Crossing Frontiers:

Pelorus’ 2025 Antarctic

Yacht Expedition

Article

In January 2025, Pelorus led a groundbreaking expedition into the remote wilderness of the Antarctic Peninsula, with over twenty guests aboard a world-class yacht and marine scientists on a dedicated support vessel, both equipped with helicopters and guided by polar experts. The pioneering research conducted during this journey led to a scientific breakthrough set to transform our understanding and conservation of marine ecosystems for decades to come.



EXPLORE Antarctica

Expedition Craft & Onboard Personnel

Navigating a continent characterised by wildly unpredictable weather extremes, shifting glaciers, and enormous floating ice shelves requires an extensive amount of logistical preparation. Over a year prior to departure, Pelorus secured LEGEND, a 77-metre luxury explorer yacht and first-class icebreaker with over five years of polar experience under her belt. Her Balinese spa, cinema room, sauna, and classically designed suites ensured a comfortable voyage for the twenty-two guests onboard, with easy access to the helicopter positioned on her top deck. ARGUS, a purpose-built expedition yacht carrying another helicopter, functioned as a support vessel and housed the extended crew. Amongst them was Pelorus’ seasoned hosts and Co-Founders Jimmy and Geordie, and Assistant Expedition Leader Lana.

luxury Antarctica expedition

Set up with a lab onboard, ARGUS doubled as a research vessel, accommodating a team of marine biologists from UCLA Santa Cruz led by renowned marine scientist Dr. Ari Friedlaender. A host of Antarctic specialists formed the crew, including an Expedition Doctor, Naturalist, Ice Pilot, four heli-skiing operators, and an Expedition Leader with over three decades of experience in polar regions. Documenting the expedition, two photographers whose portfolios span BBC and National Geographic came equipped with film kit for icy conditions.

Pelorus co-founder Jimmy Carroll aboard Antarctica charter
An adrenaline experience tagging killer whales in Antarctica

"Antarctica strips everything back. It’s raw, untamed, and utterly humbling. One moment you’re ice camping beneath a sky ablaze with stars; the next, carving first tracks down untouched slopes as humpbacks breach in the ocean in front of you.

But what truly set this journey apart was the fusion of exploration and purpose - tracking migrating whales with polar scientists, supporting vital conservation work, and witnessing a fragile ecosystem on the edge. This wasn’t just a trip - it was a confrontation with the extraordinary and impact in action"

Jimmy Carroll, Pelorus Co-Founder

Chasing Weather Windows and Carving First Descents

LEGAND Antarctica yacht charter

Departing from King George Island, known as the ‘gateway’ to the Antarctic Peninsula, the crew embarked on a voyage down south, forecasting a weather window for pristine heli-skiing conditions and wildlife tracking. With miles of polar ocean to cover, both yachts repositioned for a 14-hour overnight passage, navigating ice floes, swirling mist, and narrow, winding fjords with seasoned expertise. Below deck, guests settled into their spacious suites, winding down for the night with aromatherapy massages in LEGEND’s Balinese Spa.

Skiing in Antarctica - Heli-skiing from an Antarctic yacht
skiing in Antarctica - Heli-skiing from an Antarctic mega-yacht

Awakening the next morning to a magnificent breakfast spread, the guests were delighted to find they had reached their first destination, Hunt Island. The horizon revealed an infinity of dazzling white mountains and beautifully clear blue skies, with thousand-year-old glaciers cascading down into the ocean. Heli-skiing operations were shortly underway, with guests soaring over snow-clad peaks and alpine valleys. Every descent down the slopes that day was a first, and every new mountain face was an opportunity to carve a fresh run on untouched snow. Few experiences compare to the exhilaration of exploring this continent from both the sea and the sky.

Discovering Life Beneath the Ice

Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarcticus) - What to do in Antarctica?

