Crossing the Circle: Southern Expedition, Operated by Quark

Customer Reviews

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  Richard Tresadern

  · March 5th, 2012
  Another fantastic trip to the wilderness that is Antarctica. Brilliant from start to finish with awesome scenery and wildlife experiences throughout on a fantastic ship. Experiencing the beauty of both Oraca's and Humpback whales upclose to to zodiacs and a brillient night spent camping on the Ice of Antartctica. Woody was excellent from start to finish, extremely knowledgeable and passionate about Antarctica, friendly, openand and worked brilliantly with the Ships Captain/Crew to get us lots of fantastic landings and cruising opportunities. He was ably assisted by the rest of his expedition crew who were all also fantastic. A definite must do atleast once in your life. Antarctica is awesome. Although some people might consider this type of trip as being expensive, I'd qualify it by saying this was my second trip to Antarctica and althought it is not a cheap holiday it is great value for money, I wouldn't have returned otherwise.The Ship is fantastic, food was excellent and all the crew were so friendly, helpful and ofcourse knowledgeable.
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  Trip date: March 2012
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  John Ferriman

  · March 3rd, 2012
  A holiday that exceeded all expectations. Stunning scenery, abundant wildlife, a great team and a superb boat and crew. Seeing that being a penguin parent is true dedication! Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.....A quote from a member of the group that sums up Woody. Excellent does also. I knew we'd see a lot of wildlife and had hoped I'd see an albatross - there were 6 gliding around the boat on the first day! The excesses just got greater each day after that! Book it NOW!
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  Trip date: March 2012
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  Martin Grace

  · April 1st, 2011
  This was an expedition that promised much but delivered rather less, though I would have given it 3 stars out of 5 if there had been no description of the categories. We weren't told in advance that our Photographic and Whale Special had been amalgamated with another trip because of insufficient bookings, and this really diluted its value, particularly as the expedition leader was from the non-photographic trip and did not appear particularly sympathetic to the needs of photographers. The quality of the catering was poor compared with previous trips: contracting out the catering to the lowest tender was not sensible and will not encourage repeat bookings. Excellent landings on Petermann Island and Danco Island which gave good photographic opportunities and just about adequate time. She spoiled the trip with excessive over-caution with regard to Health and Safety, and inflexibility with regard to landing times. We were not allowed out on deck if the decks were wet or the sea was even a little rough, thereby preventing us from experiencing the full atmosphere of the Antarctic. On our previous Exodus Antarctic trip the leaders did their utmost to allow us the genuine Antarctic experience, but with this one we might as well have been in an enclosed capsule for much of the time.Often only half the ship's zodiacs were deployed for landings, when to deploy the full complement would have given us significantly extra time on land. Inevitably there is a huge of travelling involved on this trip - from the UK or wherever to Ushuaia and thence to the Pole side of the Antarctic Circle. Be prepared for long roughish days on board ship across the Drake Passage and don't expect too much in the way of wildlife sightings, though we did have very good views of whales (particularly humpbacks). Leaving late in the season (late February) means that there is a good chance of achieving the objective of crossing the Antarctic Circle but does mean that the penguin breeding is completely over apart from a few stragglers and the majority of penguins seen will be moulting. The Ioffe is not the ideal polar ship. The layout of the Vavilov with an open deck behind the lounge/bar on deck 5 is much more conducive to the polar experience. Do try to travel with the ebullient Paul Goldstein - wherever - Svalbard is a very good option. The odds against Paul may have been just too great this time for him to ignite the trip, but he will always try his best to maximise the viewing and photographing experience and he's an annoyingly good photographer to boot (not that I'm jealous).
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  Trip date: April 2011
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  Denise Williams

