A 30-day voyage aboard Le Commandant Charcot offers a rare glimpse into Antarctica’s untouched frontiers. Photo / David De Vleeschauwer
A 30-day voyage aboard Le Commandant Charcot offers a rare glimpse into Antarctica’s untouched frontiers. Photo / David De Vleeschauwer
While hundreds of expedition ships crowd the Antarctic Peninsula during winter, luxury icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot reaches places no other cruise ships, or adventurers, have gone before, writes Debbie Pappyn.
Stepping aboard the Charcot on a rainy afternoon in the port of Lyttelton near Christchurch, we know immediately thatthis 30-day circumnavigation won’t be like most Antarctica cruises.
While all other expedition ships must stop and turn around because of too much ice, the Charcot effortlessly continues, taking its passengers to the most remote, icy corners that remain beyond mass tourism’s reach.
It’s in these quiet, pristine corners that one experiences what the White Continent must have felt like decades ago – a realm reserved for the select few with the time, resources, and spirit for adventure. It is a territory only visited by the early explorers in the past and today by a handful of scientists.
On board, we are under the command of the charismatic French Captain Stanislav Devorsine. Also known as “Captain Stan”, he is one of the world’s most experienced “ice captains and pilots” and has spent 10 years sailing back and forth to Antarctica on the icebreaker Astrolabe, resupplying research stations located there. On our first day at sea, Captain Stan is already adjusting his sailing plan, deftly evading a vicious storm depression looming over the Bellingshausen Sea. The silver lining is that his little detour takes us directly over the Magnetic South Pole. He halts the ship for a moment and we are all invited to the stern for a photo and a glass of Veuve Clicquot, which flows freely on board throughout the trip. It is a humbling and powerful moment, reaching this enigmatic and intangible place in the world.
Captain Stanislav Devorsine, known as “Captain Stan”, has over a decade’s Antarctic experience. Photo / David De Vleeschauwer
The shared experience is magnified by the incredible group of around 90 fellow passengers who join us on board. There are people of a range of ages from Europe, a family with their 25-year-old daughter from Australia and some Kiwis. All of them are there for a shared reason: to have an experience that is extremely exclusive and one-off.
We approach the Antarctic mainland on day five, the ocean already dotted with icebergs announcing “terra firma”. Ponant has equipped the Charcot with a state-of-the-art science lab. On the mainland, we watch scientists collect water samples they’ll meticulously test for various research projects.
The voyage paused over the Magnetic South Pole for champagne celebrations. Photo / David De Vleeschauwer
The next sailing days take the Charcot to Commonwealth Bay and Cape Denison. This was the main base for the Australasian Antarctic Expedition (1911-1914), led by Douglas Mawson and the area is known as the “windiest place on Earth”. We pass through another remote area, George V Land, with its famous, heavily crevassed Mertz Glacier. The expedition team lowers the Zodiacs so we can set foot at Cape Adare. This prominent cape in East Antarctica is the site of the first documented landing on Antarctica in 1895 and the location of the first human structures built on the continent. Another day at sea takes us to the Ross Sea, where every view through the giant panoramic windows of the top restaurant and observation lounge is consistently stunning.
A fleet of Zodiacs provides the opportunity to explore even more of the White Continent. Photo / David De Vleeschauwer
Sea days are filled with interesting lectures, relaxing in the spa with its indoor pool and a sauna with a view over the frozen landscape, or simply enjoying the delicious culinary moments on board. There are plenty of cosy afternoon teas or aperitivos with a near-limitless flow of caviar and endless tastings of authentic pata negra. The fine dining experience at the Alain Ducasse restaurant is wonderful and the wine “cellar” is more extensive than most on-land establishments.
