Tecla – Antarctica (Chile/Cape Town)

Vessel: Tecla – Antarctica (Chile/Cape Town)
Where: Chile/Antarctica/Cape Town

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A true Cape to Cape voyage exploring Antarctica from Chile to Cape Town with expedition boat Tecla.

An adventure sailing holiday across an ocean via Antarctica is certainly one that leaves life-long memories. With thousands of miles to cover, this sailing adventure is not for the faint hearted but perfect for the avid adventurer!

Leaving from Puerto Williams in Chile to Cape Town, South Africa Tecla will cover over 5000 nautical miles as you leave land in the distant horizon. The voyage has 52 days to cross the open ocean and there are buffer days included in this to make best use of the wind. You’ll spend some time island hopping along the icy wilderness of the Antarctic coast before making way for the island of South Georgia and possibly Tristan da Cuna before continuing to Cape Town.

Tierra del Fuego
Cape Horn
Penguins
Antarctic peninsula
South Georgia
Tristan da Cunha
Open Ocean Sailing
Full Board
Ensuite Cabins

YOUR SAILING AREA

Chile > Antarctica > South Georgia > Cape Town

Starting in Tierra del Fuego, join Tecla in Puerto Williams on the island of Navarino on the south coast of Chile.

We’ll set sail across the infamous Drake Passage in a good weather window and aim for Elephant Island as our first landfall before following this chain of Islands through Deception Island and onto the South Shetland Islands. After this, our journey continues into the vast white wilderness of Antarctica. Discover Half-moon Bay, Paradise Harbour and Port Lockroy. We’re usually joined under sail by Humpback and Fin whales so make sure you keep your eyes peeled.

Out of the 18 different species of penguin, only two (emperor and Adélie) make the Antarctic continent their true home. The chinstrap, gentoo and macaroni species do breed on the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, where conditions are less harsh. With some of the largest breeding colonies in the world, a sailing holiday to Antarctica means less disturbance than some of the bigger cruise liners and the opportunity to get closer and watch these fascinating creatures for longer!

After the Antarctic Peninsula, Tecla will head for South Georgia. There will be some days at sea in-between, so you can settle into your watch and enjoy the wide ocean views. The soft, steady up and down of the ship’s hull in the waves, the expanse of the sea, and the gentle creaking of the rigging are the perfect ingredients for a relaxing and at the same time, adventurous holiday experience.

Following in Shackleton’s footsteps

The island of South Georgia, like Antarctica, is highly protected! It is only permanently inhabited by scientists which has gives some amazing flora and fauna.

Few places beat South Georgia when making landfall under sail. If the weather is clear, the white alpine tops of Mount Paget (2900m) can be seen from miles away. South Georgia lies just within the Antarctic conversion zone which means the surrounding waters are filled with ice bergs.

Wildlife in South Georgia is simply breathtaking! It is home to some of the world’s most important penguin and seabird breeding areas. Over 7 million penguins of varying species and over 25 million seabirds call the islands home. The Wandering Albatross nests on the cliffs and in the barrows as over 2 million fur seals and 360,000 Elephant seals line the coast.

Our complete voyage takes 52 days and we’ll aim to spend seven days sailing around South Georgia. Grytviken is the only place where we can visit one of the many whaling factories. It is also the last resting place for Sir Ernest Shackelton where you will find the graveyard amongst the elephant seals and king penguins!

Cobbler’s cove is our next stop. The Cove gets its name from the white chinned petrels that nest here. A short but intense hike brings us to the Macaroni Penguin rookery where these colorful clowns put a smile on all faces! From Cobbler’s Cove we’ll sail for Fortuna Bay, the start of the Shackelton walk to Stromness. This 6 km walk is the last leg of the trip Shackelton made when coming from Elephant Island after wrecking the Endurance in the Weddel Sea.

