superyacht in antarctica

• Destinations
• The Rest of the World

Yacht Charter Antarctica

Antarctica offers some of the world’s most adventurous cruising grounds. Take in the stunning surroundings of the Polar Circle while surrounded in luxury on board an exploration yacht during an Antarctica yacht charter.

Few have experienced the enormity of an Antarctica yacht charter. The most adventurous of cruising grounds, Antarctica is the perfect area to discover aboard a private yacht. Far from the beaten track of the mainstream expedition cruising grounds, the entire continent is covered in ice. From giant, ten-mile-long icebergs to mammoth glaciers, the scenery is awe-inspiring at every turn. Cruise in luxury and comfort aboard the finest explorer yachts available through Northrop & Johnson.

Antarctic Adventure: A Luxury Yacht Charter Odyssey

Embark on an unparalleled luxury yacht rental to Antarctica, where the Southern Lights illuminate the white continent’s pristine wilderness. Navigate the serene still waters of the Drake Passage aboard a private yacht, exploring Antarctica’s breathtaking landscapes from the South Shetland Islands to the expansive Antarctic Peninsula. Anchor in the volcanic Deception Island’s safest harbours, witness the playful gentoo penguins on King George Island, and cruise through the iceberg-laden Gerlache Strait. Venture into the remote Weddell Sea, feel the mystique of the Antarctic Sound, and step ashore at the historical Port Lockroy. With complete luxury and expert expedition leaders guiding the way, your yacht rental in Antarctica promises a voyage of discovery, filled with encounters with majestic whales and playful seals, set against a backdrop of awe-inspiring glaciers and the untouched beauty of Earth’s final frontier.

Get in contact with an Antarctica yacht charter broker

Northrop & Johnson is a leading yacht charter brokerage with access to a superb fleet of luxury private yachts built to ice-class standards. All our yachts are fully crewed, come equipped with fantastic onboard amenities, and boast flexible cabin configurations. Our Antarctica yacht brokers boast expert knowledge of cruising this incredible destination and can craft a once-in-a-lifetime vacation experience. If you want to explore this other-worldly destination in complete luxury aboard a private yacht, contact our team today or browse our luxury yachts for charter in Antarctica.

What are some alternative yacht charter destinations?

• Northern Europe
• Pacific Northwest

Charter Highlights Antarctica

• Feel the earth's warmth at Whalers Bay, where sulfuric steam vents through the sand
• Savor homemade vodka at Vernadsky Research Station's pub on Pleneau Island
• Marvel at the Lemaire Channel's beauty, the "Kodak Gap", known for its photogenic gorge
• Explore Port Lockroy's Base A, a museum and post office in a historic British station
• Navigate Paradise Harbor's icebergs by tender, originating from its glacier
• Witness glacier calving's dramatic sound and sight in Neko Harbor
• Encounter Gentoo Penguins and Elephant Seals on Greenwich Island
• Observe Elephant Seals and sparring Fur Seals from Hannah Point, Livingston Island
• Experience Chile's landscapes with a scenic helicopter tour

Best Yachts for Charter in Antarctica

Motor yachts for charter in antarctica, sailing yachts for charter in antarctica, antarctica yacht charter: faqs, can a private yacht go to antarctica.

Yes, private yacht charters can embark on awe-inspiring voyages to Antarctica, provided they possess the necessary permits and comply with the Antarctic Treaty System regulations, safeguarding this pristine wilderness. Given the challenging weather, ice-infused seas, and the area’s isolation, yachts must be exceptionally equipped. Northrop & Johnson offers an exclusive array of expedition superyachts adhering to ice-class specifications, ideally suited for navigating the world’s most secluded regions, including the Antarctic Peninsula. For a luxury yacht charter experience in the white continent, contact us or explore our fleet.

How much is a luxury Antarctica yacht charter?

Luxury yacht charters in Antarctica with Northrop & Johnson start at US$50,000 per week and rise to more than a million for the world’s finest expedition vessels. If you want to charter a yacht in Antarctica, contact Northrop & Johnson.

What's the weather like in Antarctica?

In the heart of Antarctica’s extreme weather, navigating through its icy waters demands vessels equipped for the harshest conditions. With Northrop & Johnson’s luxury Antarctica yacht charters, experience the white continent amidst fierce cold, potent katabatic winds, and the stark beauty of prolonged daylight in summer and extended darkness in winter.

Coastal temperatures fluctuate from -10°C to 0°C (14°F to 32°F) during the summer months (November to February), while the Antarctic interior and higher elevations face temperatures down to -80°C (-112°F) in winter. The Antarctic Peninsula, known for its slightly milder climate, still presents a formidable challenge with its unpredictable weather shifts.

Despite the continent’s overall dryness, coastal regions near the Weddell Sea and Gerlache Strait may encounter more frequent snowfalls and blizzards, adding to the adventure. Northrop & Johnson’s expedition yachts, designed for luxury voyages to the most remote areas, including the South Shetland Islands and Deception Island, are fully equipped with state-of-the-art navigation and communication systems, ensuring safe passage through Antarctica’s icy realms.

For those drawn to the call of the Southern Lights and the allure of glaciers, penguins, and seals, our private yacht charters offer an unparalleled way to explore Antarctica. Contact us to embark on a journey where awe-inspiring landscapes and luxury converge at the edge of the world.

When's the best time to visit Antarctica?

The optimal period for an Antarctica yacht charter, particularly aboard a luxury superyacht, is during the summer months from October to March. This season offers extended daylight hours, relatively milder weather, and the chance to witness Antarctic wildlife in vibrant activity. This timeframe aligns with the peak of Antarctica’s yacht charter season, allowing guests to fully immerse in the awe-inspiring landscapes, encounter gentoo penguins, and navigate through calm seas amidst glaciers and icebergs. Embarking on a luxury yacht rental during this window maximizes the Antarctic experience, combining complete luxury with the thrill of exploration and discovery in the white continent.

What wildlife can I see in Antarctica?

A highlight in Antarctica is the wildlife. During a luxury superyacht charter, you will have the opportunity to see:

• Penguins, including King Penguins and Chinstrap Penguins
• Whales, including Humpback Whales, Minke Whales, Southern Right Whales, and Blue Whales
• Seals, including Leopard Seals and Elephant Seals
• Dolphins and Antarctic Orcas
• Cormorants, Antarctic Petrels, and Kelp Gull

Will I be able to see the Southern Lights?

The Aurora Australis, visible from February to October, illuminates Antarctica’s winter skies. Luxury Antarctica yacht charters typically navigate the white continent between October and March, making October and February ideal for experiencing this mesmerizing phenomenon. These months provide a rare chance to witness the Southern Lights during an Antarctic yacht rental, combining luxury, adventure, and the natural spectacle of the auroras in the Southern Hemisphere.

What are the top destinations to visit during a luxury superyacht charter in Antarctica?

Some of the best destinations to explore during a luxury yacht charter in Antarctica include:

• Visit the volcanic Deception Island: This volcanic island is part of the South Shetland Islands and boasts a pretty sheltered bay to drop anchor. Tender ashore and explore the once-busy whaling station and feel the heat on the black sandy beaches from the subterranean volcanic vents. Afterward, head to King George Island, the largest of the South Shetland Islands, known as the unofficial capital of Antarctica due to its large number of research stations.
• Cruise the Gerlache Strait: This picture-perfect strait is surrounded by high cliffs and bright blue glaciers and is peppered with stunning bays and harbors. The Gerlache Strait is known for its spectacular whale-watching opportunities.
• Explore the Lemaire Channel: This gorge-like channel is also known as the Kodak Gap, thanks to its stunning picture-perfect seascapes and landscapes. Soak up the wonderful scenery from the deck of your private yacht. For adventure enthusiasts, the Lemaire Channel is a great destination for rock climbing.
• Drop-anchor at Livingston Island: A wildlife haven, Livingston Island is home to a vast colony of Chinstrap and Gentoo Penguins, as well as elephant and fur seals that can be found lazing on the island’s beach.
• Wiencke Island, Port Lockory: This historic former World War II military base is now a penguin research center, museum, shop, and home to the world’s southernmost British Post Office. Don’t forget to post a postcard to your friends and family back home from here!

Travel Tips & Resources

Other popular destinations.

Find the Perfect Charter Yacht

Search the largest global database of yachts for charter

New To Charter?

All you need to know about yacht charter is in the pages of our expert guide

Proud to be part of the MarineMax family

© 2024 Northrop & Johnson

Antarctica Yacht Charters

Antarctica is known for its breath-taking scenery, diverse wildlife and the opportunities it provides for scientific research, conservation and discovery.

From exploring deep waters in a submersible to observing penguin colonies thriving in their natural habitat, or gracefully gliding through untouched polar landscapes to encounter humpback whales and orcas from afar. Heli to isolated mountain tops and ski down untouched slopes at sunrise, if time and weather permit, stop to explore old whaling stations and shipwrecks left behind.

Visiting Antarctica by yacht, particularly those equipped with exploration assets such as helicopters, snow mobiles and submarines, will ensure your time in the white desert is optimised while also providing unrivalled comfort, luxury and flexibility.

Featured Experiences

The Wilds of Antarctica

This yacht expedition is brimming with action, adventure, and extraordinarily diverse and resilient wildlife. It will take you soaring over glittering glaciers by helicopter, camping on uncharted territory, and enjoying organic and intimate encounters with a diverse range of endemic species.

Find out more

A Ski & Sail Adventure in Antarctica

Antarctica truly is the final frontier; on a ski and sail yacht expedition here, you will speed down pristine slopes, admire untouched wilderness and marvel at the abundant fauna and marine life of the Southern Continent. All the while, enjoy the unique connection to the elements that can only be found whilst sailing.

Enquire Now

Yachts to Charter in Antarctica

Explore Antarctica Differently

Heli-ski to the ends of the earth

Make tracks in unchartered territory, discovering pristine slopes and untouched wilderness at its greatest. Our Antarctic yacht expeditions provide access to helicopters, enabling epic heli-skiing further inland, gaining you access to ski mountains that have never been skied before in a truly exhilarating experience, alongside experienced mountain guides who will show you the ropes. A videographer will also accompany you to bring back evidence of your action-packed adventure that you will treasure forever.

Plunge into the underwater world in a submersible

It’s true that Antarctica is breath-taking enough above water. However, submersibles enable you to plunge to the ocean depths below to see what is hiding beneath the icy waters of the frozen continent. Discover the fascinating marine life in this part of the world, spy historical shipwrecks, and marvel at the scale of the icebergs as you discover the depths of the ocean alongside experts.

PLANNING YOUR ANTARCTIC EXPERIENCE

Get in touch with our Expedition Designers to begin planning your own bespoke, once-in-a-lifetime Antarctic expedition.

Pelorus Yachting Newsletter

Join our community to receive the latest yachting inspiration from our team of in-house experts.

All information provided is used in accordance with our  privacy policy . Newsletter subscribers can unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the ‘unsubscribe’ link in any of our emails.

Popular Searches

• Heli-skiing

Popular Results

Yachts For Charter

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

• Link to search page
• US: +1 (561) 833 4462
• US: +1 (206) 209-1920
• MC: +377 99 90 74 63

Antarctica Yacht Charter

An intimate, unhurried view into one of the most mystical, untouched regions of the world.

One of the most fascinating and alluring destinations on the planet, Antarctica offers never-ending adventure, unparalleled scenery, and undeniable mystique.  The location of this southern-most continent makes it especially suited for yacht travel, and with the increasing number of explorer yachts being built, it’s no surprise that Antarctica has recently experienced a significant upswing in superyacht travel.

