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*Flight - and then you may take a small ship Cruise in the Antarctic Peninsula Map showing research bases of various We can make scientific and photographic helicopter expeditions from King George Island (Frei Base) to Marimbio, Esperanza and as far south as the Barrera de Hierro Larcen B See Map Another map showing King George Island Clients' Testimonies for this unique trip Please make inquiries by our form More details on this expedition including suggested clothing list, terms and conditions and photos King George Island (MAP) Argentina: Isla 25 de Mayo, Chile: Isla Rey Jorge, Russian historical name - Vaterlo (Waterloo)) is the largest of the South Shetland Islands, situated at 62°23′S, 58°27′W, 120 kilometers off the coast of Antarctica in the Southern Ocean. The Island was named after King George III. The island was first claimed for Britain on 16 October 1819, formally annexed by Britain and claimed as part of the Falkland Islands Dependencies in 1908, and now as part of the separate British Antarctic Territory. The Island was claimed by Chile in 1940, now as part of the Chilean Antarctic Territory. It was claimed also by Argentina in 1943, now as part of Argentine Antarctica, called by the Argentines Isla Veinticinco de Mayo in honour of their National day. The USA and Russia do not recognize these claims, and have formally reserved their right to claim Antarctic territories. The island was discovered by the British explorer William Smith in 1819. It is approximately 95 kilometres long and 25 kilometres wide with a land area of 1150 square kilometres. Over 90% of the island's surface is permanently glaciated. In 1821, 11 men of the sailing vessel Lord Melville survived the winter on the island, the first men to do so in Antarctica. The coastal areas of the island are home to a comparatively diverse selection of vegetation and animal life, including Elephant Seals, Weddell and Leopard seals, and Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins. Human habitation of King George Island is limited to research stations belonging to Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, South Korea, Peru, Poland, Russia, and Uruguay. Most of these stations are permanently manned, carrying out research into areas as diverse as Biology, Ecology, Geology, and Palaeontology. In 2004, a Russian Orthodox church, Trinity Church, was opened on the island near Russia's Bellingshausen Station. The church, one of the southernmost in the world and one of the few permanent structures in Antarctica, is permanently manned by a priest. CONTACT US
Flight to Antarctica (Spanish) Cape Horn. Antarctica. South Georgia. Testimonials. Southern Oceans. Ice Diving Southern Information. Sailing. Kayaker TIERRA DEL FUEGO PROGRAMSSpanish German French Brazilian Patagonian Environment 
Chile is one of seven countries worldwide, from both the northern and southern hemispheres, to claim a portion of Antarctica as national territory. Nonetheless, a treaty signed in 1959 protects the continent and its outlying islands from mineral exploitation and arms testing, and indefinitely suspends all formal discussion of ownership. The Antarctic Peninsula, which stretches north like a finger towards Cape Horn, is the northernmost and consequently warmest portion of the continent. Nine countries have research stations on the Antarctic Peninsula and its outlying islands, and most tours focus upon this area. Geologically and biotically, the Antarctic Peninsula is closely linked with southernmost continental Chile. South America and Antarctica were neighbors on the ancient continent of Gondwanaland until some 27 million years ago, when the formation of the Drake Passage definitively separated the two continents. Antarctic plant fossils from the Pliocene indicate the presence of a temperate ecosystem similar to that of southern Patagonia. Today, some 91% of the world's freshwater reserves are contained in Antarctic ice, which averages 6500 feet deep and in places reaches over 13,000 feet. Flowing from the center of the continent to its edges, the ice forms huge shelves which extend for miles into the surrounding ocean. Cruise ships pass along the leading edge of these shelves and treat visitors to the spectacle of huge chunks of ice 'calving' off these 150-foot high walls of ice. Though Antarctic terrestrial flora is limited to numerous species of lichens, mosses, and fungi, this lack