Southern Antarctic Realms: Circle & Weddell Sea | Douglas Mawson Expedition Ship

Set out from Ushuaia on a 17-day expedition aboard Douglas Mawson that combines two ambitious Antarctic objectives: an attempted crossing of the Antarctic Circle at 66°33′ South and an attempted entry into the icebound Weddell Sea. The route first crosses the Drake Passage to reach the western Antarctic Peninsula, where Zodiac cruises and shore landings reveal channels, pack ice, penguin colonies, and waters visited by humpback and minke whales. Continuing south brings the expedition toward the Antarctic Circle and a more isolated world of heavy ice and striking icebergs before the vessel turns north toward Antarctic Sound and the Weddell Sea, where enormous tabular icebergs, Adélie penguins, and leopard, crabeater, and Weddell seals become key focuses of exploration. Onboard lectures about Antarctic wildlife, history, and the environment complement the experiences ashore and on the water before the voyage returns across the Drake Passage to Ushuaia.