For the elite traveler seeking an exhilarating experience balanced with breathtaking views and high-end luxury, this cruising destination is second to none. From Cape Horn, choose to sail the seas or take a quick flight to the Antarctic Peninsula, where the panorama of snowy scenery sets the tone for your majestic journey. Awe-inspiring glaciers, massive icebergs, and penguin colonies welcome you with a sense of wonder as you prepare to cruise through pristine waters few others have traveled.

Antarctica is unique, remote, and challenging destination to navigate, making it the perfect choice for superyacht travel. After a day of adventure in the snowy terrain, a yacht equipped with a sauna or steam shower offers a luxurious way to relax and unwind, followed by some pampering from your doting crew and a delicious meal prepared by your chef.

The humbling enormity of your surroundings amidst this frozen, uninhabited landscape offers an extraordinary experience for yacht travelers. This land of extremes is yours to explore.

Punta Arenas to King George Island

Fly into Punta Arenas, Chile, to meet your charter, and experience one of the most exclusive trans-continental flights in the world, landing at Chile’s Base Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva. If time permits, take a quick visit to Russia’s Bellingshausen base before you head over to the waterfront, where tenders will transport you to your luxury yacht.

Antarctic Sound

At the northeastern point of the Antarctic Peninsula, you’ll find a mystical spot where cathedral-like icebergs drift north from the Weddell Sea. The Sound is also known as “Iceberg Alley,” as it is sometimes blocked by the enormous chunks of flat-topped ice with cliff-like sides that bottleneck ship traffic. A stop-off at Paulet Island, Brown Bluff, Devil Island, or one of the many anchorage spots may offer views of such native animal life as Gentoo penguins and Weddell seals.

The Danco Coast & Gerlache Strait

The western side of the Antarctic Peninsula offers endless opportunity to explore the myriad of islands, islets, and channels, each with striking scenery and indescribable splendor. Popular spots to put on your list are Paradise Bay, the Errera Channel, Neko Harbor, the Lemaire Channel, Petermann Island, Booth Island, Pléneau Island, and the Penola Strait. And with so many attractions to choose from, you can visit Gentoo penguin colonies, tour an active scientific research station, and take the tender to get an up-close view of towering icebergs.

Antarctic Circle

For the adventure-seekers who desire to venture even further south, this is your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If conditions permit, and you can navigate through the pack ice making your way to the geographic milestone of 66°33’S, you’ll cross into the Antarctic Circle. Very few people have ever made it this far south, and by doing so, you’ll join an elite group of travelers who not only have been to Antarctica, but have ventured into a region so remote and blissfully desolate. Once you’re there, visit the deserted British base on Detaille Island that remains frozen in time since the British scientists departed in 1959.

Port Lockroy

Your tour of the Danco Coast continues as you journey north to enjoy a stopover at Port Lockroy, home to an abandoned British naval base that’s now a museum. Cuverville Island is plentiful with penguins, home to the largest rookery on the Antarctic Peninsula. Take a walk on the shingle beach and appreciate unmatched splendor and mystique.

King George Island to Punta Arenas

Arrive off King George Island and reminisce about your voyage as you prepare for your return flight north to Punta Arenas. If the weather cooperates, plan to arrive in Punta Arenas a little early for one last adventure before your return back.

ANTARCTICA OVERVIEW

TIME ZONE: The Earth’s longitudes meet on the geographical South Pole in Antarctica. This means that, in theory, any of the world’s time zones could be used there. Although, New Zealand Standard Time / New Zealand Daylight Time (NZST/ NZDT) is most commonly used. (GMT +12)

CURRENCY: US Dollar, Pound Sterling and Euro are accepted.

CLIMATE: Antarctica is snow and ice-covered, with freezing temperatures all year round making it the coldest and windiest continent on earth. The ‘polar summer’ in the coastal areas is the time to visit bewteen May and September with daytime temperatures at a high of 41°F (5°C) and a low of -4°F (-20°C). The ‘polar winter’ has very unstable weather conditions with catabian winds and very low temperatures. The lowest recorded temperature in Antarctica is −128.6°F (−89.2 °C).

yachts for charter

CHRISTINA O

CORAL OCEAN

QUANTUM OF SOLACE

BLEU DE NIMES

VARIETY VOYAGER

RUNNING ON WAVES

TOP FIVE II

LADY KATHRYN V

related DESTINATIONS

Discover the best of yachting.

Berthon Winter Collection

Latest issue

August 2024

In the August 2024 issue of Yachting World magazine: News Few finish a tempestuous Round The Island Race European rules are eased for cruising to France and Greece Olympic sailing…

• Yachting World
• Digital Edition

Sailing Antarctica: Record-breaking voyage around the southern continent

• September 25, 2019

In March 2018, Oyster 72 Katharsis II became the first yacht to sail round Antarctica below 62°S. Skipper Mariusz Koper recounts this extraordinary expedition

Katharsis II dwarfed as she sails alongside the Ross Sea Ice Shelf. All photos: Mariusz Koper

Many believe number seven to be lucky. The seventh day of February proved to be just that. It’s seven weeks since we dropped the lines in Cape Town; the Amundsen Sea was the seventh Antarctic sea that we would cross through; and the seventh storm of the voyage was approaching soon.

For a couple of days now, we have been sailing along the 70th parallel. With humidity in the air, Katharsis II became covered with ice, which started to form on the shrouds, the mast and the ropes. The icy peak of the mast resembled a decorated Christmas tree. The wind transducer stopped functioning. These obstacles were a hindrance to our sailing and decision-making abilities.

For a week, the visibility has been limited to a few hundred metres. In fact, it has often been down to a couple of boatlengths. We were sailing through a milky mist, accompanied only by snowstorms and often had to shovel the snowy powder off the deck.

Steering through massive seas is all in a day’s work in the Southern Ocean

As for the icebergs, while appearing less frequently than off east Antarctica, they seemed older and thus more disintegrated, with deadly brash ice surrounding them. Our eyes strain while searching for icy shadows emerging through the surface of the sea.

It is a much easier task now that we no longer have the sprayhood, which limits visibility significantly. It was completely wrecked by a violent wave during a previous storm in the Ross Sea. Consequently, we were forced to disassemble it. But now it means we have nothing to shield ourselves from icy bullets of spray, though we do at least have a second small dodger to protect the companionway.

Our lucky seven has brought drier air, the ice is beginning to melt, and even the wind instruments have started to work again. Around 2200, Hanna, who is on watch, suggests that we reef the sails. We’ve been sailing with a second reef in the main.

Article continues below…

Sailing to high latitudes: Everything you need to know before you set sail

Specialist high latitude yachts invariably have metal hulls and are very solidly built with large fuel tanks and internal steering…

Sailing South Georgia: The inside story of Skip Novak’s 2018 expedition

We were eight days out from the south coast of South Georgia and once again we had skied smack into…

The sea is rather calm and the wind instruments say it’s blowing 25 knots. I think we could still wait, especially considering the weather forecast, which predicts the wind won’t exceed 35 knots. However, barely a half an hour later I have to jump back outside. The wind is far stronger than the gauge was indicating and as the conditions continue to worsen I decide to drop the main.

It’s the right decision. The wind rises to over 50 knots, and from time to time, exceeds 60 knots. The waves start to build up, making it harder to manoeuvre in between the icy obstacles.

After three hours of running with the storm with the reefed staysail only, we sail in between some icebergs. In fact we are entering a cemetery of growlers. The ice is everywhere, and it’s impossible to sail around them safely. We cannot slow down so we turn into irons to stop. Then we slowly start sailing against the wind and the enormous waves towards a giant iceberg that we’d already passed.

Big seas and big ‘bergs kept Katharsis II’s crew on their toes

We struggle for an hour before finally reaching the shadow of an ice island. At a few hundred metres long and weighing probably tens of millions of tonnes, the ice is pacifying the waves in its lee, as if it were a harbour. For five hours we drift along its side. Then, as the wind abates to 35 knots, we began to sail again, heading east once more on our voyage round Antarctica.

For years I had dreamed of sailing round Antarctica and within its waters – that is, entirely south of the 60th parallel. As a matter of fact, this route is the last significant tabula rasa on the world’s sailing map.

The two known attempts to circle Antarctica’s waters below the 60th parallel ended before reaching the finish line. The first of them took place in 2005, when the Russian yacht Apostol Anrdey lost her rudder around the Ross Sea. After performing temporary repairs, the crew was forced to retreat to Wellington, New Zealand.

The second attempt, conducted by a Russian-Ukrainian crew on the yacht Scorpius in 2012, ended at the D’Urville Sea. The yacht suffered major damage and the crew returned to Hobart.

Proof it could be done

There was, on the other hand, a successful non-stop circumnavigation of Antarctica above the 60th parallel. The goal, accomplished by Fedor Konyukov aboard the 85ft Alye Parusa in 2008, has been recognised by The World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC).

Katharsis II is an Oyster 72, a yacht with a glassfibre hull. It’s commonly believed this sort of construction does not serve well in icy conditions, but several previous expeditions we’ve made in the region have proven that this fearless vessel manages polar conditions well.

A well planned and properly prepared expedition is not all about hardship

During our first polar voyage, we sailed along the Antarctic Peninsula, south from the Antarctic Circle. That’s when we first experienced abrupt changes in weather conditions and the proximity of ice.

For the following expedition, I led Katharsis II to Greenland and the Arctic, and we successfully navigated through the North West Passage . We learned how to manoeuvre in between the drift ice and, at Ilulissat harbour in Greenland, experienced being trapped in it.

The challenge grew in 2015 with our expedition to the Ross Sea. Indenting the front of Ross Ice Shelf is the Bay of Whales, the southernmost point of sailable water in the world. We arrived in a year when the ice cap over Antarctica was the largest since it was first measured.

To sail from the Southern Ocean towards the open waters of the Ross Sea we had to push through the ice a number of times as we navigated through an ice barrier 100 miles wide. Despite the difficult storm conditions, we got south to 78° 43’S, 163° 43’W . This experience reassured me that, with careful navigation, Katharsis II is capable of facing the hardest stuff.

To prepare for the record voyage I analysed the weather conditions and previous annual ice charts in the region. As the Southern Ocean is dominated by strong westerly winds it encouraged a clockwise route, though the only pattern you can guarantee is the variability of direction and speed of winds. Records differed substantially in terms of the number of days with weak winds (under 10 knots) and strong winds (above 25 knots).

I estimated that we’d struggle 15-30% of the time with weak winds and about 15-25% of the time with strong winds. But I observed a certain correlation: the icier Antarctica was over the astral winter, the stronger the winds were over the following summer.

East winds, which are inconvenient for this route, could accompany us for about a third of the voyage. And, although less troublesome closer to summer, the ice made the overall situation more complex. I paid close attention to ice level changes in two spots, at the Ross and Weddell Seas.

Entering into the Ross Sea the route can be shortened significantly, but very rarely can this be accomplished by the end of January. In turn, the drift ice at the Weddell Sea can reach the South Orkney Islands, that is, beyond the 60th parallel.

The most favourable conditions, ice-wise, occur in mid-February. This became decisive in determining our start point – Cape Town – so that we’d reach the Weddell Sea by the second half of February at the latest.

I planned to finish in Hobart – it added an extra 2,000 miles to the shortest version of the route, but at the same time it increased our chances of sailing with following winds in the stormy waters of the Southern Ocean.

We were supposed to start in December 2016. Katharsis II was already waiting for us in Cape Town when my second officer and partner, Hanna Leniec, was diagnosed with breast cancer. This terrible news shocked everyone. I didn’t consider anything other than postponing the voyage.

