A Semi-Circumnavigation of Antarctica

The World spent five days crossing from New Zealand to Cape Adare, gliding through relatively calm waters marked by the occasional swell. On those quiet days at sea, Residents & Guests gazed up to watch albatross soar overhead and marveled over sightings of whales spouting in the Southern Ocean. Magnificent icebergs glowing blue emerged on the fifth day, followed by the first glimpse of penguins later that afternoon. 

Cruising the entire longitudinal length of the spectacular Antarctic Peninsula is an experience claimed by only a privileged few. On a breathless Zodiac ride while navigating ice floes and passing icebergs in the pristine Ross Sea, the blackened coast of Cape Adare drew closer. Surrounded by glacial walls and wind-carved peaks and accompanied by seabirds coasting on the wind, Residents & Guests were greeted by thrilling encounters with wildlife—including the world’s largest Adélie penguin colony spread out as far as the eye could see. 

                    Credit: Niko Paulin

“The Sunday morning landing at Cape Adare was spectacular. Hundreds of penguins were porpoising through the water surrounding the Ship, and a few even hopped aboard the safety Zodiac,” recalls one Resident who was visiting Antarctica for the second time after nearly a decade.

Another Resident remembers, “We also saw a couple of very fat and sleepy Weddell seals lounging on the beach, and one leopard seal poked their head up a few times from the water. Skuas and giant petrels were also hanging out on the far end of the beach. What a day!” 

                    Credit: Jeremy Fratkin

Memories like these barely capture the grandeur of The White Continent of Antarctica aboard The World, Residences at Sea. Spanning 5,500 nautical miles from Port Chalmers, New Zealand, to Ushuaia, Argentina, its Antarctic Semi-Circumnavigation Expedition represents one of the most ambitious undertakings in The World’s history.

Under the light of the 24-hour sun, this journey was timed to high-latitude summer when ice is at its minimum—opening access to the rarely visited Ross Sea, Earth’s last untouched ocean frontier. It continued across the Antarctic Peninsula, and back into temperate waters via the Drake Passage. Here, life springs out from everywhere, with thriving populations of humpback, minke, and fin whales, and communities of Adélie, chinstrap, and gentoo penguins.

                    Credit: Jeremy Fratkin

After crossing the International Date Line, The World anchored near Cape Royds— the site of the base hut for Sir Ernest Shackleton’s 1907 attempt to reach the South Pole. A kayaking excursion revealed staggering views of glaciers entering the water from a safe distance and brought us closer to penguins and seals unwinding on the snowy island shore. Further into the valley, Shackleton’s hut still remains on display for those bold enough to follow in his footsteps.

“It was surreal to stand in the same room as Shackleton and see it the way it really was almost 120 years ago. We also spent some time hiking around, taking in the views, observing the Adélie penguins and the skuas as well as the dozing Weddell seals. We even got up close to a leopard seal sleeping on the ice while on our way back to the Ship. It was a great day with a nice kayak trip, but the highlight was the hut,” says one Resident.

                    Credit: Jeremy Fratkin

Everyone arrived on these remote and windblown coasts fully prepared and well-informed by the team that accompanied the expedition. Zodiac and kayak drivers and expedition guides comprise seasoned experts in their respective fields: atmospheric scientists, geologists, marine biologists, birders, and divers, among others. Throughout it all, the journey is shaped by the expertise of our Captain and Crew as they determine daily landings based on the conditions of the weather, sea, and ice.

“Kayaking in the Bay of Whales, we managed to get right up to the penguins on the ice and had spectacular views of giant bergs with caves and ice tunnels in the background. Often the paddle was pushing through slush as the water was right at freezing. A truly epic paddle!”

                    Credit: Jordan Banks

The Ship traced the icy edge of Victoria Land, where glaciers spill into the sea and scientific stations have been operating for more than 30 years. After witnessing the prominent Drygalski Ice Tongue, remote Ross Island was next—known for its dramatic active volcanoes and primitive bases mounted by Shackleton and Sir Robert Falcon Scott.

“We cruised along the Ross Ice Shelf all day. This is a spectacular ice cliff over 100 feet tall that runs for hundreds of miles and occasionally creates some of the largest tabular icebergs in the world. Sometimes we were a ways out from the wall because of loose ice, and sometimes we were right up against it.”

                    Credit: Niko Paulin

Days at sea were just as intense as staggering views unfolded. The legendary Phantom Coast stretched out in surreal stillness, the vast emptiness interrupted only by tabular icebergs, drifting floes, and the occasional glimpse of Mount Siple’s cone. Guidance from the Expedition Team enriched every day with presentations and conversations, punctuated by leisurely hours simply standing on deck waiting to be surprised by the next awe-inspiring phenomenon.

After several more days at sea, the rarely visited island of Peter I Øy was a welcome sight. Zodiacs motored out to a giant iceberg with 150-foot spires as ice sheared off glaciers into the water. The scenery was constantly shifting and moving, with chinstrap penguins molting, giant petrels relaxing on glaciers, and napping fur seals.

                    Credit: Jeremy Fratkin

“The sheer variety of icebergs in terms of shape, size, and color is difficult to describe,” reports a Resident. “At one point, we even had another Zodiac come by with hot chocolate and Baileys Irish Cream to make sure we weren’t getting too cold. One of the lecturers, who had been coming to Antarctica for decades, couldn’t get over how happy she was to finally come to this island.”

On this journey, those aboard The World embraced an even more rewarding opportunity: participating in the valuable Argo project to monitor subsurface ocean data to help identify the impacts of climate change in hard-to-access areas. The Ship also had the honor of carrying The Explorers Club Flag No. 5 during this epic expedition— an experience that’s granted to only a small percentage of expeditioners.

                    Credit: Jordan Banks

As the final hurrah before arriving in Ushuaia, a voyage through the notorious Drake Passage became a time of great meaning as Residents & Guests reflected on recent memories, shared photographs, and swapped their tales of adventures.