m/v Ortelius is the first expedition cruise vessel to successfully enter the Weddell Sea this season, delivering guests by helicopter to the iconic emperor penguin colony at Snow Hill Island, marking them out as champions of the Weddell Sea.
Vlissingen, 15.11.24 - Oceanwide Expeditions, a 30-year veteran of polar expedition cruises, has announced the successful landing of guests at Snow Hill Island amid challenging ice conditions in the Weddell Sea yesterday, 14 November, 2024. This makes them the first expedition cruise operator to successfully enter the Weddell Sea during this Antarctic season.
The first of two 'Into the Weddell Sea - in search of the emperor penguin' trips scheduled for this Antarctic expedition cruise season, this trip saw guests visit the iconic emperor penguin colony at Snow Hill Island, where emperor penguin chicks were finding their feet in this harsh but beautiful polar environment, offering fantastic conditions for photographers and wildlife enthusiasts on board. Landing guests by helicopter from within the Weddell Sea itself, Oceanwide Expeditions has delivered upon its goal of getting guests closer to the heart of nature through a flexible, innovative approach to itinerary planning and vessel operation.
Operational flexibility and pioneering DNA
Operating in Antarctica, especially the Weddell Sea, means encountering drift ice and dynamic weather and ice conditions changes. While alternative procedures were in place to ensure guests could visit Snow Hill Island, if the Weddell Sea drift ice was too compact, the cruise itinerary could proceed as planned, with landings being undertaken by helicopter from within the Weddell Sea itself.
m/v Ortelius, Oceanwide Expeditions', ice-strengthened, helicopter-capable expedition vessel, holds the distinction of being the first expedition ship to enter the Weddell Sea this Antarctic season. The success of this landing at Snow Hill Island and Oceanwide Expeditions' entry into the Weddell Sea is down to the flexibility of m/v Ortelius' crew and expedition team and the company's approach to expedition cruising, pushing the edges of the map, and ingraining the pioneering spirit of polar explorers of the past into its DNA.
Oceanwide Expeditions would like to thank the entire staff and crew of m/v Ortelius for their tireless efforts, including Captain Per Andersson and Expedition Leader Sara Jenner for this notable accomplishment.
Enter the Weddell Sea, realm of the emperor penguin with Oceanwide Expeditions
Oceanwide Expeditions will return to the Weddell Sea later this season, and further trips are scheduled for the upcoming Antarctic seasons with the goal of providing guests with an unforgettable emperor penguin encounter. Guests can book their place aboard m/v Ortelius in 2025, enter the drift ice, encounter some of the world's most iconic species, and explore the most magnificent landscapes on Earth.