From Stromness we set sail for Prion Island. The boarded walk ashore gives a spectacular view towards the coast as you stroll along the nesting Wandering Albatrosses. If sea conditions allow, we will land on Salisbury Plain which is the largest breeding area for the King penguin and Elephant seal!

From South Georgia we will start our crossing of the South Atlantic ocean with one more possible stop before Cape Town – the Island of Tristan da Cuna, a tiny dot in the middle of the ocean!

Life on board

Sailing with expedition vessel Tecla is a true authentic adventure where every voyage promises to create life-long memories. Join her seafaring family where guests are welcomed to learn the ropes alongside the knowledgeable crew and share experiences with fellow guests in awe-inspiring destinations.

Getting Involved

Setting the sails on Tecla is a beautiful challenge. This lady is over 100 years old and has two masts, 6 sails and some heavy spars that need to go up! The crew of Tecla has worked on her rigging for years to perfect her sailing qualities. She can sail close hauled or down wind, she can sail in very light weather and she handles well in rough weather.

Guests are encouraged to actively participate in every aspect of Tecla’s sailing journey. From raising all the sails to trying their hand at the helm, participants can fully engage in this adventure by immersing themselves in the elements, revelling in the experience. The ship provides a warm and humbling atmosphere, allowing guests to embrace life aboard a traditionally rigged vessel while exploring some of the world’s most breathtaking destinations.

Typically operated by a dedicated crew of 3-4 members, Tecla accommodates a maximum of 12 guests. The deliberately small group size fosters an intimate experience, enabling genuine connections to form between the crew and guests.

Keeping Watch

It is not always necessary to start a voyage with watches. On many voyages Tecla sets sail in the morning to be at anchor or moored somewhere new every evening. This way, all guests can be part of the sailing and the anchor watches are done by the professional crew.

It only becomes necessary to ‘do’ watches as soon as one or more nights are to be sailed through and more than 24 hours are spent out at sea. This way, there are always enough people on the deck to handle the sails and keep a lookout. Tecla works a three watch schedule, this means you will be on watch for 4 hours, have 8 hours of rest and then again you will be on watch for 4 hours. So within 24 hours you will be on watch for 8 hours.

The watches are divided into the Red, White and Blue watch.

Red: 00:00 – 04:00 and 12:00 – 16:00 hours
White: 04:00 – 08:00 and 16:00 – 20:00 hours
Blue: 08:00 – 12:00 and 20:00 – 24:00 hours

Each watch has a watch leader, one of the permanent crew. The crew will give you instructions during your watch. For example: your first watch might be filled with instructions on what watch keeping is. You will be told what is expected and you will be informed about the navigational equipment on board.

Watch keeping means being out on deck, awake and helping out where necessary. You will sit on the aft relaxing, being on the lookout or with bad visibility you will be on the front of the Tecla on the lookout. You will be steering the vessel in turns. Three watches means that the watches are never bigger than 6 people.

For the comfort of all those on board a schedule will be decided with everyone and we will try and stick to it. While watches are in progress, breakfast will be at 08:00, lunch will be at 12:00 and dinner at 18:00.

Dining at Sea

An important part of the day on Tecla, the food is always influenced by her surroundings. The dynamic menu remains flexible, adapting to the unique flavours of each locale. Whenever possible, food is sourced locally so you could be eating tapas, peppers and plantain in the Canary Islands and fresh fruit, beef and rice in Brazil.

For colder climates and around the North Sea, you will find a Dutch specialty of “stamppot” – mashed potatoes and smoked sausages! Our cooks have a passion for food and make sure that her meals look and taste amazing. Our favourites are lasagne, Lamb curry’s and fresh fish on the BBQ or from our smoker.

During a longer stay on board you will hardly ever see the same dish come by. Most of our meals are served with a salad or fruit on the side. On longer trips we take good care of our vegetables and fruit to ensure that you will enjoy fresh food as long as possible.

