Historic Day, As Silversea Expedition Guests Land On Point Wild, Elephant Island, Antarctica

Silver Explorer and her expedition team accomplished a first in the ship’s history yesterday (26 January 2012), landing guests at Point Wild, Elephant Island – the location where survivors of the Shackleton Expedition lived under two lifeboats for more than four months while hoping for rescue. 

After attempting to take guests to Elephant Island for nearly 10 years, due to the weather conditions yesterday Silver Explorer’s Captain Alexander Golubev was able to tuck the Silver Explorer into a small and slightly sheltered bay just to the West of Point Wild.

Robin West, Silver Explorer’s expedition leader and his team of nine, including biologists, geologists and an historian, assisted 120 guests on zodiacs one at a time, to explore this historic site, which is one of the most desolate and isolated places in the world.

Guests observed the 100m x 30m strip of land, at low tide, where Shackleton’s determined shipmates made a home during the winter of 1916. The zodiacs also passed through a small channel into West Bay which provided great views of Cape Wild and the Furness Glacier cascading into the ocean watched by chinstrap penguins, several male fur seals and one Weddell seal relaxing on an exposed beach platform.

Robin West commented: “Landing in the exact place where Sir Ernest Shackleton stepped ashore nearly 100 years ago, was a truly significant and historic experience, not only for our guests but for Silver Explorer and the Expedition team as well. 

‘It is one of the best known stories of early exploration in Antarctica and our guests had the opportunity to be part of this.”

Silver Explorer’s unstructured itinerary to ‘Cruise and Explore the Antarctic Peninsula,’ allows the Captain and the Silversea team to determine the exact itinerary as the voyage progresses, as sea and weather conditions can vary so much in the Polar Regions.  Both guests and crew can take full advantage of the available conditions to explore as many sights and make as many zodiac excursions and landings as possible.

Combine true expedition cruising with an elegant, all-suite onboard lifestyle with Silversea Expeditions. Silver Explorer has two 10-day Antarctic expeditions departing Ushuaia (Argentina)on 3rd and 13th December 2012 All inclusive fares are priced from AU$11,699 * per person, double occupancy.

Silver Explorer cruises from Ushuaia through the Drake Passage and then explores the Antarctic Peninsula for five days before returning to Ushuaia via Drake Passage. Silver Explorer is a purpose built expedition ship with a fleet of sturdy Zodiac boats to allow for up close and unforgettable experiences with the terrain and wildlife.

*Price is per person, based on two people sharing a View Suite and includes all shore excursions, port charges, government fees and taxes. Fares for voyages embarking/disembarking Ushuaia include economy class charter air service between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia, plus transfers between Ushuaia airport and pier, on day of embarkation and disembarkation.

To book or for more information please contact Silversea Cruises on +61 2 9255 0600 or toll free 1300 306 872 (Australia) or 0800 701 427 (New Zealand), or visit www.silversea.com/expeditions