For Hanna, it was a difficult year. The surgery, the exhausting chemotherapy and the radiotherapy affected her physical condition, but not her mental fortitude. A year later, she was ready to embark on the challenging sail, which we dedicated to the prevention of breast cancer. Hanna prepared a series of short videos, documenting her struggle with the illness.

Research expedition

During the expedition we planned to conduct a couple of research projects: one on the presence of plastic micro-particles in waters surrounding Antarctica; the other, as part of the International Scientific ARGO Program on temperature and salt levels, which would require the installation of several buoys. One of our crew was Piotr Kuklinski, a professor of oceanology who was responsible for the conduct of the science project.

Over the last eight years, Katharsis II has sailed 100,000 miles, so before embarking we unstepped the rig to check it out. We replaced running rig and sails, and replaced some electronics including the radar and the chartplotter so we’d have two independent navigation systems.

Above the radar we installed a thermal camera that would help with spotting ice when we had limited visibility. We also acquired some flexible tanks to take extra fuel so we could cross the Southern Ocean by engine if we were dismasted.

All our preparations were directed at serving one purpose: to be completely self-sufficient. Apart from the Antarctic Peninsula, which is a tourist destination, we’d not be able to count on any outside help. We also prepared to set up a camp in case we needed to abandon the yacht.

It was a challenge to provision for nine crew for over 100 days (plus extra in case of a serious delay). We turned one of the five cabins into a pantry where we could store more than 1,200kg of food (not counting drinks).

We prepared over 1,000 portions of dinners, pasteurising the meat in jars (with a dozen different flavour variations). We stored 80kg of food in the freezer and hid treats for special occasions, including Christmas, birthdays, and other important moments we wanted to celebrate.

We were particularly careful about storing delicate items such as tomatoes and eggs. Each of the tomatoes was covered in a paper towel, which we would change every couple of days. We took 522 eggs and they required constant turning to avoid the yolk sticking to the eggshell. Lastly, our diet was supplemented with freeze-dried meals, which are lightweight and easy to prepare.

Around Antarctica

On 23 December 2017 we left Cape Town. A gentle breeze let us set full sail and cross our start line, but the wind died soon after and reflected in a really weak first 24 hours’ mileage – barely 70 miles logged. The beginning was not very promising for reaching the finish line at Hobart within 100 days.

The main goal of the voyage was to complete a circle around Antarctica south of 60°S, but speed was still an important factor as it would allow us to pass the unwelcoming waters faster and leave them behind before Antarctica’s seas begin to freeze again.

Among the spectacular, icy landscape of the Antarctic Peninsula

We had no problems adapting to the pace of life at sea. We divided into four pairs, switching the watch every three hours with an extra three hours’ standby below deck. This arrangement gave us time to rest and restore our energy. Each watch was also responsible for the preparation of the main meal of the day.

After 11 days of sailing, still before reaching Antarctica, we saw our first iceberg: they’d accompany us for the next three months. Initially, they were scarce but, a week after entering the Commonwealth Sea, we could see a dozen of them in a six-mile radius.

Sailing off east Antarctica, in the Davis Sea and the Mawson Sea, we were at one time able to count some 100 icebergs in sight. It was a magnificent landscape, and the majestic giant sculptures inspired respect.

Growlers – chunks of ice showing only one or two metres above the surface – are a bigger threat than the more easily-seen icebergs

It’s easy to spot an iceberg – even in limited visibility an iceberg will send out a clear echo on the radar screen. Growlers pose a bigger threat to a yacht’s safety, and they always drift along with icebergs. This was our main concern, especially when visibility was limited with snowstorms or during the polar nights, which began to lengthen from mid-February.

We crossed the latitude of 60°S on 5 January and the navigation through Antarctica’s waters turned out to be extremely exciting.

We met our first Antarctic storm in the Davis Sea, a storm of such intensity it called the success of our expedition into question. We barely moved for two days. When our boom vang hydraulics failed we had to go into this storm with only a staysail.

Snow and ice covered the boat during the many freezing storms

Winds over 50 knots blasted from the east and forced us to sail upwind. We made so much leeway that, after 24 hours of sailing back and forth, we found ourselves back where we’d started.

We spent the next day drifting in the shadows of an ice pack emerging from behind the Western Ice Shelf. That was our ally, calming down the sea.

We managed to keep our course much closer to the intended heading during the next storms, no matter what the direction of the wind.

Light winds – especially in eastern Antarctica – posed a different sort of challenge. Katharsis II manages quite well in light breezes, despite her weight. But if the wind fell to 4-6 knots, we couldn’t exceed 100 miles a day. Having sailed a third of the course we were concerned that the voyage would take more than 120 days, but fortunately winds picked up at the beginning of February.

The situation at the Weddell Sea was favourable. It let us sail along the latitude of 62°S but we couldn’t avoid encounters with drift ice. There is usually a couple of hundred metres of clean water adjacent to drift ice, but on 25 February we were sailing along an area packed with ice, and when night fell we realised we were surrounded by it.

We turned upwind to slow to about 2-3 knots and, using our infrared camera, we managed to escape the hazard a few hours later. We brushed against the ice several times, but luckily without ramification.

We saw land only twice and both times the encounter was accompanied by stormy conditions. After 38 days of sailing we were waiting out a storm in the shadow of heavily glaciated Balleny Islands, and there we saw penguins for the first time. Until then we’d been occasionally kept company by whales and albatross.

Three weeks later, soon after passing Cape Horn , we saw the majestic Antarctic Peninsula. In the Gerlache Strait part of our main track came off the mast when reefing. In the shadows of the Melchior Islands we managed to replace the damaged track and resume sailing.

Being side-swiped by huge cross seas deep in the Southern Ocean

The last storm before closing the loop at the Cosmonauts Sea was one of the worst. The pressure dropped from 960mb to 928mb in a matter of hours. Again we were forced to struggle against adverse winds and endure a dark polar night among icebergs.

I opted for the shortest route that took us through the eye of the storm, and although exhausted from the cold and the snow constantly freezing on our foulies, we found our way out without any damage.

Most of the damaged we did experience we could repair or minimise… except one. We weren’t able to fix our carbon fibre boom, which snapped during a storm 1,000 miles before the finish line at Hobart.

Smashed by the crest of wave that broke over us, coming from a direction opposite to all the others, Katharsis II was side-swiped off course, which led to an uncontrolled crash-gybe. The boom broke, so then we were slowed to sailing under foresails only.

Crew: Mariusz Koper, skipper; Tomasz Grala, first mate; Hanna Leniec, second mate; Michał Barasiński, third mate; Magdalena Żuchelkowska, fourth mate. Watches: Wojtek Małecki, Irek Kamiński, Piotr Kukliński, Robert Kibart.

Circuit accomplished

On 20 March 2018, we completed our circumnavigation round Antarctica. It had taken us a total of 72 days and 6 hours. We made the entire circumnavigation south of the latitude of 62°S, including 25 days of sailing south from the Antarctic Circle. We were filled with a sense of satisfaction and relief. We could begin sailing back towards safer – that is, ice-free – waters.

We reached Hobart on 5 April, after 102 days and 23 hours. Ironically, the stormy weather subsided only after we reached Storm Bay, Tasmania – we needed 18 hours to complete the last 50 nautical miles.

After almost 103 days of isolation in a confined space we returned to civilisation, but not a single crewmember was in a hurry to leave. That spoke of the atmosphere we had in our crew. We were a group of friends who managed to stay friends. And for me that’s one of the most important accomplishments of the voyage.

Katharsis II ’ s circumnavigation was accomplished under World Speed Sailing Record Council rules and was awarded Performance Certificate No54.

About the author

Mariusz Koper, 57, is a Polish entrepreneur and former educational publisher. He has logged 160,000 miles, sailed around the globe, done four polar expeditions and competed in the Sydney Hobart Race.

Yachts for Sale

Selling a Yacht

Tenders    &    Toys

Recent Sales

NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN

Yachts for Charter

Destinations

Experiences

Charter Management

Charter Deals

Yacht Marketing

How to Charter

Superyacht Management

Crew Structure

Crew Management

THE WELLESLEY

Superyacht Construction

New Yachts for Sale

Yacht Design

Yacht Shipyards

Custom Construction

Built on Trust

Heesen 55m Steel

Benetti Oasis

Yacht Shows

News & Blog

ANTARCTICA Sail Yacht Charter

Sailing yachts for charter in antarctica.

Browse a unique selection of Antarctica Sailing Yacht Charters and embark on the most exclusive luxury retreat. The tranquillity of cruising, coupled with the warm crew’s services, gourmet cuisine, and tailored itineraries, encapsulates the essence of opulence that is renowned for, creating unforgettable memories on the gentle Antarctica tides.

Enquire On ANTARCTICA Yacht Charter

CONTACT OUR CHARTER BROKERS ABOUT CHARTERING IN THIS DESTINATION

Other Destinations

YACHTS FOR SALE

YACHTS FOR CHARTER

CHARTER MANAGEMENT

[email protected]  

+377 97 77 67 57

SEO by The Agency

Yachts for sale

Selling a yacht

Recent Sale

Charter Guide

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our latest offers, news and the finest selection of superyachts.

THE VAST WHITE WILDERNESS

Best time to go.

November – March

USD, GBP & EUR

Russian and English

A mesmerising landscape of ice-choked seas, mountains, bays, and rugged coastlines, a voyage abroad a luxury Antarctica Yacht Charter will challenge you to embrace life fully. Its size varies through the seasons, as expanding sea ice along the coast nearly doubles the continent’s size in the Winter. Discover breath-taking wildlife sightings: minke, humpback, blue, sperm and killer whales; thousands of sea birds nesting on cliff-tops; massive colonies of penguins on remote shorelines.

Antarctica Highlights

Antarctica’s surreal remoteness, extreme weather, cascading ice shelves and mountain ranges make it an enchanting wilderness worth exploring aboard a Antartica yacht charter.

Destinations

King george island.

Home to many marine mammals such as Elephant, Weddell and Leopard seals, and colonies of Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins.

The South Shetland Islands

The most accessible land in the Antarctic, the South Shetlands have an interesting history from the sealing and whaling eras.

Deception Island

The warmest place to take a swim in the Antarctic, as the sea is slightly warmed by the hot rocks below.

Antarctic Sound & The Weddell Sea

Known as Iceberg Alley, Antarctic Sound is at the very North eastern point of the Antarctic Peninsula.

The Danco Coast & Gerlache Strait

On the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula, explore the numerous islands and channels of this breathtakingly scenic area.

ANTARCTICA YACHT CHARTERS, DESIGNED FOR YOU

With its continuously changing expanse, Antarctica is an exhilarating and euphoric luxury charter destination. Our charter consultants are on hand to help you navigate and plan your future charter. Our team offers a completely tailored service, putting careful considerations into the design and personalisation of your Antarctica yacht charter. Discover our yachts for charter or contact one of our trusted yacht consultants today in confidence and let them handpick your perfect charter yacht.

EXPLORE THE WORLD OF CHARTERING

How to Charter A Superyacht

Explore the thrills of chartering a superyacht with TJB Super Yachts. Learn how to charter a yacht and discover the TJB Super Yachts difference here.

Luxury Yacht Charters with TJB Super Yachts: Uncover Remarkable Experiences.

Itinerary Builder

Use our simply itinerary builder to create your perfect, bespoke yacht charter taking in luxury locations from around the world.

• Concierge Services

Welcome to the world of bespoke luxury lifestyle: yacht concierge services powered by TJB Super Yachts.

