23 Dec 2015

Season's Greetings, Ocean Notorious by Matt Vance and Russian flights released

We would like to wish all our friends a safe and happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year. Expeditioners and staff aboard the Spirit of Enderby will celebrate Christmas Day on Enderby Island where the Rata forest is already dressed in vibrant Christmas colours. This unique island is home to shy Yellow-eyed Penguins and Hooker's (New Zealand) Sea Lion breeding colonies. Enderby is a truly magical place where expeditioners can explore at their own pace, taking the time to sit quietly observing the diversity of species that call the island home while contemplating the importance of conserving our other remarkable Subantarctic islands.

This season, Heritage Expeditions will help 15 young people aged 18-30 years old realise their dream of visiting the Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand and Australia. As Rodney Russ, owner of Heritage Expeditions and primary expedition leader, wrote in a recent Captain's Blog -

'One of the highlights for me was watching and listening to the youthful Enderby Trust scholarship recipients who were simply overwhelmed by the beauty of these islands and rendered speechless when asked to describe their experiences. It is such a thrill to see young people so enthusiastic'   - 18 December 2015             

If you'd like to swap shopping queues for chattering penguin colonies, and Christmas carols for bird song, escape the Christmas chaos with us next year. We are currently taking bookings on our Macquarie Island expedition, Galapagos of the Southern Ocean, which will depart from Invercargill, New Zealand on the 23rd December 2016, celebrating both Christmas and New Year in the Subantarctic.

OCEAN NOTORIOUS - A rollicking ride through the Southern Ocean with Matt Vance

Many of you may have travelled south to the wild and remote Subantarctic Islands, accompanied by our ever-friendly and knowledgeable lecturer and guide Matt Vance. Ocean Notorious: Journeys to lost and lonely places of the deep south, is the latest book by Matt and has been described as being both 'beautifully written and immensely satisfying'.

'Venture to the deep south and you will experience a world like no other - forbidding subantarctic islands, astounding sea creatures, death-defying plants, the constant company of birds and, if you travel far enough, the towering ice cliffs and dead valleys of Antarctica.

Few people visit this remote and mysterious region but for some the lure is irresistible. As an expedition guide, Matt Vance has accompanied intrepid tourists and birders, artists and writers. In Ocean Notorious he gives a moving first-person account of the lonely places where lives have been changed and history made - from the obsessive explorers of the heroic era to solo sailors in tiny yachts, marooned wartime coastwatchers and ruthless plunderers of wildlife to today's dreamers, drifters and passionate preservationists'.

Hear Matt speaking with RadioLive's Graeme Hill, who himself has just returned from travelling aboard the Spirit of Enderby here. Order your copy of Ocean Notorious today!


 
RUSSIAN FLIGHTS NOW AVAILABLE

It's that time of year again when Russian airlines start to release their domestic air schedules. The great news is that flight schedules coordinate with our itinerary dates for the majority of our voyages, meaning that extra nights are not required in Anadyr unless requested.  We will continue to update our website as more flight options are released, they can be viewed here, or contact our reservation team for suggestions.
2016 EXPEDITION CRUISING BROCHURE AVAILABLE

Our 2016 Expedition Cruising Brochure featuring Antarctic cruises, the South Pacific and the Russian Far East including our brand new North East Passage itineraries is available to download electronically. Alternatively, contact us to request a brochure copy to be posted to you.

HOLIDAY OFFICE HOURS

The Heritage Expeditions office will be closed on the statutory holidays over the Christmas & New Year break (25 & 28 December, 1 & 4 January). In case of emergency, please dial our standard office number for directions. We wish you a lovely holiday break!
 
   
FILM CREW WELCOMED ON BOARD
We enjoyed having Brian Dean from TechnoWolf Films and his band of merry Irish travellers on board our 3rd December departure to the Subantarctic Islands. Their holiday video includes some fantastic footage of the curious wildlife and dramatic scenery of the Subantarctic Islands which we look forward to receiving sharing with you in the coming months. 

 
EXPLORE REMOTE ISLANDS OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC WITH US IN 2016

The South West Pacific Odyssey (previously the Western Pacific Odyssey) is one of Heritage Expeditions' signature expeditions. This season, we've revamped the itinerary slightly -  reducing sea days and adding in New Caledonia's Loyalty Islands, the Solomon Islands'  Santa Ana, the Shortland Islands and Barora Fa Island all without compromising on the experience. Request a full voyage itinerary today!

We also have limited berths available on our in depth exploration of Papua New Guinea in April 2016, as well as our Melanesia Discoverer from Madang to Honiara and Secrets of Melanesia exploring the remote islands and idyllic atolls of the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

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©Katya Ovsyanikova