Antarctica Travel Forum

Hi
My wife and I are booked on the Orian out of Hobart for the 18 Day Antartic trip in departing Decamber 2007.,
Is there anyone else booked on the same trip or has been on this trip, I would be interested an swapping notes.
We are from Perth in Western Australia
Ric

I am interested in hearing how you booked your passage. This is the first I have heard of leaving from Tasmania. We are in Melbourne and looking to head to Antartica in December or early january. Can you tell me who your tour operator is? I would really appreciate this info, we really don't want to have to fly five of us to South America.

Hi
We initally saw an ad but booked through our local flight centre, here is the Orian web site http://www.orioncruises.com.au/Antarctica_FAQ.html the cruse is 18 days and finishes in Bluff in NZ then there is a return trip back to Hobart via Antarticia

Like you we prefered to go from AU in a local ship, it is not cheap and you will need to book pretty quickly as they are often fully booked by June.
Let me know how you get on.
Ric

I just saw your post (have been gone for two weeks), as I would have responded to this earlier. I have been on the Orion previously, for her inaugural in Darwin, although not to Antarctica on her from the Down Under side (have done six other ANT trips from the Chilean side on other small ships). The ship is excellent -- five star, and the most luxurious small ship sailing in your waters, if a bit high on the price scale. She is Australian operated by a very competent group, Orion Expeditions. The only caveat from my experience would be the ANT itinerary -- the "at sea" distances from Hobart or Bluff to ANT are likely to be 4-5 days each way of open ocean in rough seas, whereas from the Chilean/Argentine side, it is only 40 hours across the also-rough Drake Passage to ANT. Take your seasick meds ahead of time! You should have a great trip.

Not about the "Orion", but we went to the same area on the "Marina Svetaeva" and had a great trip - leaving Aust/New Zealand has the advantage of taking in the little-visited East Antarctica, plus some of the rarely visited sub-Antarctic islands (Auckland, Macquarie, Campbell, Snares). I'm sure you'll have a great trip. The "Svetaeva" is operated by Aurora Expeditions, a very well regarded Australian company which also operates the "Polar Pioneer" from Sth America. Their website is http://www.auroraexpeditions.com.au/site/home.aspx .

In Tasi last Dec and Jan they were trying their best to push the sales on the Orian. It is not my idea of the way to see the extreme wilderness that lies to the south. Not trying to put you off but the vessel is NOT an icebreaker and therefore is very limited to where it can go. I travelled to the Antartic from chch to hbt last dec. A trip of ones life. A price tag to boot. Have a great trip .

We are back and what a wonderful trip/ expedition.
from Hobart to Macquarie Island we had fantastic weather, minimum wind and a following sea with a swell of only 1.5 meters like a Harbour cruise, but more was in store.
We landed in two placed on Macquarie island with the colourful King Penguins and many elephant seals.

Then to Sandy bay where there is a huge rookery of Royal penguins stretching for ever on the long beach, many with chicks and eggs.

On to Commonwealth Bay, the weather briefing was ominous a very low low and the ship were on a direct course, the night was to become a bed surfing carnival with seas so rough some beds, wardrobe and chairs came adrift from their tie downs, those that managed to make it to breakfast had bed surfing stories and several couples managed to roll out of bed to land in a crumpled heap of togetherness they hadn’t experienced for some time.
My favourite picture of the day was at breakfast when blue water was flowing over the window tow and a half decks above the normal waterline.
The Orion broke a record that morning rolling to 40degrees. Needless to say the crockery/ bar glasses and bottles suffered but the crew carried on, and managed to serve warm soup for lunch to those still on their feet.
As we neared Antarctica the seas subsided and in we went looking for a passage through the pack ice, our first intended landing at the French Base Dumont d’Urville was abandoned as the ice was so heavy the French re supply vessel was stuck in ice trying to get in, we followed an awesome ice burg 25 kilometres long looking for a way into Commonwealth Bay but had to turn back, in a couple of hours the Ice Caption had found a route in through the pack ice and in we went with Antarctica rising in its glory on the horizon.
We arrived at Cape Denison in Commonwealth Bay in sight of Mawson’s Hut in glorious sunshine and no wind. we had been briefed the night before by Expedition Leader Don Macintyre that this was a no food and no toilet ashore location. I figured I could manage the no food ashore but with my male bladder that regarded every tree an opportunity during a cold day on the farm my greatest fear was having to re zodiac back to Orion many times to de water.
Not to be, this place is so inspiring that we stayed ashore for nearly 8 hours, oblivious to the needs of nature and over awed by nature at the same time.
The 10 minutes we were allowed to spend in Mawsons hut, built almost 100 years ago and still with all the gear they left behind on the shelves, books/ packets of food. Biscuits and the bunks with the initials of each member of Mawson’s team branded onto their bunk timbers , this alone was worth the trip down to what Mawson describes as the windiest place on earth.
I felt like a complete imposter, the temp was a balmy 4 degrees c and no wind in bright sunshine; we stripped off to shirtsleeves for most of the day.
I even used my stadium seat ( a blue foam seat that I had cut to fit in my camera bag so I could happily sit on frozen rocks) to toboggan down the hill, what a laugh.
The Adele penguins were in abundance with several rookeries full of nesting birds some with chicks and some with eggs,
Thousands of photos later we had to depart and go back to the Orion for dinner and a comfort stop
What a wonderful experience I am humbled by it and highly recommend it
Next day we zodiac toured amongst the pack ice and up to a huge burg, with cracks and crevices in all shades of blue, with many penguins and some seals having a rest on the pack ice.

Then on to Auckland Island for a few days of exploring this wonderful sub Antarctic island with its endangered yellow eyed penguins, masses of sea lions having pups on the beach and watching the males rape and pillage any female they could. The male’s stamina was awesome with in excess of 30 minutes of vigorous action at a time
We also saw 6 of a rare flightless teal in amongst the kelp and massive rookeries of shags on the cliffs.
From there to Snares Island where a planned landing was cancelled due to rough seas and then on to Bluff.
If I could return tomorrow I would this experience eclipses all other in my life.

Thanks for that feedback Rick, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your account of what will without doubt be the 'trip of a lifetime' for you. I might add that it brought back so many enjoyable memories of our trip and I can fully identify with your reactions. I doubt I'll ever again experience the mixture of emotions I felt while inside Mawson's Hut! Now may I suggest you consider adding some of those words and a few photos to create your own 'Antarctica' VT page, I'm sure it would interest many people - you might also consider making contact with some of the Perth VTers, they are a very friendly group and I'm sure they would welcome you. :))

Wow! What a pleasure to hear your response. I also think that the Antarctica experience is one of the most special on the earth, and glad to see you agree. Cheers!

Wow Rick! What a trip!! George is right. We would love to have another Perth vt member join our little group. Next time I arrange a vt meeting....in a couple of weeks time, I'll include you and your wife in the invitation :o)
Looking forward to seeing your Antartica holiday pix & tips!
Cheers, Ann :o)