Expedition Notes GEORGIA & ODYSSEY

CHILE Atlantic Ocean Stanley ARGENTINA From Welcome! Santiago / Malvinas Punta Arenas Ushuaia South Thank you for choosing Aurora Expeditions for your voyage to the Georgia Puerto Williams Island Falkland Islands/Malvinas, South Georgia & ! Drake Passage These notes have been designed to help you prepare for your upcoming King Elephant South George Island Orkney expedition and what you are likely to experience. Our emphasis is on Island Islands Livingston Island lands unique wildlife encounters, exploring pristine landscapes, visiting sites nd Is etla Sh uth So of historical and scientific significance. Your safety is our priority, closely Deception Island Weddell followed by showing you the best Antarctic experience possible! Sea Lemaire ANTARCTIC Please remember that the enclosed itinerary is merely a guide. All of our Channel PENINSULA ANTARC TIC CI RCLE voyages are expeditionary, which means no two voyages are ever the same and there is always an element of the unexpected. Our itineraries will vary due to weather and sea conditions, as well as to take advantage Voyage Code: ASG68 of spontaneous opportunities and impromptu wildlife displays. Dates: 21 January to 7 February 2017 Please take the time to read this pre-departure information prior to Duration: 17 nights / 18 days departing for your voyage. If you have any further questions or wish to Embark: Santiago OR Punta Arenas, Chile book flights, accommodation, tours and transfers not included with the Disembark: Punta Arenas, Chile voyage, please do not hesitate to contact your dedicated Reservations Ship: Polar Pioneer Consultant or your travel agent. Important information Aurora Expeditions NEW! Complimentary Terms and Conditions Please read our terms and P +61 2 9252 1033 Polar Jacket for every passenger! conditions carefully to ensure you understand what F +61 2 9252 1373 is included in the voyage cost as well as any fees that E [email protected] may be applicable in case you are required to cancel your voyage. Itinerary overview Day 1 Flight Santiago or Punta Arenas to Stanley, Please remember that the enclosed itinerary is Falkland Islands/Malvinas merely a guide. While every effort will be made to follow the itinerary provided, in the event of Days 2-3 At sea political problems or natural disturbances which Days 4-8 South Georgia are beyond our control and prevent our travelling Days 9-10 At sea to a particular area, we reserve the right to Day 11 substitute an alternative activity for that section of Days 12-15 the voyage. It is unlikely to happen, but itineraries Days 16-17 At sea are subject to change and this is all part of the Day 18 Puerto Williams and flight to Punta Arenas adventure of travelling.

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Voyage Highlights Complimentary Polar Jacket South Georgia NEW! Each passenger will receive their very own Aurora • Witness the incredible wildlife of South Georgia, one of the Expeditions waterproof multi-purpose jacket to use on your greatest wildlife concentrations on the planet voyage. You will receive a link via email prior to your departure to • Visit some of the world’s largest king penguin rookeries and view sizing options and to order your jacket, which will be ready search for wandering on nests and waiting for you at the start of your voyage. • See beaches thick with elephant and fur seals • Cruise past Elephant Island’s dramatic north coast (weather Voyage Inclusions permitting) • Flight from Santiago or Punta Arenas to Stanley (no reduced • Trace the final leg of Sir ’s perilous journey fare for starting in Punta Arenas) from Fortuna Bay to Stromness • Transfer from Stanley airport to Polar Pioneer, including tour • Pay your respects to the great explorer at a visit to his of Stanley gravesite at . • Transfer from Polar Pioneer to Puerto Williams airport, Antarctica including Puerto Williams town and surrounds tour • Explore the most accessible & wildlife-rich region of Antarctica • Flight from Puerto Williams to Punta Arenas • Daily shore visits and Zodiac cruises offer close encounters • Accommodation during the voyage with penguins, whales, seals and sea birds. • All meals, snacks, tea and coffee during the voyage • Visit historic research huts and working scientific stations. • All shore excursions and Zodiac (inflatable boat) cruises • Cruise past massive icebergs and ancient glaciers. • Educational lectures and guiding services from our • Enjoy the pristine beauty and vast landscapes expert team • Witness the endless sunlight of the midnight sun • Access to our on board doctor and basic medical services • Learn about Antarctica’s unique geology, history and wildlife • Free gumboot hire during the voyage from our expert team • Daily cabin service • Kayakers will glide through narrow sheltered waterways • An Aurora Expeditions' multi-purpose waterproof jacket and fjords, paddle amongst ice floes and drift quietly • Comprehensive pre-departure information alongside wildlife. • Professionally produced voyage journal (one per booking) • Port taxes and charges Puerto Williams • All entry fees to historic landings sites. • Spend time exploring the southern-most town in the world • Visit the UNESCO declared Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve Voyage Exclusions • Enjoy a guided walk to Brass Waterfall for view of the • International or domestic flights to or from ship, Beagle Channels unless specified • Visit Puerto Williams' Macalvi Yacht Club and enjoy time to • Transfers not mentioned in the itinerary explore the town and museum • Airport arrival or departure taxes • Absorb the birds’ eye view on our scenic flight over • Visa, passport, and vaccination charges the breathtaking landscape of Cordillera Darwin with • Travel insurance or emergency evacuation charges its magnificent glaciers, narrow austral channels and hidden coloured lagoons.

