Antarctic Cruises 2013

Summer is in full swing with penguin chicks hatching all fluffy and grey, you'll see them earlier in the South Shetland Islands and later in the month to the south of the Peninsula. In January watch out for:

- Fur and leopard seal pups getting bigger, sticking close to their mums on the beaches.

- Penguin colonies are a hive of activity, with parents finding as much food as possible for their young, fending off giant Skua birds that prey on baby penguins.

February is still summertime and the continuously receding ice means that ice breakers can explore further south, visiting the Antarctic Peninsula and Weddell Sea. Expect to see:

- Young penguin chicks are starting to get strong and big and can be seen huddling in 'penguin creches'. 

- The concentration of fur seals increases

- February is prime time for whale watching with a variety of breeds feeding in the Antarctic Peninsula

By March, Autumn is well and truly here. The days begin to get shorter and the temperature starts to drop as the sun sinks below the southern horizon. Extensive walks into the South Shetland Islands are possible as although you may experience some winter frost during the night, snow cover is at its minimum.

- Young penguins are now in a state of adolescence and are interested and inquisitive in visitors

- Adult penguins are molting, making them look strangely shabby! They spend a lot of their time teaching their young to go to sea

- Whale watching is still very good at this time of year and there's a high chance you'll get near to lots of them

November is springtime in Antarctica, and as the ice begins to break and melt thanks to the sun's energy, Antarctica gets a burst of life - with plankton blooming on the ice and krill swelling in abundance. After a long, dark winter, Antartica's creatures make the most of the spring to fatten up before darkness strikes again. In November you'll see:

- Crabeater seals (born between September and November)

- Penguin courting rituals, nest building and stone stealing

- Penguin, petrel and comorant eggs are laid in November

- Elephant alpha seals aggressively guarding their harems on the beach until December

- Seals lounging on many icebergs

- Minke, Southern right whales and humpbacks arriving to feed

We're in early summer now, and many animals are being born, parents are searching for food for their young, and the variety of wildlife that can be seen on the icebergs, ice cliffs and Antarctic beaches is extraordinary. You'll see:

- whales feeding in Antarctica's food rich waters

- Petrel and comorant eggs are still hatching

- Penguin eggs start to hatch at the end of December in South Shetland Islands

- Days are lengthening so you should be getting near to 24 hours of daylight