Share this page

• All Superyachts for Sale
• Motor Superyachts
• Sailing Superyachts
• Buying A Superyacht
• Selling a Superyacht
• Buying a Yacht FAQs
• Selling a Yacht FAQs
• Why choose us?
• Building a Custom Superyacht
• Build a Semi-Custom Superyacht
• Yacht Management
• Yacht Marketing
• All Superyachts for Charter
• How To Charter A Yacht FAQS
• Design Your Perfect Itinerary
• Mediterranean
• Indian Ocean & Asia
• South Pacific
• The Rest of the World
• Where Can I Travel?
• Summer Experiences
• Winter Experiences
• Wellness and Fitness
• Parties and Event Planning
• Adventures and Experiential Travels
• Yacht and Boat Shows
• Sporting Events
• Corporate Events
• Social & Luxury Events
• Sailing Regattas
• Charter Itinerary Builder
• Distance Calculator
• In the press
• Superyacht Charter Fast Facts
• Superyacht Sales Fast Facts
• Meet Our Team
• Our Offices
• Current Role

Privacy Overview

Le Panorama, 11th Floor 57 Rue Grimaldi MC 98000 Monaco +377 99 99 97 97

1 Franklins Row London SW3 4SW +44 203 862 0820

• Yacht Management
• Client Experience
• Sustainability

Superyacht Charter Antarctica

Private Yachting Cruises in Antarctica

Blanketed with ice and largely unspoiled, the pristine land of Antarctica offers some of the most awe-inspiring sights in the world. Discovering the region on a superyacht charter, gliding past icebergs and cruising to islands populated with penguins, is a truly unique holiday experience. Rent a long-range expedition yacht with YPI to have the best luxury adventure possible on the South Pole. This is an example of an eight day yacht charter itinerary in Antarctica. Yacht charter itineraries are created individually for every client based around personal preferences and how you want to spend your time onboard your superyacht on the South Pole.

King George Island

The adventure begins.

Arrive via Punta Arenas and join your luxury adventure yacht in King George Island, Maxwell Bay. This island is known as Antarctica’s unofficial capital, with eight national winter stations. Also the largest island of the South Shetlands, King George Island also boasts St Trinity, the first Orthodox church in Antarctica, located at Russia’s Bellinghausen station in Maxwell Bay. Settle into your surroundings as the vessel prepares to depart, sailing through Bransfield Strait to the first stop of your luxury adventure.

Deception Island

Volcano exploration.

The active volcanic Deception Island is unmissable. A narrow channel in the volcano’s walls, known as Neptune’s Bellows, allows entry into Whalers Bay in the caldera. See the sulfurous steam rising off the beach from your crewed explorer yacht. Dig your feet into the black sand to feel the heat from the subterranean volcanic vents. Visit the ruins of a whaling station dating from 1906. Swim in the thermally heated waters of Pendulum Cove watched by thousands of chinstrap penguins on the surrounding hills.

Port Lockroy

Penguins & post.

Wake up in Port Lockroy – an impressive harbour, ringed by high cliffs. Part of British Antarctica, it is a designated historic site. Visit Base A, now a museum, and the only post office on the Antarctic Peninsula. See the Gentoo penguin rookery at Jougla Point. Spot nesting blue-eyed shags and see remnants of past whaling activities - a reconstructed composite whale skeleton on the shore. And finally, visit Palmer Station, an American modern research post in the Antarctic before returning to your explorer yacht.

Paradise Harbour

Ultimate selfie.

Have cameras ready as you cruise through Lemaire Channel, so photogenic that its nickname is “Kodak Gap”. Arrive at Paradise Harbour and pass beneath multi-coloured cliffs – the emerald green of moss, blue-green from copper deposits and the oranges and yellows of lichens. Spot blue-eyed shags nesting in those cliffs. Take your luxury adventure ashore and wander amongst the Gentoo penguins. Look out for humpback whales and seals. Photograph the majestic icebergs of Paradise Bay and the mountains reflected in the water.

Neko Harbour

Glacier encounters.

Set your first foot on the continental mainland of Antarctica at Neko Harbour. Neko was named after a Scottish whaling ship. From your adventure boat, venture up the snow covered hills. Capture dramatic video footage of great chunks of ice breaking off the glacier – known as calving – and forming icebergs. Take the kayaks to slide between the ice. Get up close to a glacier in the tender.

Hannah Point

Wildlife watching.

Hannah Point is on Livingston Island. Watch the wildlife spectacular flying, waddling, swimming or sitting all around you. 1500 pairs of Gentoos and 1000 pairs of chinstrap penguins call this home. See also a colony of giant petrel, kelp gulls and cormorants. Climb up the hill above Hannah point beach and look down at Elephant seals and Fur seals basking on a sheltered beach on the other side of the point on your South Pole expedition cruise.

Penguin Island

Penguins at play.

Tiny Penguin Island is just off King George Island. Observe Chinstrap and Adélie penguins here from your crewed explorer yacht. You will also find blue-eyed shags and southern giant petrels here. Climb Penguin Island’s highest point, the 170m Deacon Peak to the extensive crater at the summit with a meltwater lake in a former volcanic crater. Turret point is a group of prominent high rock stacks above the beach, a nesting area for Antarctic terns.

Maxwell Bay

Disembarkation.

Arrive back in Maxwell Bay, King George Island, for a final farewell to Antarctica and your explorer yacht crew before joining your transportation to Punta Arenas and beyond.

By SuperyachtNews 09 Jun 2022

Arctic in Antarctica

Y.co have announced that arctic will be available to charter in antarctica this winter….

The 87.6m expedition superyacht Arctic is heading to Antarctica this winter where it will be available to charter by Y.CO. The yacht, which was converted from a deep-sea salvage tug in 1993, has proven Antarctic experience and even previously held the record as having sailed the furthest south of any superyacht.

The iconic superyacht started life as a deep-sea salvage tug and was rebuilt in 1993 as a luxury explorer. With a range of 20,000 nautical miles along with a sturdy retained tugboat exterior (with the addition of steel plating on the bow) it is the ideal vessel to tackle polar waters, a feat which was proved as recently as 2014, where, with the current captain on board, it set the world record for the furthest voyage south, reaching a location just 677 nautical miles from the South Pole. It is this exploration capacity, along with the line-up of luxury amenities, and guest to crew ratio of 12:28, that makes Arctic a stand-out choice for any adventurous guest looking to discover Antarctica this winter.

Charlie Birkett, co-founder and CEO of Y.CO comments, “I think of all the yachting companies, we’re probably the one that has the most experience sending clients to different, ‘off-the-beaten-track’ type destinations, in addition to all the more traditional destinations, and we have a lot of experience planning the more complex logistics for these kinds of charters. With our network of destination specialists, as well as some serious “explorer” style yachts in our fleet, we really do have the ability to send our clients pretty much anywhere in the world.”

The vessel features a monkey island, which is the perfect place to get a great vantage point for spotting all sorts of marine life, while the tenders are available to bring guests ashore to sight penguins, seals and other species. Inside, the yacht features an onboard cinema which is ideal for reviewing the footage of the day’s excursions, as well as seven spacious and inviting cabins in which to relax and unwind, in preparation to start the adventure all over again the next morning.

Russell Pugh, captain of Arctic , stated, “I am really looking forward to returning to Antarctica. With Arctic’s capabilities and endurance, we feel we belong there. The memories of the light clarity, freshness of air, huge icebergs along with the wildlife without fear of humans is something that lives with you forever.” Arctic , which is currently available to charter in French Polynesia before repositioning to Antarctica at the end of the year, forms part of Y.CO’s extensive line-up of adventure yachts, alongside 77.4m Legend , a popular and renowned Antarctic explorer, Big Fish , a dive specialist boat, Driftwood , the authority on surfing and traditional Indonesian Phinisi yacht Dunia Baru,  which is currently available to charter in Indonesia (Bali and Komodo).

Profile links

Join the discussion

To post comments please Sign in or Register

When commenting please follow our house rules

Click here to become part of The Superyacht Group community, and join us in our mission to make this industry accessible to all, and prosperous for the long-term. We are offering access to the superyacht industry’s most comprehensive and longstanding archive of business-critical information, as well as a comprehensive, real-time superyacht fleet database, for just £10 per month, because we are One Industry with One Mission. Sign up here .

Related news

The first Amels 80's build journey is underway

The steel cutting of this new 80m Amels Limited Edition took place at Damen Yachting’s hull building location in Galati

Imperial Yachts respond to being sanctioned

Imperial Yachts have claimed to be the victims of numerous unfounded and inaccurate accusations

Tankoa delivers 50m M/Y Kinda

The 4th hull in Tankoa’s 50m series has touched the water for the first time

An exploration into the purpose of yachting

The Experiential Yachting Forum welcomed 350 attendees at the Yacht Club de Monaco, on April 21st 2022

An Octopus in Antarctica

Camper and Nicholsons confirm that the iconic explorer will be available for charter in Antarctica in late 2022

2 years ago

Sign up to the SuperyachtNews Bulletin

Receive unrivalled market intelligence, weekly headlines and the most relevant and insightful journalism directly to your inbox.

Sign up to the SuperyachtNews Bulletin

The superyachtnews app.

Follow us on

Media Pack Request

Please select exactly what you would like to receive from us by ticking the boxes below:

SuperyachtNews.com

Register to comment

• Antarctica Yacht Charters
• Inspiration

Antarctica Yacht Charters has 14 Photos

Related Locations

• Weddell Sea Yacht Charter

Featured Yachts in ANTARCTICA

68M CONVERSION SUPERYACHT | From EUR€ 525,000/wk

Latest antarctica yachting news.

Navigating the World of Luxury Yacht ...

• Yacht Charter Locations >

Is it particularly rare to get the chance to witness the wonders of Antarctica. It is even rarer to be able to experience an Antarctica yacht charter with the private freedom of a luxury yacht and a professional dedicated crew and guide. Essentially, what is required is that an owner of a superyacht decides to organise such a voyage to Antarctica on his/her yacht.  Then the yacht owner need to offer to charter the yacht for some of the time. This is a once in a lifetime event. The superyacht can’t just be any luxury yacht either, it needs to be large and capable of the long delivery trip and also extended time offshore, without resupply, so not just any superyacht, it needs to  be a specialist expedition (explorer) type motor yacht. These are also a rare commodity, although more are being built.

From time to time a superyacht does visit Antarctica and offer luxury yacht charters around the frozen continent. There are several yachts capable of it, an many of them are listed below. At the time of writing motor yacht BIG FISH is organising a charter in Antarctica . Activities in Antarctica include but are not limited to viewing (not interacting with) the wildlife (penguins, seals, whales, birds, etc.), climbing, camping, fishing and diving. Of course, the best time to go is between November and March, when temperatures range from 20 to 35 degrees Fahrenheit, when sunlight can last 20 or more hours a day.

About Chartering in Antarctica:

As a result of its location, climate and terrain, Antarctica remains elusive and quite mysterious locations to visit on a yacht. With a tiny percentage of the world's population every going to visit it really is a once in a lifetime adventure. Antarctica might very well be the most life changing and interesting charter choice out there - and a private yacht charter is definitely the best way to do it.

With a professional guide onboard a luxury explorer motor yacht charter you will have the chance learn about the wildlife, historical sites, active research bases and the heroic explorers that first voyaged to the South Pole. Today Antarctica is a place today of vital exploration and research, with projects ranging from ecology to life in space.

Most cruises set off from South America – Argentina or the yacht may have left from New Zealand or Australia and can be meet down there.  Tourism is closely monitored by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) – an organization devoted to promoting and practicing safe and environmentally responsible travel on the continent.

Contact CharterWorld to find out the latest movements of these yachts and whether they become available for an Antarctica superyacht Charter.