PRE-DEPARTURE INFORMATION Cruising to the heart of nature 2 Expedition Notes SOUTH GEORGIA & ANTARCTIC ODYSSEY

• Hotels and meals not included in itinerary Our preferred hotel in Santiago is: • Optional excursions not included in the itinerary Atton Hotel El Bosque •  Optional activity surcharge. Please contact us if you wish Roger de Flor 2770 to book any optional activities, such as sea kayaking Las Condes •  All items of a personal nature including but not limited to: Santiago, Chile alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, laundry services, http://elbosque.atton.com personal clothing, medical expenses, gratuities, and email Please contact us for rates. or phone charges. Included Flight/s Getting To and From Your Voyage Santiago OR Punta Arenas to Stanley, Falkland Islands/Malvinas Our Reservations Consultants or your travel agent can assist you A flight to Stanley, Falkland Islands/Malvinas from Santiago or with booking your flights to and from your voyage, as well as any Punta Arenas, Chile, is included in the price of your voyage. If you additional pre and post touring options around South America. wish to spend time exploring Patagonia before your voyage you To discuss your options or for a quote contact your travel agent or are able to fly to Stanley direct from Punta Arenas. Please advise Aurora Expeditions on +61 2 9252 1033 or free call (Australia only) Aurora Expeditions where you would like to embark your flight to 1800 637 688 or email us at [email protected] ensure you have the correct tickets issued. Flights Please Note: The remainder of the airfare (Santiago to Punta For international flights please ensure you arrive at the airport Arenas leg) will be forfeited and that all flight requests are subject at least three hours before your scheduled flight. For domestic to availability. flights please arrive at least two hours before your flight. Please check with your Reservations Consultant or travel agent If you wish to arrive earlier into the Falkland Islands before your regarding your airline’s baggage allowance. voyage, Aurora Expeditions will be happy to assist in rebooking your flight, pending availability. Arriving into Santiago OR Punta Arenas We strongly recommend you arrive into Santiago or Punta Please Note: Flights between Santiago OR Punta Arenas to Arenas at least one day prior to your voyage departure date Stanley operate once per week, on a Saturday, and are subject to to avoid any possible flight or luggage delays. To organise any availability. Please ensure you confirm your arrangements on the accommodation, transfers or tours in Santiago contact your travel Falkland Islands as early as possible to avoid disappointment. agent or Aurora Expeditions on +61 2 9252 1033 or Please Note: The flight to the Falkland Islands from Santiago OR free call (Australia only) 1800 637 688 or email us at Punta Arenas is considered a domestic flight, therefore, duty free [email protected] is not available. Our preferred hotel in Punta Arenas is: The Falkland Islands airport is based at the Mount Pleasant Hotel Cabo de Hornos Military Complex and is not a commercial airport. Given this, you Plaza Muñoz Gamero 1025 may experience delays in arrival and departure processes. We Punta Arenas, Magallanes and Antartica Chilena apologise in advance if you experience these delays. 6200000, Chile www.hotelcabodehornos.com

