ADVENTURE CRUISING
AURORA EXPEDITIONS The remote areas around Commonwealth Bay, across the wild Southern Ocean beneath Australia, are explored by just a tiny percentage of Antarctic travellers. from the Ross Ice Shelf in the east to beyond Commonwealth Bay in East Antarctica. Aurora Expeditions has more than 18 years’ experience cruising the environmentally sensitive Antarctic waters. Departing on December 12, 2008, Aurora’s ‘Icebergs and Emperors’ voyage pushes west to Mawson’s Hut and beyond, where the polar plateau sweeps down to the sea. Emperor penguins roam the ice floes and one of the world’s least-visited coastlines beckons. Beneath huge floating tongues of the Ninnis and Mertz Glaciers, krill breeding grounds attract a variety of whale species. Nearby, the French scientific station, Dumont d’Urville, is set among penguin-rich islands and sculpted icebergs.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WILL BAILLIEU
Cruising with Aurora Expeditions means you can be one of the fewer than three per cent of people who cross the wild Southern Ocean beneath Australia to reach the most remote areas around Commonwealth Bay. Departing from Hobart, the ice-strengthened ship Marina Svetaeva will be the only helicopterequipped vessel departing from Australia in 2008. Passengers visit massive penguin colonies, the huts of Sir Douglas Mawson’s 1911 Australasian Antarctic Expedition and – using helicopters and inflatable Zodiacs – explore remote offshore islands, coastal ranges and the formidable ice cap that stretches down from the polar plateau. Deep Antarctica, the most historic and southerly region accessible by ship, stretches
FACT FILE
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAMON SMITH
LINE: Aurora Expeditions VESSEL: Marina Svetaeva STAR RATING: 3 star TONNAGE: 4575 tons MAX PASSENGER CAPACITY: 100 TOTAL CREW: 41 ENTERED SERVICE: 1989 MONTHS OF OPERATION: December–August OTHER FACILITIES: Marina features comfortable and spacious private and shared cabins and is equipped with a fleet of Zodiacs and two helicopters to help explore Antarctica in-depth SUITABLE FOR: Anyone with a spirit of adventure who is mobile enough to get up and down a flight of stairs REGIONS OPERATE IN: Antarctica, Papua New Guinea, Russian Far East, High Arctic PRICE: The starting price for these 27-day voyages is US$12,290 CONTACT: Aurora Expeditions +61 2 9252 1033 (1800 637 688 free call within Australia) auroraex@auroraexpeditions.com.au www.auroraexpeditions.com.au
HISTORY & CULTURE
SCENIC
PHOTOGRAPHY
WILDLIFE
SCIENTIFIC/EXPEDITIONARY
SCUBA/SNORKELLING
HIKING
KAYAKING
FISHING
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