  · March 28th, 2011
  An absolutely amazing trip! It had been a long time coming as I booked it 18 months previously, but it did not disappoint. There was so much that was fantastic....the sheer beauty and enormousness (don't know if that is a real word) of it all, unspoilt by humans, but the most inspiring moment was watching an iceberg calve, and then because its centre of gravity had changed, virtually turn over.......and I think I was the only one sitting there watching it! And yes, Paul, I do have photographic evidence!! Kirsten was professional, and made the best of the weather conditions. Travelling to Ushuaia is very long and tedious, especially if you are on the early flight from Gatwick to Madrid (8 hour wait at Madrid), and even if you have been checked straight through to Ushuaia, you need to collect your baggage, even if you have the domestic flight from the international terminal (very confusing....nearly left my luggage at BA airport). 3 days travelling on board without setting foot on land, can seem a long time, but there are presentations given by various members of the expedition staff that give you an insight to the Antarctic region, its wildlife, and history. You can also go on deck if weather permits, or up to the bridge viewing platforms to pass the time of day and take pictures of the birdlife, or icebergs on your journey south. Once you make your first zodiac trip though, everything previously is forgotten, and take Paul's advice....don't have your viewfinder surgically implanted to your eye, make sure you take stock of where you are, and enjoy every moment of it.We were lucky with the weather, and only missed 1 landing, but be prepared that if the weather is bad, you will not be able to go ashore or do the zodiac cruises, and be prepared for some iffy moments on the zodiacs if the sea is a bit rough. It was my first time on zodiacs, and now feels that I could cope with anything. It didn't happen to me, but remember the Aerolineas Argentinas weight restrictions for hand-luggage; 5kg. If you can put your camera equipment in a backpack and have it on your back, they don't seem to mind. Also, leave room in your case/bag for the Quark Parka. I wore the inner fleece for flying and packed the outer shell, but still fairly cumbersome. Just book it!! You'll not regret it. This was my first polar trip, but certainly not my last!!
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  Trip date: March 2011
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  Karen Riddle

  · March 20th, 2011
  A fantastic trip encompassing magnificent scenery and wildlife viewing. The whole trip was an incredible experience from start to finish, but for me the highlight was the afternoon spent kayaking in Paradise Bay. Imaging 360 degrees of snow capped mountains, blue skies, sea ice and perfect mountain reflections in the sea and you still won't be close to experiencing how beautiful the place was. Kirsten was professional throughout and made sure we experienced the best that the Antarctic Peninsula has to offer. Be prepared for the fact that you have 3 days at sea from Ushuaia before you reach the Peninsula and 2 days on the way back. There are plenty of presentations on the ship to help pass the time and prepare you for the trip but it can seem like a long time since you have left home before you are able to leave the ship and do some landings. Having said that, the sea days are forgotten in an instant as soon as you reach the peninsula and the trip starts properly.We were incredibly lucky with the weather; there was only 1 landing which we were unable to make as the conditions would not allow it. You need to be aware though that if weather conditions aren't favourable you won't be able to do all of the landings or zodiac cruises which could potentially detract from the overall enjoyment of the trip. Aerolinas Argentinas can be quite strict with their luggage allowances; there is a 5kg limit for hand luggage on the internal flight. If you are carrying a lot of photographic equipment then your hand luggage will be way over this. However, if you have your backpack on your back when you check in then they do not seem to weigh it; if it is on a luggage trolley then they will weigh it and potentially ask you to pack some of your hand luggage into your checked luggage. Do not wear expensive jewellery in Buenos Aires and leave your valuables locked in the safe in the hotel. Go ahead and book the trip - it is truly an experience of a lifetime.
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  Trip date: March 2011
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  Jacqueline Faccenda

  · March 10th, 2011
  An amazing once in a lifetime trip- a spiritual place. There were so many the spectacular beauty of the scenery was breathtaking- sensory overload.I could have watched the penguins for hours, the seals were entertaining and the whales majestic. Woody was informative, witty and charming! Seize the day!Save your pennies and go. The trip was well organised and you are at the mercy of the weather and the wildlife.Take anti sea sickness medication with you and take it before you get sick in the Drake.Go to everything, do everything and sleep later!
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  Trip date: March 2011
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  Linda Wills

  · March 4th, 2011
  This was a holiday of a life time, and was beyond all our expectations. The whole expedition was superbly organised and all the expedition staff were so enthusiastic, knowledgable and helpful, making sure that everyone had the best experience possible. It is so difficult to pick one moment out of such a wonderful experience and we all said 'How are we going to describe our experiences to our friends when we get home.' Ice berg alley was just fantastic with such colour as well as grandeur and crossing the circle was a very special moment. Seeing albatross flying behind the ship and of course the wonderful penguins, seals and whales was truely amazing. Absolutely fantastic. Woody made everyone feel special and was so caring as well as enthusiastic, encouraging and great fun. Go on the expedition as soon as you can and enjoy every moment. We just had such a wonderful time and are now saving to go to go to the Arctic. It was amazing and a privilege to see the animals in their natural habitat, not being phased by our presence and showing us their everyday lives. The lectures given by the expedition staff were very well presented, interesting and informative in a way that didn't need us to be experts!The ships crew were so helpful, pleasant and efficient and the catering was absolutely fantastic. In the rough seas the staff were very caring for passengers who were not well.Words just cannot describe adequately the fantastic time we had so thank you for making this possible for us.
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  Trip date: March 2011
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  Richard Boardman