Antarctica is a fragile and fascinating landscape and eco system. If you are looking for an out of the ordinary travel experience, a luxury yacht charter in Antarctica is the chance of a lifetime.  Antarctica is unlike any other charter destination; this majestic place is beautiful and an awe-inspiring, pristine environment. The last frontier on earth, Antarctica is 1.3 times as large as Europe, and twice the size of Australia, yet only a lucky few people will ever get to experience the continent’s true beauty.

A layer of ice up to two miles thick covers the continent – an area as big as the United States and Mexico combined. Antarctic ice contains 70% of the world’s fresh water (90% of the world’s ice). If it were divided up, every person on Earth could have a chunk of ice larger than the Great Pyramid. Although 98% of Antarctica is ice, there is land underneath the ice cover, unlike the Arctic where the ice floats on top of the ocean.

There are limited humans inhabiting the white wonderland of Antarctica and yet the white continent is home to prolific  wildlife such as penguins, seals, whales and other sea creatures who have found remarkable ways to survive in the coldest, driest, windiest place on earth. With a luxury expedition motor yacht charter you will be able to enjoy a once a lifetime opportunity experiencing the indescribable scenery and in style and luxury.

Antarctica also has more than 70 sub glacial lakes under the ice. Ice bergs and ice flows are a large part of the incredible scenery that makes up this frozen white desert. Icebergs are carved and polished into strange shapes and sizes and chunks of ice with eerie blue patterns floating by are formed by the forces of nature.

For six months every year, the sun shines 24 hours a day at the South Pole, this is when motor yacht BIG FISH plans to charter in the area. The sky glows with the southern lights, or aurora australis. There is phenomenon such as ‘diamond dust’, which are clouds made of tiny ice crystals, and ‘sun dogs’, which are bright spots beside the actual sun. This harsh continent is magical and unforgettable.

While on your charter you may get to experience the roar of moving glaciers echoing between icy cliffs and see massive rock and ice formations reflected in the still waters or perhaps even see the world’s southernmost active volcano, Mount Erebus, fuming on Ross Island.

 A list of luxury explorer yachts capable of chartering in Antarctica:

• Browse ANTARCTICA Charter Yachts
• Luxury Motor Yachts for Charter in The Antarctic
• ANTARCTICA Luxury Yacht News

ANTARCTICA Yacht Charter Enquiry

Dear Amanda, We're currently making the crossing from South Georgia to Ushuaia and will be closing out our charter at the end of the week. It's been exceptionally successful all around. The weather has been remarkably steady and friendly and we haven't had any really bumby rides. A day or so each way to/frum South Georgia but with 2-3 meter seas at worst. Best of all this has been the perfect boat and crew. Well found and well equipped, and each and every member of the crew and expedition leaders have gone out of their way to make it the most enjoyable and adventuresome experience. High praise indeed to Captain Martin! Thanks for your own great help all around. I'v had many charters with agents over the years - none better than this one reflecting your advice and support! Charter on Hanse Explorer in Antartica

Yachting Destinations In and Around The Antarctic

In close proximity to The Antarctic are a number of exciting sailing destination.

THE INDIAN OCEAN

THE MEDITERRANEAN

Yachts for Charter in The Antarctic

Octopus | from eur€ 2,200,000/wk.

168M CRUISE EXPLORER YACHT | From EUR€ 1,750,000/wk

GOLDEN HORIZON | From EUR€ 910,000/wk

LEGEND | From EUR€ 490,000/wk

WAYFINDER | From EUR€ 375,000/wk

SuRi | From US$ 350,000/wk

ENIGMA XK | From EUR€ 290,000/wk

GALILEO G | From EUR€ 260,000/wk

HANSE EXPLORER | From US$ 235,000/wk

MARCATO | From US$ 145,000/wk

GREY WOLF | From EUR€ 52,000/wk

REV OCEAN | Enquire for Pricing

Antarctica superyacht news

Charter yachts offering citizen science ...

29m explorer yacht PAPILLON from Bering ...

77m explorer yacht LA DATCHA ready for ...

Charterworld superyacht charter news.

The International SeaKeepers Society ...

Royal Huisman delivers Project ...

Looking ahead to the 2024 MYBA Charter ...

The International SeaKeepers Society, ...

Charter yacht disclaimer.

This document is not contractual. The yacht charters and their particulars displayed in the results above are displayed in good faith and whilst believed to be correct are not guaranteed. CharterWorld Limited does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information and/or images displayed. All information is subject to change without notice and is without warrantee. A professional CharterWorld yacht charter consultant will discuss each charter during your charter selection process. Starting prices are shown in a range of currencies for a one-week charter, unless otherwise marked. Exact pricing and other details will be confirmed on the particular charter contract. Just follow the "reserve this yacht charter" link for your chosen yacht charter or contact us and someone from the CharterWorld team will be in touch shortly.

Antarctica by superyacht & submersible

Unique access for charterers & owners.

We’ve organised arguably the most ambitious Antarctic yacht charters of recent times. Alongside the world’s first private submersible dive, our trips have made use of multiple helis, yachts, support vessels and up to 30 experts to facilitate our clients’ interests.

That’s meant bringing along a team of scientists to discover a new subspecies of killer whale, children’s guides to bring the history to life and mountaineers to facilitate fresh ski runs.

No-one is better placed to support your passions, wherever they lie.

A team of scientist’s ground-breaking research into a new type of killer whale has been made possible by Cookson Adventures … funding killer whale research as part of a trip to the Antarctic Peninsula.

Epic helicopter flights

The only way to really experience Antarctica’s magnitude is from the air, passing over cathedral-like glaciers, extinct volcanic calderas and floating icebergs – playgrounds for pods of whales. There are also giant colonies of penguins to admire. We have extensive experience in multi-heli operations in the Antarctic.

Submersible

We pioneered private submersibles in the Antarctic. You’ll be able to go deeper than Scuba diving and in absolute comfort, perhaps being joined by a glaciologist to monitor ice retreats or a marine biologist as you look out for penguins and seals. And, in the deep, who knows what you might discover. We can also organise more traditional diving to wonder at the incredible ice formations.

Wildlife experiences

From watching whales breach gracefully from the bow of your yacht to going on land to admire the cacophony of penguin colonies, discover the unique wildlife that calls this remote frontier home.

Channel your inner polar explorer, hiking untouched routes and trying your hand at ice climbing. This can be as adventurous or as gentle as you want. For the truly hardy, we can even organise for you to spend a night in an expedition camp on land.

Historic & scientific access

With our contacts, collaborate with scientists to join leading researchers in gathering data on wildlife or climate change. And, as you go, tread among shipwrecks, abandoned whaling stations and historic scientific outposts to understand the region’s intriguing human history.

Skiing on the last continent

Using your yacht to find the most pristine slopes, hike or skin up to make potentially first descents, exploring the peninsula’s uniquely wild topography on summit-to-sea routes. Skiing Antarctica is a privilege only a few have experienced and we’ve organised some truly epic heli-skiing operations.

On the water

Kayak, SUP or take the Zodiacs to admire giant icebergs and mighty ice floes alike, keeping your eyes out for everything from giant whales to diminutive penguins as you travel. The chance to explore in near-silence is an incredible experience.

Diving and polar plunge

When Scuba diving, the opportunity to admire the ethereal glows of the ice structures is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as you keep an eye out for wildlife. You might also want to brave the freezing Antarctic temperatures with a polar plunge, before warming back up in your ship’s hot tub or sauna.

Having brought maiden superyacht charters and owner vessels alike across the Antarctic Peninsula, we know that travelling by yacht offers the ultimate appreciation of this last frontier.

With our expertise, you’ll have the flexibility to adapt to the weather, wildlife and other marine traffic to explore in complete isolation, going where cruise ships can’t. That’s whether you want to watch humpbacks from your yacht’s Jacuzzi or tackle new routes with a world-champion skier.

As one of the original twin helicopter operators, we’ve also brought in support vessels and additional yachts so that, with two helis, our clients can fly further than line of sight, with their primary vessel. This means unique inland vantage points over iceberg formations and access to mountains for ski activities.  

Our world-first private submersible trip in 2012

  For those really in search of the unique, we can bring you down in submersibles to explore the icy depths. Far beyond the reach of traditional diving, it’s the chance to discover the weird and wonderful Antarctic marine life.

However, whatever you choose, you can be sure that your adventure will be designed around you. For some, that might mean kayaking with scientists studying whale migrations, while for others, that might be historian-led stories for the whole family, detailing the pioneering history of Antarctic explorers past. Throughout, we’ve got the contacts to make it happen.

There’s also plenty of fun either side of your flight in. That could mean heading on to South Georgia to discover its million-strong penguin populations or enjoying pre-trip adventures in Patagonia. We even pioneered Puerto Natales as a flight departure point, with its stunning Andean setting ripe for gaucho-style exploration while waiting for the weather window to fly.

A past Cookson trip with twin superyachts

Experiencing Antarctic wildlife

Submersible diving from the superyacht

Antarctica's first private submersible back in 2012, as organised by Cookson Adventures

Whale watching from the yacht

A past Cookson camping setup, with yacht in the background

Antarctic heli ops

Kayaking off your yacht

Heli ops projecting above the continent

Twin superyacht operations with Cookson

A past support vessel to bring along additional experts and scientists

A memorable moment on a past trip

All remote landings made in accordance with contemporary IAATO guidelines

Admiring world-defining wildlife

A scientific team discovering a new subspecies of orca on a previous Cookson trip

Kayakers exploring

Watching seals from the deck of your superyacht

Twin yacht operations with Cookson Adventures

Learn to ice climb in epic locations

Unique photography opportunities

Heli operations

Taking the tender ashore

Taking off to explore

An ice-class superyacht tackles the ice floe on a previous trips

Bringing toys and tenders as platforms for adventure

Lowering the sub in

Discovering cold-water creatures in the deep

Whale watching from the tenders

Dual superyachts

Share this article

Learn more about our Antarctic trips

Cocos Island by yacht & submersible

A conservation adventure in Chad

Costa Rica by land, air & sea

Subscribe to our newsletter

We're always on the edge of the planet's next discovery.

Stay curious and be the first to hear about our findings from across the globe.

First name *

Last name *

Please leave this field empty.

Superyacht sinks latest: Search resumes for Mike Lynch's daughter - as investigators 'gather evidence for possible criminal probe'

Five bodies have been found and now identified in the search for those missing after a yacht sank off the Sicily coast, including that of tech tycoon Mike Lynch. Local investigators are gathering evidence for a potential criminal investigation into the sinking of the yacht.

Friday 23 August 2024 08:14, UK

• Superyacht sinking

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

• Five bodies found in search of superyacht wreckage, taking number of confirmed deaths to six
• Search resumes for British tech tycoon's daughter
• Investigators gather evidence for potential criminal probe
• 'Unlikely' that Hannah Lynch was thrown from Bayesian
• Ashna Hurynag in Sicily: Investigators gather evidence for potential criminal probe
• Family of Jonathan and Judy Bloomer describe 'unimaginable grief'
• Superyacht maker says boat was 'unsinkable'
• Watch: CCTV captures yacht seconds before it sinks
• Explained: Inside the superyacht
• Live reporting by Brad Young

The Italian coastguard hopes there will be progress today in the search for Hannah Lynch.

Asked if any developments were expected, spokesman Vincenzo Zagarola replied: "We trust."

Ms Lynch is the last tourist unaccounted for after six bodies were recovered since the sinking of the Bayesian on Monday

A captain and maritime chartered surveyor has identified four potential issues that may have contributed to the yacht disaster 

Captain Ed Geary said retractable keels - a stabilising fin at the base of a boat - have "historic problems of failure".

"Whether the keel was up or down would have a serious impact on the stability of the vessel."

