Antarctica 2022

Explore Antarctica

Join GUE principals, including President Jarrod Jablonski, for a once-in-a-lifetime dive trip to Antarctica. 

Non-Exclusive Trip: January 2-13, 2022

This GUE diving adventure is exclusive to GUE Members and offers an incredible range of experiences as well as unique insight into the environmental challenges facing the polar regions. Join Jarrod Jablonski, Richard Lundgren, and an expedition staff of geologists, marine biologists, cetacean scientists, ornithologists, and professionals from other disciplines. This trip is in partnership with Blue Green Expeditions. 

Start your 12-day trip with a day-long tour of Tierra Del Fuego National Park in Argentina before sailing the Drake Passage and tracing the path of early polar explorers. Witness the splendor of humpback and minke whales breaching the sea amid the many albatross and other birds, all while touring a magnificent series of glaciers and icebergs. Dive among thousands of penguins in addition to leopard seals and a wide range of unique invertebrates. Non-divers and snorkelers are welcome to join specially organized trips.

Participants can also support dedicated Project Baseline dive sites during the expedition as we coordinate with scientists at Palmer Science Station to determine areas that would best benefit from ongoing research. There are also some specific scientific objectives for both trips. In conjunction with polar explorers and scientists, BlueGreen is working with an organization that is developing a database for marine mammals in Antarctica. Although they have focused on whales, they are now adding leopard seals to the database and are seeking images (above and below the water) that they can use to identify and track their population. BlueGreen has also worked with polar scientists to create a reef ID program for critters other than mammals and penguins. This trip will be the first diving expedition to begin collecting data using this program.

Optional add-on: A one-week hiking and trekking adventure through Patagonia, January 13-19, 2022. Learn more!

This unique adventure will sell out quickly, so reserve your spot soon!
  Learn More & Book Now!

GUE-Exclusive Trip: February 2-13, 2022

This GUE diving adventure is exclusive to GUE Members and offers an incredible range of experiences as well as unique insight into the environmental challenges facing the polar regions. Join GUE principals, including President Jarrod Jablonski, and an expedition staff of geologists, marine biologists, cetacean scientists, ornithologists, and professionals from other disciplines. This trip is in partnership with Blue Green Expeditions. All proceeds go towards supporting GUE’s nonprofit mission.

Start your 12-day trip with a day-long tour of Tierra Del Fuego National Park in Argentina before sailing the Drake Passage and tracing the path of early polar explorers. Witness the splendor of humpback and minke whales breaching the sea amid the many albatross and other birds, all while touring a magnificent series of glaciers and icebergs. Dive among thousands of penguins in addition to leopard seals and a wide range of unique invertebrates. Non-divers and snorkelers are welcome to join specially organized trips.

Participants can also support dedicated Project Baseline dive sites during the expedition as we coordinate with scientists at Palmer Science Station to determine areas that would best benefit from ongoing research. There are also some specific scientific objectives for both trips. In conjunction with polar explorers and scientists, BlueGreen is working with an organization that is developing a database for marine mammals in Antarctica. Although they have focused on whales, they are now adding leopard seals to the database and are seeking images (above and below the water) that they can use to identify and track their population. BlueGreen has also worked with polar scientists to create a reef ID program for critters other than mammals and penguins, and this trip will be one of the first to begin collecting data using this program. In addition, participants of the GUE-exclusive trip we will have the opportunity to dive on shipwrecks, and a qualified team will work to create photogrammetry models of the wreck.

Optional add-on: A one-week hiking and trekking adventure through Patagonia, February13-19, 2022. Learn more!

This unique adventure will sell out quickly, so reserve your spot soon!

 
Book Now!

What will you see while diving?

The dive sites will vary from shallow ice diving to diving along a wall, from a beach, or from a zodiac. The maximum depth is around 20 meters/60 feet. The combination of sunlight and the often-extraordinary formations of ice cause an overwhelming, ever-changing spectrum of colors, with a fantastic variety of shades and brilliance.

Diving in Antarctica not only offers ice, but interesting marine life such as kelp walls, sea snails, crabs, sea butterflies, various Antarctic fish, shrubby horsetails, jellyfishes, sea hedgehogs, starfishes, krill, and giant isopods. You may even be able to snorkel or dive with fur seals, leopard seals, and penguins.

  • 1-2 dives a day, including tanks and weights. As this will be a diving oriented trip, the ship will have extra dive staff on board to ensure a great experience.
  • Experience the antarctic underwater world, including seals, penguins, and more.
  • Participate in a Project Baseline station set-up and collaborate with ongoing scientific research in the area. 
  • All divers must be a minimum of GUE Fundamentals certified and have logged 50 dives with a drysuit.
  • Divers must have conducted at least 20 dives in the gear they will be using in Antarctica
  • All trip participants must be  current GUE Members at the time of booking and at the time of the trip.
  • All of the dives will be to a maximum depth of 20 meters/60 feet and will be open-circuit, steel single-tank (with h-valves) dives with air. These are the operator’s rules. 
  • All divers must have dive insurance such as DAN, aquamed, etc. 
  • Oceanwide Dive Team Leaders and guides are experts in their field, qualified and experienced.
  • Basic equipment on board includes scuba tanks, compressor, and weights.
  • Divers must bring their personal gear (including masks, fins, BC/wing, computer, drysuit ensemble, and 2 DIN first stages, each with a cold water second stage regulator).