  · February 15th, 2011
  The journey to and from Ushuaia was long and tedious but when we got on the boat things improved immediately. The journey across Drakes Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula was a bit rough and I was sick until the Doctor gave me some very good pills. Once there it was calm. we started at King George Island and went south, calling at various Islands as we went. There was floating Ice and Icebergs everywhere.Everything was black(rock) or white (Ice). We saw nothing green after leaving King George. The only other colour was a bit of yellow (lichen) and some red stain on the snow. The scenery was everywhere spectacular. Ice Cliffs with blocks breaking off and black rock precipices. There were a few rocky beaches and one black sand beach. We were loaned Wellington Boots and given a heavy, warm waterproof jacket for use on the zodiacs and on land. In antarctica they were very useful and necessary but I don't think it will ever be cold enough in Enland for me to wear it again. There were penguins everywhere. we landed at one colony and I have never seen so many creatures of one species together at the same time. They smelled awful.. We crossed the antarctic circle and tried to land at one of the scientific bases but it was too rough. We went back north and paused in Paradise Harbour. Here it was fantastically smooth and peacefull. We saw an occasional Whale and some of the party went on a zodiac cruise to where there were some spectacular grounded icebergs. There were also seals and lots of birdsWe landed at one scientific station and I climbed a low cliff and looked into the water. I could see a penguin catching fish under the water. On land the penguins were clumsy and awkward, under the water they were incredibly quick and active, darting here and there like dragonflies.On the last day we went to Deception Island. This is a flooded volcanic caldera. We entered through a very narrow entrance called 'Neptunes Bellows' and landed just inside the entrance. Inside the caldera, the water was warmed by volcanic activity and some people went swimming. Sadly, one thing I hadn't brought was a bathing costume.Finally back across Drakes Passage to Ushuaia, much smoother than the way out and we saw Cape HornThe journey back from Ushuaia was awful but that was British Airway's fault not Exodus. Woody was marvellous. Bring warm waterproof trousers. One hint that I was given was to bring a clip to attach something colourfull to my pair of boots so that I could spot them amongst lots of similar pairs. A wonderful holiday, but Spitzbergen gives you much the same scenery and the journey is much easier
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  Trip date: February 2011
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  Nicola Gowan

  · February 25th, 2010
  A fabulous and memorable trip blessed by good weather, favourable ice conditions, calm seas and great wildlife sightings. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Travelling through the channel between Adelaide Island and the mainland (never before traversed by the Vavilov!) Close encounters with Humpback and Minke whales. Walking through penguin colonies. The awesome scenery of the Antarctic Peninsula. Seeing albatrosses, especially on the way down. What did you think of your group leader?Rupert was an excellent and very efficient and dedicated leader with a nice dry sense of humour. I will miss his dulcet tones waking us up each morning on the PA system. I was also very impressed with the other staff on board and the wealth of knowledge that they possessed. They all did their utmost to ensure that we got the most out of our excursions but in a way that kept us safe at all times and caused the least amount of disturbance to the wildlife. Added to this they were all great fun and very friendly.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Although we were very lucky with the weather and the ice conditions - be aware that these change and you may not be able to do all the planned excursions or travel on a particular route. Take plenty of strong seasickness pills if necessary.Take plenty of layers - it can get very cold sitting on the zodiacs.Take some good binoculars.Is there anything else you would like to add?Although the time spent on the Peninsula is relatively short, the trip packs in such an intense variety of experiences that it feels much longer. The ship that I travelled on, the Sergey Vavilov, although not luxurious, is very comfortable and the crew all work very hard. I thought that the food was excellent especially considering that there are only four cooks in the galley! I also enjoyed the presentations that were put on and the more informal bar talks in the evening.
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  Trip date: February 2010
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  David Jowett

  · February 12th, 2010
  A lifetime's ambition achieved; a worthy complement to "Spitsbergen Explorer". I can never answer the question "Which did you prefer?"What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Humpback whales a few yards from the zodiacIcebergs of every conceivable shapeCoastal scenery of the peninsulaPenguins and albatrossesWhat did you think of your group leader?A man with all the qualities necessary for the job, including enthusiasm and boundless optimism.  He had been our leader in the Arctic and we did not dare hope we should have him again, but there he was as we boarded the ship in Ushuaia.  Woody makes the trip more than just memorable.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Be aware that weather or ice conditions may cause alterations to the planned itinerary.
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  Trip date: February 2010