Antarctica Information

Highlights

October and November

• Winter pack ice is beginning to melt and break up, this is early summer. The scenery is clean and pristine.
• The courting season for penguins and seabirds is at its height.
• Spring wildflowers are at their best in the Falklands and South Georgia.
• Elephant seals establish their breeding territories.

December and January

• Antarctica's warmest months and longest days, this is mid-summer.
• Most penguin chicks hatch.
• Seal pups are visible on South Georgia and the Falklands.
• Whale sightings begin to increase.

February and March

• The end of the Antarctic summer.
• Whale sightings are generally at their best. Minke, and Orca Whales are often found between the ice floes.
• Penguin chicks fledge and leave their colonies.
• More fur seals are visible on the Antarctic Peninsula.
• Fur seals and Elephant seals haul out on the beaches and start to moult.

Climate

Crossings of the Southern Ocean can be quite easy and severe storms are infrequent in the southern summer months. They may occur, but visitors to the Antarctic Peninsula region need not expect very bad weather as a matter of course as the narrow waterways are quite protected. Likewise, sunny days are common in Greater Antarctica and the sun even shines among the sub-Antarctic islands and Antarctic Peninsula. Although visitors should be prepared for cold weather at any time, it is surprising how often it can seem almost too warm to wear a parka. The average summer temperature is near freezing.

Click here for FAQs about Antarctic Cruising - Frequently Asked Questions.

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