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Departing Punta Arenas Detailed Itinerary Please note that onward flights are not to be booked from Punta Please Note: Itinerary may endure changes depending on Arenas prior to 17:00 on the day of disembarkation. weather, ice conditions and the movements of other vessels. To organise any additional accommodation, transfers or tours in Day 1 - Embark Stanley, Falkland Islands/Malvinas Chile or South Amercia post-voyage contact your travel agent or You have the option of arriving in the Falkland Islands today and Aurora Expeditions on +61 2 9252 1033 or free call (Australia only) being transferred directly to Polar Pioneer OR arriving into the 1800 637 688 or email [email protected] Falkland Islands earlier and exploring this very British outpost, and making your own way to the pier to board the ship. Please note: Shackleton Centenary Commemorations if you wish to arrive early the flights to Stanley operate once a When Ernest Shackleton set off from South Georgia in December week and are subject to availability and may involve an additional 1914, his goal was to lead the first expedition to cross Antarctica. surcharge. Instead, his ship was beset in Weddell Sea pack ice If you choose to fly today, you will make your own way to the and, nine-months later, crushed. Only Shackleton’s phenomenal airport to embark your flight in either Santiago or Punta Arenas leadership and the skills of men like Frank Worsely, and and arrive in Stanley in the early afternoon, where you will be met saved all 28 men. by a local guide at the Mount Pleasant airport and transferred Over the 2015-17 Antarctic summers, we celebrate the 100-year directly to Polar Pioneer. anniversary of Shackleton’s 1914-17 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Aurora Expeditions’ staff and our competent Russian crew will Expedition on nine historic voyages. A special program of welcome you aboard Polar Pioneer in the afternoon. onboard events includes an exhibit of ’s Antarctic images, a commemorative dinner, reading from Shackleton’s Sailing towards South Georgia, we settle into shipboard life and journal and tributes to other fascinating Antarctic explorers. enjoy our first meal on board. Best of all we plan visits to key historic sites (weather and ice Before our first landing we will be given guidelines for permitting), including remote Elephant Island. We’ll even have approaching the wildlife and talk about the implications of the the chance to re-enact the final leg of Shackleton’s epic trek from Antarctic Treaty, as well as being briefed about using our Zodiacs Fortuna Bay to Stromness whaling station (weather permitting), (inflatable rubber boats) for excursions from the ship. then toast 'The Boss' and Frank Wild beside their graves in Grytviken cemetery. Days 2 to 3 - At sea bound for South Georgia Between the Falklands and South Georgia you will be entranced Expeditioners on all our Shackleton voyages receive a special by the ceaseless flight of the many seabirds that follow our wake. commemorative patch and a customised all-weather jacket when You may decide to join the whale watchers on the bridge, or just they arrive on board. After the trip, a special hard-cover, full- relax and read a favourite book. colour voyage journal will be sent as a memento of our historical adventure. If time and weather conditions permit, we could pass close to Shag Rocks, a fascinating group of jagged rocky islets protruding from the sea. Blue-eyed cormorants fill the air; their precarious nesting sites are white with guano.

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The mood on board is definitely casual. A favourite pastime left at Cave Cove and rescue the men they had left on Elephant is to stand at the stern deck watching the many seabirds, Island. They had sailed in the James Caird for 16 days under including majestic and giant petrels, following in our horrendous conditions and found safety in the tiny entrance of wake, skilfully using the air currents created by the ship to gain Cave Cove. This epic story of survival had begun with the sinking momentum. Feeling transformed, we approach South Georgia, of his ship, the Endurance, in the Weddell Sea, six months earlier. receptive and open. As we explore South Georgia, we will have the opportunity to Days 4 to 8 - South Georgia reflect on Shackleton’s epic journey. To us, South Georgia is one of the most beautiful places in the Some other glorious destinations we plan to visit in South world. Georgia are listed below: The island is a tiny speck in the South Atlantic Ocean, located Grytviken in one of the most desolate parts of our planet. A 3,000-metre Originally a Norwegian sealing and whaling station, it was finally mountain range traces the spine of this long, narrow island. abandoned in 1965. Here we must be careful to avoid stepping Between the mountains, shattered glaciers carve their way on sleeping elephant seals as we skirt the ruins of factory through tussock grass to the deeply indented coastline. buildings peering into the past, trying to imagine what it was like Though geographically speaking, the island lies in the when whale processing was in full swing. Abandoned ships lie subantarctic area, as do the islands of Macquarie and Heard, it sunken alongside old wharves, while pitted concrete walls remind has a climate more in keeping with the true Antarctic regions. us of the more recent Falkland's War, which started here. This is because South Georgia lies wholly within the Antarctic Sir Ernest Shackleton died from a heart attack during his final Convergence. expedition on board the Quest on 6 May 1922. His body was laid South Georgia is a British possession, having been claimed and to rest at Grytviken and we hope to make a pilgrimage to visit the named for King George III on 16 January 1775 by Captain James cross his men erected in his memory looking out across beautiful Cook, who records in his journal: Cumberland Bay. "The wild rocks raised their lofty summits till they were lost in the St Andrews Bay clouds and the valleys lay buried in ever-lasting snow. Not a tree The sandy black beach is a resting place for hundreds of elephant or a shrub was to be seen, no, not even big enough to make a seals that haul out on the shore to moult. Behind the beach, the toothpick. I landed in three different places, displayed our colours sight and sound of tens upon tens of thousands of king penguins and took possession of the country in His Majesty's name under a at different stages of their breeding cycle will be overwhelming. discharge of small arms." The glacial river that runs into the sea here will be alive with (Quote from "Antarctic Housewife" by Nan Brown.) penguin chicks and elephant seal pups testing their aquatic skills. If we lift our gaze from the wildlife for a moment, we will glimpse On 20 May 1916, Sir Ernest Shackleton, Crean and Worsley the snow-capped peaks of some of the world's most spectacular stumbled into the busy whaling station at Stromness; hungry, mountains. exhausted and covered in grime. They had just made the first ever crossing of the mountains of South Georgia, from , to find help for their three exhausted companions

