Soon after everyone is on board we will get together to introduce you to the other voyagers, explain the workings of the ship and discuss plans for the coming days. Sailing down the Beagle Channel we will settle into shipboard life and enjoy our first meal on board.

Polar Pioneer is not a luxury ship, she is homely and strong, built to be a research vessel and refitted to comfortable passenger standard. The mood on board is definitely casual. At sea we are totally self-sufficient. The days flow by whilst we travel snugly in our cocoon. A favourite pastime on board is to stand at the stern watching the many seabirds, including majestic albatrosses and giant petrels following our wake. They will rise and fall skillfully, using the air currents created by the ship to gain momentum.

During our Drake crossing, we will commence our lecture program about the wildlife, geology, history and geography of the Antarctic Peninsula. We will be given guidelines for approaching the wildlife and talk about the implications of the Antarctic Treaty. Antarctica is a photographers' paradise, for the professional or the amateur. There will be discussions about how to protect your equipment from salt water and tips about taking good pictures. We will also discuss our mountaineering options and prepare our equipment for climbing.

Nearing the tip of the Peninsula, everyone will probably be on the bridge watching for the first iceberg. The ocean takes on a whole new perspective once we are surrounded by the surreal presence of floating ice sculptures. The memory of the sight of your first big iceberg is likely to remain with you forever.

We will try to approach Antarctica near the South Shetland Islands, entering Bransfield Strait near Livingston Island. We may pass by historic Smith Island, which is the outer limit of the South Shetlands. If we have had a quick passage across the Drake we may be able to make our first landing on one of the South Shetland Group such as Deception Island or Livingston Island, in the evening of Day 5.

Once we arrive in the calmer waters of the Bransfield and Gerlache Straits, we hope to make landings two times a day, spending as much time as possible ashore. To get ashore we will use Zodiacs (inflatable rubber boats). You will have been briefed on the workings of these sturdy craft and their use, during our Drake Passage crossing. Sometimes we will cruise along spectacular ice cliffs, or follow whales that are feeding near the surface. In these situations we will appreciate the advantage of being on a small vessel, which gives everyone the opportunity to experience these very special close encounters with the wildlife.

Hearty meals are served in our cosy dining rooms by European or Australian chefs, and accompanied by good conversation, they will become a focal point of our shipboard life.

For our climbing days we will choose between sheltered bays such as Paradise Bay, Port Lockroy and the Lemaire Channel. We would normally leave on a climbing excursion immediately after breakfast or sometimes after lunch, returning to the ship for dinner. If the weather is suitable, we will camp on shore for one night (for those who wish to of course).

Our plan is to walk and climb for two to three days but there may be opportunity for more if weather allows. We choose areas where there is interest for other passengers such as penguin rookeries, whale feeding grounds or scientific stations so that everyone is busy.

A sample of some of the places where we could climb, photograph or view spectacular wildlife follows:

Hannah Point, Livingston Island
A unique landing place on the Peninsula. A tiny toe of land that is literally alive with wildlife. Here we will find two species of penguins breeding, Chinstraps and Gentoo. Sometimes there are a few vagrant Macaroni penguins nesting as well. It is not uncommon to find wallows of elephant seal that are 60 beasts strong. On the ridgeline Giant Petrels are nesting. The vegetation consists of mosses, lichens and the only grass species that grows in Antarctica. All this set in a stunning position, underneath long black scree slopes, at the foot of the mountains and glaciers of Livingston Island.

Half Moon Island
A wildlife rich island, tucked into a neat bay at the eastern end of Livingston Island. On a clear day the glaciers and mountains of Livingston Island dominate the scene. There is a large Chinstrap penguin rookery tucked in between basaltic turrets coloured by yellow and orange lichens. Gulls nest on these turrets and we often see fur seals and elephant seals hauled out on the pebble beaches. At one extremity of the island there is a large colony of nesting Blue-eyed Shags. At the other, a small Argentine scientific station conducts research on the penguin colony and ecology of the surrounding waterways.

Deception Island
Visiting Deception Island is like making a journey to the moon. We enter the volcanic crater, on board the ship, through the narrow opening of Neptune's Bellows. Inside is an unworldly scene, virtually devoid of life. Glaciers flow down from the edge of the crater, littered by black volcanic ash. We can explore the lifeless remains of a derelict whaling station and a vacant British base or climb to the rim of the crater. Steam rises from the shore indicating that the water is actually warm enough for a swim, for those who dare. Outside the crater, if conditions allow, we will land at the enormous Chinstrap penguin rookery that featured in David Attenborough's Life in the Freezer series.

Paradise Bay
Magnificent peaks and spectacular glaciers surround this protected bay. Rocky cliffs provide perfect nesting sites for blue-eyed shags, terns and gulls. The serenity of Paradise Bay envelops us once the sound of the anchor dropping fades from our ears. This is a haven for whales and sometimes we meet humpbacks and minkes as we explore the bay in Zodiacs. Imagine being so close to a whale that when he surfaces to blow, the fishy spray of his exhalation momentarily blurs your vision. We cannot find words to describe this experience.

Lemaire Channel
If the ice conditions allow, standing on the bow of Polar Pioneer and quietly moving through the narrow Lemaire Channel will be one of the highlights of our voyage. Cliffs tower 700 metres directly above the ship. The water is so still that perfect reflections are mirrored on the surface. Gigantic icebergs often clog the channel, creating interesting navigation challenges for the captain and crew and may even obstruct our passage. At the southern end of the channel there are many, many fine peaks for climbing such as Mount Scott and Mount Mill. There are also some fine ice cliffs that promise good technical ice climbing.