Voyage Number	ANT5-2011
Voyage price	6700 euros for 52 days
Voyage Dates	01/03/2011 - 17:00 - 21/04/2011 - 09:00
Depart from	Ushuaia Argentina
Finishing Port	Aberdeen
Voyage area	Antarctic , South Georgia, Southern Ocean
Voyage type	Adventure Voyage , Ocean Passages , Tall Ships
Vessel	Europa
Availability	Available
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Voyage Description

Ultimate 52 Day Adventure Under Square Rig

- Antarctica to Cape Town via South Georgia & Tristan da Cuhna

If you want to combine hard core sailing (over 5500 miles of Southern Ocean sailing - mostly downwind in the infamous Roaring Forties travelling in the right direction for square riggers)  with expeditions to both the Antarctic Peninsula / Weddell Sea and about  a week exploring the sub Antarctic island of South Georgia then this truely is the ultimate hands on sailing adventure. And there is more.....After South Georgia the ship heads North East and will try to visit and land on the unique British outpost Tristan Da Cuhna on the way to Cape Town. Whether we can land is always a bit touch and go. In 2007 Europa anchored for 2 days waiting for the swell to be safe enough to land, but we were well recieved by the locals and even joined them for a game of golf.

See tab above for a typical day by day intinerary, or ring Debbie in the Classic Sailing office on 01872 580022 as she did the 52 day voyage in 2007.

Trans Atlantic in the Roaring Forties & Furious Fifties -real Southern Ocean Sailing

If you have always wanted to do a Trans Atlantic Crossing on a tall ship, why not do it in the Southern Ocean with the Albatrosses, whales and penguins.

By the time you return you will have enough stories and adventures to last a lifetime. This is a repeat of the seven week voyage on Europa that made a lasting impression on Classic Sailing's co founder Debbie Purser in 2007.

This is also a bird spotting trip of a lifetime. For a complete species list of wildlife and birds seen on Debbies 2007 voyage, as confirmed by our wildlife guides Annick & Tjaling

Up Close with Penguins, Seals & Whales

You will spend the same amount of time exploring Antarctica as our shorter 22 day expeditions, but in the pioneering spirit of this more challenging adventure, Europa will be exploring the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula for the first time. The Weddell Sea is known as the iceberg factory and is much less visited so you will truely be on a sailing expedition charting new ground for Europa. The intinerary then returns to known adventures as the ship follows the same 800 mile journey as Shackleton risked in the open boat James Caird - from Elephant Island to South Georgia. If you thought Antarctica was rich in wildlife, South Georgia is teeming with life.

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. (Penguins don’t read the rules). 

Drakes Passage, Icebergs & Offshore Islands

After a few days crossing the infamously rough Drakes Passage, the excitement increases with the first sightings of icebergs. The first land you will see is the offlying South Shetland Island chain, and a very welcome first anchorage. The atmosphere is very clear so the spires and cliffs of these off lying ring of islands create photogenic silhouettes for very vivid sunsets. With katabatic winds off the mountains, and ice fall prone areas to avoid, Europa sometimes has to work hard to find the best anchorages and safe landings so no itinerary can be guaranteed. The Aitcho Islands are a favourite beach landing by the ships two zodiac inflatable boats and her ships lifeboat ‘Sloopy’. Chinstrap and Gentoo Penguins share the beach with you, Skuas and Giant Petrels swoop from above, and huge elephant seals can sometimes be seen. Other off lying island anchorages are Yankee Harbour, Hannah Point on Livingstone Island. At Trinity Island stranded icebergs are aground on the seabed or wedged between the dark basalt cliffs. The fluted ice shapes and colours range from sugary crystalline surfaces to smooth caves of turquoise and Leopard Seals often lurk. Further South is Deception Island where the ship sails right into a flooded volcanic crater through a narrow gap called ‘Neptune’s Bellows’ to anchor in Whalers Bay. Ashore are the rusting relics of a major whaling station and you can bathe in the steaming waters and black shingle - heated by volcanic activity.
 

Antarctic Explorers and the Mainland of Antarctica

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 !

South Shetland Islands

Well before you reach this off-lying chain of islands, you will see icebergs and everyone gets excited that we are approaching the Great White Continent. Humpback whales are very common around the South Shetland Islands and for those of you who have only seen penguins in a zoo, it is a delight to be escorted into the first anchorage by fast swimming fleets of penguins who leap out the sea like dolphins and easily overtake us. The South Sheltands are volcanic and the area is still volcanically active. The dark rocky spires contrast with the icecaps and glacial walls and provide a great backdrop for spectacular sunsets.

The Antarctic Mainland – Mountains & Glaciers

Around the mainland peninsula Bark Europa sails in and out bays and deep water channels between awesome mountain scenery. The geology is an extension of the Andes mountain chain and it always surprises first time visitors to see such towering mountains which seem to get higher as you go further south. There is plenty of krill in the cold  waters, so the whole of Antarctica is prime whale spotting territory. Europa guests have even seen a few sightings of the Blue Whale – the worlds biggest creature. 