Life in Antarctica exists largely beneath the ocean’s icy surface. While many species of penguins, seals, and seabirds can be seen on land, their survival depends on nutrient rich bacteria and krill below the surface. Dr Ari Friedlaender’s fantastic team of marine biologists were able to gather visuals of krill swarms, algae blooms, starfish, and rare invertebrates by sending ROVs many fathoms down deep-sea walls.

 

Tagging the Orca Whale Antarctica - Conservation adventure in Antarctica

The scientists were also able to deploy an array of satellite tags on both minke and humpback whales, which was invaluable to ascertaining their behaviours and any changes in their movements. Notably, they successfully deployed the first-ever heart rate monitor tag on a humpback whale in Antarctica, which provided the most accurate, comprehensive heart rate data ever recorded in a marine mammal. This marks a significant advancement within the field of marine conservation, providing unprecedented insights into whale behaviours, social structures, and interactions with their environment.

 

What is the highest point in Antarctica - Mount Vinson, which stands at 4,892 meters (16,050 feet)
Conservation in Antarctica - Whale tagging

The data collected is crucial for identifying critical feeding areas and migration routes, informing conservation strategies to protect these species and their habitats. Witnessing this firsthand, guests had the unique opportunity to receive intel on live feeding and breeding activity, attend expert-led lectures on the latest findings, and join biologists aboard tenders to conduct research. On one occasion a pod of playful orcas surrounded the tenders, circling curiously with flapping fins, before showering guests with blowhole spray. Elsewhere, they found themselves vastly outnumbered by minke whales, Weddel seals, leopard seals, and a variety of penguin species, from Adélie to chinstrap and gentoo.

Champagne on Ice, Polar Plunges, and Antarctic Saunas

Ice climbing - Arctic and Antarctic

Each day was fuelled by the prospect of discovery and a plethora of activities. Wildlife tracking, ice-climbing, and a myriad of water-bound activities from kayaking to polar plunges ensured endless entertainment. Après concluded a long day on the slopes, featuring champagne and gin & tonics kept cool with glacial ice, or a themed party in LEGEND’s spacious lounge.

Landmarks of Antarctica - Large Ice Sheet
How to travel to Antarctica? - With the Pelorus Yachting experts aboard a luxury Antarctica expedition
kayaking in antarctica
Wild Antarctica - Explore aboard a Yacht with Pelorus Yachting

The Ukrainian Vernadsky Research Station, famed for discovering the hole in the ozone layer, was a particularly illuminating experience. As keen conservationists, the group found a resonance in the environmental studies the station conducts to monitor the effects of climate change on Antarctic ecosystems. To conclude the visit, they were invited to indulge in the continent’s only sauna, experiencing the peculiar sensation of infrared heat in the coldest continent on Earth.

The Legacy of the Charter

LEGAND aboard an Antarctica helicopter - Pelorus Yachting luxury trip to Antarctica

Guests are still calling in for tracking updates on the whales they encountered in Antarctica, having developed a deep appreciation for these gentle creatures and their environment. For many, this was the most extraordinary and educational expedition they have experienced, shaped by a combination of conscious exploration and refined luxury.

The scientific data gathered from this expedition will provide essential information for conservation action throughout the next decade, informing guidelines for industry and governments to address the impacts of human interference in delicate ecosystems. Travel can be a platform for positive change, and exploring these lesser-known parts of the world via yacht makes that infinitely possible and assuredly luxurious.  

Yacht with helicopter - Pelorus Yachting in Antarctica
Best month to visit Antarctica to go heli-skiing and ski touring
Gentoo penguin pygoscelis papua - Pelorus Yachting, Antarctica
Best month to visit Antarctica for Heli-skiing is late November to early January.
View the landmarks of Antarctica aboard a luxury yacht with Pelorus
How do you get to Antarctica - Aboard LEGAND ice-breaking yacht, equipped with a heli-pad and helicopter
Antarctic seal species - View from your luxury yacht with Pelorus
LEGAND - travel to Antarctica with Pelorus Yachting

This article was written by Felicity Stephenson.

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