Antarctica - Fly or Sail?

The Drake Passage is the body of water between Chile’s Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands in Antarctica. At the point where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans converge and as such can afford a somewhat “lively” crossing. Some return from Antarctica having experienced a ‘Drake Lake’ – perfect conditions, smooth sailing and plenty of time to get up on deck to look out for the numerous seabirds such as albatross that follow the ship. Most, however, will experience the infamous ‘Drake Shake’ at least one way. We asked our travel experts, who have made this journey across the Drake, what the pros and cons are from their point of view:

Pros

• First and foremost: there is simply a lot more choice for those who opt to sail the Drake Passage. With more boats sailing, a greater range of budgets and requirements are catered for. Frequent departures mean you’re more likely to find something that fits in your desired timeframe too.
• There are also the more romantic reasons: purists and history enthusiasts alike will take some pleasure in following in the footsteps of the Antarctic greats Sir Ernest Shackleton and Captain Robert Falcon Scott. In fact, many who return from crossing the Drake (including many in the Scott Dunn team!) wear the experience as a badge of honour, considering it ‘the proper’ way to do Antarctica.
• Antarctic sea birds such as albatross and petrel are known to follow the boats across the Drake, so this is a good time to get on deck and spot some wildlife. If you’re lucky, you may even spot whales.
• The 2-day crossing can be time well spent: attend lectures given by...

If you opt for a fly-cruise you will board a flight in Chile’s most southern city, Punta Arenas, for a 2 hour flight over the infamous Drake Passage and boarding your expedition vessel in the South Shetland Islands. This option is becoming increasingly popular as more operators begin to offer this model. We asked our travel experts what the pros and cons of the fly-cruise option were, speaking from personal experience:

Pros

• Even those who have all the time in the world would be hard pushed to justify spending over half a week at sea, when you could be out exploring the Antarctic Peninsula. The undeniable benefit of taking a fly-cruise is that you cut the 2-day journey across the Drake down to a mere 2 hours.
• Spend longer amongst the icebergs: voyages that cross the Antarctic Circle take 2 days to do so (1 day sailing south and 1 back up north). Taking a fly-cruise allows you to do this itinerary in approximately 8 days, as opposed to the near 2 weeks needed when sailing from Ushuaia.
• Bypassing the rough Drake Passage is certainly a tempting option for those who suffer with seasickness even before setting foot on their Antarctica-bound vessel!
• The planes that fly to the South Shetland Islands only carry approximately 75 passengers on board, this means that the cruises can only operate with these small numbers and that you, in turn, can be guaranteed a more...