The Weddell Sea is rougher than the more intricate narrow passages on the west side of the peninsula, and the destinations will be dictated much more by the weather and ice conditions. As ships crew you will experience truer expeditioning as the Captain uses the experience built up from 5 years of Antarctic sailing on an exciting new area to explore. The ships boats wil find the best places to land, or take you on a zodiac safari where you can look back at the ship amongst the icebergs. Where glaciers tumble almost vertically down the mainland mountains Ice falls thunder into the sea and sometimes a whole ice wall will fall creating a large wave. Being in the middle of this awe inspiring natural wilderness is indescribable and standing a night watch listening to the ice tinkle down the side of the hull is a very strange feeling.
 

Protecting a Pristine Environment 

The scale of the place is difficult to describe; Conservation of this pristine environment is taken very seriously by the 12 countries that share responsibility for the Continent under the 1959 Antarctic Treaty. In 1991 an Environmental Protocol was drawn up to introduce new regulations specifically for adventure tourism. You will find it hard to see any signs of other adventurous tourists and Bark Europa crew will work hard to ensure that the ship or the landing parties minimise the impact on the environment – from scrubbing boots before and after every landing, to briefing guest crew on how to walk amongst the penguins and fur seals. Classic Sailing hope that after your adventure you will all become ambassadors for Antarctica and help lobby Governments to ensure that this wildlife wonderland is not carved up for mineral rights, oil, fishing, whaling etc when the Atlantic Treaty runs out.

Elephant Island & Crossing 'Iceberg Alley'

Europa likes to visit Elephant Island if condtions permit, before setting off for South Georgia. Last island in the chain, this is where Shackletons' men were trapped after their ship 'Endurance' was destroyed by the ice. The ships boats they had towed accross the ice were then put to good use. One was turned upside down as a home for the survivors. The other, the James Caird, was modified to make the 600 mile crossing to south Georgia to get help from the whaling stations.There are a lot of icebergs to avoid on this open water passage, so your lookout duties on the foredeck become vital, especially at night.

South Georgia - Breeding Ground for Wandering Albatross

The wildlife of South Georgia come out to meet you hundreds of miles before the spectacular mountain ranges come into view. Only 150 miles long and mostly mountains, glaciers and small natural harbours, there is barely enough room for the teeming wildlife, and you have to fight for space on the beach at every landing. Fur seals go for your kneecaps and make driving the zodiac quite stressful as they do backflips right next to you. King penguins are so tall they can nearly pick your pockets.Giant petrels have bodies as big as ducks but with huge wingspans. Elephant seals look surprisingly like large boulders, but don't get between them and the water, or you will see blubber in rapid motion. Anchored at night the ship has to cover the light from the portholes so the millions of breeding birds don't fly into our rigging.

Prion Island is one of the major breeding grounds for the Wandering Altbatross, and Salisbury plain has the biggest King Penguin colony in the world. Because South Georgia is a sub Antarctic island sitting at 55 degrees South, it just escapes the encircling pack ice around Antarctica in winter, so becomes one of the few prime breeding spots for the seabirds, seals and penguins from the frozen white continent to rear their young. There are 30 King ,enguin rookeries on the island and over 400 000 pairs, in addition to rookeries of Macaroni and Chinstrap Penguins.

95% of Worlds Fur Seals

South Georgia has over 1.8 million fur seals and the noises they make are extraordinary: Howling like red indians, barking like dogs, it can be quite erie at night on anchor watch (usually voluntary- but part of the experience). There are over 300 000 elephant seals occupying the beaches. What is strange but understandable is the rarity of whales along this krill rich coastline. Every natural harbour was once a whaling port and the beaches are littered with whale bones. It is as if the warning to stay away from the islands has been passed down the generations.

Flora & Humans

Unlike the Antarctic mainland, South Georgia boosts 26 native species of plants like tussock grass, mosses, yellow antarctic buttercup, red burnet and forests of huge kelp in the shallow coastal waters, providing a breeding ground for fish.

Grytviken was a Norweigan whaling station from 1904 until the 1960's but is now a whaling museum and the only inhabitied port. There is a British Antarctic Survey fisheries research station and the whole island is a British Territory, administered from the Falklands. You can get your passport stamped and the island even has its own post office and postage stamps.

Tristan Da Cuhna - Most Remote Inhabited Island in the World

First discovered in 1506 by Portuguese explorer Tristao da Cuhna, this volcanic island with its 600m basalt cliffs, was surrounded by tempestous seas (as it often is today) and it was impossible to land. The first settler was American but he drowned fishing in 1812. In 1816 the Brish Navy annexed the island and set up a garrision as a precuation against the French who were planning to rescue Napoleon, imprisoned on the other South Atlantic island of St Helena. Founder of the current community was a Corporal William Glass who served a tour of duty on the island and later returned when the garrison was abandoned with his wife, two childen, 2 companions and a coloured woman.

The settlement of Edinburgh (on the only flat land) now numbers 300 proud and hospitable people with only 7 surnames among them (and quite a few border collie dogs !). Through the islands vein's flows the blood of English sailors from Nelson's fleet, Americans, Italians, Dutch, mulattos from St Helena and South Africa. The locals speak English from a different era.

In 1961 a violent volcanic eruption foced the evacuation of the whole island - mostly to Southampton, UK. The locals were not happy in 'civilisation' and almost all chose to return to Tristan da Cuhna. The island is a dependancy of the British colony of St Helena and can only be reached by ship about 6 times a year.