A Typical Day

When we are underway, breakfast is at 08.00. This is usually a buffet where you will find fresh baked bread with cereals and porridge. When we are anchored or in harbour, breakfast time is a little more flexible and we’ll be outside if the weather is nice! Sometimes we’ll have eggs, or ‘wentelteefjes’ (French toast), or a fresh fruit salad.

Lunch is almost always served with something warm or special from soup, sausage rolls, fresh fruit or special bread.

Dinner is at 18:00 when we are sailing. When the weather is good and it is still nice and light outside we will serve dinner in a buffet style outside. If this is not possible you will find a buffet downstairs with the possibility to eat inside or outside. When we are not sailing and eating inside, you can find a set table where we can enjoy the meal together.

Below Decks

Recently refurbished, there are six twin bunk, ensuite cabins on Tecla. Nestled into the mid-ship, they’re spacious, comfortable and steady whilst underway. All beds are at least 80cm wide and over 2meters long, thoughtfully equipped with a dedicated reading light for personalised comfort.. All cabins are ensuite with a wet cell shower and plenty of hot water! Ample storage space for clothes and conveniently located storage beneath the beds cater to the needs of longer voyages and travellers with soft suitcases or rucksacks.

The communal area at the front of the ship has cosy cushioned seating and two tables for meal times and evening entertainment with a warm and inviting atmosphere..There’s a little nook tucked opposite the dining area that’s perfect for some relaxation while reading a book.

Kit list

Tecla has limited space for possessions so please be considerate and travel as light as possible. There is no storage for rigid cases – please bring your items in a soft bag.

Dress in layers. In polar regions it is advised to use the 3-layer principle; a base layer, a warm mid layer, and a water repellent outer layer.
Don’t overdress. If it is too warm you start sweating which can cool you down too much.
Use natural materials such as wool. Avoid cotton. Synthetic fabrics designed for cold weather are also good.
Be careful with down, when it gets wet it loses all its insulation value. Primaloft or polar fleece are good options.
Wear loose layers. Insulation is basically pockets of hot air, so if you dress without room for those air pockets to fill with warm air it can be cold. Only the base layer can be a snug fit, but make sure it is not hindering your blood flow. Avoid super tight shoes and socks.
Keep hands and feet dry. You usually lose a lot of heat via your extremities (hand and feet). Mittens are always warmer than gloves. Make sure there is a waterproof outer layer.
Wear a hat! A lot of lost body heat can come from your head. By making sure that your head is warm you will also notice a difference for the rest of your body.

We recommend a travelling light principal with lots of lightweight, easy drying layers. Below is list of recommended items, these are not mandatory and those that have sailed before may have their own preferences!

CLOTHES

T-shirts/tops to wear inside the vessel, as temperatures are comfortably warm
Warm pants or even ski pants, which can be worn over long underwear. Thick ski pants can be too warm for long hikes but are great on deck.
Waterproof trousers, such as Gore-Tex, to be worn over regular pants.
Thermal underwear of wool, silk or polypropylene
Sweaters or polar fleece jacket of medium weight.
Mittens and gloves (and more than one pair), such as thin wool or polypropylene gloves that can be worn underneath your mittens
Woolen hat and scarf to protect your ears and neck
Warm socks that are tall and sturdy, layered over a thinner pair of silk, polypropylene, or wool socks. We prefer wool since it does not contain any odour.
Waterproof/windproof jacket (waterproof above all) with an attached hood that can be worn over your under layers with reasonable comfort

Walking/snow boots for onshore
Light shoes/slippers (for on the boat)
Waterproof rubber boots

Small personal first aid kit and any medication you may need
Camera/binoculars
Personal wash kit (please use reef safe, eco products where possible)
Charging cables for personal devices (there are 12v USB sockets to charge devices in each bunk)
A good book to read!
We advise sleep masks and/or ear plugs!
Consider a small backpack/bag for onshore exploring

Travel Documents

Please assume full responsibility for checking and verifying any and all passport, visa, vaccination, or other entry requirements to the country if/as required.