From Scott’s Hut to penguin colonies, travellers can follow the route of history and discovery on board the Le Commandant Charcot. Photo / David De Vleeschauwer
Our next landing is a highlight for everyone: a visit to the historical Scott’s Hut, built by the British explorer Robert Falcon Scott, who was one of the first to reach the South Pole. It is a privilege to visit the well-preserved interior with original artefacts and tools for surviving the deadly Antarctic winters. But today is sunny and pleasant, with temperatures hovering around zero. It’s picture perfect, with Mt Erebus, a 3794m-high volcano, looming in the distance.
Le Commandant Charcot is a Polar Class 2 vessel, breaking ice up to 2.5m thick. Photo / David De Vleeschauwer
Another highlight is the Bay of Whales and the Ross Ice Shelf, which at the same size as France is Antarctica’s largest ice barrier. This is when our ship and the captain make history. Captain Stan manages to push the Charcot farther south than any ship has ever been, reaching a new record of 78° 44’ 2.51” South. He carefully navigates us close to the ice shelf. Gusts of icy wind blow down on the ship as the ocean becomes agitated and pitch-black. Some are adventurous enough to go outside and feel the force of the katabatic winds. Mesmerising
Virtually no other ships can venture this far south. Le Commandant Charcot, delivered in 2021, is a Polar Class 2 icebreaking vessel capable of breaking through multi-year ice up to 2.5m thick. The Charcot is also hybrid-electric, powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and electric batteries, much greener than any other ship and with an autonomy of up to one and a half months. She is elegant but also strong: 150m long, 28m wide and with a horsepower of almost 52,000.
The Charcot runs on LNG and electric batteries, making it greener than most ships. Photo / David De Vleeschauwer
We arrive at the spectacular Amundsen Sea, passing by giant floating icebergs. Captain Stan navigates through mesmerising passages, with huge icebergs visible on the left and right. In the afternoon, just off the coast of Siple Island, the Charcot nestles itself into the thick ice. A set of stairs is lowered, allowing us to walk on the frozen Southern Ocean, where we encounter a colony of emperor penguins.
Guests enjoyed seeing penguins up close on the frozen Southern Ocean. Photo / David De Vleeschauwer
As we approach the Bellingshausen Sea and Pine Island Bay, the frozen ocean becomes more difficult to navigate. We are in a zone of 80% pack ice or fragmented sea ice. Captain Stan describes it as piled-up, chaotic ice. The ship doesn’t “break” it so much as “shuffles” through it. At night, the bridge team decides to go in reverse, utilising the ship’s ability to be navigated from the stern. The scenery is otherworldly as we glide through the ice. Snow swirls down, illuminated by the powerful headlights of the Charcot. Though temperatures plummet to a brutal minus 30C, a surprising number of passengers remain on deck.
Guests have the opportunity to enjoy a number of "delicious culinary moments" on board Le Commandant Charcot. Photo / David De Vleeschauwer
After this heart-stopping night, there are more special landings when Zodiacs are lowered after the expedition team explores the area first with the onboard helicopter (only used in Antarctica by the crew). We head to Peter I Island, a volcanic island in the Bellingshausen Sea, and land at Hogvaard Island close to the Lemaire Channel.
Up next are glorious calm sea days, slowly approaching the popular Antarctic Peninsula. When we see the first sign of two expedition ships, we know we are back in the “real” world after almost 26 days of being completely alone. The Drake Passage is next: it is fairly calm and willing to let us pass easily back to Ushuaia.
Le Commandant Charcot ventures further south than most expedition ships. Photo / David De Vleeschauwer
When I talk to Captain Stan on our final day, he says this month-long voyage was truly one-of-a-kind, even for him, a seasoned ice captain and die-hard Antarctica connoisseur. “Guests on board buy ‘iconic’,” he tells me. “To be here, to experience how extreme places like the Antarctic mainland feel. The heroic age of the early explorers might have passed, but ships like Le Commandant Charcot give a small glimpse of how it was and how fragile our planet is.”
Details
Le Commandant Charcot’s next Antarctic expedition will depart from Hobart, Tasmania, on February 26. The 28-day journey will travel to East Antarctica and conclude in Cape Town, South Africa. Prices start at about $90,000 per person.