Second, he took aim at the UK's Maritime and Coastguard Agency rules.

"The MCA delegates the inspection and certification and survey of these commercial vessels - up to 12 passengers - to profit-motivated, surveying societies, certification societies.

"Unfortunately, the quality is not as high as it should be," he claimed, adding some of their personnel were "untrained, unqualified and inexperienced".

Captain Geary also took issue with comments made by Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group,

"The builder of boat initially blurted out that the boat was unsinkable, which is kind of hard to fathom considering the  boat is sitting at 50m below the surface of water off the Italian coast."

But the captain agreed with Mr Costantino that the crew should have been alert, adding passengers should not have been allowed below deck to their cabins with an impending storm coming.

Sky News has contacted the MCA for comment.

Investigators from the local public prosecutor's office are gathering evidence for a potential criminal investigation into the sinking of the yacht, says news correspondent Ashna Hurynag.

British investigators have said its too early to comment on their probe.

A "blame game" has already started, with the chief executive of the company that owns the firm that built the vessel "laying some of the blame at the feet of the crew and the captain on board", she adds.

In an exclusive interview with Sky News, Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, talked about human error and accused the crew of not being in a state of alert.

Meanwhile, the search continues for Hannah Lynch.

"Divers are starting to get ready, and those search and rescue teams have been on site for the past half an hour or so," says Hurynag.

"Tributes have been pouring in for the six people who are confirmed to have died in this tragic incident."

The search continues for 18-year-old Hannah Lynch, the final person missing from the wreck of the Bayesian.

The body of her father, technology tycoon Mike Lynch, was recovered yesterday, while his wife Angela Bacares survived.

Divers paused their efforts at 8pm off the coast of Sicily last night and were expected to resume at 6.30am (5.30am UK time) this morning.

A decision on whether to raise the sunken yacht from the seabed is "not on the agenda", but will be in the future, said a spokesman from the Italian Coastguard, Vincenzo Zagarola.

The wreckage of the Bayesian is resting on the seabed at a depth of 164ft.

It had been moored around half a mile off the coast of Porticello when it sank at about 5am local time on Monday.

Mr Zagarola said the Italian coastguard's working theory is still that the missing woman is inside the boat.

Welcome back to our live coverage of the yacht disaster, as the search continues for the last missing tourist.

Hannah Lynch, 18, the daughter of British tycoon Mike Lynch, is still unaccounted for, while her father has been confirmed dead.

He was among five bodies recovered and identified yesterday.

Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judith Bloomer, as well as lawyer Christopher Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo were also named as among the deceased.

Meanwhile, tributes have flooded in for the deceased, including from the families of the Bloomers and the Morvillos.

A senior oceanography lecturer told Sky News it's "unlikely" Ms Lynch was thrown from the Bayesian and more probable that she will be found somewhere inside the vessel.

An Italian fire service spokesman said emergency workers "would need a crystal ball" to know if and when another body will be discovered.

Meanwhile, an investigation is under way into the circumstances behind the sinking.

The chief executive of a firm which makes and sells yachts like the Bayesian said the sinking may have been due to a series of human mistakes and questioned why its crew were not in a "state of alert" when the storm hit.

We're pausing our coverage for tonight but here is a recap of what we know:

• The five bodies discovered in the wreckage of the sunken Bayesian have been identified;
• British tycoon Mike Lynch, Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judith Bloomer, lawyer Christopher Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo were all named;
• Mr Lynch's 18-year-old daughter Hannah Lynch remains unaccounted for;
• A senior oceanography lecturer has told Sky News it's "unlikely" she was thrown from the Bayesian and more probable that she will be found somewhere inside the vessel;
• Tributes have flooded in for the deceased, including from the families of the Bloomers and the Morvillos;
• The chief executive of a firm which makes and sells yachts like the Bayesian believes the sinking may have been due to a series of human mistakes and questioned why its crew were not in a "state of alert" when a storm hit;
• An Italian fire service spokesman says emergency workers "would need a crystal ball" to know if and when another body will be discovered;
• Mr Lynch had reportedly considered selling the Bayesian earlier this year but changed his mind when acquitted in a major fraud trial in the US.

As tributes are made to those who lost their lives aboard the Bayesian, investigations are getting under way into what caused the disaster.

A criminal investigation was opened in Italy after the tragedy, despite the fact no suspects have been identified publicly.

The UK's Marine Accident Investigation Branch is also investigating, though it is purely fact-finding.

Watch Sky News correspondent Laura Bundock explain the situation here...

Mike Lynch was one of the "most inspirational citizens" of Suffolk, says the Countess of Euston.

Clare, Countess of Euston, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk, says Mr Lynch was "quite simply a genius" who was "exemplary" in his position as a deputy lieutenant of Suffolk.

She said: "I join with so many others in mourning the shocking loss of Mike Lynch and all those who tragically lost their lives in Sicily this week. Mike was one of Suffolk's most inspirational citizens.

"He was quite simply a genius, a global leader in his field but so much more than that.

"A kind and compassionate man who was always ready to help, hugely generous, the best of friends, but it will be his warm and wonderful smile that will be impossible for me to forget.

"Mike was an exemplary Deputy Lieutenant of Suffolk serving both our late Queen Elizabeth II and our present King Charles III.

"Our heartfelt sympathy and condolences are with Angela and his whole family at this terrible time."

The search for the final person unaccounted for from the Bayesian's sinking entered its fourth day today.

Divers were quickly able to retrieve one body from the shipwreck that they had already discovered yesterday, but searches remain ongoing for the final passenger, believed to be 18-year-old Hannah Lynch.

Below, we have a look at some images from the operation today as it unfolded:

Clifford Chance has paid tribute to its partner, Chris Morvillo, after he was confirmed to have died when the Bayesian yacht capsized and sank.

Mr Morvillo spent almost a decade helping to lead the defence of Mike Lynch after the British tech tycoon was accused of falsely inflating revenues of his software company ahead of its multi-billion sale to Hewlett-Packard in 2011.

The 59-year-old was on the yacht with his wife, Neda, who is also among those to have died.

A spokesperson from Clifford Chance said: "We are heartbroken at the tragic passing of our partner, Christopher Morvillo and his wife, Neda. 

"We are deeply saddened and still coming to terms with this terrible loss. Our utmost priority is to continue to support Chris's family at this very distressing time. Our thoughts extend to the families and loved ones of all those affected.

"We wish to express our deepest condolences and our love and support to Chris’s family and friends at this incredibly difficult time. We also want to thank the Italian authorities and rescue teams for everything they have done.

"We have no further comment at this time. We, and the families, ask that their request for privacy is honoured during this period."

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

• Entertainment
• Submit Your Story

Sailor Tony Bullimore became famous for surviving four days in capsized yacht

Experts have speculated that air pockets could have formed as the Bayesian superyacht sank during a storm, enabling the missing six people to survive.

With hopes that six people missing after a luxury yacht sank are sheltering in air pockets, the most famous survivor of such an incident is solo round-the-world yachtsman Tony Bullimore.

Experts have speculated that air pockets could have formed as the Bayesian superyacht sank during a storm off the coast of Sicily.

Among those missing are technology tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah.

Dr Jean-Baptiste Souppez, a senior lecturer in mechanical, biomedical and design engineering at Aston University, said the speed at which the yacht sank while remaining intact could favour the formation of air pockets.

“This is obviously highly speculative and impossible to predict accurately,” he said.

“But whether air pockets formed on the Bayesian is simply impossible to predict.”

Bullimore’s amazing four-day fight for life inside the upturned hull of his capsized yacht captivated the nation in 1997.

The Bristol-based mariner survived by sheltering in an air pocket in his wrecked vessel while storms battered the craft in the icy Southern Ocean.

The yacht’s makers thought enough air could be trapped in pockets inside the hull for someone to survive for about 140 hours.

The only nourishment Bullimore had during his ordeal was a bar of chocolate and some fresh water.

He only dared to swim out from underneath the vessel after crewmen from the Australian Navy frigate HMAS Adelaide on an inflatable Zodiac rescue craft banged on the hull.

The hardy sailor suffered mild hypothermia, a fractured tooth, abrasions to his hands, frostbite on his forehead and fingertips, and moderate dehydration.

Both the prime minister of the day, John Major, and the Queen praised his extraordinary feat of survival.

His yacht, the Global Exide Challenger, was one of two vessels to capsize in wild seas about 900 miles from Antarctica and 1,400 miles from the Australian coast during the Vendee Globe race.

Speaking a year after his rescue, Bullimore said: “Looking back on this time last year there’s no one thing that stands out.

“But one of the greatest thrills is just being at home now and especially having my wife, Lalel, close.

“She has had to put up with a great deal of trauma and she was scared that I had gone, but we are thrilled to be together again.

“Sitting in the hull of my boat things were looking pretty grim. I’ve been granted a second chance, which I’ve grabbed with both hands.”

The former Royal Marine died in 2018 aged 79.

Take a look at this popular village pub's transformation as menus and appearances change Plus Business | 2 hours ago

New landlords appointed and re-opening date set for Shrewsbury community pub Plus Business | 2 hours ago

Family music festival at Weston Park which attracts thousands scrapped for next year Music | 15 hours ago

Telford couple return home after travelling the world in a campervan - here's where they went Plus Ironbridge | Aug 22

Drugged-up driver caught three times in 11 days is handed road ban Plus Crime | 2 hours ago

672 Wine Club

• Motorcycles
• Car of the Month
• Destinations
• Men’s Fashion
• Watch Collector
• Art & Collectibles
• Vacation Homes
• Celebrity Homes
• New Construction
• Home Design
• Electronics
• Fine Dining
• Benchmark Wines
• Brian Fox Art
• Chase United
• Disneyland Resort
• Gateway Bronco
• Royal Salute
• Sports & Leisure
• Health & Wellness
• Best of the Best
• The Ultimate Gift Guide
• Rescuers Find 5 Bodies Aboard the Sunken ‘Bayesian’ Superyacht 

The yacht's owner, Mike Lynch, and his daughter Hannah, have been identified.

Michael verdon, michael verdon's most recent stories.

• Jeff Bezos May Be the Owner of a New $80 Million Gulfstream Jet
• President Biden Finally Took the First Flight in the Long-Delayed ‘Marine One’ Helicopter
• Share This Article

Related Stories

• Why Mercedes-Benz Is Cutting Production of Its Flagship S-Class
• Infiniti Is Going SUV-Only After Discontinuing Its Last Sedan
• Starbucks’s New CEO Is Under Fire for His Private-Jet Commute From SoCal to Seattle

The celebratory trip aboard Bayesian took place shortly after Lynch was acquitted of fraud charges in the U.S. in a long-running legal battle against accusations that he had defrauded Hewlett-Packard after he sold Hewlett his company, Autonomy, for $11 billion.

Boat International has quoted a crew member as saying that the boat was struck by a freak weather event, which caused it to heel 20 degrees on its right side. It continued to heel until it began to take on water and sank in just 12 minutes. “We just didn’t see it coming,” Capt. James Calfield told Italian media.

An anonymous superyacht captain speculated to Boat International that water entering through the top via open doors and windows could have caused the sinking, given that no breaches have been reported in the hull. Some witnesses have said that the mast snapped before the boat sank, but divers report the vessel is intact on the sea bottom.

David Hutchinson, captain of Bayesian ’s sistership Rosehearty , both built by Perini Navi , told BI that it was “very difficult to understand what could have overwhelmed a vessel of that size, calling the sailing superyacht series “bulletproof.”

Prosecutors in the Italian city of Termini Imerse are opening a formal investigation into the yacht’s sinking, according to The New York Times .

