Ocean Geographic Arctic in Spring Expedition 2021
8 - 16 May 2021
In the month of May, Svalbard is a fairy-tale winter wonderland of sparkling ice formations, snow covered mountains, fjord ice and pastel coloured skies. With a small team this expedition is specially created for wildlife enthusiasts and passionate photographers who want to travel in a small group to spend more time with the enigmatic wildlife of the Arctic.
Join Michael AW for this unforgettable sojourn in the far north
from $US 8838 per person ( standard room).
Make your reservation now – 10 spots available
Spring in the Arctic is an otherworldly experience. As the fjords rise up from the darkness of winter, we will be there to witness the dawn of new life on an ethereal landscape of snow-capped mountains and spiralling icebergs. This is the time of the year when polar bears emerge with their toddlers, out for the first time on ice, in search of food;
On the sea ice shelf, Arctic foxes and reindeer can still be seen in their winter fur, and seals and walruses are easily found resting on the fjord ice; little auks, puffins and the guillemots are seen returning to the cliffs.
This is a more than a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. THE ARCTIC AS WE KNOW IS NEARLY GONE. The current climate change trajectory predicts that the Arctic sea ice platforms could disappear entirely by the summer of 2035. Previously, scientists did not think we would reach this point until 2050 at the earliest. The next few years might be the last chance for us to experience the remainder of the Arctic as it once was. Join us to see the frontline of climate change with our expert team of naturalists and photographers, before it is gone forever.
Leading this expedition will be Michael AW, founder of Ocean Geographic
Highlights
Special focus on polar bears
Special focus on walruses in the water - polecam
Bearded seals, harbor seals, and other seals *snorkelling
Cliff face bird colonies, nesting site.
Arctic foxes, reindeer, puffins, guillemots, ptarmigan, king eiders
Magnificent landscape and glaciers
Very unique high arctic marine life
Expedition Platform
M/S Villa is a newly refurbished 42m Ice class B vessel. Built-to-order for the Norwegian Coastal Administration, prior to February 2019, her mission was to service lighthouses and buoys along the rough Norwegian coast. Rugged yet luxurious, MS Villa is the perfect blend of a working vessel and expedition platform.
The bridge on MS Villa is the heart of operation, featuring modern and reliable electronics and navigational equipment for polar expeditions. The bridge also serves as an excellent vantage point for guides and guests to scout for wildlife, with the large bank of windows providing observers with 180° views.
MS Villa boasts 120m² of above-deck space and 160m² of space below-decks; the 10-ton crane can operate in both areas. This allows for ample storage and protection of sensitive equipment in a dry environment. As an ice-strengthened ship (ice class B), with an installed ice keel and ice propeller, MS Villa is designed to operate in icy waters.
All guest accommodations are newly refurbished with expedition operations and comfort in mind – the spacious cabins are equipped with multiple 230V electrical sockets for all photography and videography recharging needs.
Food is an important part of any polar adventure! The Chef will prepare and serve high-quality meals with global flavours that will please any palate.
Date: 8 to 16 May 2021
Departure Gateway: Longyearbyen ( flight from Oslo, Norway)
Bording time: 16:00 8th May Disembark: 22:00 15th May with 1 night Longyearbyen
Expedition Package:
Full board, zodiac cruise and snorkelling sessions included
Prices:
2 twin standard cabins: USD 8838 pp
3 twin private cabins: USD 8988 pp
Deposit 1: USD 2200pp
Deposit 2: ( 25 Nov 2020) USD 2200pp
Balance Due Feb 2021
Expedition Leader
Michael AW: Michael has been leading specialized photography trips since 1991. He is a senior Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers and has authored over 35 books of the sea. His accolades include winning more than 65 international awards and being named as one of the world’s most influential nature photographers by Outdoor Photography. He is the first Asian to have won four awards at NHM Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition of which he was the winner of the underwater category in 2006 and 2015. In 2013 he was awarded the NOGI for Arts by the American Academy of Underwater Arts and Science. His essays and pictures have been featured in BBC Wildlife, National Geographic, the Smithsonian, Nature, Ocean Geographic, Times and Nature Focus to name just a few. Michael AW is the founder of Asian Geographic and Ocean Geographic.
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If you are ready to book please go to booking link
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NB. Booking is not confirmed until deposit is paid. Payment details for payment of deposit will be provided once booking is completed. Booking username and password is not the same as your OG username and password. If you are new trip client you can leave the existing client login blank and complete the booking . If you are an existing trip client please check with us first and we will let you know your trip client user ID and password which will enable you a much quicker booking process.
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