You never know what we're going to discover when we set course for the Weddell Sea. It is a wild and exciting area, alive with wildlife and offering great scope for exploration. The day-to-day itinerary of this voyage is dependent on weather and ice conditions prevailing in the vicinity of the mighty Riser Larsen Ice shelf.

Nestled amongst ice floes is the little known Seymour Island whose fossil-rich rocks conceal the story of the disappearance of the dinosaurs and the collapse of the mythical Gondwana. The aim of this voyage is to explore these fossil beds under the watchful eye of Dr. Paul Willis, as well as to enjoy the wild life treasure chest of the northern Weddell Sea. We also hope to follow the incredible, compelling story of Swedish explorer Otto Nordenskjold and his men (1901-1903).

We will travel in Zodiacs around the icebergs and wildlife havens of this lesser known part of the Antarctic Peninsula, and spend a few days on its better know west coast.

Today we will have time to explore Ushuaia, a bustling community that lays claim to being the most southerly town in the world. Perhaps you could take a trip to the Lapataia National Park to listen to the woodpeckers drumming on the Antarctic beech trees. Our competent Russian crew will welcome us aboard Polar Pioneer in the afternoon. Sailing down the Beagle Channel we will settle into shipboard life and enjoy our first meal on board.

Cape Horn, the most southerly point of the American continent, has stimulated the imagination of mankind since Sir Francis Drake inadvertently rounded it back in 1580. Some of us will approach this historic crossing with more than a little trepidation but despite its reputation, there are times when the Drake resembles a lake, with lazy southern ocean swells rolling under the keel. On the other hand sometimes we have encountered rough crossings with large waves. The size of the waves and the force of the gale will take on gigantic proportions when related around the fire back home.

Polar Pioneer is not a luxury ship, she is homey and strong, built to be a working vessel and refurbished to comfortable passenger standard. The mood on board is definitely casual. At sea we are totally self sufficient. The days flow by whilst we travel snugly in our cocoon. A favourite pastime on board is to stand at the stern watching the many seabirds, including majestic albatrosses and giant petrels following our wake.

They will rise and fall skillfully, using the air currents created by the ship to gain momentum. Feeling transformed, we approach Antarctica, receptive and open.

During our crossing of Drake Passage, we will commence our lecture program about the wildlife, geology, history and geography of the Antarctic Peninsula. We will be given guidelines for approaching wildlife and we'll talk about the implications of the Antarctic Treaty. Antarctica is a photographers' paradise, for the professional or the amateur. There will be discussions about how to protect your equipment from salt water and tips for taking good pictures.

Excitement reaches fever pitch as we wait for the sight of our first iceberg. We near the tip of the Peninsula towards the end of day three, everyone will be on the bridge watching for our first iceberg. The ocean takes on a whole new perspective once we are surrounded by the surreal presence of floating ice sculptures. The memory of the sight of your first iceberg is likely to remain with you for ever.

Depending on the weather, we will first approach Antarctica to the north of King George Island. From there we will head through Antarctic Sound to the eastern side of the Peninsula.

A host of choices is now open to us, and depending on the ice and weather conditions the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula is ours to explore. This is the advantage of having such experienced staff and crew, who have made countless journeys to this area. They will use their expertise to design our voyage, from day to day. In this way we can make best use of the prevailing weather and ice conditions. As we are so far south, we will experience approximately 20 hours' daylight. There is plenty of time for sleep when you get home!

We are always keen to explore new territory, so if the opportunity arises, we will! That's why we call our cruises, "Expeditions of Exploration and Adventure" - who knows where we are going?

Once we arrive in the calmer waters of Antarctic Sound, we will be landing two to three times a day. To get ashore we will use Zodiacs (inflatable rubber boats). We will have been briefed on the merits of these sturdy craft and their use, during our Drake Passage crossing. Sometimes we will cruise along spectacular ice cliffs, or follow whales that are feeding near the surface. In these cases we will appreciate the distinct advantage of being on a small vessel, which gives everyone the opportunity to experience these very special close encounters with wildlife.

Hearty meals are served in our cosy dining rooms by our European or Australian chefs and accompanied by good conversation, they will become a focal point of our shipboard life.

