Christiane Paula is looking for adventurous teammates for a sailing expedition in the Southern Ocean in the footsteps of Shackleton.
Are you looking for a unique and unforgettable experience?
Do you love sailing and the wide ocean?
Are you interested in exploring wild and remote places and unique nature?
Are you fascinated by the stories of the old polar explorers?
Are you open minded, flexible, with a positive attitude and do you want to be part of an adventurous team of people?
If you can answer yes to these questions, then you might be the right person for Sailing SOUTH 2026.
Background: I believe it is in our nature to explore, to reach out into the unknown.” Sir Ernest Shackleton
Probably many people are dreaming of sailing in Shackleton's footsteps in the Southern Ocean. I had this dream too. Ever since I sailed around the world with the explorers between two book covers as a child, I have had this longing for the vast oceans and remote corners of the world, especially those in the high latitudes.
In order to make this dream come true for myself and others, in 2022, I launched the ‘Sailing SOUTH 2024’ project. A privately initiated sailing expedition in the footsteps of Shackleton to Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. The time had come in February 2024. After almost two years of organisation (and thanks to Explorers Connect :-) a personal dream became a joint adventure and a successful expedition.
But – as is the nature of expeditions – not all our plans worked out: nature threw a spanner in the works. Shackleton and his men were thwarted by the ice in 1914, we were thwarted 110 years later by bird flu, which thwarted our goal of setting foot on South Georgia.
However, Sailing SOUTH 2024 is history. But I have not given up on the goal of reaching South Georgia and the dream is not over yet. The adventure continues – I want to set sail again! In 2026, 110 years after Shackleton set foot on this storm-tossed, remote island in the Southern Ocean, I would like to make another attempt to reach South Georgia under sail.
Sailing SOUTH 2026
We want to sail through the furious 50s and set the course for South Georgia. At the beginning of the Antarctic spring, before the cruise season. When the natural paradise is just awakening from its winter sleep, it is still untouched and deserted. It is only populated by the countless millions of seabirds, seals, elephant seals and penguins that then head for the wild shores of this Antarctic oasis.
On a 40 days sailing expedition, we will discover the inaccessible shores and bays of South Georgia, its spectacular glaciers and the unique biodiversity of this Antarctic oasis. We will then set our sights on the remote and countless islands of the Falkland Islands. The archipelago in the South Atlantic is considered a challenging sailing area and entices with magnificent landscapes, rugged coastlines and paradisiacal beaches. Here, too, a fantastic natural paradise with sub-Antarctic wildlife awaits discovery – you could call it an ‘Antarctic light’: numerous penguin species, seals, elephant seals, whales, dolphins, albatrosses and other seabirds populate the islands.
A great adventure on a small sailing yacht. Into one of the most remote, wildest and most beautiful sailing areas in the world. This expedition offers a rare and extraordinary opportunity to get to know South Georgia and the Falkland Islands in a very personal way and with plenty of time to explore in a way that is not possible with a larger ship or cruise ship.
A suitable partner for the trip has been found - already for many years in the Southern Ocean, in the Antarctic, the Arctic and on the oceans of this world: A proven expedition sailing yacht (66 feet, steel ketch), built for extreme conditions, with countless miles in polar regions in its wake and its proven and professional team of skippers (3 persons) with a lot of experience in the high latitudes and on long trips in such remote areas – including the Sailing South 2024 expedition.
The private organized expedition can only take place if there are enough adventurous fellow sailors joining me. The team is not yet complete, so I am looking for more people with enthusiasm, curiosity and a desire to discover and explore the unknown. People with enough time and a suitable budget, who are ready to fulfil a big dream of their own, willing to make this dream come true together and embark on this adventure with me.
The trip is roughly scheduled to take place from October 10th to November 18th, 2026 (40 days, sailing), starting at Stanley, Falkland Islands.
And now – maybe - it’s your turn.
Don't miss this chance to be part of an incredible adventure. Apply now and get ready for the journey of a lifetime! I am looking forward to hearing from you!
Christiane Paula Dalcolmo, Germany
Detailed and further information on the team and me, the background, the trip, the ship and the route can be found on my project’s website:
https://sailing-south-expeditions.com/
contact: mail@sailing-south-expeditions.com
