes a professional photographer, who conducts on-board workshops and assists you on-site to help you get the most out of your camera, whether you’re a newbie or a pro!

Since you are visiting earlier in the rearing season than any other expedition, the emperor chicks are still young, so you may see a few brooding on their parents’ feet or even several huddling together in large communal groups. It’s possible you may catch the impressive sight of a constant trail of adults walking or tobogganing in single file from the sea to the rookery to feed the chicks, and then heading back out again to hunt for more food. Listen closely for a parent trumpeting upon its return to the rookery—the call is instantly recognized by the chick, who whistles in response.

To protect the penguins, please remain at least 15 feet (five meters) away, but you may have the opportunity to encounter them up close. Curious creatures, emperors are unafraid of humans, and if you stand still and remain quiet, the birds may actually approach you. If you are crouching on the ice, eyes focused down through your camera lens, pause for a moment and slowly look around you—you may find yourself surrounded by the very birds you’ve been trying to photograph!

A day at sea can be as busy as any day ashore. Share stories and photos with your shipmates in the lounge, relax in the Polar Library, or attend dynamic presentations by your Expedition Team, who may even screen documentaries. Lecture topics can range from the Historic Age of Exploration to whales of the Southern Ocean.

If you choose to spend time outside on deck, keep an eye out for the large seabirds that have accompanied mariners through the Southern Ocean since Magellan made his first navigation of the globe. By now, you should be able to recognize albatross and petrels on the wing.

As you enter the mouth of the Beagle Channel on your way back to Ushuaia, a small vessel comes alongside and a local pilot boards your ship to help navigate this last stretch of water. If the weather is fine, you may want to watch from the deck, enjoying the soft light of the austral summer.

This morning, say farewell to your Expedition Team and fellow travelers before disembarking to catch your homeward flights.