NEW Antarctica & Trans Atlantic Voyages 2011-12

A very special adventure in Antarctic waters to celebrate Barque Europa's 100th Birthday. The ship was built in Hamburg in 1918 and her builders would never have guessed that in 2011 she would be heading to the Antarctic as a magnificent square rigger, crewed by adventurous guest voyagers. Europa is a true ocean wanderer with several hundred thousand miles under her belt. She has been exploring South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula for 7 years and has built up a considerable expertise in this challenging but rewarding wilderness. More recently she has been exploring the Antarctic on the Weddell Sea side of the Peninsula, but this voyage will be charting new territory for Europa and her crew. If you want to take part in an epic voyage with a real sense of an expedition, then this is a unique experience to be seized. The voyage dates also take in Christmas and New Year, and a great many of Europa's past customers have been waiting for this voyage to be announced and open for reservations, so don't leave it too late to book.

CENTENNIAL EXPEDITION: 10th December 2011- 12th Jan 2012

Falkland Islands - South Georgia - Southern Ocean & Weddell Sea - South Orkney - Antarctica - Ushuaia

A 34 day voyage where you visit some of the most remarkable locations on the planet, travelling on a three masted sailing ship powered by the wind and your efforts as crew. There are some serious ocean miles to cover in the Roaring 40's (latitude 40 degrees), Furious 50's and Southern Ocean ...and we still have to get back to South America to finish the voyage.

Falklands to South Georgia - 'Extreme Birdwatching'

The voyage starts in the Falklands, or you can combine this voyage with the previous leg and sail down to the Falklands from Montevideo in Uruguay (see our 2 voyage combination special offer). A downwind sleigh ride in the strong prevailing Westerlies should propel us to South Georgia fairly quickly in about 5 days. The crew will teach you the seamanship you need to sail the ship, steer, keep lookout and work aloft if you are feeling brave. If you have not sailed much before this might be a 'baptism by fire' as the seas can be huge, but there are plenty of distractions with wildlife guides on board to tell you about the albatrosses and petrels that follow the ship.

South Georgia has spiky high mountains, tumbling glaciers and the seas and beaches are so full of penguins, seals and seabirds that it is sometimes hard to move amongst them. The ship will spend about a week in South Georgia exploring the many small anchorages - which is a sailing and wildlife expedition in itself.

Weddell Sea for Icebergs & Rarely Visited South Orkneys

The next stage of the journey is to head South towards the 'White Continent' and then East towards South Orkney and the Antarctic Peninsula. If possible we will land on South Orkney which will be a first for Europa. The Weddell Sea is known as the 'Iceberg Factory' and the counter current which hems the huge icebergs up on the east side of the peninsula should help us work east, as well as offer spectacular ice sculptures to marvel at. Back in familiar grounds the ships crew will show you amazing places to land at Deception Island, and the South Shetlands, before crossing the Drakes Passage back to the Southern Tip of South America.

Am I up to it ? – 4 Different Expeditions to Choose From

This year there are 4 different Antarctic Voyages, but all involve some continuous ocean sailing in a very remote area. It helps if you know that you like being on boats, can cope with a moving deck and have no major health concerns as you are part of the guest crew. The weather really is the unknown factor, but this is the Antarctic Summer so definitely the best time to visit. The further South you go the sunnier and drier it gets, and there are surprising quite a few calm days. When the gales blow it is awesome, and you have a true adventure, and a sailing ship to look after.

The 21 day voyages only involve a 4 day crossing twice and once amongst the relatively sheltered mountains of the Peninsula are less ' full - on' as you anchor each night and anchor watches are usually voluntary. The classic 52 day voyage from Ushuaia to Cape Town has to be the best square rig sailing and wildlife adventure on offer as you are sailing mostly downwind for 5500 miles. This 34 day centennial voyage is somewhere in the middle, but could be tough between South Georgia and South Shetland ....and it is a new stretch of Southern Ocean to explore. Crew from 19 to 70+ have braved the Southern Ocean on Europa. The nationality mix is wide and working language for the ships crew and wildlife guides is English.

Ring Adam or Debbie for a chat as both of us have sailed Europa, including exploring South Georgia & Antarctica 01872 580022

Up Close with Penguins, Seals & Whales

Bark Europa is not a big ship compared with modern expedition ships with only about 3m freeboard in the middle of the ship, so when a humpback whale pops his head up to look at you they are damn close and you can feel the spray. You could be sipping a cup of coffee when a fur seal does a back flip right next to you and you may spend time trying to rescue a stunned Prion staggering around the deck after flying into the rigging at night. Being able to climb the rigging gives you a view from a different dimension. Look down on Weddle Seals resting on a slab of pack ice with shadows of the ships rigging cutting across the scene, or see whales diving under the ship to check out our barnacles. Whilst sailing at 3-8 knots you can see penguins in their natural element as they porpoise in and out the water, or killer whales as they glide effortlessly by like sleek submarines and overtake a 300 ton sailing ship at speed.
Beach landings can be very entertaining with crowds of fur seals and penguins entering and leaving the surf around you. Europa’s wildlife guides will always brief you on what to see and how to behave around very curious animals ashore but it is still a pleasant shock when they come right up to you.

Polar Explorers - Authentic Experience

If reading the exploits of Shackleton’s or Captain Scott have lured you to the highest, coldest and driest continent in the world, then you can begin to appreciate what they had to endure on similar sailing ships in an extreme environment, the dangers that they faced and why they were so magically drawn to the place.
Europa has a good library of books in many languages about other polar explorers like de Gerlache and the Australian explorer Mawson.
You will meet modern day scientists if you visit any of the bases. Having sailed the ship and become used to working out on deck in the elements sets you apart from the duvet jacket cocooned tourists that arrive by cruise ship. In South Georgia we invited the entire research staff to our BBQ on board and a few climbed the rigging with us in port. There will be talks and slide shows on the wildlife, polar explorers and all range of nautical topics. Europa also records the weather for the Dutch Meteorological Office so the weather faxes you receive back are based on your readings !
 

Ocean 'Rites of Passage' on a Square Rigger

If you cross an ocean on a real square rigger as crew, you can impress the grandchildren (or anyone else if you are somewhat younger !) - without getting a tattoo to mark your rite of passage from greenhorn to true ocean sailor. We can always take a photo of your 'crossing the line' ceremony with King Neptune if you chose the Trans Atlantic leg to Brazil.

If you are about to start a career break, GAP year or round the world travel odyssey then think how cool it would be to travel between continents under sail. Read our web pages on what it is like to spend continous days on the open ocean and why it is invigorating for the soul and rarely boring. It is a completely different way of life - but you are still busy with ship routine, your own projects and the various social dramas and events.

More on Ocean Sailing, Career Break & GAP year

Northern to Southern Hemisphere Passages - Autumn 2011

We also have some spaces left on the Spring Ocean voyages sailing Europa from Cape Town to St Helena, Asenscion, Azores and finishing in Waterford, Ireland amongst the tall ships fleet gathering for the STI International Tall Ships Race 2011.

Cape Town to Waterford Voyage leg details (29th April - 1st July 2011)