of floral diversity is contrasted by the hugely productive and entirely unique Antarctic marine ecosystem. Annual production of krill in these waters averages 200-600 million tons, and upon this vast resource depends nearly every higher species of marine fauna. Blue whales - one of a dozen migratory whales to visit Antarctica -- scoop up krill in unfathomable quantities, while six species of seals, some 100 million individual penguins belonging to seven separate species, and 30 species of migratory birds all feed on fish which, in turn, feed on krill. Research indicates that krill production has declined in recent years, and in 1991 it was reported that the hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica had reached some 13 million square kilometers. Though protected by international treaty, the southern continent is proving to be the most fragile of all. Today, a growing variety of Antarctic tourist services allow modern adventurers to follow in the footsteps of great explorers such as Cook and Shackleton, Amundson and Scott. Maritime cruises and expeditions by yacht: (see victory-cruises web pages) http://www.victory-cruises.com/special_yachts.html More info may be found at: http://www.victory-cruises.com/Antartica.html Scenic flights departing from Punta Arenas continue to be the most common means of visiting Antarctica, though mountaineering trips and overnight visits to Chile's research bases and the civilian settlement at Villa las Estrellas, King George Island are increasingly available by airplane: (victory-cruises) Also available are fly-cruises:http://www.victory-cruises.com/antarctica_by_air_&_water.htmlMORE INFORMATION ON ANTARCTICA PENGUINS Penguins belong to the class Aves (the birds), and are members of the order Sphenisciformes, which contains only one family, Spheniscidae, of which all penguin species are members. This single-family www.fotoorder is known as "Gregg's paraox", after the first taxonomer to complain about it. There are 18 species of penguins alive today, divided into 6 genera: * Eudyptes: 6 species * Spheniscus 4 species * Pygocelis 3 species * Aptenodytes 2 species * Eudyptula 1 (or 2) species * Megadyptes 1 species * Genus Aptenodytes Aptenodytes means "Featherless Diver". The Aptenodytes are the largest and most colourful penguins, with bright orange/yellow ear-patches and chest markings. * Aptenodytes forsteri Common Name: Emperor Height: 115cm Weight: 30kg * Aptenodytes patagonicus Common Name: King Height: 94cm Weight: 15kg Distribution: Macquarie, Marion, Prince Edward, Kerluegen, Crozet, South Georgia, South Sandwitch * Genus Pygocelis Pygocelis means "Brush Tailed". The pygocelids are most people's idea of the classic black and white penguin, the star of a thousand cartoons. * Pygocelis antarctica Common Name: Chinstrap Height: 68cm Weight: 4.5kg Distribution: South Shetlands, South Orkneys, South Sandwich, Antarctic Peninsuala to 65 degrees * Pygocelis papua Common Name: Gentoo Height: 71cm Weight: 6kg Distribution: north Antarctic Peninsuala to 65 degrees S, South Shetlands, South Orkneys, South Sandwich, Macquari, Falklands, Staten Island There are three sub-species of the gentoo: * Pygocelis papua papua * Pygocelis papua elsworthii * Pygocelis papua taeniata * Pygocelis adeliae Common Name: Adzlie Height: 71cm Weight: 5kg Distribution: coastal Antarctica, South Shetlands, South Orkneys, South Sandwich, Antarctic Peninsuala * Genus Megadyptes Megadyptes means "Large Diver". * Megadyptes antipodes Common Names: Hoiho, Yellow-eyed Height: 66cm Weight: 5kg Distribution: south New Zealand * Genus Spheniscus Spheniscus means "Wedge shaped" * Spheniscus demersusCommon Names: Blackfooted, Jackass Height: 71cm Weight: 3kg Distribution: south and south-west Africa * Spheniscus humbodlti Common Name: Peruvian, Humbodlt Height: 66cm Weight: 4kg Distribution: Peruvian and Chilean coastal islands * Spheniscus magellanicus Common Name: Magellanic Height: 71cm Weight: 5kg Distribution: southern Chile, Patagonia, Tiera del Fuego, Staten, Falklands * Spheniscus mendiculus Common Name: Galapýgos Height: 53cm Weight: 2.25kg Distribution: Albemarle and Narborough in the Galapgos * Genus Eudyptes Eudyptes means "Beautiful Diver". The Eudyptes penguins all have yellow crest feathers. * Eudyptes chrysolophus Common Name: Macaroni Height: 71cm Weight: 4.5kg Distribution: Kerguelen, Crozet, Falklands, Marion, Heard, South Georgia, South Shetlands, South Sandwitch, Bouvet * Eudyptes sclateri Common Name: Erect-crested Height: 66cm Weight: 3.5kg Distribution: Antiposes, Bounty, Campbell, south New Zealand * Eudyptes pachyrhynchus Common Name: Fjordland Height: 56cm Weight: 3kg Distribution: south west New Zealand, Steward Island * Eudyptes crestata Common Name: Rockhopper Height: 56cm Weight: 2.5kg Distribution: Tristan group, New Amsterdam, St Paul, Heard, Macquarie, Staten, Falklands, Marion, Kerguelen, Crozetrs, Antipodes, Auklans, Bounty, Tierra del Fuego * Eudyptes schlegeli Common Name: Royal Height: 61cm Weight: 4.5kg Distribution: Macquarie Island * Eudyptes roubustus Common Name: Snares Island Height: 53cm Weight: 3kg Distribution: Snares Island * Genus Eudyptula Eudyptula means "Small beautiful diver". The Eudyptulas are the smallest of all the penguins, being only about 40cm tall, and weighing about 1kg. Some people do not consider Eudyptula albosignata to be a species distinct from Eudyptula minor. * Eudyptula minor Common Names: Kororaa, Little blue, Fairy Height: 38cm Weight: 1kg Distribution: north New Zealand, southern Australia There are three sub-species of the Kororaa: * Eudyptula minor minor * Eudyptula minor novae holadiae * Eudyptula minor iredalei * Eudyptula albosignata Common Name: White-flippered Height: 40cm Weight: 1.5kg Distribution: New Zealand south island, Banks Peninsula References Bernard Stonehouse (ed), [1975] The Biology of Penguins Macmillan, London Bernard Stonehouse [1968] Penguins Golden Press, New York George G Simpson [1976] Penguins: Past and Present, Here and There Yale University Press, New Haven Did You Know? Facts about Penguins and the Antarctica PENGUINS They are devoted Penguin Dads! After the female emperor penguin lays her egg, she goes back to the sea to find some food. The male puts the egg on top of his feet. Then he covers it with his warm feathers to protect it from the icy Antarctic cold. Penguins have a thick layer of fat called blubber. The blubber helps keep their body heat in. They have a heavy layer of feathers to help keep them dry. All of the world's seventeen penguin species can be found only in the southern hemisphere, but seven species live in the Antarctic. 1.Emperor penguin (1 m) 2.King penguin (94 cm) 3.Adelie (71 cm) 4.Gentoo (71 cm) 5. Macaroni (71 cm) 6. Chinstrap (68 cm) 7. Rockhopper (56 cm) The emperor penguin is the largest penguin. It may weigh up to 220 kg (100 lbs) and stand up to 106.68 cm (42 inches) tall. They are the only penguins to stay in the Antarctica all year round. Penguin nests Penguins have very little nest-building material because so few plants grow in the Antarctic.King and emperor penguins do not make nests at all. They lay their eggs on bare ground or ice. Other Antarctic penguins make nests by scraping a shallow hole in the ground and filling it with pebbles. Expert Swimmers Penguins often look clumsy when they are walking on land. In water, though, they are very graceful. They almost fly through the water and can stay under for up to 18 minutes. One of the greatest dangers to penguins is being caught by a leopard seal. These seals eat all kinds of penguins, but Adelies are their main food. Leopard seal dangers The leopard seal lies in wait in the water, hiding underneath a ledge of ice which juts out over the surface of the sea. Adelie penguins gather on the ledge, on their way to feed in the sea. Those at the front start to jump into the water. The leopard seal immediately darts out rom its hiding place and grabs one of the penguins from behind. The other penguins escape by swimming away, or by leaping out of the water, back to the safety of the ledge. Crowded rookeries Rookeries are dirty, noisy places. Thousands of squawking, pecking penguins gather there at breeding times. Despite the crowds, each penguin knows its own mate or chick by calling to them, and by recognizing their answering call. Crested Penguins Crested penguins are very fierce. They get their name because they have spiky, golden feathers above their eyes. These feathers are especially bright when the penguins are courting (looking for mates). There are two kinds of crested penguins living in the Antarctic-macaronis and rockhoppers. Why don't penguins get frost- bitten toes? You would never think of going out in the winter without wearing socks and boots. But penguins, who live mostly in the Antarctic, can walk on ice in bare feet without minding at all. A penguin's body is perfectly suited for life in a frozen world, and its feet are no exception. They have many tough little pads on the bottom and these are the only areas that touch the ground. As well, if penguins are standing around, they will always keep a portion of their feet off the ground by rocking back and forth. Protecting the baby penguins Snow whirls through the air. The wind howls. There's a blizzard coming to the icy land around the South Pole. That's where the emperor penguins live. The grown- up penguins hurry about, pushing all the baby penguins together. Then the grown- ups crowd together in a tight circle around the babies. This is how the grown- up penguins protect the babies. |