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Godthul We’ll learn the story of Shackleton and hear how his ship, the Imagine indented bays lined with bleached whalebones, Endurance, was crushed in pack ice in the Weddell Sea, before teeming with fur seals and with penguins just “hanging about”. him and his men climbed into three open boats, spending 16 Here you have the opportunity to clamber through the tussock months at sea, before finally making landfall on this tiny toe of to a spectacular plateau offering magnificent views across the rock and ice in the vastness of the on 14 April island and the waters beyond. A careful descent leads us to a 1916. magnificent Macaroni penguin rookery. As we commemorate the upcoming century of Shackleton’s Prion Island fateful expedition, we plan to sail past Cape Valentine to see We will aim to visit Prion Island where we can sit quietly to watch the beach where the men first put ashore nearly 100 years ago. serene wandering albatrosses sitting proudly on eggs or cute Weather permitting; we hope to follow the coastline six miles downy chicks. We may be blessed by the performance of an west to Point Wild, where the men eventually set up camp under intimate courtship dance, or may witness a youngster being two of their upturned open boats and some old tents. lovingly fed. We watch adolescents exercising their wide wing We will attempt to make at least one landing on historic Elephant spans, trying to launch themselves into the air, as they realise that Island. Mum and Dad will no longer feed them and they must leave the island in search of food. Days 12 to 15 - Antarctic Peninsula Once we arrive in the calmer waters of the Bransfield and Other stunning wildlife destinations we may visit include: Gerlache Straits, we will generally make landings or Zodiac Elsehul Bay Royal Harbour excursions two to three times a day. Cooper Bay Drygalski Fjord Larsen Harbour Stromness Days will be spent cruising along spectacular ice cliffs, following Salisbury Plains Gold Harbour whales that are feeding near the surface and landing on the Right Whale Bay Possession Bay continent and it’s off shore islands to visit penguin rookies and seal haul outs as well as a few of our favourite spots on the Days 9 to 10 - At Sea peninsula. Leaving South Georgia we head across the Scotia Sea in a south- westerly direction. Our chefs will prepare delicious meals that, accompanied by good conversation, will become a focal point of our shipboard The ocean takes on a whole new perspective once we are life. surrounded by the surreal presence of floating ice sculptures. The memory of the sight of your first iceberg will remain with There are many exciting places we can choose to visit. A sample you forever. of these follows: Day 11 - Elephant Island Half Moon Island Today, if weather permits, we set course for Elephant Island, a A wildlife rich island tucked into a neat bay at the eastern end of half-submerged mountain cloaked with an ice sheet at the outer Livingston Island. On a clear day the glaciers and mountains of limits of the South Shetlands. En route, our recaps and lectures Livingston Island dominate the scene. There is a large chinstrap will resume and there will be time to gather energy for the busy penguin rookery tucked in between basaltic turrets coloured by days ahead. yellow and orange lichens. Gulls nest on these turrets and there

PRE-DEPARTURE INFORMATION Cruising to the heart of nature 6 Expedition Notes SOUTH GEORGIA & ANTARCTIC ODYSSEY

