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Home > Press Release |
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Press Release |
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For Immediate ReleaseFamed Explorer Shackleton Featured in Expedition to South GeorgiaSEATTLE, WA — Sir Ernest Shackleton was one of the greatest Antarctic explorers of our time. The story of his fateful voyage on the Endurance and how he and his crew of 27 managed to surmount and survive the elements after their ship was trapped in the Antarctic ice is awe-inspiring, and has recently caught the interest of both the book and movie industry. Now, Zegrahm Expeditions offers passengers a chance to explore Shackleton's allure with two voyages to South Georgia Island. Sailing aboard the 238-foot M/S Explorer, this 20-day "Circumnavigation of South Georgia and the Falkland Islands" will feature eight days on wildlife-rich South Georgia Island (each with nearly 18 hours of daylight), exploring a host of historically-significant Shackleton highlights. This famous story began in August, 1914, when the Endurance set sail from England on Shackleton's Trans-Antarctic expedition, the first attempt at crossing that continent. A few months into the voyage, the Endurance became hopelessly trapped in the ice of the Weddell Sea. In November of 1915, the ship was finally crushed by the ice and sank. Isolated and incommunicado, it was up to Shackleton to realize the rescue of his crew. After sledging their three lifeboats across the ice and sailing to nearby Elephant Island, Shackleton and five other men braved the freezing, stormy ocean on an 800-mile journey to South Georgia Island in their 22-foot lifeboat, the James Caird. Shackleton and two men then had to cross South Georgia's treacherous mountain range to reach help on the other side. On August 30, 1916, nine grueling months after the ship was lost, Shackleton finally arrived back on Elephant Island to rescue the remainder of his crew. Not one man perished. Passengers sailing on Zegrahm's South Georgia voyages will embark the ship in Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, and spend three days exploring the natural wonders of these islands, rich with penguin rookeries, unspoiled shorelines and some of the world's largest albatross colonies. Two days sail will bring participants to the shores of the sub-Antarctic South Georgia Island, famous not only for its significance to the Shackleton expedition, but also for the magnificence and abundance of its wildlife. Passengers can expect numerous encounters with fur and elephant seals; king, gentoo, and macaroni penguins numbering in the thousands; and magnificent birds including four species of albatross. Visitors here can also count on stunning vistas of mountain ridges, glaciers and icebergs. Historic highlights include a visit to King Haakon Bay, where Shackleton and his crew of five beached their lifeboat, the James Caird. Passengers will then board Zodiacs for a trip to Peggotty Cove, where the weary men rested before their remarkable mountain crossing. At Stromness Bay, they'll explore Shackleton's arrival point, then tour the old whaling station at Grytviken and visit the gravesite where this courageous polar explorer was finally laid to rest in 1922. Accompanying the voyages will be expert naturalists, scientists and lecturers. Zegrahm's second voyage will feature Caroline Alexander, author of the recent bestseller, The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition. Alexander is also co-curator of the American Museum of Natural History exhibit honoring the explorer and co-producer of both a documentary and an IMAX feature film on the subject. Zegrahm's exclusively chartered expedition ship accommodates over 90 passengers in outside-view cabins, all with private facilities. She also boasts a lecture hall, lounge, sauna, library, and her own fleet of Zodiac landing craft, allowing passengers to explore isolated islands, bays and coves where wildlife can be glimpsed close-at-hand. For the past nine years, adventure travel company Zegrahm Expeditions has specialized in expert-led adventure cruises and tours to remote locations around the world, from Antarctica to the Arctic and many points in between. This voyage marks Zegrahm's fourth circumnavigation of South Georgia. From albatross colonies to visits of abandoned whaling stations, from the raucous cries of a king penguin colony 100,000-strong, to the solitude of a hero's grave marker, travelers will have numerous opportunities to learn about the history, natural history, and marine wonders of these far-flung sub-Antarctic islands. Zegrahm's "Circumnavigation of South Georgia" runs from November 2 - 23 and November 20 - December 9, 2000. Prices start at US$7,990. Note to editors: Artwork available upon request. |
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