BASE FREI
As members of an expedition, during our visit to the Antarctic Peninsula we shall make it our duty not to step on the vegetation and protect the fauna. Our homage to nature will be our legacy to future generations. Note: You will need to be in Punta Arenas the night before the voyage and be able to stay for a total of 5 nights in case of one day expeditions and 6 nights in case of 2 day expeditions. This is to insure you get to Antarctica in case that inclement weather there prevents landing on the scheduled day.
There is no other place in the world as amazing as he Antarctic. This is a continent almost completely submerged by ice, which not only conceals its topography, but has also influenced its evolution.
Covering an area of around 7.000.000 sq. km the Antarctica is the second smallest continent after Australia. However, its mountains cover such a significant area that it makes it the highest, in average, of the seven continents. It is also the windiest, coldest and less populated of the planet. The ice sheet covering almost the entire Antarctica represents the largest fresh water reserve in the world, containing around 90% of the world´s ice and 68% of its water. But precipitations in the Antarctic are very low. The annual rainfall is only 5 cm average; if we considered this fact this would be the world's largest desert. Geographically, Antarctic includes the continent itself and its adjacent islands. According to the Antarctic Treaty signed in 1959, the Antarctica jurisdiction applies to the region between the parallel of latitude 60 and the South Pole. The search for the Antarctic was one of the last great adventures during exploration times. It is an epic story dating from centuries ago, since the Terra Incognita (Unknown Earth) of the old explorers, all the way to the first sightings of the continent in 1820. This continent was first discovered by whale hunters, in search of wealth; and later by the great explorers of the glorious and heroic era: Ernest Shackleton, Douglas Mawson, Roald Amundsen and Robert Scott amongst others. Fly Antarctica 2008/2009 Please make inquiries by our form More details on this expedition including suggested clothing list, terms and conditions and photos
Note: You will need to be in Punta Arenas the night before the voyage and be able to stay for a total of 4 nights in case of one day expeditions and 5 nights in case of 2 day expeditions. This is to insure you get to Antarctica in case that inclement weather there prevents landing on the scheduled day. Please send us a signed copy of the general conditions SUGGESTED LIST OF EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING FOR THE ANTARCTIC Trekking shoes suitable for walking in snow ACCESSORIES First-Aid kit, including prescribed medicine Note: suggested list is for a night. You may take less clothing for one day. (one each instead of 2) Please look at this page to see the walls of ice you will see. :) This low cost includes food, drinks, bilingual guide and sleeping quarters in a nice Air force base Antarctic shelter in case of 2 day expeditions ( you will see these in the page above) from Punta Arenas round trip. You may pay your booking by credit card or interbank deposit. Looking forward to your reply as to whether you want the reservation. We may obtain reservations for you in a 3 star of 4 star hotel in Punta Arenas. Do not hesitate to ask any questions. Best Regards, Victory Adventure Expeditions |
Since 1991 Exploring The "Uttermost Parts Of The Earth":
The Arctic, Antarctica and Cape Horn
Your Cruise Specialists at the "ends of the earth"
Phone/Fax 5661-621092, Phone 5661-621010,Box 70, Teniente Munoz 118, Puerto Williams,
Tierra Del Fuego, Chile 'The Gateway To Antarctica'
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