are often fur seals and elephant seals hauled out on the pebble After our town tour and some morning tea, we’ll board our shore beaches. At one extremity of the island there is a large colony of 35-minute flight back to Punta Arenas, where we’ll enjoy a birds’ nesting blue-eyed shags. At the other end lies a small Argentine eye view over the breathtaking landscape of Cordillera Darwin. In station that is sometimes occupied by scientists conducting Punta Arenas we’ll bid our fellow expeditioners and new found research on the penguin colony and surrounding waterways. friends a fond farewell, before you continue on with your own Paradise Harbour arrangements. A protected bay surrounded by magnificent peaks and Please Note: At the conclusion of the expedition flights are not spectacular glaciers, the rocky cliffs of this unforgettable piece of to be booked from Punta Arenas prior to 17:00 on the day of heaven provide perfect nesting sites for blue-eyed shags, terns disembarkation. An overnight in Punta Arenas is recommended, and gulls. The serenity of Paradise Harbour envelops us once but not mandatory. the sound of the dropping anchor fades from our ears. This is a haven for whales and we keep our eyes open for humpbacks, Optional Activities orcas and minkes, as well as crabeater seals, as we explore the Sea Kayaking bay in Zodiacs. Imagine being so close to a whale that when he Our sea kayaking option is available for up to 12 passengers surfaces to blow, the fishy spray of his exhalation momentarily on this voyage. Exploring by kayak is an ideal way to surround blurs your vision. Words cannot describe this experience. yourself in the sights and sounds of Antarctica and South Other places we may visit around the Antarctic Peninsula are: Georgia.. Paddle among icebergs and brash ice, and get up close to wildlife and observe in an unobtrusive manner. Some Pleneau Island, Neko Harbour, Vernadsky, a Ukrainian scientific of our paddles may be longer and on choppier water, so sound base, Port Lockroy, a historic British base that is now a museum experience is required (this can also be gained prior to your and post office… plus a selection of our other favourite landing expedition). Paddlers will have the option to kayak as often as sites. possible during the voyage, conditions permitting. If you are Days 16 to 17 - Drake Passage interested in our sea kayaking option, please contact our team on Time to head to Isla Navarino, Chile, with lectures and videos to +61 2 9252 1033 or email your Reservations Consultant. Surcharge complete our Antarctic education. This is a time for reflection applies. and discussion about what we have seen and felt, and the impact this voyage has had on our attitude to life. As we approach the tip Documentation of South America, our Captain may sail close to legendary Cape You should always carry your travel insurance policy, emergency Horn, weather conditions permitting. card and photocopies of your ID with you during your holiday. Day 18 - Puerto Williams to Punta Arenas Travel insurance During the early morning we cruise up the Beagle Channel, Aurora Expeditions require that you take out a personal travel before quietly slipping into dock in Puerto Williams about 07:00. insurance policy, including emergency evacuation, to cover As soon as customs have cleared the ship, we commence our against sickness, accident, loss of baggage and personal town tour of the world’s southern-most town. Puerto Williams belongings, unexpected alterations to travel arrangements and has been declared one of the 20 most pristine places on the travel disruption, emergency evacuation, and cancellation. planet by UNESCO.

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Aurora Expeditions recommend SureSave travel insurance for Visas, Entry Fees & Taxes Australian travellers. International travellers are required to book Passengers are required to organise their own visas, entry fees travel insurance via a local insurance provider in your home and arrival or departure taxes if required for the country you are country. To arrange your travel insurance or for more information visiting. We have listed some information on the requirements for please contact your dedicated Reservations Consultant or your the countries you will be visiting, however please check with your travel agent. Reservations Consultant or travel agent if you are unsure. If you take out an alternative policy, you should check that Chile it provides adequate coverage as above. Please advise For Australian passengers travelling to Chile, you are required Aurora Expeditions of your policy details on your Personal Details to pay a Reciprocity Fee on arrival into Santiago. The cost is Form. approximately US$117. Canadian passengers are also required to Personal Details Form pay a one-off Reciprocity Fee of approximately US$132. Payment You are required to return your Personal Details Form to Aurora is to be made by exact cash in US dollars or by credit card, and Expeditions at least 90 days prior to your voyage departure. is valid for 90 days for multiple entry travel. If you are a British or Please ensure all information is correct and inform us of any American passport holder visiting Chile for less than 90 days, you changes that may arise. are exempt from any entry fees. If you enter Chile for a second time, the Reciprocity Fee will be not be charged again. Medical Form Please note your Medical Form is required to be signed by your Argentina general practitioner and returned to Aurora Expeditions no later For Australian, American and Canadian passengers travelling to than three months, and no earlier than six months, before your Argentina, you are required to pay a Reciprocity Fee prior to your voyage departure date. arrival into Argentina via the online system. If you become aware of any change in your health and fitness The Reciprocity Fee is US$160 for Americans, US$100 for that may be likely to affect your participation on the trip (eg Australians and US$75 for Canadians. British and European Union pregnancy, mental illness, heart or bronchial disorder, broken passport holders are exempt from Reciprocity Fee. limbs, etc.), you should notify us in writing immediately. How to pay the Reciprocity Fee online: Passport 1) Enter the website url http://reciprocidad.provincianet.com.ar Please ensure that your passport is valid at least 6 months after and under Log In click Sign Up. You will need to register your your date of your return. If you are not an Australian citizen and passport details to start the process. are returning to Australia after your trip, ensure that you have 2) Complete the Reciprocity Fee - Add Form with the the necessary resident return visa / re-entry permit from the corresponding personal and credit card information. Department of Immigration. 3) Print the payment receipt. 4) On arrival in Argentina, this printed receipt must be presented at Immigration Control. The receipt will be scanned by the Immigration officials, the information will be checked, and your entry to the country registered.