Landing is extremely difficult due to the high swell. If you are lucky enough to land it is a remarkable place.

Tristan Da Cuhna Wildlife

The main source of revenue is from fishing with crawfish being the main catch. Southern Right Whales view the islands as their playground. The vegetation is lush and green with grasses, mosses, ferns and low windswept bushes growing on impossibly steep cliffs.

Although the bird life on Tristan has been depleted by human activities, the neighbouring islands of Nightingale iand Inaccessible are an ornotholigists dream. Fourteen different types of petrel, great shearwater, yellow nosed and wandering albatrosses, 2 endemic finces and the Inaccessable flightless rail.

Race for Cape Town

It is an amazing itinerary, so to pack all the exploring ashore in and try and do as much as possible under sail, the ship needs to be sailed hard with as much canvas as possible. In 2007 we managed to rig skysail masts, then yards on both the main and foremasts whilst sailing along in rolling seas at 6-8 knots. Ond day we were surfing our 330 ton sailing ship down huge waves and a pod of pilot whales came surfing up behind us and were shooting out the wave fronts and leaping in the air like giant dolphins.
 

See Itinerary Page

 BARK EUROPA Experienced Antarctic Operators

In the Southern summer, from November to March, the 56 meter long three-masted barque EUROPA sails to the Antarctic Peninsula. These voyages will appeal to the sailing enthusiast, the birdwatcher, the photographer, the artist and the nature-lover who want to discover the unspoilt environment. The expeditions start in Argentina in Ushuaia, the southernmost city in South America, located alongside the Beagle Channel. From here, the ship must cross ‘the Drake Passage’, renowned by sailors the
world over. Albatrosses and petrels will accompany the EUROPA on her way to the Antarctic paradise.After passing the Antarctic Convergence Zone, the ship sails between the icebergs to the South Shetland Islands. The wildlife of the Southern Ocean, Antarctic mainland and offlying islands is overwhelming: seals, sea-gulls, cormorants and petrels use the Antarctic summer to raise their young.

52 Day Expedition Summary

This is the last Antarctic voyage of the season for Europa, and also includes the epic 5500 mile Trans Atlantic crossing to Cape Town via a 8-10 day expedition to explore the warmer sub antarctic island of South Georgia - the principal breeding ground for many of Antarctica's wildlife . If the conditions are right the ship will sail via Tristan Da Cuhna - the most remote inhabited island in the world.

 In the Antarctic waters, the EUROPA will anchor in sheltered bays practically every day. The crew will take groups ashore in the dinghies to see glaciers, mosses and lichens, seals, birds and penguin rookeries. Ashore, visitors will often be welcomed by different kinds of penguins, such as the Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adelie penguins. Our experienced guide will give you information about the flora and fauna and will also tell you where to find bird and sea elephant colonies. The ship will sail further south. We expect the most loyal visitors of the Southern Ocean: enormous Humpback whales, Minke whales and even Orcas or Killer whales may well come close to us, curious to see who ventures into their waters. Ice masses will get bigger closer to the mainland. Steep glaciers, walls of ice with magical shapes and surreal colours will surround the EUROPA.

The daily program will vary, with new impressions every day. The itinerary described below is based on past trips, but there are some new destinations and the locations may vary depending on the weather. It is unlikely you will see many other ships exploring as the last great wilderness is well managed and numbers visiting each area is tightly restricted. In 2007 Debbie sailed a similar voyage on Europa and we never met another human ashore and only saw 2 other expedition ships in 7 weeks. In 2011 Europa will also be exploring some new territory on the Weddell Sea side of the Peninsula which is wilder still and hardly visited.

Then it is time to leave this paradise and set sail towards South Georgia. The coastline has many natural harbours to anchor in, but ocasional katabatic winds off the mountains in South Georgia mean that the ship may have to move unexpectedly and itineraries can change rapidly. Wrecks of whaling ships remind you that this beautiful landscape is not an environment to mess with.

Protecting the Last Great Wilderness

Unspoilt nature Antarctica is a huge, cold, white plain, which appeals to the imagination of many. Some people become interested in the North and South Pole after reading about the voyages of Willem Barentz and Shackleton. Others are more fascinated by the rich wildlife or the beauty of the unspoilt natural environment. Antarctica is one of the oldest continents on our planet, but man has always been unable to live here because of its extremely cold climate. It is the last great wilderness on Earth. Over the years, thousands of tourists visit this continent. A couple of thousand researchers spend the southern summer living in several research stations. During the southern winter, that number dwindles to less than 1,000. When winter grips this great, white desert, tourist activity is no longer possible. Several countries claim territorial rights over different parts of the continent, but no country has ownership or sovereignty over any part of Antarctica. Following the International Geophysics Year 1957/58, the Antarctic Treaty of 1959 was drawn up, sharing responsibility for the continent between twelve countries. It was agreed that Antarctica would only be used for scientific research activities and that free access to the results of all research would be guaranteed. No type of military activity is allowed on any part of this territory and territorial claims of any sort are prohibited. In 1991, an Environmental Protocol was drawn up to introduce new regulations applicable specifically to tourism. During our visit to Antarctica we will adhere strictly to these regulations. We consider it a great honour to be able to see this immense monument of Nature with our own eyes.

