Highlights - Extreme South of the Antarctic
Beyond the peninsula and the 66th parallel lie virgin coasts, virtually unexplored islands and seas bordered by immense ice shelves extending to the very far reaches of the Antarctic. Visit and explore these mysterious regions at the gateway to the South Pole.
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Explore Extreme South of the Antarctic
Highlights - Extreme South of the Antarctic
Beyond the peninsula and the 66th parallel lie virgin coasts, virtually unexplored islands and seas bordered by immense ice shelves extending to the very far reaches of the Antarctic. Visit and explore these mysterious regions at the gateway to the South Pole.
Sail the Ross Sea, approaching as close as possible to the South Pole
The Ross Sea, which is partly covered by the largest ice shelf in Antarctica, is the world's largest marine sanctuary. Lying just a few hundred kilometres from the South Pole, it once served as the gateway for explorations to this legendary point on the earth's surface. It was from these shores that Amundsen and Scott set out in 1911 and 1912. Emotionally moving vestiges of their journeys have been preserved to keep the memory of these heroes of the golden age of polar exploration alive.
See and admire the Larsen ice shelves in the Weddell Sea
The Larsen Ice Shelf spreads out for thousands of kilometres into the southern Weddel Sea, extending the ice cap into the Antarctic Ocean. Serving as a natural defence against erosion, it calves into gigantic tabular icebergs, exposing as it does so a sub-glacial marine ecosystem trapped under the ice for tens of thousands of years and completely untouched by the hand of man – an unexplored world that is still far from yielding all its secrets.
Head off in search of emperor penguins
Explore the southernmost latitudes of the White Continent and reach unspoiled shores where native fauna thrives and flourishes. The ultimate reward? Encountering emperor penguins, the symbol of the Antarctic. The species depends for its survival on its capacity for social thermoregulation, with the penguins forming a veritable shield to enable them to withstand the extreme temperatures of the Antarctic winter.
Attempt to unravel the mystery of Charcot Island and Peter I Island
As you draw near to Charcot Island and Peter I Island, it's like being the first explorers, probing the coasts in an attempt to define the unfamiliar contours of the continent taking shape over the course of their exploits. Just a few privileged individuals have had the opportunity to set foot on their mysterious ice-cap-covered shores and sail these glacial waters inhabited by enigmatic wildlife, such as the very rarely observed Ross seal.
Pay tribute to Jean-Baptiste Charcot in Marguerite Bay
Marguerite Bay, a sheltered site on the southern part of the peninsula, is one of the most hauntingly captivating bays in Antarctica. The icebergs reflect their image in the intense, icy-blue mirror of the Southern Ocean, which is home to large numbers of whales, porpoises, dolphins, leopard seals and Adélie penguins. This magnificent natural site was first mapped by the expedition led by French explorer Jean-Baptiste Charcot from 1908 to 1910, who named it in honour of his wife, Marguerite.
