ANTARCTICA
Sail training voyages on the schooner Amazone

The dates:
4 – 21 December 2022
24 December – 10 January 2023
13 – 30 January 2023
2 – 19 February 2023
22 February – 11 March 2023
Trainees:
17

Age:
18+ / 12+ with parents

Experience:
Not required


ANTARCTICA
Sail training voyages on the schooner Amazone

4 – 21 December 2022
24 December – 10 January 2023
13 – 30 January 2023
2 – 19 February 2023
22 February – 11 March 2023

Trainees:
17

Age:
18+ / 12+ with parents

Experience:
Not required


LET YOUR DREAM COME TRUE – VISIT ANTARCTICA ON THE SCHOONER AMAZONE
In 2022-2023 Maritime Practice will undertake 5 sail training voyages to Antarctica on the polar schooner Amazone.

Every year a large number of tourists visit the southernmost continent, but few go there the most beautiful and ancient way – under sail. Our first sailing voyage to Antarctica was conducted in 2020 – on the polar yachts Wind Dancer and Mon Coeur. In 2021 we organized 4 sail training voyages to Antarctica on the schooner Amazone and we are planning to visit the white continent again in 2022-2023.

Our itinerary starts and finishes in Ushuaia, Argentina. You will cross the Drake Passage, learn the basics of sailing, get to the icebergs as close as possible, visit polar stations of different countries, watch penguins and whales in their natural habitat and much more.
WHY SAIL WITH US?
  • Sailing voyage to Antarctica
    Take part in a sailing expedition and fulfil your lifelong dream of visiting Antarctica
  • Unique experience
    Unlike a large cruise ship, the format of a sailing expedition allows you to experience Antarctica as close as possible: approach blue icebergs, see whales at arm's length and visit the polar stations of different countries
  • Sail training voyage
    As a part of the training course, you will become a crew member: set sails, steer, learn about the vessel and the navigation in Antarctica region
THE SCHOONER AMAZONE
The two-masted schooner is an ice class sailing boat launched by Olivier van Meer Design in the Netherlands. Built in 1963, she was operated as a fishery vessel in the North Sea. In 1993, she was refitted to be a sailing boat used for regular charter voyages.

Today she operates in the high latitudes of the Arctic and Antarctica. She is capable of high speeds in the water but is equally comfortable while cruising.

Technical specifications of the boat:
Length – 42 m
Width – 6.8 m
Draught – 3.7 m
Sail size – 420 m2
ACCOMODATION
Trainees are accommodated in 2-bed cabins or Admiral's cabin, men and women separately (except for couples and family / friends). Admiral's cabin can accommodate up to 3 people (there is 1 double and 1 single bed). Each cabin is equipped with a sink with cold and hot water.

Five showers and toilets are shared, as well as a spacious lounge for meetings and events.

RULES AND TRADITIONS
  • TERMS OF PARTICIPATION
    Both men and women are welcome. You have to be 18 and older to take part independently. Children aged 12 and older can also join us when accompanied by their parents.

    Previous experience is not required. We will teach you everything you need to know to sail safely in the first 2 days of your voyage.
  • SAIL TRAINING VOYAGE
    It is designed to be a sail training expedition on board the tall ship Amazone.
  • DUTIES
    Trainees are scheduled for navigation and general service duties on board, also they are involved in shipboard and sail works. Shipboard and sail works are needed when maneuvering or whether changes. Our help is crucial for the best crew operations. All hands on deck are very important when abrupt change of weather.

    By the way, all activities on board are voluntary. You can choose and rotate within the range of duties there. We want you to feel comfortable on board our ship.
  • DISCIPLINE
    We are one team, one crew. All work on the ship is subject to a schedule. The orders of the captain and instructors are binding. If we support each other, follow the rules and wash our hands before eating, the voyage will be safe and comfortable for everyone.

    A dry law is applied on board. According to sea rules, alcohol consumption is allowed at the beginning and the end of our trip only.
  • SAFETY ON BOARD
    On the first day of the voyage the crew and the captain will have a safety briefing, teach you how to put on a lifejacket and explain how to proceed in case of fire or sinking of the vessel. Your safety is always a priority.
  • MEAL, ACCOMODATION, EQUIPMENT
    We provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. There are comfortable double cabins at the trainees' disposal. Men and women live separately except for couples or friends.