What is the Weather Like ?

The climate Antarctica is the driest and coldest continent on the Earth, and is surrounded by a wild ocean. The central plateau is a desert with temperatures as low as -50°C and -60°C, but don't panic - there is no need to dress up like a polar explorer. EUROPA will visit the impressive lower coastline where it is much less cold. The sun often shines and temperatures can reach an average of 5°C, a pleasant temperature. When there is no wind, you may come on deck or go ashore wearing just a warm jumper and trousers in both Antarctica and South Georgia. When it is rainy or windy however, a warm waterproof jacket really is necessary. Remember that we are in Antarctica, and towards the end of the short summer so snow is possible. In South Georgia in 2007 we ate on deck in the sun often, but once the sun dips behind the mountains or the wind blows, its time for gloves and hats.

As we approach the Antarctic Peninsula, we will probably come across large tabular icebergs. Icebergs are normally visible on the radar, but on our passage to Antarctica we will be extra alert during the short night watches and in bad weather. A good lookout will be kept at all times. Once an iceberg was seen which was 335 km long and 97 km wide, roughly the same size as Belgium. It takes years for an iceberg of that size to melt. When icebergs calve off the Antarctic ice cap, they drift north where they are caught up in the tidal streams which carry them east at a speed of 13 km per day. A large iceberg drifting into warmer waters breaks up into smaller parts. Eventually it reaches the Antarctic Convergence Zone, where it melts. The limit of permanent and, for EUROPA impenetrable pack ice, lies to the south of the places we like to visit, but fields of densely packed icebergs might still block the way to a planned destination.

Ashore It will not always be easy to find good landing places. Steep icefalls, cliffs and the swell of the sea might hinder safe landings, but as long as luck is on our side the Antarctic world will be open to us. The terrain is often hilly and there is a lot of snow. You might sink up to your ankles in snow. There are no customs authority, no police force; we will voluntarily adhere to the Environmental Protocol. We have to take extra care when provisioning to ensure that we create as little waste as possible. Our crew will sort our daily rubbish separating paper,glass, plastic, cans, etc that we will take back to South Africa. Food waste will only be disposed of overboard when we are far out at sea.

Sailing towards Cape Town you can usually drag out the sandals and t shirts.

Day to Day Itinerary

These voyage details are based on experiences from previous expeditions of the EUROPA to Antarctica, South Georgia and Tristan Da Cuhna. In putting together this year’s itinerary we have included the most impressive places we have visited in the past. However this description is an example of what the voyage may look like. It is important to realize that our day-to-day activities will depend on several circumstances. A change in the rules and regulations for visiting Antarctica might limit the visit to a specific site. Ofcourse our route will depend on wind, weather and ice. This is the true Antarctic experience! It is therefore likely that the actual itinerary will be different from the following description. When, due to circumstances, a site cannot be visited, other options will be sought. 

In the Weddell Sea - the ship is truely on an expedition - visiting places the ship has never been, so the itinerary is highly flexible during these few days.

 Day 1: End of The World: Start of the Adventure

Signing on in Ushuaia you are welcome on board at five p.m. The EUROPA is moored at the pier ‘Puerto Comercial’ in Ushuaia. It is highly recommended that you will arrive in Ushuaia 1 day before embarkation, leaving room for flight delays or late arrival of your luggage. We can assist you with your hotel reservations in Ushuaia. In this small town, also known as “El Fin del Mundo – the end of the world”, you can make beautiful hikes in the mountains and National Park and you will meet travellers
who have just returned from an expedition or from any other part of South America to come to the most southern city of the World. A short taxi ride will take you to the harbour. After signing on to the crew list and taking your luggage to your cabin, you will enjoy your first meal on board. The Captain and the expedition leader will inform you about the plans. Usually we will stay in port overnight, but occasionally we already depart during the night.

Day 2: Beagle Channel

Casting offrom Ushuaia In the morning, we cast off our mooring lines. Once underway, the crew will show you how to put on the life jackets and introduce you to the many lines on board. Between steep green mountains with snow-covered peaks, we sail through the Beagle Channel under square sail if we find the prevailing westerly winds. During the evening we leave the Beagle Channel and head southwards along the sheltered coast of Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire).

Days 3 till 5: Drake Passage & Albatrosses

The crossing of the Drake Passage is approximately 450NM from the lighthouse on Cape Horn. The seas around Cape Horn have the reputation to be stormy but in between the lows they are calmer. The wind varies from southwest to northwest; it should, therefore, be possible to have a good crossing under sail. Cape petrels,White-chinned petrels and Albatrosses are our companions. Albatrosses are well equipped for a permanent stay at sea. Their territory is the open ocean. This sailing voyage is no luxury cruise. The entire voyage guest crew will participate in sea watches to sail the ship together with the permenent crew. Slowly the myriad of ropes and block and tackle systems will start to make sense. By the end of the 52 day voyage, the keenest participants will have a wealth of square rig skills and unique locations for their logbook that few other sailors will have experienced

Day 6: Icebergs in Antarctic waters

As we sail south, the likelihood of seeing icebergs increases. Large ice plateaus are visible on the radar, but sometimes smaller ones are not; we keep a good lookout so that we avoid them. Fortunately, the nights are short in the latitudes of 59° to 61° south. It is amazing when we see the brilliant white shapes of the floating icebergs on the horizon. They are huge, and very high! This is the first sign that we are really approaching the great white mass of Antarctica!

Day 7:  Arrival at the South Shetland Isles

In between the islands we have a good chance of spotting whales. Humpback Whales are spotted on a regular basis between this outer island chain and the Antarctic mainland. The South Shetland Islands are of volcanic origin and the area is still volcanically active. The islands consist of dark rocky cliffs and spires. A beautiful example is Edinburgh Hill, a steep cliff which rises vertically out the water. Close up you can see it is made of basalt - a volcanic plug forced up by the volcano below. Where we stop depends on the best anchorages but possible landing spots are Barrientos Island, Half Moon Island or Hannah Point - all with amazing wildlife and scenery.

For example if we anchor near Barrientos Island - one of the Aitcho Islands - everywhere around the ship we see penguins jumping out of the water. The crew will take us ashore with the dinghies. We share the beach with Gentoo and Chinstrap penguins. They walk with us up to the other side of the mountain where we find many Elephant seals. The Aitcho Islands are not completely covered by the ice cap. In the colourful patches of moss, Giant petrels and Antarctic skuas make their nests.

Day 8: Deception Island & Hot Springs

At latitude 63° South, looms Deception Island, a ring-shaped island with an extensive internal crater. TIf the swell is not too high EUROPA will sail through a small opening called ‘Neptunes Bellows’into the volcanic crater and will drop anchor in Whalers Bay, near the ruins of a whaling station. Latterly the buildings where used as a base for research work, but in 1969/70 several stations were destroyed by a volcanic eruption. There is still volcanic activity in this area. You can walk to ‘Neptune’s Window’and enjoy the magnificent view where the rim of the crater steeply goes back to the sea. It’s also an impressive panorama to look back into the crater. A couple of miles further into the crater we sail to Pendulum Cove where thermal currents rise. Depending on the tide, those who so wish may bathe in geothermally warmed waters which can each 50 degrees centigrade whilst air temperature is zero, so it gets quite steamy.

 Day 9: Deception Island to Hope Bay

From Deception Island we sail to the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula and into the Antarctic Sound. In this Strait, named after the ship of the Swedish Nordenskjold expedition in 1902, we will see many icebergs drifting out of the Weddell Sea. A good long sailing day to spot whales. Why not climb aloft and look for whales blowing or characteristic flukes in the air as whales dive for food.

 Day 10: Visit Argentinian Esperanza Research Station

Today we anchor in the beautiful natural harbour Hope Bay, where we can set foot on the Antarctic Continent for the first time. This bay hosts one of the largest groups of Adelie Penguins of over 100 000 couples. Next to that we will find the Argentinian Esperanza Research Station, where several Argentinian families live. The Esperanza Station was the location of the first baby born on Antarctic Territory.

In 1903 three members of the Nordenskjold Expedition survived hereby eating penguin and seal meat. During World War II the British built Trinity House as part of Operation Taberin, a secret operation to keep the Antarctic area safe for allied forces.

Days 11-13: Islands of The Weddell Sea

We sail into territory unknown for the Europa and head for the wild and less visited part of Antarctica - The Weddell Sea. For these few days we will operate completely in the style of old expeditions and it will not take much imagination to let your thoughts go back to those epic times. You need an adventurous spirit to get the most out of this foray into the unknown. As the natural elements have a big influence on the Weddell Sea area, the ships route and daily activities will need to stay flexible.

Depending on the weather and ice conditions the expedition leader and Captain will find the best islands to anchor, land or the best places to explore with the dinghies between the icebergs. We see Gentoo, Adelie and Chinstrap Penguins, and if we are lucky we may see the large Emperor Penguins. This is good territory for seeing Leopard seals hunting, Weddell Seals or the mighty Elephant Seals. From the deck we hope to see the large black fins of Killer Whales or rare sightings of snow petrels.

The Weddell Sea was named after James Weddell - a British sailor and sealer. It is also known as the iceberg factory. Large icebergs break off the continental ice shelf and drift away on the currents for many hundreds of miles. Dont forget to get up early one morning to experience the magnificent view of icebergs at sunrise.

On the evening of the 14th day we leave the Weddell Sea and sail past Elephant Island towards South GeorgiaToday we stay on board and sail 200 miles north to Elephant Island.

Day 15 Elephant Island & Shackleton's Journey

In 1916 Ernest Shackleton's expedition ship ' Endurance' was crushed by ice in the Weddell Sea and sank. The survivors made a rough journey accross ice and open water to Elephant Island, landing on a narrow strip beneath steep cliffs. From here Shackleton and a handful of men set off in ships boat James Caird accross some of the stormiest waters in the world to South Georgia. The 800 mile voyage took them 16 days, but he landed on the wrong side of South Georgia and had to climb accross the mountains and glaciers to reach the whaling port of Stromness to find help for the rest of his crew, surviving on seal meat on Elephant Island. Even with help from the whalers it took him several attempts and 105 days to eventually reach Elephant Island again and rescue his complete crew. 

