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Day 1
Friday, January 6, 2006
Arrive Chile
Welcome Dinner |
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After your overnight flight,
you will arrive in Santiago, Chile, where you will clear Customs
before boarding a connecting flight to Punta Arenas. Upon
arrival, you will be met and transferred to our hotel. Spend the
remainder of the day resting or acquaint yourself with the area.
This evening, join fellow expedition members for a welcome
dinner. |
| Overnight: Hotel Finis Terrae,
or similar (3 nights) |
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Day 2 Sat, Jan.
7
B
Magellanic Penguin Colony / Clothing Review |
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After
breakfast, join us for an excursion to see the
Magellanic penguin colony outside the city. We will
travel through scenic countryside to this colony of over
10,000 penguins. You will have time to photograph and
observe these fascinating creatures. This afternoon each
traveler will meet with an expedition representative
to check Antarctic clothing and ensure that nothing has
been forgotten. |
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Day 3
Sun, Jan. 8
B
Expedition Briefing / Baggage pick-up |
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In the morning we will
meet for our Antarctic briefing, which will include information on our
flight South, the current weather situation and what to expect upon our
arrival in Antarctica. After the presentation, each traveler’s luggage
will be weighed and prepared for loading on the Ilyushin 76 for
departure the next day (weather permitting). Clothing not needed
in Antarctica will be stored at the hotel to be picked up when you
return. Once your Antarctic gear is picked up, you will be on standby
for our flight. |
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Day 4
Mon, Jan. 9
B/L/D
Flight to Antarctica |
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In the
morning, you will be called at the hotel to be advised
of the current conditions in Antarctica. If the weather is
suitable for our flight to Patriot Hills, you will be
given just under an hour before
being picked |
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up at our hotel. At the airport we will complete customs
and immigration formalities and proceed to our chartered Ilyushin 76, a Russian cargo jet suitable for flying in
extreme conditions. Time will be allowed for
photographs of this momentous occasion before boarding.
After a safety briefing by the flight crew, we will
begin our flight south. |
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The flight
time from Punta Arenas to Patriot Hills is approximately
4.5 hours. The beginning of our flight will take us over
the South Atlantic Ocean, and at approximately 60° south
latitude we will reach the winter limits of frozen seas.
We will then enter the area governed by the Antarctic
Treaty. |
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At 66.5°
south latitude we will pass the Antarctic Circle. Along
this circle the Sun doesn’t set on the austral summer
solstice and doesn’t rise on the austral winter
solstice. Farther south, these Antarctic days and nights
lengthen until, at the South Pole, the Sun rises and
sets only once a year! |
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Continuing
our flight south, we may see tabular icebergs and the
ice shelves from which they calve. Some of these bergs
can be the size of a small country and become a method
of transport and a home for penguins and seals. |
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Our first
sight of the icy continent appears at Charcot Island
close to Alexander Island, 71 degrees south latitude.
The ice sheet continues to stretch inland until in the
distance appear the spectacular Ellsworth Mountains, the
highest range in Antarctica. Passing over the Ellsworth
Range, our runway comes into sight. The wheeled aircraft
lands on an area of blue ice, which is 3,300 ft (1,000m)
above sea level. The blue ice remains clear of snow due
to the Katabatic winds, which funnel down from the
mountains with great force. We will be warmly welcomed
to Patriot Hills, Antarctica, located at 81° south
latitude. In camp, we will meet the friendly staff, who
will show us to our accommodations before we settle down
to a welcoming meal. |
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Overnight: Patriot Hills Camp (6 nights) |
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NOTE: We are going to the interior of Antarctica.
Every effort will be made to keep to the scheduled
departure date, but please note that all flights are
dependent on weather and local conditions. In
Antarctica, delays are the norm rather than the
exception. You will be notified at the hotel of any
schedule changes. |
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