12 days Antarctica February 2005 on bord the vessel "Grigoriy Mikheev"

Diving and Travel info

Oceanwide Expeditions offers unique, small-group cruises that allow you to enjoy the natural wildlife and scenery of some of the world's most spectacular and pristine shorelines, above and below the oceans.

You need to manage extreme demands at your diving equipment and your skills!

You achieve the dive sites in Zodiaks, max. 8 divers.

The experienced dive master will do his utmost to offer the best Antarctic dive sites.

Arrival:

Argentina, Buenos Aires to Tierra de fuego, Usuhaia

For excess luggage you have to pay with Air France per kilo extraordinary !!!

Diving Equipment on board:

80cf steel single cylinder with double valve

weigts in different sizes

no foot weigts

no Nitrox

Travel diary:

Boarding and departure in Usuhaia, 14 Grad Celsius, Beagle Channel

2./3.day: Drake Passage; 4 Grad Celsius, storm....

4.day: Telefon Bay/ Whalers Bay; first land walk to an abandoned whalers station, pinguins and fur seals

5.day: Cuverville Island, Paradise Bay; 1.dive, West Cuverville
visibility 8 meters, equipment check, max. depth 25 meter
2. dive: corner "Admiral Brown", nudibranches, kelp fish, squit

6.day: Lemaire Channel, Pleneau Island, Port Charcot

Finally the first ice dive!
Wonderful sun shine and calm conditions.
Many leopard seals try to play with us- thats kinde of scarry!
Current around the ice block needs our attention to manage the orientation.

7.day: Petermann Island, Vernadsky Station.

Excellent dives up to 25 meter depth, star fishes, colorful sponges, and again : leopard seals!

8.day: Bertholet Island: Pack ice demand to leave the Antarctic Circle! We turn 2700km away from the South Pole, 65 degree 40 south.
So on the way back we stop across the Antarctic station Vernadsky again and have a wounderful dive in the garden of Antarctica!

9.day: Yalour Island, Lemair Channel, Port Lockroy; Adelie Pinguine!

10. day: Orne Island, Melchior Island; We dive in a small area to whale skeletons - huge and impressive.
Depth about 8 meters, 30 minutes dive time, the surface is almost frozen and we hurry up to get in our Zodiaks!

Afternoon: Humpback whales play around the vessel- warm and sunny weather- just lovely!

11./12.day: Drake Passage: 10 Grad Celsius, wind nord west, petrels and albatrosses, skuas and jumping pinguines follow the "Grigoriy Mikheev".

Totally 1560 kilometer, 10 dives, many ice cruises and land explorings;

The ideal combination of approx. 20 divers und 20 "explorers" is unique, so everyody meets his requirements and space.

Super dives, breathtaking ice glacier and landscape as well the nice team on board guarantie you a great time!

watch the video of Antarctica

back to hot spots

Usuhaia