Day 16 to Day 20 - Sailing to South Georgia amongst the Icebergs

Land disappears, the second part of the ocean crossing begins and we are back in the watch system sailing day and night. We have time to reflect on everything we have done in Antarctica. some will have caught polar fever and will be planning their next return. The passage to South Georgia starts is in the  furious 50's latitude and a kind of iceberg alley. The strong westerlies here blow all the way around the world un interupted by land, so you should enjoy some of the most dramatic downwind sailing on the planet. Perfect conditions for a tough little square rigger like Europa, but pretty heavy work on the wheel. If all goes well the ship should cover the 800 miles in 5-6 days. Every day is different. Learn to identify the difference between Light Mantled Sooty Albatross and Black Browed Albatrosses and watch them indulde in a bit of dynamic soaring. There are often lectures or film shows on board and other entertainments, despite the ships roll. The mountain chain along the spine of South Georgia is an easy landmark to spot, and the number of seals in the water increases as we draw nearer.

Days 21- 27 Exploring South Georgia

First landing might be Elsehul or Roseta Bay and then we have about a week to explore. Everywhere but Grytviken is uninhabited, but many of the natural harbours show past evidence of the islands importance as a whaling centre. Now the wrecks of sailing ships, whale blubber vats and ruins of buildings are rusting and weathering fast in the harsh conditions, home only to elephant seals, fur seals and blue eyed shags. and totally dwarfed by the grandeur of the natural mountain scenery and glaciers.

In the Bay of Isles and Salisbury Plain live tens of thousands of King Penguins. To wander so close to vast rookeries is staggering. Possible in the same day is a landing on Prion Island where wandering albatrosses dance out their courtship moves amoungst the tussock grass and young albatross launch themselves into the air. Once they leave Prion Island they will spend 2 years away from land circling around the Antarctic, before returning to breed themselves in South Georgia.

Anchoring off Prince Olavs harbour for a boat trip at 7am was quite surreal. Fur seals lurk around iron crosses in a whalers and sailors graveyard, the buildings are deserted and in the bay is the wreck of sailing ship 'Brutus' from 1883 which appears to be now crewed by fur seals.

Shackletons walk accross the mountains

In the same day you might sail onto Fortuna Bay and its glaciers. From here most of us trekked across the lower hills and mountain streams to Stromness, following the last (easiest) part of Shackleton's route on foot to find help from the whalers settlement there. Shackleton's open boat James Caird was wrecked landing on the wrong side of South Georgia's great mountain chain, but Shackleton and two others traversed the mountains to reach Stromness to raise a rescue party.  Europa sailed the 10 miles around to Stromness to meet us, and it was great to see her under sail below, from the mountains.

Griytviken is the first place since Ushuaia where Europa can lay alongside a quay. In 2007 we visited the whaling museum, Shackleton's grave, and sent postcards and invited the British Antarctic Survey scientists, and the other inhabitants of South Georgia to a Barbeque on deck.

Sailing eastwards from Grytviken you might take the narrow inside route to Godthul. In 2007 Klaas took the ship through a narrow gap into Cobblers Cove - a circular deep pool with cliffs on three sides, and only just enough room to spin the ship on the spot with engines and bowthruster. Not a place to anchor, so we escaped to Godthul where a quick trip ashore revealled a beach covered in whale bones.

The main attraction in Ocean Harbour is the wreck of a sailing ship with three masts that looks remarkably similar to Europa. The Banyard was built in 1864 in Liverpool and was the first sailing ship built in steel.

Cooper Bay is home to the Macaroni Penguin with its famous tuft. St Andrews Bay has an enormous King Penguin roookery of 39 000 pairs and storm petrels breed here in their thousands.

Days 28-37 Roaring Forties & Ocean Sailing

It is time to leave South Georgia and sail 1400 nautical miles to Tristan Da Cuhna. By now we are a ships community and we are getting to know each other very well through both challenging events and sharing an awesome experience. The life ashore you normally work in will feel very far away beyond the horizon. Together you will form an identity casually called " the crew" but whick will be different on every voyage and carry its own atmosphere.

You sail through the furious fifies into the Roaring Forties and the strong circumpolar winds blow between NW and NE so yet another fast passage for a square rigger. The whole crew needs to be alert and when the barometer drops we need to take in sail and hurry aloft to stow it, day or night. You will sleep like a log despite the constant moment. The galley continues to serve amazing food, fresh bread and special birthday treats. Albatrosses usually overtake us. It only takes then about 80 days to fly their huge wingspans around the world at this windy latitude.

Day 38 Sighting Tristan Da Cuhna

Situated in the middle of the South Atlantic the volcanic peak rises to a height of 2100m with an almost permenent cap of snow. Europa ideally will anchor near the only settlement of Edinburgh. Humans do not inhabit the other islands of Nightingale, Middle Island, Stoltenhoff Island and Gough island, but they are very important for wildlife (and a good idea not to bump into them on the way in).

Day 39-40 Anchoring off the Remotest Island

There is no airport on Tristan Da Cuhna and everything is supplied by just 6 ship visits a year. Retail therapy is still a long way off in Cape Town. There is a small museum, two churches, a craft shop, post office and supermarket. The locals work on their allotments, and live from potatoes, crayfish and sales of stamps.

