Weddell Sea – In search of the Emperor Penguin

Fly to some of Antarctica’s most remote sites via helicopter

Where you cannot sail, sometimes you must fly. On select Ortelius voyages, we use helicopters to reach areas we cannot visit by vessel. This makes your polar exploration even more exhilarating, allowing you to set foot in areas often impossible to reach any other way.

On our Ross Sea voyages, this includes such locations as the Ross Ice Shelf and Peter I Island. On our Weddell Sea cruises, we aim to visit the emperor penguin colony on Snow Hill Island.

Below is a summary of our helicopter operations. We will provide you a detailed manual on our helicopter operations only after you are booked on an applicable voyage.

Deciding when and where to fly

The expedition leader on board is responsible for the itinerary of the voyage. They will hold regular meetings with the pilots, captain, and deck party officer (DPO) to assess weather, ice, and flight conditions before any helicopter operations take place.

If we get a green light to fly, the EL will scout the area in a helicopter to assess the landing site and begin the process of taking staff and safety equipment there. For scenic flights that will not include a landing, our pilots will determine the flight paths that will give you the most impressive views.

Allocating flight groups

We will give you an individually numbered “helicopter card” to make it easier to record who is on what flight. Generally you will be called by cabin number, but the EL will normally rotate the order in which guests are called to keep things fair.

If you are traveling with someone in a different cabin, let our staff know. Once you are at the flight deck, the aircrew will seat you accordingly or, if required, based on height/weight. We understand some people prefer to fly together, but this is not always possible.

Planning and briefing

All people flying are required to attend a mandatory safety briefing and sign a waiver. You cannot fly without completing both of these steps. We will also practice boarding helicopters, showing you how to move safely to and from them.

Special note: flights not guaranteed

The polar regions are known for their unpredictable weather, sea, and ice conditions. We will only fly helicopters when the EL decides local conditions are safe. No guarantees can be given, and no claims will be accepted. For more details, please see our general terms and conditions.

Zodiac cruising in the Polar Regions

​Our voyages are primarily defined as explorations and we spend as much time ashore as possible. We can be flexible, taking advantage of wildlife opportunities by using our zodiacs for both landings and cruises. Our knowledgeable guides assist on these outings, providing detailed information. This is supplemented by lectures on board which covers topics such as wildlife, nature and history.

Zodiac cruising instructions

The proper handling and usage of Zodiac landing craft, is crucial for exploratory voyages. These rubber boats are ideal for our operations. They have shallow drafts, and contain six air-filled compartments which give them impressive floatation and weight carrying abilities. The compartments are connected by valves, which allow the internal air pressure to be regulated, and they will still float even if one (or several) compartments become deflated. With these safe, durable and dependable boats we can land in many, normally inaccessible sites; Such as, beaches, shallow river banks, rocky outcrops, coral reef flats, ice floes, etc., as well as more conventional places; such as, docks, sea walls and jetties.

Passengers, however, must be aware of certain regulations involving the Zodiacs in order to assure adequate safety in our landing operations.

• The Zodiac driver is in charge of the boat and its operations. Please follow his or her instructions at all times.

• Always wear the provided zodiac safety vests when travelling in the Zodiacs. This is for your safety, and is required at all times while in the Zodiacs regardless of weather or sea conditions.

• Always accept the helping hand of crew-members and Zodiac drivers when stepping into or out of the Zodiacs at the ship’s gangway or ashore. Keep both hands free for this operation, and use the preferred ‘sailor’s grip’; i.e., grip each other by the wrist, because this gives a much stronger grip than just holding hands.

• Minimize the number of separate articles taken along with you when using the zodiacs. Backpacks are ideal for consolidating such diverse objects as cameras, binoculars, rain gear, extra shoes, etc. Carryon items may be handed to the boat handlers before embarking or disembarking. Keep both hands free.

• Never smoke in the Zodiacs. This is hazardous because there are exposed fuel tanks connected to the outboard engines. Lit cigarettes are also hazardous to the rubber construction of the boats.

• All landing conditions will be announced beforehand; i.e., ‘wet’ landings (these may require getting your feet wet by wading ashore), ‘dry’ landings (these make use of a dock or other object with which one can step ashore directly), and expected weather conditions.

• Never disembark or embark the Zodiac over the wooden transom (stern) when the boat is backed onto a beach. Oncoming waves may suddenly push the boat higher onto the beach, knocking the careless passenger with the uplifted engine and propeller, or crushing an exposed foot with the very heavy transom. During ‘wet’ landings one may safely get in or out of the boat by first sitting on the rubber pontoon and then swinging one’s leg over the side. Always wait for instructions from the driver during landings.

• One should always use a weatherproof bag (or bring along a small plastic bag) to protect non-waterproof items; such as, cameras and binoculars, from sea spray (or rain) when in the Zodiacs.