If the weather is kind to us we will set course for Elephant Island, a half-submerged mountain cloaked with an ice sheet at the outer limits of the South Shetlands. After their ship the Endurance was crushed in pack ice in the Weddell Sea, Ernest Shackleton and his men climbed into three open boats and finally, on 14th April 1916, made landfall on this tiny toe of rock and ice in the vastness of the Southern Ocean. The men had not been on land for sixteen months! We may sail past Cape Valentine to see the beach where the men first put ashore. Weather conditions permitting, we hope to follow the coastline six miles west to Point Wild, to make a landing where the men eventually set up camp under two of their upturned open boats and some old tents.

Situated on the eastern side of Tabarin Peninsula, the spectacular 745 metre promontory of Brown Bluff towers over some 20,000 nesting pairs of Adelie penguins and hundreds of gentoos. Kelp gulls screech overhead, while the upper slopes are inhabited by nesting skuas, snow petrels and pintados. Brown Bluff's volcanic origins have created some fantastically shaped boulders that lie scattered across the ash beach and make colourful nesting sites for some of the penguins. The unusual shapes of the boulders are sometimes mirrored by sculpted offshore icebergs.

This tiny volcanic island forms the nesting grounds of some 120,000 pairs of Adelie penguins and the surrounding seas literally seethe with penguins! There is also a blue-eyed shag colony, situated at one end of Paulet's long beach front. Leopard seals are often seen cruising offshore, hoping to pick up a penguin snack. Weddell seals sometimes haul out here for a quiet nap on the beach. Apart from its teeming wildlife, Paulet is also rich in the history of Antarctic exploration, for it was here that the 22 men of Larsen's ship Antarctic arrived on 28 February 1903 after their ship had sunk. The men wintered on Paulet, living on penguins and seals, until eventually Larsen and five of the men rowed across Erebus and Terror Gulf to be reunited with members of Otto Nordenskjold's geological exploration party.

Separated from Trinity Peninsula by Prince Gustav Channel, the beaches and rocks of this mighty island are volcanic and sedimentary and are an absolute paradise for anyone interested in geology. The beaches are populated with kelp gulls while Antarctic terns and skuas nest on the island's higher slopes. Many of the island's rocks are decorated with bright red and orange lichens, presenting fantastic photographic opportunities. Ice floes in the surrounding waters provide temporary floating homes for Weddell and leopard seals. We may walk up to Hidden Lake, following a stream rich in fossilised remains of deciduous trees, ferns and even clam shells. If ice conditions and time permit, we may also circumnavigate this fantastic island, a feat not often accomplished.

This very rarely visited island was named for its two striking peaks or 'horns' and is the nesting site for some 10,000 pairs of Adelie penguins. If weather conditions permit, we may walk up a scree slope to the top of the island's western peak. A few hundred metres in height, the summit provides superb views into Erebus and Terror Gulf. On the upper slopes we may even see nesting snow petrels and Wilson's storm petrels. For those who are less active, the comings and goings of penguins on the beach and the attendant skua population provide endless fascination. There are often large numbers of grounded icebergs offshore which we may visit in our Zodiacs.

View Point is one of the few places where we may be able to set foot on the Antarctic continent proper. An old British hut was built here in 1953 and an Argentine refuge hut was established a few years later. In front of the old hut are the remains of crabeater seal carcasses, which provided food for the sledge dogs used by the men. Thanks to the cold conditions, the hut looks just as it did all those years ago - a fascinating place to get a feeling for the olden days of Antarctic exploration.

Antarctica's most conspicuous geographical feature is ice. Glaciers slowly make their way down to the sea from towering mountain peaks and ridges. If prevailing conditions permit, we hope to make our way south and cruise along part of the spectacular Larsen Ice Shelf which runs continuously for some 800 km between Cape Longing and Cape Mackintosh. In 1995 a massive iceberg measuring 37 km x 36 km calved from the Larsen Ice Shelf and drifted north. We may well see some reminders from this spectacular event and perhaps even witness smaller pieces of ice splitting away.

Joinville Island
D'Urville Island
Hope Bay
Seymour Island
Snow Hill Island
Vega Island
Prince Gustav Channel
Beak Island
Crystal Hill
Herbert Sound
Aitcho Island
Penguin Island
Deception Island
Scientific Bases of Arctowski (Polish) and Ferraz (Brazilian)
and many other surprises!

Time to head back to Tierra del Fuego, with more lectures and videos to complete our Antarctic education. A time for reflection and discussion about what we have seen and felt and what impact this voyage has had on our attitude to life. As we approach the tip of South America, our Captain will sail close to legendary Cape Horn, weather conditions permitting.

During the early morning we should cruise up the Beagle Channel, before docking in Ushuaia around 0700.