The locals bang on an old gas bottle when a ship arrives and in the past have challenged us to golf, and offered to take us by boat to Nightingale Island. Whether you can land is very dependant on the height of swell. In 2007 it took 3 nights rolling at anchor before we could land but it was rather special. We then have a frantic fast sail to Cape Town.

Day 41-51 Ocean Crossing to Cape Town

It is still 1510 miles to Africa. We all enjoy some warmer ocean sailing. The stunsail booms get a varnish in preparation for the light equatorial winds on the next leg back to Northern Hemisphere. The wind still blows us west. Few other 5500 mile crossings will involve such cosistant strong winds in the right direction. Maybe Skysails will be set, and those who were reluctant to work aloft in the cold, are getting braver. As we get nearer to Cape of Good Hope you might even see another ship (in 2007 we only saw 4 ships in 7 weeks).

Day 52 Cape Town

This might be the difficult bit. Getting off and leaving everybody and the ship.

Ushuaia, Joining & Leaving Port for Antarctic Adventures

Ushuaia is the southernmost city in Argentina. Located in a stunning mountain setting on the shores of the Beagle Channel, it has become starting point for most expedition ships visiting the Antarctic Peninsula. It has plenty of accommodation of all types (see below), restaurants and places to explore nearby if you arrive a few days early. We recommend to plan to arrive in Ushuaia at least the day before the voyage starts as internal flights down to Ushuaia can sometimes be delayed due to Andes weather.

Getting to and from Port

The normal route from Europe is an international flight to Buenos Aries. This arrives at Ezeiza (EZE) International Airport (also known as Ministro Pistarini Airport). You will need to transfer to Jorge Newbery domestic airport / areoparque on the other side of the city and take a 3.5 hr internal flight from Buenos Airies to Ushuaia – with the main Argentinian airline Aerolineas Argentinas. See more details below.
 

Flight Advice

Flights from Europe To Buenos Aires

Direct flight time from the UK is typically 13 hours. Going via a European city takes about 16hrs.
There is more choice of flights for Europe – Buenos Aries to choose from, compared with the availability on internal flight to Ushuaia so check Aerolineas Argentinas times with seats first.
Try
British Airways (www.british-airways.com)
Aerolinas Argentina (www.aerolineas.com

Often better deals via mainland Europe with
Lufthansa London via Frankfurt – Buenos Aries (www.lufthansa.com)
Air France London via Paris – Buenos Aires (www.airfrance.com)
Iberia via Madrid (www.iberia.com)
LanChile (www.lanchile.com)
KLM via Amsterdam

Beware cheap flight websites – check the fuel charges and taxes as they can be substantial. Beware going via USA airports as customs insist upto 3 hours to get off plane and clear customs – even for transit customers.
 

Flights from North America

Direct flights to Buenos Aries and a few west coast routes via Santiago in Chile but I think you then need to fly across Andes to Buenos Aries and then down, so sounds more expensive ?

Flights from Australia, New Zealand & South Africa
Aerolineas Argentinas and Quantas fly from Sydney via Auckland to Buenos Aries.
South African Airways flys from Johannesburg to both Buenos Aries.

Internal Flights from Buenos Aries to Ushuaia

The normal route from Europe is an international flight to Buenos Aries. This arrives at Ezeiza (EZE) International Airport (also known as Ministro Pistarini Airport). You will need to transfer to Jorge Newbery domestic airport / areoparque on the other side of the city and take a 3.5 hr internal flight from Buenos Airies to Ushuaia – with the main Argentinian airline Aerolineas Argentinas. There is no train route and the distance down the length of Argentina is vast. If you plan to do a Che Gevara motorbike epic please leave plenty of time !!
 

Transfers between Airports

It is not difficult to transfer between airports in Buenos Aries. You have two options – bus or taxi.
Bus: buy your ticket from Manuel Tienda Leon Transport Company. They have a desk inside the Ezeiza International Airport. In 2007 the price was 28 pesos or 9 US$. The bus trip takes 1.5 hrs with a stop at the Manuel Tienda Leon company office downtown before proceeding to Jorge Newbery Domestic Airport.

Taxi: Price was 79 pesos ($25) in 2007 and the trip takes approximately 60 minutes. We recommend you book a taxi inside the airport and beware of private car owners / unauthorised taxis offering lifts outside the airport.

Accommodation in Buenos Aires

Posada de las Aguilas

Near the international airport. Convienient for guests wh need an easy place to sleep between international and domestic flight down to Ushuaia. Free pick up service from the airport

website www.posadadelasaguilas.com.ar

tel 0054 (0) 11 448096370159

e mail   info@posadadelaguilas.com.ar

Gran Hotel Hispano

Hotel in the centre of Buenos Aires, next to a very famous Tango Cafe (Cafe Tortoni)

website www.hhispano.com.ar

tel/fax 0054  (0) 11 4345 2020

e mail hhispano@hhispano.com.ar
 

Ushuaia Airport into town

Ushuaia is a busy travel hub but a relatively safe place, even if you arrive at night. People you meet are all nationalities and generally very helpful and practical, as you would expect from a frontier town and discerning eco tourist destination. The taxi from Ushiaia airport to town / waterfront is only 10 mins and about 15 pesos. Bark Europa will be docked alongside the pier in the Puerto Commercial. It’s a very small place - not really a city and the main pier is easy to spot as all the cruise ships and expedition ships dock along it. To join the ship you must pass through security who will want to see your papers. Tell them you are ‘passagero’ on Barque Europa. Spanish for sailing vessel is ‘el velero’ and ship is el barco.