PRE-DEPARTURE INFORMATION Cruising to the heart of nature 8 Expedition Notes SOUTH GEORGIA & ANTARCTIC ODYSSEY

Please note: Details and prices are correct as of April 2015 and are Money Matters subject to change regularly. Please contact your local consulate Australian dollars are difficult to exchange in South America. We before departure in case of any changes. recommend that you take US dollars to exchange in your arrival city. The amount of money you take to spend whilst on board Other destinations depends on how many non-included alcoholic beverages you If you are travelling further throughout South America additional expect to drink each day, if you plan to use the internet or laundry airport taxes or visas may apply and are generally required in local service, and if you intend to purchase any souvenirs on board or currency or US dollars. Your local tour operator or representative during our landings. will be able to advise of correct requirements as these vary greatly between different cities. On board payments On board you will be required to pay your charges such as bar Fitness Requirements bills, laundry, email and phone calls in US dollars. Your on-board This voyage is suitable for people of a wide range of ages and bill can be converted to Australian dollars at the exchange rate physical abilities. You are free to participate in whichever activity advertised in the bar if requested. We accept all major credit cards you choose. Less mobile clients are given the choice to land or including Visa, Mastercard and American Express for on-board not. If they decide to land, there are plenty of willing arms to lean payments. Travellers cheques, pre-paid travel cards or debit cards on. If you require special assistance please discuss this with one are not accepted. Please note for credit card payments, Aurora of our Expedition Experts at time of booking. Passengers on our Expeditions will process these approximately two weeks after voyages to Antarctica should to be capable of walking up and voyage. Please check our Expedition Essentials document for on down the ships gangway – equivalent to walking up and down a board price guidelines. steep set of stairs, at times the ship may be pitching and rolling; Security getting in and out of Zodiacs (inflatable rubber boats) with Money and valuables should always be stored safely when assistance from our staff; making their way across rock surfaces travelling. Keep your passport with you at all times and do not which can be wet/slippery at times; walking on snow and ice. If leave it in your main luggage. You will need it to change money you have any questions or concerns please contact our team on and check into hotels. Where safety deposit boxes are available, +61 2 9252 1033. we recommend that you use them. We also recommend you keep jewellery and valuables to a minimum when travelling.

Communication Telephone The charges for telephone services will be higher than at home. We do not suggest you call from your hotel as they charge their own rates on top of the phone call. You can find public telephone call centres in most major cities and tourist areas, and ask about buying a prepaid calling card when you arrive.

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Email Suggested Information Resources Internet cafes are readily available. Contact your email provider Travel and Wildlife apps before you leave home, and ask for any suggestions about If you have a smart phone or tablet device, you can download accessing your emails from abroad. some great free and paid apps to help you with your holiday Mobile phones planning around South America. Search for them in the App Store Before you leave home contact your mobile phone service for iPhones and iPads or in Google Play for Android devices. provider for details on international roaming, access and rates. Antarctica & South Georgia Alternatively, if your phone is not locked to a network you can Oceanites by Genwi LLC purchase a pre-paid sim card when you arrive in South America. The Island of South Georgia by University of Dundee Emergency Antarctic Wildlife Guide ($10.49) by Oren Meiri Reference. In the event of an emergency please have your relatives or friends Argentina contact Aurora Expeditions on +61 2 9252 1033 and we will get Argentina Guia de Viaje - Argentina Travel Guide by Inprotur the message to you as soon as possible. Welcome Argentina Travel Guide By Clarin Global S.A. ($1.99). On Board Communication Chile Email access and phone connection is available on board Polar Chile Travel by servicio Nacional de Turismo Chile Pioneer, however rates are very expensive. Check our Expedition VIVA Travel Guides By Authormob Essentials document for further details. All ways OK – Punta Arenas.