  • Kayaking, but this cannot be done in conjunction with diving, and there is a maximum of 6 spots open. 
  • Camping, which can be done with diving, but you miss a dive. Maximum of 12 spots available. 
  • Snorkelling. Snorkelers will be supplied a drysuit, undergarments, hood, and dry gloves. They must supply their own mask, fins, and snorkel. 

Trip Details

In Partnership with Blue Green Expeditions

Book your trip - January 2022 Book your trip - February 2022

Your All Inclusive Trip Includes:
  • Accommodation aboard the m/v Plancius, part of the Oceanwide Expeditions polar fleet
  • All meals aboard the ship
  • 1-2 dives a day, including tanks and weights. As this will be a diving oriented trip, the ship will have extra dive staff on board to ensure a great experience.
  • Expeditions led by Faith Ortins of Blue Green Expeditions and other polar diving and photography experts
  • Photography, along with historical and ecological presentations
  • All transfers to and from the ship.
  • Hotel stay in Ushuaia, Argentina on February 13th, the night before the ship leaves. It is important to get there early in case luggage gets delayed.
* Optional five-day add-on in Patagonia and Iguazu Falls available after the Antarctica Expedition. Depending on interest, this add-on may be scheduled for the five days before the expedition. Activities include hiking among waterfalls and glaciers—both areas are World Heritage Sites. Prices start at $1,195-1,395/person with double occupancy and depending on the activities selected. Contact us for more information or to discuss a custom add-on package.

Not included:
  • Airfare, fuel surcharges, alcohol, all beverages other than tea and coffee, and tips on the boat.
  • Travel and dive insurance are required.
  • Trip cancellation insurance is highly recommended.
  • Transfer from the airport in Ushuaia to the host hotel

  • Email: info@bluegreenexpeditions.com
  • Call Faith Ortins of Blue Green Expeditions: 619.405.2493
  • Or contact GUE HQ

About the Expedition Vessel

GUE is keenly aware of environmental issues related to carbon emissions in general, and especially as relates to the impact on polar regions. The expedition vessel has won numerous awards for minimizing environmental impact and carbon footprint and exceeds the standards of International Maritime Organization and the MARPOL convention, including the stricter standards adopted in 2008. Our tour operators, Blue Green Expeditions, are members of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators and meet or exceed the strict standards designed to minimize human impact on this pristine environment and its inhabitants. While there is certainly an environmental cost to using fuel and other resources for the expedition, the select few who get to visit, explore, and even dive in this unique ecosystem have an obligation to share their experiences with those that have not experienced it. Only then can we create a large enough base to help protect these remarkable environments.

FAQs

For this trip, divers must be at least GUE Fundamentals certified and have logged 50 drysuit dives. Non-divers can also join the trip and snorkel or just explore the Antarctic from land with hiking and kayaking.

No, there is a payment schedule that breaks up the cost into a deposit and three instalments. Please follow the individual trip links towards the top of the page for more information on fees.
Once you've paid your initial non-refundable deposit (this is important) the email with the payment info will also contain a link to allow for incremental payments.  Save this email so you can incrementally pay over time.

Airfare, fuel surcharges, alcohol, and tips on the boat. Travel and dive insurance are required. Trip cancellation insurance is highly recommended. Transfer from the airport in Ushuaia to the host hotel. 

The standard trip is 12 days not including travel time.

Divers will get to do 1-2 dives a day, depending on the conditions. 

No, sorry. The trip will only be providing air for divers and will have a max depth during the dives of 20 m/70 ft. Leave the heavy expensive device at home and let’s have some fun with OC! 

GUE is keenly aware of environmental issues related to carbon emissions in general, and especially as relates to the impact on polar regions. The vessel has won numerous awards for minimizing environmental impact and carbon footprint and exceeds the standards of International Maritime Organization and the MARPOL convention, including the stricter standards adopted in 2008. Our tour operators are members of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators and meet or exceed the strict standards designed to minimize human impact on this pristine environment and its inhabitants. While there is certainly an environmental cost to using fuel and other resources for the expedition, the select few who get to visit, explore, and even dive in this unique ecosystem have an obligation to share their experiences with those that have not experienced it. Only then can we create a large enough base to help protect these remarkable environments. Explorers who join the trip will also be contributing to ongoing scientific research and participate in Project Baseline. 

Consider becoming one today and then these trips will become available to you (even this one if it hasn’t sold out). The Antarctica trip is the first trip GUE has done exclusively for Members, but there will be more trips in the future. Find out more about becoming a member and other membership benefits here.

No. Drones are not permitted on this trip. 

In Partnership with Blue Green Expeditions

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