 History

.

Attractions

Great little bookshop with coffee table type explorer and wildlife books in all languages near where Bark Europa is moored.

Try the Patagonian Lamb.

Events

Accommodation

For a good family B&B you should try La Casa de Alba used by many guests joining Europa and by Adam Click Here

There is a wide range of accommodation types in Ushuaia and surrounding countryside. Busiest time is peak Antarctic summer / Andes mountain trekking season in January so do book before you arrive.
 

High Quality accomodation

If you have more time in Patagonia before you sail, try a stay on a working sheep farm or estancia. Some are very special with horse riding and great food, particularly the Patagonian lamb.

See Footprint travel guide to Patagonia for more accommodation tips.

Mid range accomodation

Standard accomodation (2007 prices)

Hosteria Los Fuegos www.hosterialosfuegos.com
Situated on the edge of Ushuaia
2006 prices 270 pesos (75 euro)

Hotel Cabo San Diego www.caboandiego.com.ar
Located in downtown Ushuaia near ship
Large rooms, spotless.
2006 Prices from 50 euro

Hotel Del Monte www.hosteldelmonte.com.ar
Close to airport with mountain backdrop. Only 20 min walk from downtown.
2006 prices from 25 US$

Pueblo Viego - Hostel

Located in downtown Ushuaia near ship. www.puebloviejo.info  tel: 0054 (0) 2901 432 098

e mail: reservas@puebloviego.info

 photo by guest crew Lisa Islg (Alaskan customer who has worked in Antarctica Macmurdo Station)

56m Dutch Barque Europa

Classic Sailing staff have been working crew on Bark Europa so we can tell you what it is really like to sail on our favourite tall ship. Debbie sailed over 5000 miles on her exploring the Antarctic Peninsula, accross the Southern Ocean to the wild anchorages and ex whaling ports of South Georgia, an exciting landing on Tristan Da Cuhna and accross the South Atlantic to Cape Town.

Ocean Wanderer

56m Dutch Barque Europa has sailed the world, doubled the Horn, cruised the Southern Ocean with charter crews, and is well known in ports for sailing in under sail—almost to the dock. She has earned her reputation for piling on the canvas and really sailing. Built in 1911 and completely re rigged as a 3 masted barque in 1986, she follows the trade wind routes to maximise downwind sailing and is equally at home in the
roller-coasters of the ‘roaring forties’ or in lighter tropical conditions where she can set an awesome suite of 30 sails.
The working language on board is English but like the tea clippers of old, the cultural mix of guest and professional crew are truly international, so the conversation can get complicated—but never dull.

"I feel totally changed by the whole experience, and can't wait to get back sailing again!" Sarah S.

Square Rig Advanced Class

If you have already sailed on a tall ship or are an experienced yacht sailor wanting to immerse yourself in square rig seamanship or maybe learn some Astro Navigation, then Europa is a good choice. Approaching equatorial crossings the extra sky-sail masts and yards are sent aloft and the whole crew can easily be kept busy setting the studding sails that few training ships dare rig. The 14 professional crew and guest crew soon become indistinguishable as you learn the ropes, gain a healthy tan and perhaps help out with the ships maintenance. If you are an adventurous spirit sailing for the first time then Europa keeps the romance of sailing alive with a great library, lectures, and enthusiastic crew who can teach a range of topics. 

Europa's Captain

Europa has three regular Captains:- Klaas Gaastra, Robbert Voss and Eric who generally live on the ship for 3 month blocks. All have sailed Europa for many years, are excellent linguists and have a real love and deep knowledge about square riggers, the marine environment  and the ocean wildlife. For non- Antarctic voyages you may find Klaas and Marianne's new ships dog on board. Their last dog was an excellent whale watcher !

Bark Europa Voyages 2010-2011

Great Lakes Tall Ship Challenge - Summer 2010

North to South - Cross the Equator - Ocean Sailing

Antarctica Dates 2010-11 and Cape Horn to Cape of Good Hope via Antarctica 2011

What to Bring

Personal items
• Passport
• Flight tickets
• Voyage Information
• Any Medication
• Sun tan lotion
• Washing kit and toiletries
• Clothing for a warm climate or extra for Antarctica - plenty of layers
• Shoes and sandals that protect your toes - warm water proof boots for Antarctica
• Swimwear - warm wind proof hats for Antarctica
• Beach Towel only
• Light weight wet weather gear - heavy wieght for Antarctica
• You can charge electrical appliances if you have an adapter for European two pin sockets.
• A book for the flight - there is a good library of books ,CD's and videos on board.
• Camera and batteries – film, spare batteries and storage cards
• Sketching materials if you are an artist
• Small musical instrument are always welcome

Already provided
Hand towels
Bed linen
All meals on board
You may purchase alcoholic drinks on board.