Have you ever wanted to plan a trip to Antarctica? Well after visiting more than 100 countries and 6 continents an Antarctica expedition has been at the top of my list. Planning a trip to Antarctica takes time and research to find the best company to book this trip of a lifetime. Luckily, my friend Lee Abbamonte is here to help us plan a trip. He is the youngest American to travel to every country in the world and has even been to both poles. This is someone I trust and when he recommends an Antarctica expedition company I listen.
As Lee said, ” To venture to a place where few go and to see the natural beauty, amazing wildlife and meet the like-minded people that travel to the ends of the Earth is something really special.”
Lee recommends Oceanwide Expeditions; one of the leading Antarctic expedition companies of the world.
Oceanwide Expeditions: The Ross Sea Adventures
Oceanwide Expeditions leads adventures in and around Antarctica and one of the most amazing trips is the Spectacular Ross Sea Expedition. This is the type of trip for a true adventurer looking for the experience of a lifetime. Over the course of a few weeks you will see incredible wildlife, untouched areas of the world, the Ross Ice Shelf, take helicopter rides, and navigate islands and parts of the world only seen by very few. These are the expeditions of legends.
PROMO: $1,000 OFF Use the LEE1000GIFT to receive an extra $1,000 off the cost of either 2017 Spectacular Ross Sea sailing with Oceanwide Expeditions.
Ross Sea Expedition Highlights and Photos
Here are some highlights from the Ross Sea expedition and these incredible photos from Oceanwide. Every trip is different but the experience is always once in a lifetime.
Day 1: Embarkation m/v Ortelius in Ushuaia
In the afternoon, we embark in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world located at the Beagle Channel and sail through this scenic waterway for the rest of the evening.
Sail through the spectacular Lemaire Channel and land on Pléneau Island
Possibly setting foot on the Continent for the first time in the stunning setting of Prospect Point.
If the weather conditions allow, you may attempt a helicopter landing on Peter I Island
The Ross Sea!
You approach the Ross Ice Shelf, a floating mass of land-ice, with a front 30 meters high. In the Bay of Whales at the eastern side of the shelf, close to Roosevelt Island (named by the American aviator Richard E. Byrd in 1934 for President Franklin D. Roosevelt), Roald Amundsen gained access to the Shelf and ventured to the South Pole, where he finally arrived on 14 December 1911. Also the Japanese explore Nobu Shirase had his camp in this area at Kainan Bay in 1912. We intend to attempt a helicopter landing on the Ross Ice Shelf if conditions allow for it (via Oceanwide description)
See the Drygalski Ice Tongue and the Italian Mario Zucchelli Station in Terra Nova Bay
We will attempt a landing at Cape Adare to visit Borchgrevink’s Hut
There are too many amazing sites and photos to share in one post but you can check out the complete itinerary for the Spectacular Ross Sea Expedition on Oceanwide.
And remember you can take $1,000 off your trip with promo code LEE1000GIFT (Thanks, Lee!)
Here are some cool facts about the Ross Sea!
- A colossal squid measuring longer than 10 meters and weighing almost 500 kilograms was found in the Ross Sea in 2007.
- All the islands found within the limits of the Ross Sea have been claimed by New Zealand, although most countries don’t bother to recognize the claims.
- The Ross Ice Shelf is the largest such shelf on Earth. At approximately 472,000 km2 it is roughly the size of Spain. It soars anywhere between 15 and 60 meters high and extends nearly 800 kilometers along the shoreline.
- The Ross Sea is named after Captain James Clark Ross who mapped the area in the 1841.
- Since the Ross Sea is the open waterway closest to the actual South Pole it has become the launching spot of many exploration expeditions that went on to journey inland.
- The Ross Ice Shelf was the mother to what was quite possibly the biggest iceberg ever. The iceberg broke off of the shelf in the year 2000, measuring 295 km at its longest point and 37 km at its widest. Altogether it boasted a surface area of about 11,000 km2.
- Wildlife flourishes despite the harsh cold of the waters. Some of the fish found in the Ross Sea have antifreeze in their veins to keep them from freezing solid.
Planning a trip to Antarctica: The Ross Sea Expedition
Antarctic expeditions are incredible and I recommend planning for them as far in advance as possible. There are 2 Ross Sea expeditions on offer in early 2017: from January 13-February 14 and from February 15-March 17. This is the type of trip I would dream about as a kid and would love to take as an adult.
Oceanwide Expeditions Promo Code- Save $1,000
As I mentioned above my friend Lee has generously offered his promo code to share with Triphackr readers. Trips to Antarctica aren’t cheap and based on the size of the trip and the experience that is no surprise. If you want to plan a trip to the Ross Sea with Oceanwide Expeditions then use this promo code to save $1000 off your expedition.
$1,000 OFF- Use the LEE1000GIFT to receive an extra $1,000 off the cost of either 2017 Spectacular Ross Sea sailing with Oceanwide Expeditions.
Check out this video from Oceanwide Expeditions
