Wild Antarctica featuring the Weddell Sea: New Scientist
Welcome to AE Expeditions’ special edition Wild Antarctica featuring the Weddell Sea Fly/Sail expedition, in partnership with New Scientist Discovery Tours. The Weddell Sea is renowned for its vast amounts of ice - sea ice, pack ice and gigantic icebergs. It is the perfect setting for a voyage in partnership with New Scientist Discovery Tours. For those with an interest in history, the Weddell Sea was central to Ernest Shackleton’s well-known expedition when the Endurance became trapped in the ice. In addition to ice-watching opportunities, the area is also rich in wildlife, geology, and palaeontology. We hope to see a variety of ice seals. On shore, you can search for ancient fossils of gastropods, large clams, and spiral-shaped ammonites. This is the perfect time of year to see curious whales, who are feeding before they begin their migration north to warmer waters. This unique cruise will be hosted aboard a new, state-of-the-art polar expedition vessel, the Sylvia Earle (built 2022). The Sylvia Earle is one of a handful of passenger ships to feature the revolutionary Ulstein X-BOW, reducing fuel consumption and allowing a sleeker cruising experience. With no more than 130 guests, an amazing viewing space and a ship-build designed to minimise negative environmental impacts, the Sylvia Earle guarantees a far more enjoyable guest experience than the other older and larger expedition ships. New Scientist is the number one destination for anyone interested in science and technology. Founded in 1956, it covers international news from a scientific standpoint and asks the big-picture questions about life, the universe and what it means to be human. If someone in the world has a good idea, you will read about it in New Scientist. Its travel wing, New Scientist Discovery Tours, offers a unique way to explore the world. The science-inspired tours, cruises, expeditions and short breaks are perfect for anyone who is driven by curiosity. Being surrounded by like-minded travellers and accompanying experts from New Scientist enhances the experience, allowing for rich discussions and a deep understanding of the destinations. AE Expeditions has teamed up with New Scientist Discovery Tours to deliver polar cruise experiences where you will not only explore the breathtaking scenery and wildlife, but also enrich your understanding through expert-led talks, workshops and floating safaris. Whether you are up close with a glacier, observing a polar bear or sailing around an iceberg, New Scientist’s engaging experts will help you make the most of the experience.
AE Expeditions is a small Australian cruise line which specialises in off-the-beaten-track voyages led by remote area experts.
The company’s adventurous co-founders, Greg and Margaret Mortimer, established AE Expeditions in 1991 and had by the following year, already begun running voyages to Antarctica
Introducing our new ship, the Sylvia Earle
A floating ambassador for the planet.
