Ortelius was originally the Marina Svetaeva. Built in Gdynia, Poland in 1989, it served as a special-purpose vessel for the Russian Academy of Science. Later it was re-flagged and renamed after the Dutch/Flemish cartographer Abraham Ortelius (1527 – 1598), who in 1570 published the first modern world atlas: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum or Theater of the World. At that time his atlas was the most expensive book ever printed. Ortelius is classed by Lloyd’s Register in London and flies the Dutch flag.
The vessel has the highest ice-class notation (UL1, equivalent to 1A) and is therefor suitable to navigate in solid one-year sea ice as well as loose multi-year pack ice. Ortelius can accommodate up to 108 passengers and has an abundance of open-deck spaces. It is manned by 22 highly experienced nautical crew members, 19 hotel staff, eight expedition specialists (one expedition leader, one assistant, and six lecturer-guides), and one doctor. Wild Focus Expeditions is chartering one half of the ship with 50 passengers, will have a separate expedition team and will have a different itinerary than the other charter passengers. Wild Focus will work with the captain and crew of the Ortelius to find the most exciting wildlife possibilities during the entire trip.
Though our voyages are primarily meant to offer our passengers an exploratory wildlife program with as much time ashore as possible, Ortelius offers all the comforts of a standard hotel ― along with a bar and lecture room. Flexibility assures maximum wildlife opportunities. As such, Ortelius carries 10 Zodiacs with 60hp Yamaha engines.
In keeping with the spirit of expedition, dress on board is informal. Bring casual and comfortable clothing for all activities, and keep in mind that much of the scenery can be appreciated from deck ― which can be slippery. Bring sturdy shoes with no-slip soles, and make sure your parka is never far away in case one of our crew shouts “Whales!” over the loudspeaker and you have to dash outside in a moment’s notice. Opt for layers, as it is comfortably warm aboard the ship though often cold on deck.
You will receive pre-trip information and a handbook prior to the trip.
Arrive in Puerto Madryn from your international flight. We would like our guests to arrive at least one day prior to embarkation to allow for late or missed flights. We are unable to hold the ship from launching due to travel complications.
(Lodging and Meals while on land are on your own)
Though you’re now at sea, there’s rarely a lonesome moment here. Several species of bird follow the vessel southeast, such as albatrosses, storm petrels, shearwaters, and diving petrels.
The Falkland (Malvinas) Islands offer an abundance of wildlife that is easily approachable, though caution is always advised. These islands are largely unknown gems, the site of a 1982 war between the UK and Argentina. Not only do various species of bird live here, but chances are great you’ll see both Peale’s dolphins and Commerson’s dolphins in the surrounding waters.
En route to South Georgia, you now cross the Antarctic Convergence. The temperature cools considerably within the space of a few hours, and nutritious water rises to the surface of the sea due to colliding water columns. This phenomenon attracts a multitude of seabirds near the ship, including several species of albatross, shearwaters, petrels, prions, and skuas.
You will have engaging presentations and workshops onboard during our days at sea. Workshops will cover topics such as photography techniques, polar and sea ice, navigation, astronomy, geology, and botany. In-depth presentations that explore the life of polar whales, land mammals, penguins and all of the animals that call these regions home will also be offered during our expedition.
There may be sea ice on this route, and at the edge of the ice some south polar skuas and snow petrels could join the other seabirds such as albatrosses and petrels trailing the vessel south. Depending on sea conditions and weather, you might be able to visit Orcadas Base, an Argentine scientific station on Laurie Island in the South Orkney archipelago. The science staff will be happy to show you the facility, where you will have expansive views of the surrounding glaciers.
Antarctica is renown for one thing in particular: ice. We will start to see enormous ice bergs and will also have a fair chance of spotting fin whales. There will not be a dull moment on our voyage south. This is also an excellent place to see Antarctic petrels flying around our ship.
Weather and sea-ice permitting, we hope to enter the Weddell Sea. Here, colossal tabular icebergs welcome our arrival to the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula. Paulet Island, with its large population of Adélie penguins is a hopeful stop for us. You might also visit Brown Bluff, located in the ice-clogged Antarctic Sound, where you could have your first chance to set foot on the Antarctic Continent itself.
If due to ice conditions, it is not favorable to enter the Weddell Sea from the east, our ship will set course for Elephant Island and head into Bransfield Strait, between South Shetland Island and the Antarctic Peninsula. Since we will be in the Antarctic early in the season (by design), the ice will dictate our movements. We hope for big ice bergs that will provide us with breathtaking beauty, but at the same time, they will control our itinerary. So from this point, we will attempt to access the Antarctic Sound from the northwest.
The volcanic islands of the South Shetlands are windswept and often cloaked in mist making for moody landscapes. Gentoo penguins, chinstrap penguins and southern giant petrels live here. Chinstrap penguins and Weddell seals often haul out onto the beach near Càmara Base, an Argentine scientific research station on Half Moon Island.
On Deception Island, the ship plunges through Neptune’s Bellows, a channel on the southeast side of Deception Island, and then makes its way into the flooded caldera. Here you can find hot springs, an abandoned whaling station, and thousands of cape petrels. A number of kelp gulls, brown skuas, south polar skuas, and Antarctic terns are found here as well.
This extended expedition gives us the chance to sail even farther south down the icy coast of the western Antarctic Peninsula. In the Gerlache Strait are several opportunities for great landings where you might set foot on the Continent, surrounded by brilliant landscapes of alpine peaks and mammoth glaciers calving at sea level. Gentoo penguins, leopard seals, Weddell seals, humpback whales, and minke whales are often seen here.
Conditions at sea will determine our exact departure. We will have two days at sea where we will escorted by the vast array of seabirds that we saw during our passage south. Our two days at sea will be busy with presentations onboard ship. We will finally have time to review our photographs and videos taken during the expedition. You can work with the photographers onboard to help you with your editing and processing techniques. You will finally have time to take in all that you saw and experienced on your Antarctic expedition.
Sadly, our expedition has come to an end and it is time to disembark from our home for the last three weeks. We will arrive in Ushuaia, Argentina, commonly held to be the world’s most southern city. It is located on the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, nicknamed the “End of the World”. Your adventure to the South Pole is at an end, but its memories will travel with you to wherever your next adventure lies.
*Beverages including soft drinks and liquor can be purchased in USD on the ship during the voyage.
Wild Focus Expeditions provides specialized, small group photography tours. Our photography expeditions are designed to get participants into distinctive, engaging locations around the world at the optimum times for photography. Our photo tours are created by our team of photographers who want to experience and photograph the world's top wildlife, nature and traditional cultures locations.