    Before setting out on a trip, participants will be informed about equipment requirements.
ITINERARY
MAIN STOPS
1. Ushuaia (Argentina) — 2. The Beagle Channel 3. The Drake Passage
4. King George Island — 5. The Russian Antarctic research base Bellingshausen 6. Yankee Harbor — 7. Half Moon Island — 8. Deception Island 9. Enterprise Island — 10. Orne Harbor — 11. Cuverville Island 12. The Lemaire Channel — 13. The Ukrainian Antarctic research base Vernadsky — 14. The British Antarctic research base Port Lockroy — 15. Melchior Islands — 16.
The Drake Passage 17. The Beagle Channel 18. Ushuaia (Argentina)


Duration:
18 days
Overall distance:
1650 nautical miles


*Click on the map to see closer
MAIN STOPS
1. Ushuaia (Argentina)
2. The Beagle Channel
3. The Drake Passage
4. King George Island
5. The Russian Antarctic research base Bellingshausen
6. Yankee Harbor
7. Half Moon Island
8. Deception Island

9. Enterprise Island
10. Orne Harbor
11. Cuverville Island

12. The Lemaire Channel
13. The Ukrainian Antarctic research base Vernadsky
14.
The British Antarctic research base Port Lockroy
15. Melchior Islands
16.
The Drake Passage
17. The Beagle Channel
18. Ushuaia (Argentina)

Duration:
18 days
Overall distance:
1650 nautical miles

Note: this is a voyage to a remote, inaccessible region. All activities during the voyage depend on ice and weather conditions and are determined by the expedition leader and the captain. The actual itinerary of the voyage may differ from the declared one. Encounters with declared wildlife species cannot be guaranteed.
Note: this is a voyage to a remote, inaccessible region. All activities during the voyage depend on ice and weather conditions and are determined by the expedition leader and the captain. The actual itinerary of the voyage may differ from the declared one. Encounters with declared wildlife species cannot be guaranteed.
MAIN STOPS
Ushuaia (Argentina)
At the airport of Ushuaia our staff members welcome you and provide a transfer to the sailing boat. After embarkation, you will meet our captain and other trainees.

Things to do after you board:
– Check your cabin
– Tour the boat
– Have a safety drill

The Drake Passage
The expeditions begins! Our plan for the next few days is to sail along the Beagle Channel towards the Drake Passage and then cross it.

Crossing the Drake Passage is a real challenge on the way to Antarctica, as strong storm winds and high waves await us there. Such weather conditions require the coherent work of all crew members and trainees.
King George Island and Russian research base Bellingshausen
We are going to discover the Antarctic Peninsula with many stops at beautiful and remote sites. First, we will reach King George Island and visit Russian Antarctic research base Bellingshausen. It was one of the first research stations founded by the Soviet Antarctic Expedition in 1968. Since that time, it has been operated as a year-round station.
Yankee Harbor
We will spend another day at Yankee Harbor, a rocky cove on Greenwich Island. The American sealer, Nathaniel Palmer, discovered and named Yankee Harbor in 1820 when he sailed his 47-foot-long vessel, Hero, around the South Shetland Islands in search of good beaches and harbors for his sealing fleet. Several thousand pairs of Gentoo penguins will welcome you ashore. Also, here you can see whale bones as a reminder of the whalers who practiced outboard flensing in the early years of Antarctic whaling (1906-1925). Weddell seals are seen on beaches regularly.
Half Moon Island
Crescent-shaped Half Moon Island, lies on the eastern side of the Livingston Island, South Shetlands. Here you can see Weddell and Elephant seals, as well as Gentoo penguins along the shore and a large Chinstrap penguin colony (with approximately 3,300 breeding pairs) further up the hill. It is a home to breeding Antarctic terns, skuas, blue-eyed shags, kelp gulls, and Wilson's storm-petrels. Also there is the Argentine Cámara Station located on the south-west side of the island.
Deception Island

