cruising | We go where the crowds don't.

FLY TO ANTARCTICA AND CRUISE

david jules — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 00:13:10 +0000

Bet that Shackleton and Amundsen would never have dreamed of this. Fly the Drake and cruise Antarctica. Yes you heard it right, skip the feared Drake Passage and go directly to the White Continent. Until recently, only scientists and researchers used the back door to get into Antarctica. Not by ship, but flying from Chile. Why sail across the Drake if in just three hours you can be standing with both feet on the Last Continent, safe and well.No fifteen metres high waves that make the stretch of ocean between the tip of South America and the Antarctic Peninsula so notorious. Flying also means being completely ready and full of energy to discover this extreme part of Earth. In 2001, a clever Chilean company came up with the idea of creating an air bridge during the summer months between Punta Arenas, the southernmost town in Chilean Patagonia, and the Antarctic Peninsula. Not only for biologists, oceanologists and weather scientists but also for the ordinary tourist. So image: no Drake Passage, no 19-day Antarctica sailing itinerary that only travellers with oceans of time can afford. No lost days at sea. But Antarctica in a compact way: a fantastic, adrenaline-filled six days aboard a small expedition ship, without crossing the Drake.

Quick & intense

If you ever dreamed of flying those legendary, rusty Russian cargo planes, you will be in for a disappointment. No Russian steel crate with a glass nose and a semi-drunk, bearded pilot behind the wheel. The BAE-146 built by British Aerospace looks pretty neutral, except that “Antarctica” is painted on its fuselage. A comfortable 3 hours later we land on King George Island, where Chile’s Eduardo Frei base is situated. Not on ice but on an ordinary gravel airstrip, which in the most extreme occasions is covered with dry snow. Technically, this is not the Antarctic Peninsula but the Southern Shetland Islands. In the distance floats the Ocean Nova, our expedition ship for the next six days. Purpose built in Denmark to smoothly conquer icy seas, this is no ultra-deluxe ship, but a very comfortable home for up to 68 people. Many other ships can take more than 200 people on board but that makes things more complicated in Antarctica. A short Zodiac ride from King George and we’re in the observation lounge of the Ocean Nova. A warming drink, a beaming 12-strong expedition team and the prospect of seeing and doing things we have never experienced before. The Ocean Nova team is not low calibre. A couple of seasoned biologists, young naturalists, a historian, an ornithologist, an ocean specialist, a doctor and other crew members who have sailed Arctic and Antarctic waters for many years. Some even worked on Russian nuclear ships and have plenty of stories to tell. They are the perfect entertainment and companionship for when having a drink at the bar. Did we mention already it’s an open bar?

Crossing the Bransfield Strait

A glance through the cabin porthole and you know enough: a sunny, early morning overlooking Mikkelsen Harbour on Trinity Island where we will soon make a landing. The strong rubber Zodiacs can take eight to ten passengers. Life jacket on, sunscreen and sunglasses and cameras at the ready. Several Weddell seals lie sunbathing in the snow and a leopard seal circles around the Zodiacs then disappears. “Dangerous animals,” smirks a biologist. “It’s known that they can bite straight through a Zodiac.” Further up near the old whaling station sit a flock of cackling Gentoo penguins. “Never block the way of a penguin,” Mariano, the expedition leader explains. “Penguins always have right of way. No matter what!” In the afternoon, after hours of sailing through a sensational silent white landscape and a hearty lunch, there is a Zodiac trip between icebergs and ice floes in Cierva Cove. The location is the south side of Cape Herschel in Hughes Bay along the Antarctic Peninsula. We glimpse the Argentine research station Primavera in the distance, while close to our Zodiac we see crab eater seals, penguins, and skua birds… Slaloming with the Zodiac between sculptured icebergs you can listen to almost supernatural sounds: the ice releasing millions of years-old air. In the far distance icebergs are breaking off glaciers, and a little closer an iceberg is tipping over… The trip doesn’t end here and will take us to famous spots on the White Continent like Livingston Island, Port Lockroy, Petermann Island, Paradise Bay, Cuverville and Deception Islands. The target of this trip will be the crossing of the Lemaire Channel and latitude 65° South. The highlight for us? A South-American BBQ on the deck of the Ocean Nova while the sun is barely setting behind the blue and pinkish frozen horizon and giant ice pieces are floating by the ship. Antarctica XXI is the ultimate way to see the White Continent in a more intense way. The trip is shorter but better and the dedication of expedition team is infectious. Travelling with a small group in Antarctica means more landings and time ashore.

The verdict

A trip with Antarctica XXI starts at 9.260 US dollars. Included in this price: Flights according to the itinerary, cruise in full board plus all drinks, excursions and lectures, transfers and if needed accommodation on land. Good to know is that due the limited availability the trips sell out fast, so if you want to do this in the season 2012-2013, it is best to book now! We loved the trip, even while there is big room for improvement on the Chilean pre-&post- travel ground control side (but we heard rumours they are working on it). The most important thing: big thumbs up for the expedition team of the Ocean Nova! They were our dream team and made this trip a fabulous experience!

WWW.ANTARCTICAXXI.COM

Are you packed?

Special waterproof boots are provided by Antarctica XXI, but warm clothes are not. Ideally is to bring water- and windproof outdoors clothes. Patagonia and Canada Goose resist the Artic temperatures and extreme wind.

WWW.CANADA-GOOSE.COM
WWW.PATAGONIA.COM
WWW.BAFFIN.CON

The post FLY TO ANTARCTICA AND CRUISE first appeared on Remote Experiences.

