Newsletter To see dates and rates click here >>> ANTARCTICA 2011 Antarctic Peninsula For divers and explorers alike With its overwhelming array of colours, moods and diverse wildlife the spectacular Antarctic Peninsula is a paradise for all, from divers and adventurers to naturalists and photographers. The opportunity to be in the company of thousands of penguins, watching whales, dolphins and seals, and zodiac cruising between brilliant white icebergs and ice floes will fill you with awe. We are effectively running two trips each with their own dedicated guides: one underwater for our experienced Polar Divers and one topside for our ‘Explorers’. Diving in Antarctica is a unique experience for the advanced diver. Not just ice, but an amazing underwater world with a fascinating marine life filled with creatures that look as if they should live on another planet, such as giant isopods, worms and fearless seals. The dive operation on board is organized by Waterproof Expeditions, the polar dive experts with many years experience of extreme situations. We are trained to search out the best opportunities for diving, taking into account the unpredictable weather and ice conditions, whilst maintaining the highest level of safety in combination with quality diving. We don’t dive through a wide hole in the ice but in a controlled environment under small, grounded icebergs, diving from the shore, a zodiac or an ice shell. Rates do not include International or domestic flights Excess baggage charges on flight Your personal dive equipment All items of a personal nature such as laundry, meals ashore, bar, beverage and telecommunication charges Gratuities Pre- and post-voyage packages with air and hotel available upon request Rates include Accommodation in twin cabin and full board while on the vessel Dive compressor, tanks, weights and belts (you need to bring your own personal dive gear) Leadership by our experienced Expedition Leader and Polar Dive Master All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program Dates: 04 – 15 February 2011 15 – 26 February 2011 11 nights/12 days Rates per person: Triple cabin Euro 4.335 Standard cabin Euro 5.395 Twin Private Euro 6.160 Superior Euro 6.765 Suite Euro 7.390 Dive package Euro 825 Please contact us for more information, detailed itineraries and special departures. Sample Itinerary Day 1 Embark in Ushuaia, Argentina Days 2 - 3 At sea crossing the Drake Passage Days 4 – 9 Exploring the South West Antarctic Peninsula. With only a small group of divers we can be flexible and take advantage of the best wildlife opportunities, weather and ice conditions and the most beautiful light for amazing photos. We start our first day in Antarctica with a mandatory checkout dive at an easy accessible site to get you accustomed to the cold water and to adjust your weights. Diving in Antarctica is serious and safety is our first priority. Whilst in the Peninsula area the sites we visit may include: Cuverville and Pleneau Islands with superb iceberg diving; the magnificent Lemaire Channel; Argentine Islands with good chances of spotting gentoo penguins ‘flying’ through the water; and the spectacular dive sites around Vernadskiy, the Ukrainian Scientific station. Days 10 - 12 Sailing back across the Drake Passage to disembark in Ushuaia. PHOTOGRAPHY EXPEDITION WITH FRANCO BANFI WHITE SEA 2011 Ice Diving and Beluga Whales Join award-winning underwater photographer Franco Banfi on a truly fantastic expedition to the White Sea - one of the best places in the world for sea ice diving and a year-round destination for watching, snorkelling and diving with beluga whales. Part of northern Russia’s inland sea the White Sea belongs to the Arctic Ocean basin and is the only sea in Europe to freeze every year. The underwater world of the White Sea boasts a magnificent sea life and excellent scenery with fantastic underwater ice formations, caverns and fissures. Above water you may even catch sight of the incredible aurora borealis. If you are not yet a qualified ice diver this is no problem at all as you can take a PADI ice diving course during the first two days of the tour. To get you in the mood for your Arctic adventure we start with a husky dog sledge safari in Ruka before driving through the Finnish/Russian wilderness to our Arctic Lodge – a comfortable guesthouse on the shores of the frozen sea complete with exquisite Russian food and a traditional Russian banya (steam bath). Sign up for the Arctic Experience of a lifetime! Dates: 11 - 29 March 2011 Price: from Euro 3.275   BOOK NOW FOR ARCTIC 2011 Jewels of the Arctic Spitsbergen - Greenland - Iceland Whether you are a diver or an 'explorer', our 14-day expedition cruise next summer around the Svalbard archipelago and along East Greenland’s national park coastline will suit you both. Join us as we sail beside sculpted glacier fronts, through breathtakingly scenic fjords and amongst sparkling ice caps lit by the midnight sun. Advanced divers will experience a rarely seen underwater world whilst for the ‘explorers’ there are exhilarating zodiac cruises and the chance to explore by kayak. For the advanced diver, the High Arctic is an amazing experience - the kelp beds of Spitsbergen’s north and east coasts offer protection to sea-bottom life such as sea anenomes, sea stars, sea cucumbers and sea urchins. Diving in East Greenland is purely exploratory so you could be one of very few divers