Track My Trip Recommended Reading Aurora Expeditions is proud to be the first cruise operator to offer This is a detailed list of reference books about Antarctica. You are our passengers a complimentary system to allow you to keep not expected to read all, or indeed any of them. Some may be your friends and family updated on your voyage progress whilst difficult to find, but you could ask your local library or local book in Antarctica. shop to help and most are available on Amazon as well as in our Simply subscribe to our ‘Track My Trip’ service and we will send onboard ship’s library. daily updates of your location to your friends and family via email Biographies and your social networks. They will also be able to check back Scott of the Antarctic – David Crane and follow your map on our website. This is the definitive biography of Captain Scott – the pivotal You will receive an email with full details approximately two figure in pre-First World War Antarctic exploration. Crane’s weeks prior to your departure date so please ensure we have beautifully written and illustrated book re-examines the courage. your correct email contact. Captain Scott – Ranulph Fiennes Sir Ranulph Fiennes is uniquely qualified to write a new biography of Captain Scott. This is the first biography of Scott by someone who has experienced the deprivations.

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Mawson – Philip Ayres Antarctica, Both Heaven and Hell – Reinhold Messner & Jill Neate In the heroic age of polar exploration, Sir Douglas Mawson stands Account of the author’s 92 day, 1600 mile journey across in first rank. In this biography Mawson’s many achievements are Antarctica on foot. illuminated, which enabled us to understand the human side. Antarctic Eyewitness: South with Mawson / Shackleton’s Unsung Hero - Michael Smith Argonauts – Charles F. Laseron Kerry-born Tom Crean ran away from home as a youth, and This volume offers accounts of two of the 19th century joined Scott’s Discovery voyage in Dec 1901, not returning to expeditions that took place in the so-called heroic era of Antarctic England until 1904. He went back to the Antarctic with Scott on exploration. his fateful attempt on the South Pole. History of Antarctica – Stephen Martin History and Exploration Published in 1996 by the State Library of New South Wales Press Shackleton – Kim Heacox Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia Photographs depicting the Antarctic landscape, accompanied Home of the Blizzard – Sir Douglas Mawson by harrowing diary accounts from the crew, enliven this vivid First published in 1930, this very readable volume provides retelling of Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton’s gruelling two- a detailed account of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition’s year voyage. endeavours. South – Ernest Shackleton Shackleton’s Boat Journey – F. A. Worsley Sir Ernest Shackleton’s astonishing memoir of his 1914 Antarctic F.A. Worsley was the Captain of HMS Endurance, the ship used by expedition explores human courage, tenacity and unflagging Sir Ernest Shackleton in his 1914-16 expeditions to the Antarctic – hope in the face of adversity. South remains one of the greatest. This is his account of what happened. Endurance – Caroline Alexander Nimrod – Beau Riffenburgh In August 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton and a crew of 27 set sail On New Year’s Day 1908, this ship Nimrod set off for the aboard the Endurance bound for the South Atlantic. Their goal mysterious regions of the Antarctic. The leader of the small was to be the first men to cross Antarctica. expedition was Ernest Shackleton. Worst Journey in the World – Apsley Cherry-Garrard Field and Wildlife Guides One of the youngest members of Scott’s team, Apsley Antarctica, A Guide to the Wildlife – Tony Soper & Dafila Scott Cherry-Garrard was later part of the rescue party that eventually It includes concise essays on each species, range maps and found the frozen bodies of Scott and three men who had masterful colour drawings by Dafila. accompanied him. Birds of Southern South America & Antarctica, Princeton Scott’s Last Expedition – Illustrated Checklists – Martin d. la Pena & Mourice Rumboll Captain Robert Falcon Scott (1868-1912) led two expeditions to Antarctica, including Patagonia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay the Antarctic, the first in the Discovery (1900-04) and the second and more. (1910-12) in the Terra Nova. These journals were written on these trips. Lonely Planet Antarctica – Jeff Rubin Good guidebook with information on planning for a trip and a concise background of Antarctic history.

PRE-DEPARTURE INFORMATION Cruising to the heart of nature 11 Expedition Notes SOUTH GEORGIA & ANTARCTIC ODYSSEY