OUT OF THIS WORLD AND INTO BOTSWANA

david jules — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:53:20 +0000

Pack your bags (not more than 20 kg please and no Manolo or Gucci needed anyway), hop on a plane for half a day and embark on a trip of a lifetime. Final destination is Botswana where the mighty lions roar louder, the safari camps are more comfy and the views are more va va voom. If you need a helping hand to select one or two camps out of the numerous luxury options, then follow our advice and be a happy camper. First cruise the Chobe River on the red-hot riverboat the Zambezi Queen, which offers an unbeatable river experience and ultra-luxurious surroundings (however we heard some negative comments lately). Then head off to the Okavango Delta where Nxabega Camp from &Beyond is a delightful camp-away-from-home. Make sure you are there when the crew stages their fairytale bush dinner when there’re more candles burning than wild animals circling around in search for a juicy evening snack. Enough of all that water, head for the dry and salty Makgadikgadi Pans in the enigmatic Kalahari Desert. Base to stay is legendary Jack’s Camp where the décor, thanks to the colonial furniture supply of good old Jack and the design skills of owner Catherine Raphaely, is out of this world. Your neighbours here are the San or the local Bushmen. A meet & greet with them is an enlightening experience. Get up early in the morning to see the matey meerkats and be overly enchanted. But hey, don’t consider grabbing one to take home, even when they come sitting on your safari hat. They might look cute but they don’t dig the city life, they like their daily portion of crunchy scorpions and they are not keen on travelling long haul, even when it’s Upper Class.

WWW.UNCHARTEDAFRICA.COM
WWW.ANDBEYONDAFRICA.COM
WWW.ZAMBEZIQUEEN.COM

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STEALTH POWER

david jules — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:31:09 +0000

Board now the most stylish, ultra-slick boat in the world. Maybe you don’t have the cash to buy one of these handcrafted and tailor-made beauties, but for a modest 5700 euro a day, you can rent a Wally in the Med. We must admit, it’s a hard choice between all those streamlined beauties. First there is the 106′ ” WALLY B”, sailing around the Western Mediterranean like Sardinia, Cote d’Azur, Corsica and Southern Italy. This sailing beauty can host 6 guests and has a crew of 5 (skipper, deck hand, engineer, cook and stewardess). All this sleekness you can have for 59.000 euro per week. BYO, because all the prices mentioned do not include food, beverages, fuel and harbour expenses. Another option, slightly cheaper is the Wally 100’ “Dark Shadow”, also hosting 6 guests in 3 cabins and available for 50.000 a week. New since summer 2011 is the 94 “BARONG C”. An elegant, 29 meters long sailing and motorboat and available in the Western Mediterranean. Think of the blue waters around Sardinia, Corsica, Cote d’Azur, Baleares and Sicily for 40.000 euro a week with a crew of three. Although the Barong C is all about speed, this boat is modern and contemporary in every way. The interior design offers extraordinary height and plenty of deck hatches, portholes and windows for exceptional natural light and ventilation. A Last option is the Wally 80 “TANGO”, the lowest priced at 40.000 a week, accommodating 6 people and offering the services of 3 crew members. Recently the fashion house Hermès has acquired 10% of the Wally Group. This will only contribute to the pure and stylish look of those floating, minimalistic silhouettes.

WWW.HERMES.COM
WWW.WALLY.COM

UPDATE AUGUST 2012
We just tried out the prototype of the Wally One at Amanzoe Resort, Greece.
A new breed of sleek tender with 740HP, with a stunning topspeed of 90km/hour, or 50Kn.
You can charter the tender at 1600EUR a day. Or book a sunset (or should we call it sunjet) cruise at 500EUR.
Check out some recent photos on our Facebook page!

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THE OBEROI ZAHRA

david jules — Tue, 20 May 2008 16:04:00 +0000

Without a doubt the best way to experience Egypte is to cruise along the Nile. Even just being docked along the quay in Aswan gives a special oasis sensation, hectic noise of the bustle of the city included. The new style to cruise the Nile is boarding the ultra-luxurious Nilecruiser the Oberoi Zahra. Sleek, minimal, stylish (only too bad about the fake woods on the floor). Every room has floor-to-ceiling windows, even the bathrooms. She has dedicated private mooring places to avoid the hectic piers where all the other cruisers board. Of course the Zahra comes with a price but for those who can stand the sizzling heat of the Egyptian summermonths the Zahra offers a reasonable price. After all, Egypt is all about the desertheat and that special steamy atmosphere.

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FLYFISHING IN NOMAN’S LAND

david jules — Sun, 04 May 2008 01:12:00 +0000

Today my article about Nomads of the Seas got published in De Tijd, the financial newspaper in Belgium. A good reason to look back at this unique sailingtrip we did a good month ago. We cruised around the area of Puerto Montt in northern Patagonia on what is by any doubt one of the most high-tech ships in the world. Owner Andres Ergas made sure the hardware for this flyfishing expedition is top-end: 25 million dollar boat, US Army zodiac of one milion, state-of-the-art helicopter,… Definately the ultimate way to discover this end of the world and most of all, to (learn how to) flyfish. Mister Ergas is quite ambitious and is planning more ultimate experience places all over Chile. From ultra-skiing in the Andes to going deep into the Atacama desert. Will be interesting to follow that. On the other hand, tourism and hospitality in South-America is growing so fast, that even a high-end project like Nomads is suffering from growing pains. My feeling is they have to make sure that the software, or the people running these operations, is as good as their hardware. I guess they still have some fine-tuning to do. Let’s keep an eye on that!

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