Dario Boote, a ship structures and naval architecture professor at the University of Genoa, told paper that he expects a series of lawsuits to determine responsibility. “Clearly, only once the wreck is raised will we know more,” he said.

Read More On:

• Perini Navi
• Sailing Superyacht
• Superyacht Disaster

More Marine

This Revamped 161-Foot Trinity Superyacht Could Be Yours for $16 Million

Tech Mogul Mike Lynch and 5 Others Are Missing After a Yacht Sinks in Italy

A Fleet of Candela’s Electric Foiling Yachts Is Rolling Out to the Red Sea in 2025

This New 116-Foot Pocket Explorer Will Make Larger Expedition Yachts Jealous

Meet the Wine Club That Thinks Differently.

Receive editor-curated reds from boutique California producers four times a year.

Give the Gift of Luxury

Latest Galleries in Marine

‘La Dea II’ Superyacht in Photos

12 Must-See Yacht Debuts at This Year’s Cannes Fest

More from our brands, alibaba upgrades to dual primary listing in hong kong, ex-deion sanders assistant claims he lobbied saudi pif for buffs’ nil, ‘a pale view of hills,’ debut novel by kazuo ishiguro, now filming for japan’s bunbuku and u.k.’s number 9, saved from collapse, william blake’s former cottage to be restored with plans for a museum, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors.

The global authority in superyachting

• NEWSLETTERS
• Yachts Home
• The Superyacht Directory
• Yacht Reports
• Brokerage News
• The largest yachts in the world
• The Register
• Yacht Advice
• Yacht Design
• 12m to 24m yachts
• Monaco Yacht Show
• Builder Directory
• Designer Directory
• Interior Design Directory
• Naval Architect Directory
• Yachts for sale home
• Motor yachts
• Sailing yachts
• Explorer yachts
• Classic yachts
• Sale Broker Directory
• Charter Home
• Yachts for Charter
• Charter Destinations
• Charter Broker Directory
• Destinations Home
• Mediterranean
• South Pacific
• Rest of the World
• Boat Life Home
• Owners' Experiences
• Conservation and Philanthropy
• Interiors Suppliers
• Owners' Club
• Captains' Club
• BOAT Showcase
• Boat Presents
• Events Home
• World Superyacht Awards
• Superyacht Design Festival
• Design and Innovation Awards
• Young Designer of the Year Award
• Artistry and Craft Awards
• Explorer Yachts Summit
• Ocean Talks
• The Ocean Awards
• BOAT Connect
• Between the bays
• Golf Invitational
• BOATPro Home
• Superyacht Insight
• Global Order Book
• Premium Content
• Product Features
• Testimonials
• Pricing Plan
• Tenders & Equipment

In pictures: 126m Octopus explores Antarctica

Camper & Nicholsons has shared the first images of 126.2 metre Octopus exploring the icy waters of the White Continent as part of a cross-planet charter expedition. According to BOATPro , the superyacht arrived in Antarctica in late December and has since visited as far as James Ross island in the southeast and Anvers island in the west. 

The yacht, which is widely considered the first ‘true’ explorer, was famously commissioned for Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and comes packed with adventure-enhancing amenities including helipads, pools and a fully-equipped dive centre.

The superyacht was sold in August 2021 and joined the charter fleet later that same month. Since then she has cruised the coasts of Mexico, passed through the Panama Canal and explored the cities of Brazil.  

Antarctica marks the final leg of her ambitious charter tour. She is currently crossing the Drake Passage on her route back to Ushuaia, Argentina. 

Octopus is equipped with an ice-class 1A steel hull and is fitted with two-hybrid ABB Industry AG E-Motors that can help her limit her environmental footprint in the delicate cruising grounds of Antarctica. She has a flotilla of tenders for getting up close to the region's soaring glaciers and penguin population. 

Additionally, she carries an ROV. Antarctica is home to a number of shipwrecks, and Octopus is no stranger to uncovering important underwater artefacts .

Octopus was delivered in 2003 by Lürssen to an exterior design by Espen Øino , with US designer Jonathan Quinn Barnett creating her interiors.

"She's the perfect yacht to undertake such a voyage," said Jacqui Lockhart, head of charter marketing for Camper & Nicholsons. 

"She's well-equipped to host intrepid charterers off the beaten track with a fully equipped medical suite and dive centre on board - complete with hyperbaric chamber - as well as a submarine and two helipads. Octopus was truly built for explorer expeditions."

Beneath her tough exterior, Octopus offers a range of features designed for rest and recreation across her eight decks, including a spa, cinema, library and observation lounge. Accommodation is offered for a total of 12 guests, including a private owner’s deck complete with its own elevator.

She can reach a top speed of 19 knots and is equipped with an impressive range of 12,500 nautical miles when cruising at 12 knots.

Sign up to BOAT Briefing email

Latest news, brokerage headlines and yacht exclusives, every weekday

By signing up for BOAT newsletters, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy .

More about this yacht

Similar yachts for sale, yachts for charter, more stories, most popular, from our partners, sponsored listings.

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

• The Big Story
• Newsletters
• Steven Levy's Plaintext Column
• WIRED Classics from the Archive
• WIRED Insider
• WIRED Consulting

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

Bayesian Yacht Sinking: Climate Change Created Perfect Storm for Waterspouts

The waterspout blamed for the deadly sinking of a luxury superyacht carrying the British tech billionaire Mike Lynch in Italy has been called a freak “black swan” event. But scientists believe this kind of marine tornado is becoming more common with global warming.

While the cause of the sinking of the Bayesian hasn’t officially been determined, weather conditions and witness reports from Sicily, where the yacht was anchored off the coast, have led experts to suspect a waterspout, a whirling column of air and water mist. The key factor for waterspout formation is warm water—and the past year has seen the ocean surface heat up to record-breaking temperatures , in part due to climate change.

“If this rate of warming is going to be continuing in the future, it’s very possible these phenomena will be common and not rare,” says Michalis Sioutas, a meteorology PhD who studies waterspouts in Greece and is a board member of the Hellenic Meteorological Society. “It’s very possible to talk about waterspouts or even tornadoes and extreme storms becoming common.”

The 180-foot Bayesian sank in a matter of minutes after being caught in a sudden storm with strong winds and intense lightning at around 4 am on Monday. Fifteen people who had been aboard were rescued, and one person was found dead. Six people are missing, including British tech billionaire Mike Lynch, who was recently cleared of fraud charges over the sale of his company to Hewlett-Packard. On Wednesday, the bodies of five people were recovered from the sunken ship but have yet to be identified.

Fishermen saw a waterspout near the yacht shortly before it sank, and a nearby schooner was tossed about by what its captain, Karsten Borner, called a “hurricane gust,” which he believes capsized the Bayesian . Experts have said the conditions were ripe for a waterspout.

This extreme weather phenomenon occurs when warm, moist air rises rapidly over water, spinning as winds change direction at different heights. The result is a long, bending funnel of spray between the water and the clouds, tapering off as it rises as much as 10,000 feet into the heavens.

It comes in two flavors. The more vanilla kind is a fair weather waterspout , which forms in relatively calm and even sunny conditions, often under a billowy cumulus cloud. It happens more often in places like the Great Lakes and the Florida Keys, reaches wind speeds of 50 miles per hour, and usually breaks up before it can cause significant damage.

Then there are severe waterspouts, essentially tornadoes over water, which “are another beast” entirely, according to Wade Szilagyi, a retired forecaster at the Meteorological Service of Canada who now directs the International Center for Waterspout Research. These tornadic waterspouts can move from land to water, or vice versa, and twist at 125 miles per hour or more. They’ve been known to throw debris, rip apart buildings, and overturn boats.

A waterspout documented by Sioutas in Methoni, Greece, in 2004 picked up a boat and sent it sailing through the air, striking and killing a 10-year-old boy. Last year, a sudden storm and waterspout with winds of over 40 miles per hour overturned a tourist boat carrying off-duty intelligence agents on Italy’s Lake Maggiore, killing four. Sioutas says waterspouts can even generate “massive water displacements similar to tsunamis,” citing the gigantic waves that struck the coast of the Greek island of Samos during a 2004 cyclone, tossing boulders like toys.

Tornadic waterspouts spring up only in stormy weather with strong winds, lightning, and sometimes hail, and are the product of two main ingredients: wind shear and rising, unstable air. The process begins when masses of cold and warm air collide. This brings together winds from different directions that start to spin around each other, creating vortices. If a thunderstorm also converges in the area, it can provide the instability, sucking warm air up into itself at dizzying speeds. Over water, it starts carrying moisture up as well. Szilagyi compares the waterspout’s development to a twirling figure skater.

“You can think of the skater, if she just spins around normally, that’s like the little vortex that’s already started,” he says. “But if she brings her arms in, then that’s like the column of that unstable warm air, pulling, stretching that vortex upward. She starts to spin faster.”

Waterspouts have been known and feared since ancient times. In the 1550s in Malta, a waterspout plowed through the harbor of Valletta, reportedly destroying an armada of warships and killing hundreds of people. It’s even thought that old stories of fish or frogs raining down on land may be the product of waterspouts sweeping the creatures up into the clouds.

Now global warming may be supercharging the phenomenon. The International Panel on Climate Change has not found a definite link—there hasn’t been much research into how climate change may be affecting waterspouts—but experts say that the conditions for waterspouts to form are happening more often. A 2022 study of 234 waterspouts in the Spanish Mediterranean over the past three decades found that they were more likely to break out when the sea surface was warmer, especially above 23 degrees Celsius (73 degrees Fahrenheit). And water temperatures are now at unprecedented levels.

Last year was the warmest on record for the ocean. The heat content of the upper 6,500 feet of the seas was the highest ever seen. The seas broke temperature records every single day between May 2023 and May 2024. Marine heat waves struck areas from Antarctica to the Mediterranean.

“Warmer oceans have more energy and more humidity to transfer to the atmosphere, the most important fuels for storms,” says Luca Mercalli, president of the Italian Meteorological Society. “The contrast of warm sea and colder air that flows over energizes vertical winds that could result in downbursts or waterspouts.” (A downburst is a powerful cascade of wind and rain from a thundercloud.)

That perfect storm of waterspout conditions hit Italy around the time the Bayesian sank. In recent days, a mass of high-level cold air has swept down from the Alps and over the country’s western coast, meeting the exceptionally warm air just above the sea surface. Four days before the Bayesian went down, sea surface temperatures were the hottest ever recorded across the Mediterranean Sea, with a daily median of 28.71 degrees Celsius. The ocean near where the Bayesian was anchored has reached almost 30 degrees Celsius this week, four degrees higher than the 20-year summer average, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.

Cold and warm air clashed. Winds started spinning, and overheated water provided the ingredient of instability needed for a waterspout outbreak. As a result, a total of 28 waterspouts were documented off the western coast of Italy from August 17 to August 20, according to the International Center for Waterspout Research.

The total number of waterspouts reported has been increasing in recent years, although a major factor has been that more people are able to capture them with phone cameras and post them on social media, Szilagyi says. But he says that warming waters and a longer waterspout season due to climate change are also contributing. In particular, he believes the number of severe waterspouts are on the rise.

“With the increased water temperatures, that’s probably resulting in more frequent tornadic waterspouts,” Szilagyi says. “There’s no scientific evidence yet that they’re getting even stronger. It’s just that they’re becoming more frequent.”

Warming sea waters are also expected to boost other extreme weather events like Mediterranean hurricanes, or “medicanes,” one of which contributed to the flash flood that killed thousands of people in Libya last year .

In this brave new world, countries need to improve early-warning systems and invest more in research to forecast and observe trends in waterspouts, scientists say. “We have to prepared for more dangerous waterspouts possibly in the future,” Sioutas says. “Significantly warmer waters contribute very significantly to the creation of waterspouts, especially the violent ones.”