in the world to have done this! East Greenland is a protected national park with the most awesome expanses of stunning natural landscapes and legendary stories of mankind’s exploration and settlement in this challenging environment, from the hunters to today’s Greenlandic Inuit communities – a truly fascinating and stunning destination. The voyage ends in Iceland where you can spend an extra few days for more adventures and fantastic diving. Dates: July - September 2011 Price: from Euro 4745 ANTARCTICA LEOPARD SEAL & WILDLIFE EXPEDITION The Ultimate Dive, Snorkel & Photography Expedition Join us on this unique Dive, Exploration and Photography Expedition designed exclusively for Waterproof Expeditions. Featuring the elusive leopard seal (Hydrurga Leptonyx) you will dive, snorkel, photograph and film these fascinating creatures during a private voyage onboard a luxury ice strengthened expedition yacht for only 12 guest. Every austral summer the penguins of Antarctica leave their large nesting colonies to spend the season at sea. The adults go first, then the newly fledged chicks. While for most birds fledging means learning to fly, for penguins this is learning to swim. They stand on shore and face the sea. Everything about them says this is where they need to go. The sea is their survival, their bread-basket filled with fish, squid and krill. It's a daunting task. Leopard seals are out there waiting, hunting and patrolling for the slow and unwary. They kill hundreds, perhaps thousands, of penguins, thrashing them back and forth with massive jaws. To dive an azure blue iceberg is the ultimate high, but to be joined on the same dive by a huge leopard seal, that's when the mind really blows! During this voyage we will also participate in our ‘Sea Leopard Project’; To understand the behaviour, ecology, and population dynamics of Leopard Seals on the Antarctic Peninsula in order to promote their conservation and safe human-seal interactions. The Hanse Explorer: your home in Antarctica Your home for this expedition is the luxury expedition yacht ‘Hanse Explorer’. With a length of 48 metres, a shallow draft of 4.40 metres and an E3 ice-class, she can sail in areas where many vessels, other than private yachts, cannot. The yacht accommodates a select group of only 12 passengers with two expert guides and more than 10 crew. The six guest cabins are luxuriously and tastefully fitted and are equipped with the latest technology including a satcom-device with free email and a large flat screen for working on digital photographs. A sauna and fitness room will help guests relax after their adventurous day. Weather permitting, the outside dining area provides the most incredible backdrops whilst eating superb international cuisine. The atmosphere onboard is relaxed and informal. Rates include Full board including non-alcoholic beverages Luxury Suite cabin with private bathroom (double occupancy) All dives and excursions by Zodiac according to the daily program Dive compressor, tanks, weights and belts (you need to bring your own personal dive gear) Leadership and photo guidance by our Polar Dive Experts Miscellaneous service taxes Sample itinerary Day 1 Embark in Ushuaia, Argentina. Days 2 - 3 At sea crossing the Drake Passage. Days 4- 8 /-12 Exploring the South West Antarctic Peninsula. With only a small group of divers we can be flexible and take advantage of the best wildlife opportunities, weather and ice conditions and the most beautiful light for amazing photos. We start our first day in Antarctica with a mandatory checkout dive at an easy accessible site to get you accustomed to the cold water and to adjust your weights. Diving in Antarctica is serious and safety is our first priority. Days 9–11 /12-15 Sailing back across the Drake Passage to disembark in Ushuaia. There are many advantages to joining the small group on this voyage. The small numbers give us great flexibility and the chance to offer a wide choice of activities from landings and hiking to diving, cruising and photography. This is the ultimate complete Antarctic experience. Non-divers will enjoy the cruise as much as the divers - joining as a snorkeller, photographer or hiker (or all three!). Diving and snorkeling with experts Join renowned and professional ‘Big Animals’ photographer Amos Nachoum on this exciting photo expedition. Learn how to make great images and use the best lighting techniques and compositions including photography coaching and workshops. The vessel carries an onboard state of the art dive operation organized by Waterproof Expeditions, the polar dive experts with many years experience of extreme situations. We are trained to search out the best opportunities for diving, taking into account the unpredictable weather and ice conditions, whilst maintaining the highest level of safety in combination with quality diving. We conduct open water dives in a controlled environment under small, grounded icebergs diving from the shore, a zodiac or an ice shell. Whilst exploring the South West Antarctic Peninsula the dive sites we visit may include: Cuverville and Pleneau Islands with superb iceberg diving; the magnificent Lemaire Channel; Argentine Islands with good chances of spotting gentoo penguins ‘flying’ through the water; and the spectacular sites around Vernadskiy, the Ukrainian Scientific station. Back to Indonesia page   >>> Contact us for additional details or to book spaces.