Lonely Planet The Falkland & South Georgia Island – DK Handbook: Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises – Tony Wheeler Dorling Kindersley This travel guide to the Falklands and South Georgia Island This handbook offers an updated guide to whales, dolphins offers practical advice on getting there, special Antarctic wildlife and porpoises. The easy to use format is designed to make coverage and extensive information on mountains, harbours and identification of the animals as simple and accurate as possible. bays. A Visitors Guide to South Georgia – Sally Poncet and Kim Crosbie Complete Guide to Antarctic Wildlife – Hadoram Shirihai This unique book provides essential information on the history, Covering the Antarctic continent, the Southern Ocean and vegetation and wildlife of 24 of South Georgia's most popular the subantarctic islands, this guide illustrates all of the region’s visitor sites. The authors have drawn on experts in many fields breeding birds and marine mammals with colour photographs. to pull together facts about South Georgia's discovery, past and present, as well as information on its rich wildlife. Each of the sites Antarctic Birds and Seals – A pocket guide – Sharon R. Chester described has a detailed map showing key locations for wildlife, Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number: vegetation, historic artefacts and topographical features of 93-94946 ISBN 0-9638511-2-8 interest, as well as hiking routes. Birds & Mammals of the Antarctic, Sub Antarctic & Falkland Islands Natural History – Frank Todd Silence Calling – Tim Bowden A gorgeously illustrated, compact field guide, featuring excellent This illustrated history traces the story of the Australian National colour photographs of all the hard to identify seabirds and marine Antarctic Research Expeditions ANARE from the first settlement mammals of the Southern Ocean. on Heard Island in 1947 to 1999. Guide to the Wildlife of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia – Antarctica: Beyond the Southern Ocean – Colin Monteath Ian Strange Antarctica and the subantarctic islands in full colour. This field guide illustrates and describes all the birds and marine mammals of the islands as well as many of the plants, Antarctica, An Encyclopaedia from Abbott Ice Shelf to invertebrates and fish. Zooplankton – Mary Trewby What fun. A team of contributing editors, all associated with the Penguins of the World – Pauline Reilly New Zealand Antarctic program. Covers the world’s seventeen different penguin species – biology, distribution, navigation, locomotion, diet, vision, breeding etc. Encyclopaedia of Antarctica and the Southern Oceans – Bernard Stonehouse Seabirds – An identification Guide – A roundup of the continent and surrounding ocean by the Peter Harrison & Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1983 academic publisher Wiley. A very comprehensive guidebook with excellent paintings of all species. Peter has voyaged to Antarctica many times and knows The Crystal Desert – David Campbell his Antarctic birds well. Antarctica, the land and its history and especially its marine life. Written with authority and love.

PRE-DEPARTURE INFORMATION Cruising to the heart of nature 12 Expedition Notes SOUTH GEORGIA & ANTARCTIC ODYSSEY

Travel Narrative Science and Geography End of the Earth, Voyaging to Antarctica – Peter Matthiessen The Two-Mile Time Machine: Ice Cores, Abrupt Climate Change, A narrative on Antarctica, its abundant wildlife and the impact of and Our Future – Richard Alley. An overview of how climate global warming. works, and his prognostication for the future. Terra Incognita, Travels in Antarctica – Sara Wheeler A History of Antarctic Science – G.E. Fogg A privileged anomaly on this continent of science. Covering the early period, national expeditions, the politics of science, and current research. Edge of the World: Ross Island, Antarctica – Charles Neider A memorable account of adventures among the Glaciers – Jurg Alean Americans at Ross Island and the South Pole. Glaciers are among the most beautiful natural wonders on Earth, but for most of us the least known and understood. This book Where the Earth Ends, A Journey Beyond Patagonia – describes how glaciers grow and decay, how they move etc. John Harrison Often mixing it up with Chatwin’s ghost, Harrison interweaves Meteorites, Ice, and Antarctica: A Personal Account – history, anecdote, personality and discovery. William A. Cassidy A warmly told, anecdotal account of Antarctic fieldwork The Unforgiving Minute – Tim Jarvis and the importance of meteorites. One incredible journey to the edge of the world and to the centre of his soul. How do you lose 20kg in just 47days? Strap on Science into Policy, Global Lessons from Antarctica – a 250kg sled and haul it 1600km across Antarctica. Paul Arthur Berkman Belonging to no single nation, this book aims to explain the Ice Bird – David Lewis complex policy issues in Antarctica. This classic book, first published in 1975, recounts one of the greatest small boat journeys of all time: David Lewis’s solo These trip notes were prepared April 2015. Please re-download attempt to circumnavigate Antarctica in 1972-74 on his yacht Ice closer to your voyage departure in case of any Bird. updates or changes. Berserk in the Antarctic – David Mercy Three men in a boat – as never seen before…’This is suicide!’ Manuel screamed frantically. So begins David Mercy’s amazing true story of his journey to Antarctica in a 27-foot sailing boat. Mountains of Madness, A Scientist’s Odyssey in Antarctica – John Long & Tim Bowden As might be guessed from the lurid title taken from H.P. Lovecraft’s gothic.

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