Updated 8-22-2024 1:15 pm BST: A previous version of the story stated that the ship’s mast had snapped; this detail has been removed as damage to the mast has not been confirmed.

You Might Also Like …

In your inbox: Our biggest stories , handpicked for you each day

How one bad CrowdStrike update crashed the world’s computers

The Big Story: How soon might the Atlantic Ocean break ?

Welcome to the internet's hyper-consumption era

The 5 tragic minutes that sank a superyacht

PORTICELLO, Italy — Survivors of a storm that sank a superyacht off Sicily recounted their ordeal to one of the doctors who rushed to their aid, with some saying it took mere minutes for the 180-foot ship to go down. 

Dr. Fabio Genco, head of the Palermo Emergency Medical Services, told NBC News on the phone Thursday that he arrived in the seaside village of Porticello before dawn Monday, about an hour after the $40 million Bayesian sank in the violent and sudden storm.   

Of the 22 people onboard, 15 survived despite storm conditions and darkness, climbing onto a lifeboat before being rescued by a nearby sailboat. The crew members have made no public statements so far, though some have been interviewed by investigators.

“They told me that it was all dark, that the yacht hoisted itself up and then went down,” Genco said, recounting what the survivors told him. “All the objects were falling on them. That’s why I immediately made sure, by asking them questions, if they had any internal injuries,” he said. 

It appears they had just minutes to abandon the sinking ship, Genco said. 

“They told me that suddenly they found themselves catapulted into the water without even understanding how they had got there,” he said, “And that the whole thing seems to have lasted from 3 to 5 minutes.”

Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, which owns Perini Navi that built the Bayesian, told Sky News that there were no flaws with the design or construction of the yacht. He said their structure and keel made boats like that “unsinkable bodies.”

In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, he disavowed responsibility, blaming instead the actions of the crew. “Mistakes were made,” he said. 

Genco said one of his colleagues who arrived at the scene before him initially thought that only three people survived, but the coast guard reported there were other survivors and more emergency services were called in. 

When Genco arrived, he found scenes of panic and despair. 

“Unfortunately, we are used to such panic scenes because we are used to the shipwrecks that happen on Lampedusa ,” Genco said, referring to the island southwest of Sicily, where the wreckage of boats carrying migrants on the sea journey from North Africa to Italy are often found . 

Six of the passengers were declared missing Monday, and by Thursday, the bodies of five had been recovered from the wreck , some 160 feet underwater.

Among those who survived is Angela Bacares, wife of the British tech mogul Mike Lynch , whose body was recovered Thursday. 

Another survivor has been identified as Charlotte Emsley, 35. She told the Italian news agency ANSA that she had momentarily lost hold of her year-old daughter, Sofia, in the water but managed to retrieve her and hold her over the waves until a lifeboat inflated and they were pulled into safety.

Dr. Domenico Cipolla at the Di Cristina Children’s Hospital in Palermo is also part of a team of medical professionals treating the shipwreck survivors. He told the BBC on Wednesday that Emsley and her daughter, as well as the father of the child, who Cipolla said also survived, are continuing to receive psychological help. 

“Psychological support was constant and is constant even today, because basically it is the wounds of the soul that are the most in need of healing in these cases,” Cipolla said.

Genco also told NBC News that he was especially concerned about the child. “She did not understand anything. She was soaking wet and cold,” he said. 

Karsten Borner, the Dutch captain of the Sir Robert Baden Powell, a yacht that was anchored near the Bayesian, said by phone Wednesday that he saw a thunderstorm come in at around 4 a.m. local time (10 p.m. ET) Monday, followed by what looked like a waterspout, a type of tornado that forms over water. 

The International Centre for Waterspout Research noted on X that there was a “waterspout outbreak” off Italy on Monday, the day the Bayesian sank. 

“I turned on the engine and made maneuvers so that we wouldn’t collide with the Bayesian, which was anchored about 100 meters from us,” Borner said. “Then all of a sudden it disappeared. Then the wind calmed down, we looked around and saw a red flare.”

Borner said he got into his boat’s tender and saw a life raft with 15 people on it. Members of the crew were administering first aid. 

“I don’t know why it sank so quickly, but it may have something to do with the mast which was incredibly long,” he said. Questions have been raised about whether the mast was to blame for the accident as tall masts, even with the sails down, have more surface area exposed to the wind, which can contribute to tipping a vessel in a storm.

The CCTV footage that emerged Tuesday showed the yacht’s 250-foot mast, believed to be one of the tallest aluminum sailing masts in the world, lashed by the storm as it appears to tilt to one side before disappearing.

Claudia Rizzo is an Italy based journalist.

Claudio Lavanga is Rome-based foreign correspondent for NBC News.

Yuliya Talmazan is a reporter for NBC News Digital, based in London.

Please use a modern browser to view this website. Some elements might not work as expected when using Internet Explorer.

• Landing Page
• Luxury Yacht Vacation Types
• Corporate Yacht Charter
• Tailor Made Vacations
• Luxury Exploration Vacations
• View All 3697
• Motor Yachts
• Sailing Yachts
• Classic Yachts
• Catamaran Yachts
• Filter By Destination
• More Filters
• Latest Reviews
• Charter Special Offers
• Destination Guides
• Inspiration & Features
• Mediterranean Charter Yachts
• France Charter Yachts
• Italy Charter Yachts
• Croatia Charter Yachts
• Greece Charter Yachts
• Turkey Charter Yachts
• Bahamas Charter Yachts
• Caribbean Charter Yachts
• Australia Charter Yachts
• Thailand Charter Yachts
• Dubai Charter Yachts
• Destination News
• New To Fleet
• Charter Fleet Updates
• Special Offers
• Industry News
• Yacht Shows
• Corporate Charter
• Finding a Yacht Broker
• Charter Preferences
• Questions & Answers
• Add my yacht

• Yacht Charter Fleet
• Fleet Updates News

77m yacht LEGEND available for unique cruising experience in Antarctica

• Share this on Facebook
• Share this on X
• Share via Email

By Steph Loseby   7 December 2022

Perfectly primed for any adventure one could possibly imagine, the 77m (253ft) explorer yacht LEGEND is available for charter this upcoming winter, transporting guests to some of the most outstanding and enticing destinations within Antarctica . 

Super yacht LEGEND allows adventure-hungry charter guests to experience the breathtaking vistas and wonderful activities that Antarctica offers in complete private luxury.

The expedition yacht provides opulence at a grand scale, accommodating up to 22 guests for epic adventures in the magical white continent. Refitted in 2019, she is built to endure almost every conceivable climate whilst providing the utmost comfort and the most luxurious living spaces for all of her guests to enjoy. 

Superyacht LEGEND is a thrilling explorer yacht to charter that will take you to places you can only dream of

After a day of exploring the mountains or trekking Antarctica's cobalt glaciers, guests will be pleased to find Motor yacht LEGEND'S warm and inviting interiors. She boasts an elegant library with compass motif flooring, and her main salon has been thoughtfully laid out to offer a classic bar and cozy seating arranged around a fireplace, perfect for chilled nights onboard. 

Guests also have the option to enjoy the elaborate Balinese spa, featuring almost every conceivable luxury one could think of, a cigar room, a whisky bar, and a 14-seat cinema.

To add to her relaxation opportunities, the yacht also boasts a waterfall-fed, outdoor jacuzzi that can comfortably fit 16 guests, the perfect place to kick back, unwind and socialize after a day of exploring in the great wilderness. 

For guests looking to enhance their luxury yacht charter vacation  with a bird’s eye view over snow-capped terrains, she also offers a fully-certified helideck as well as a submarine for investigating the region’s rich underwater world.

Thinking of booking a yacht charter in Antarctica?

Blanketed with ice and largely unspoiled by humans, the pristine land of Antarctica offers some of the most beautiful sights in the world. Described as a haven for lovers of the outdoors, guests have the opportunity to gaze at the miraculous wildlife or enjoy whale watching, all from the comfort of a superyacht. 

Scattered with picturesque landscapes, naturally beautiful landmarks and glittering shorelines, exploring Antarctica by a luxury superyacht is a unique opportunity that is hard to pass. 

Antarctica promises to surpass all expectations and guarantees to offer much more than you could ever imagine.

If you are in need of more information about cruising in Antarctica, our exclusive in-depth articles will provide you with some ideas and tips for traveling in this region and hopefully make planning your charter escape even easier!

To find out more about chartering in the region, please see our Antarctica yacht charter guide .

Finding an explorer yacht of this caliber and size is rare, making this vessel highly coveted among yacht charterers. So if you are interested in booking a yacht charter vacation onboard superyacht LEGEND then please get in touch with a recommended yacht charter broker . 

Additional expedition yachts available for charter

85m SilverYachts 2022

85m Ak Yachts 2021

126m Lurssen 2003 / 2024

77m Damen Yachting 2020

85m SilverYachts 2019

73m Admiral Yachts 2018

75m Abeking & Rasmussen 2016

92m Oceanco 2014 / 2023

RELATED AREA GUIDES

View destinations guides, photo galleries & itineraries for areas related to this news article

• READ MORE ABOUT:
• Expedition yacht charter
• Antarctica yacht rental
• Luxury yacht charter vacation

RELATED STORIES

Previous Post

Enjoy Christmas celebrations onboard yacht FABULOUS CHARACTER

Amels 60 Project WITCHCRAFT undertakes first round of sea trials

EDITOR'S PICK

Latest News

21 August 2024

19 August 2024

13 August 2024

• See All News

Yacht Reviews

• See All Reviews

Charter Yacht of the week

Join our newsletter

Useful yacht charter news, latest yachts and expert advice, sent out every fortnight.

Please enter a valid e-mail

Thanks for subscribing

Featured Luxury Yachts for Charter

This is a small selection of the global luxury yacht charter fleet, with 3697 motor yachts, sail yachts, explorer yachts and catamarans to choose from including superyachts and megayachts, the world is your oyster. Why search for your ideal yacht charter vacation anywhere else?

136m | Lurssen

from $4,446,000 p/week ♦︎

115m | Lurssen

from $2,895,000 p/week ♦︎

85m | Golden Yachts

from $1,000,000 p/week ♦︎

88m | Golden Yachts

from $1,223,000 p/week ♦︎

84m | Feadship

from $1,111,000 p/week ♦︎

93m | Feadship

from $1,556,000 p/week ♦︎

Maltese Falcon

88m | Perini Navi

from $490,000 p/week

122m | Lurssen

from $3,000,000 p/week

As Featured In

The YachtCharterFleet Difference

YachtCharterFleet makes it easy to find the yacht charter vacation that is right for you. We combine thousands of yacht listings with local destination information, sample itineraries and experiences to deliver the world's most comprehensive yacht charter website.

San Francisco

• Like us on Facebook
• Follow us on Twitter
• Follow us on Instagram
• Find us on LinkedIn
• Add My Yacht
• Affiliates & Partners

Popular Destinations & Events

• St Tropez Yacht Charter
• Monaco Yacht Charter
• St Barts Yacht Charter
• Greece Yacht Charter
• Mykonos Yacht Charter
• Caribbean Yacht Charter

Featured Charter Yachts

• Maltese Falcon Yacht Charter
• Wheels Yacht Charter
• Victorious Yacht Charter
• Andrea Yacht Charter
• Titania Yacht Charter
• Ahpo Yacht Charter

Receive our latest offers, trends and stories direct to your inbox.

Please enter a valid e-mail.

Thanks for subscribing.

Search for Yachts, Destinations, Events, News... everything related to Luxury Yachts for Charter.

Yachts in your shortlist