Antarctica Sailing Expedition 2025

This is an exclusive trip with a maximum of 8 participants (By application only)

Antarctica is the most remote destination on the planet with an abundance of wildlife, gigantic icebergs the size of cities and majestic mountain ranges. During January/February, it’s the migrating whale season and there’s often sightings of orca, humpback, minke, and southern right whales. You’ll also see thousands of penguins huddling together like a scene from Happy Feet and leopard seals playing joyfully in the rich Southern Ocean. The Antarctic is a photographers paradise.

Date: 1st to 28th February 2025

Duration: 27 days

Start and finish: Puerto Williams, Chile

Costs: $26,700 USD (all inclusive)

Deposit: $2,500 USD (Non refundable)

Activities: Wildlife, landscape, zodiac cruising, underwater photography and snorkeling.

Note: If you are intending on snorkeling you will need to bring your own Drysuit and polar snorkeling equipment. We recommend you have cold water diving/snorkeling experience before entering the water in the polar regions.

Prerequisite: As this is an expedition ship, you will be exposed to the harsh elements of the southern ocean and experience on small vessels in open oceans is recommended. This is a working yacht so there will be periods where you are involved in the day to day support for the expedition crew sailing the yacht (regular 3 hour watch during the crossings). A good level of fitness is required when part of an expedition yacht.

Download Application Questionnaire

Word Doc version: here.

PDF version here

Included:

Comprehensive pre-departure information
All meals and drinks onboard during the voyage
Guiding services from our trip leader and expedition experts
Exploring the landscape surrounded by icebergs and an abundance of wildlife
Step ashore in Antarctica, the last great wilderness
All shore excursions and Zodiac (inflatable boat) cruises
Port taxes and charges
All entry fees to historic landings sites
Transport to and from port to yacht

Exclusions:

International or domestic flights to/from yacht/port
Airport transfers
Airport arrival or departure taxes
Visa, passport, and vaccination charges
Travel insurance or emergency evacuation charges
Hotels and meals not included in the itinerary

If you are interested in joining this special expedition then contact us directly to apply to be a part of this unique experience.

The Vessel

The bare aluminum hull and deck structure is reinforced to withstand navigation in brash ice without deformation.

The schooner sail plan provides manageable sail handling in high winds and rough seas; and also redundancy, as the two mainsails are of equal size – the aft sail will fit on the forward mast.

A robust fixed keel with a solid aluminium machined centerboard allows for safe navigation in shoal waters.

Twin engines, with well protected propellers.

A workshop forward of the accommodation means running repairs can be made at sea.Hawser reels on in the transom and another on the foredeck can be used for shore anchors.
The bamboo interior joinery and furniture is comfortable yet hard-wearing and easy to maintain. Able to sleep 12, the yacht is designed for both private use and commercial chartering.
A sturdy gantry frame on the transom will carry an expedition RIB (a second RIB is stowed on deck) as well as the sat-nav antennae so in case of damage to the Axxon carbon masts, the yacht will not lose navigation and satellite communication capability. It also doubles as mainsail traveler track foundation.

A diesel stove in the spacious aft salon/dinette/galley provides efficient, reliable and comfortable heating to combat freezing temperatures. Radiators throughout the accommodations. During construction special attention was devoted to the insulation to combat the cold and condensation.

Life onboard

Yacht life is not for everyone, but being part of a small group adventure on an expedition vessel to Antarctica involves a sense of adventure, patience and team work. This journey can be one of the most challenging but rewarding experiences. we encourage all applicants to prepare for small spaces, limited resources (i.e showers every few days or so, tight sleeping quarters, early morning watches etc). The comradery and the shared experience is something that will make your life onboard enjoyable, so we encourage you to take it all in and enjoy being in one of the last remote places on the planet.

The journey (sample only, subject to regular changes based on weather)

Trip Leader – Scott Portelli

Antarctic Trip leader, Underwater, wildlife, nature photographer

Scott Portelli is an international award winning wildlife, nature and underwater photographer. A member of the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) and is regarded as a leading professional in his field. Scott has spent thousands of hours in remote locations across the globe filming and photographing nature, wildlife, the underwater environment and wild places.

Some of his recent accolades include:

Winner of Diversity Portfolio in HIPA Awards 2023

Highly commended at the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the year in London in both 2016 & 2022,

Winner in the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year 2021, and has previously been awarded winner in the animal behaviour category in 2017 and 2019

1st Place Winner as part of a team representing Australia at the World Photographic Cup 2021.

Winner at the GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2021 in the Other Animals category.

Winner in the Human & Oceans category at the Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year awards 2021

Winner at Travel Photographer of the Year 2015 & 2018 and runner up in the landscape category in 2020.

National winner of the Sony World Photography awards 2016

Scott has spent over a decade working in the polar regions with a focus on Antarctica and the Sub-Antarctic areas producing a unique portfolio of fine art photography that showcases the intricate environment and its intriguing inhabitants. Working in extreme conditions, Scott’s photography provides a rarely seen glimpse above and below the surface in some of the harshest places on the planet.

Some of Scott’s images from this past Antarctic season: