Odds of continental landing

My SO and I are considering an Antarctic cruise in the next couple of years. What are the odds of a continental landing on the peninsula? This will be my 7th continent, and I'd like to make it official by reaching the actual continent instead of just the islands around the peninsula. Thanks!

My SO and I are considering an Antarctic cruise in the next couple of years. What are the odds of a continental landing on the peninsula? This will be my 7th continent, and I'd like to make it official by reaching the actual continent instead of just the islands around the peninsula. Thanks!

Better than 90%. It would have to be a heavy ice season or really rough weather not to make a continental landing.

It will probably depend on which cruise you choose, and its route, (plus the weather and time of year.....).

But I would say its fairly high in general. However, I would doubt if anyone could actually tell if they were on an island as opposed to the mainland....

It will probably depend on which cruise you choose, and its route, (plus the weather and time of year.....).

 

But I would say its fairly high in general. However, I would doubt if anyone could actually tell if they were on an island as opposed to the mainland....[/quote]

 

Having just returned from an (amazing!) expedition to Antarctica on the National Geographic Explorer, I disagree quite strongly with your statement. We certainly knew when we were on the continent and when we were on an island.

My SO and I are considering an Antarctic cruise in the next couple of years. What are the odds of a continental landing on the peninsula? This will be my 7th continent, and I'd like to make it official by reaching the actual continent instead of just the islands around the peninsula. Thanks!

I should have tempered my response better - I am assuming you'll be on an expedition grade ship to make a continental landing.

<<< We certainly knew when we were on the continent and when we were on an island. >>>

I'm not doubting you enjoyed your trip. I'm just curious what were the differences between an island and the mainland? (Apart from one was surrounded by water. If you landed on a large island, how would you know you weren't on the mainland? Aren't the rocks, ice and penguins much the same?).

My SO and I are considering an Antarctic cruise in the next couple of years. What are the odds of a continental landing on the peninsula? This will be my 7th continent, and I'd like to make it official by reaching the actual continent instead of just the islands around the peninsula. Thanks!

Possible from Chile or Australia £7000 for a couple of weeks "good luck"

<<< We certainly knew when we were on the continent and when we were on an island. >>>

 

I'm not doubting you enjoyed your trip. I'm just curious what were the differences between an island and the mainland? (Apart from one was surrounded by water. If you landed on a large island, how would you know you weren't on the mainland? Aren't the rocks, ice and penguins much the same?).

Actually, on the continental landings, there were fairly wide beaches, where the penguins were marching back and forth, jumping into the water and getting out, etc. The islands (at least where we landed) were rockier at the water's edge. The islands were great, don't get me wrong, but there were subtle differences; while it's probably somewhat subjective on our part, we did feel there were differences.

These are Adelie penguins at Brown Bluff, on the continent; the islands where we landed did not have beaches like this:

(photo by turtles06)

Barring unusual circumstances, it is extremely likely because it is important. we had one in 2010 and 2 last year. This is ahigh priority for all operators. I would not worry about it.

I was recently on an Antarctic cruise, and yes, we landed on the continent.

No, it was impossible to tell, just by being there whether we were on a large island or the continent. We only know it because we were told and saw it on the GPS tracking TV.

I have no idea how frequent it is that a ship says they will try to land on the continent at least once, but fail.

<<< We certainly knew when we were on the continent and when we were on an island. >>>

 

I'm not doubting you enjoyed your trip. I'm just curious what were the differences between an island and the mainland? (Apart from one was surrounded by water. If you landed on a large island, how would you know you weren't on the mainland? Aren't the rocks, ice and penguins much the same?).

I have to agree with peterscot. For the most part - the coast line of the islands and the peninsular part of the continent are identical. Volcanic sand, rounded pebbles, ice.

But get flown inland approx an hour by chopper and I cant tell you - you know then you are really "on" the continent !! When you views are like this 360 degrees around you.

<<< We certainly knew when we were on the continent and when we were on an island. >>>

 

I'm not doubting you enjoyed your trip. I'm just curious what were the differences between an island and the mainland? (Apart from one was surrounded by water. If you landed on a large island, how would you know you weren't on the mainland? Aren't the rocks, ice and penguins much the same?).

We landed at Brown's landing and were told it was on the continent. One could not tell by the structure of the shoreline if you were on an island or on shore just like any other island verses continent.

https://skydrive.live.com/?sc=photos&cid=f6fe23a6e5a9ec3f#cid=F6FE23A6E5A9EC3F&id=F6FE23A6E5A9EC3F%21118&sc=photos

VERY high probability if you're booked with an expedition ship. Zero probability if you are not. We sailed on the Silver Explorer and had multiple zodiac landings on the continent. We traveled the 2nd half of January and found weather and wildlife sitings to be ideal.

In spite of having traveled extensively, Antarctica quickly became my favorite destination. Book the trip - you will love it!

VERY high probability if you're booked with an expedition ship. Zero probability if you are not. We sailed on the Silver Explorer and had multiple zodiac landings on the continent. We traveled the 2nd half of January and found weather and wildlife sitings to be ideal.

 

In spite of having traveled extensively, Antarctica quickly became my favorite destination. Book the trip - you will love it!

"Ditto"

Do not go on a large ship - you will not be allowed off anywhere due to the limits that are applied (quite understandably) to the numbers of people that can be on land at any one time. The big ships will just pass by the land, and show you penguins on ice floes.

Fram (which we went on) is probably about as big as you can get landings from, and they were very well organised at getting everyone on shore, with time to view the wildlife. If there was a problem with one potential landing spot due to weather, there was always a plan B or plan C, and their landing craft are ideally suited for the conditions.

Expedition ships will be well organised too.

There's quite a good selection, with a wide range of prices (none cheap). Unless you have won the lottery, this is something you will probably only do once.

Make your choice carefully, and ENJOY!

Odds improve as you go into Summer. We all most did not make a continent landing in mid November on a Quark ship. We did manage to do two landings a day but only one landing on the continent