You can’t improvise a trip to Antarctica.
Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions.

 

Do I need to know how to sail?

That’s not necessary. But if you want to participate to the maneuvers or the navigation, the crew will assign you tasks suited to your abilities.

My health?

You need to be in good health, and you also need mental and emotional stability to cope with the ubiquitous ice.

There is a preliminary screening, based on a questionnaire that you fill in and interviews with the skipper.

My age?

It doesn’t matter. We’ve sailed in Antarctica with people over 75 (in good health!) who loved their experience.

Are the dates guaranteed?

No. we guarantee that the expedition will take place, but the exact departure and arrival dates depend on the weather.

Since 2015-2016, no one has lost their return journey. But if your return flight is too close, the weather may force us to come back sooner.

If you want to make the most of the expedition, arrive 2 days early, and plan your return journey with flexible dates or a good safety margin.

Seasickness?

It happens in the Drake Passage, even to experienced navigators. On the other hand, in Antarctica we don’t get seasick, we only sail in calm weather and we sleep at anchor every night.

There are ways of preventing or delaying seasickness . We’ll explain them to you once you’re on board. Scopolamine patches seem to work on almost everybody.

Safety?

The boat has a proven track record and is fully equipped for safety. Above all, the crew know their job and are experienced. This is the most important way of preventing accidents.

Sonabia 2 is nicknamed “the grey tank”. Although relatively small and lightweight compared with other Antarctic yachts, her thick, impact-resistant hull, lifting steel keel and lifting rudders keep risks to a minimum.

 

Antarctica AND Cape Horn?

Cape Horn is not on the direct route to Antarctica, but 25 nautical miles (46km) to the west. However, it is possible to sail close to Horn Island or even round the Cape on two conditions.

• We pass through Puerto Williams, which allows us to sail in Chilean inland waters and approach Horn Island from the south to within 2 miles.
• There is a weather window for this. For the record, it was not possible to reach Cape Horn during the last two Antarctic voyages.