Deception island used to be home to a whaling station, the remains of which can still be seen today (it is a protected heritage site). The ring-shaped island is in fact the top of a volcano, a caldera. The Deception Island volcano is still active – eruptions have happened as recently as 1970. Although the wildlife on the ash covered island does not seem to be abundant, thousands of petrels, gulls, skuas and terns breed on shores and cliffs here.
Enterprise Island
This little Enterprise Island holds one of the few physical remains of man's occupation of Antarctica, the wreck of the whaling vessel Gouvernoren is here – only its bow is above water. This area was heavily used by whalers from around 1915 to 1930, and there are a few other artifacts from those times scattered around the shoreline if you look closely. The small scale and human aspect make this a great spot to discover.
Orne Harbor

Orne Harbour was first discovered by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition under Gerlache in 1898 and comprises of a rocky shoreline below scree slopes and patches of permanent snow. Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins as well as Weddell seals are common in this area.
Cuverville Island
Cuverville Island is a 252-meter high rock with a long shingle beach at its foot, home to a sizable colony of Gentoo penguins. About 6,500 breeding pairs of gentoos call Cuverville home, composing the largest rookery on the Antarctic Peninsula. Icebergs often run around nearby, and minke whales commonly frequent the nearby Errera Channel.
The Lemaire Channel

While sailing through the spectacular Lemaire Channel, you will witness one of multiple highlights of Antarctica. It is 11 kilometers long, 150 meters deep, and 700 meters wide channel with rock and ice rising out of the sea. Tidal currents often clog the passage with bergs and pack ice, so the channel is sometimes blocked for vessels sailing down south. Marine birds and orca, humpback, and minke whales often show up on the surface of water.
The Vernadsky Research Base
The Vernadsky Research Base is the only Ukrainian Antarctic Station located on Argentine Islands. Former British Faraday research station, it was sold to Ukraine by the UK for a symbolic one pound in February 1996. As one of the longest operating bases in Antarctica, Faraday/Vernadsky Station has been the subject of scientific research studies on long-term temperature trends that indicate global warming.
The Port Lockroy Research Base

Port Lockroy is currently the most visited site in Antarctica. The spectacular mountain scenery, abundant wildlife and historical interest make Port Lockroy well worth a visit. Port Lockroy now is a historical site, it functions only as a museum and a post office. This remote piece of earth is home to a colony of Gentoo penguins.
Melchior Islands
The Melchior Islands are a group of sixteen low, ice-covered islands lying in the Palmer Archipelago, Antarctica. The islands were roughly charted by the Third French Antarctic Expedition under Jean-Baptiste Charcot in 1903–1905. Things to see there include penguin colonies and whales, pack ice and giant icebergs, groups of fur seals.
PRICE
2-bed cabin:
10900 € per person

Admiral's cabin:
13000
per person
included in the price
— Ship accommodation
— Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily
— Crew and meal services
— Sail training course on board
— A life vest
— Bed linen
— Fuel
— Taxes, port fees and permits, including a permit issued by the National Antarctic Survey
— First aid on board
— A limited access to satellite phone, the ship has satellite systems such as Iridium and INMARSAT (calls are subject to additional fares)
not included
— The flight to Ushuaia (Argentina)
— Insurance
BOOKING AND PAYMENT
50 % – within 3 days after booking
50 % – 2 months before the start of the voyage
CANCEL AND REFUND
Cancellation of the voyage more than 2 months before the selected voyage results in reimbursement or rebooking the trip with required extra payment (depending on the price of the new selected trip). If you cancel the booking less than 2 months before the trip, we will charge you the whole amount of the payment you made. In case you have someone willing to replace you on the trip, we will fully reimburse your payment.
USEFUL INFORMATION
FLIGHTS
Our voyages start and finish in Ushuaia, Argentina. The easiest way to get to Ushuaia is by flight. There are direct 3-hour flights from the capital of Argentina – Buenos Aires.
VISA
No visa is required for most of the tourists. Check the entry regulations here.
Apply for the voyage

© 2022 All Rights Reserved
Photo credits: Nail Sayfi, Kate Uryupova.