Spirit of Adventure

Dr Graham Robertson, a seabird ecologist, has jointly won an award for a new long-line fishing device designed to reduce by-catch of seabirds. The Underwater Bait Launcher, invented by Dr Robertson and Amerro engineering, was awarded the $45,000 WWF Smart Gear Competition in Spain. Over the years, Peregrine has, with your help, raised almost A$600,000 towards projects aimed at saving the albatross, with particular focus on the Bait Setting Launcher.

The machine is designed for use on surface long-line fishing vessels such as tuna and swordfish boats. It uses a capsule which carries baited hooks six metres underwater, out of reach of seabirds. Each year more than 300,000 seabirds including albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters drown on long-lines when they dive after baited hooks. Dr Robertson said many species of seabirds are threatened with extinction because of long-line fishing practices: “Hundreds of millions of hooks are set off tuna boats each year, so if a new system to stop seabird mortality is not widely used soon; it may be too late for some bird species”.

The machine cost almost half a million dollars to develop, but it is hoped that it will retail for around $25,000. “While the machine may seem expensive, you have to remember that a single tuna can fetch up to $2,000 at the fish markets, so it’s not really that much of an investment for the fisherman,” Dr Robertson said. The Launcher is currently being trialled in the waters off Queensland in Australia, and will undergo further tests in long-lining hot spots off South America next year.

As many of you are aware, Peregrine has donated a significant amount of funds raised to this project and we continue to assist Dr Robertson with this fantastic initiative, through many planned fundraising events and onboard donations for the 2009-2010 Antarctic season and beyond. 2010 will be the most important, as the testing phase will be finished and it is intended that at least one device will be fitted onto a Uruguayan fishing vessel. Finally we’ll start saving the albatross. A big thank you to all of you who have donated over the last eight years.

To learn more about this initiative please visit our website or to donate click here.

The Antarctic 2009-2010 season is here with the first voyage, 6 November, departing tomorrow. Most of the voyages are now full – but the good news is that there are two exceptions – our 20 night Antarctica, the Falkland Islands & South Georgia voyage departing 20 January 2010 and our 18 night Antarctica, the Falkland Islands & South Georgia voyage departing 22 February 2010. Even on these voyages there are only a handful of cabins left, so if you were looking to join us in Antarctica next year, contact us soon not to miss the boat!

These two voyages offer the ‘ultimate’ wildlife experiences, contrasting the fascinating history and overwhelming wildlife populations of the sub-Antarctic, with the awesome beauty of Antarctica. The 20 January voyage also has particular focus on the needs of the artist and photographer, with photographer Nick Garbutt and artist and conservationist Mandy Shepherd joining us onboard.

Our expedition ship the Akademik Sergey Vavilov will operate for the Antarctic 2009-2010 season. The Akademik Sergey Vavilov has a solid reputation for being the ideal ship in terms of size, speed, safety and stability. She is the perfect ‘home base’ for exploring the wilderness areas of Antarctica, moving quickly and providing a warm and comfortable homecoming at the end of the day’s exploration, to allow you to rest-up and get the most out of each day.

Contact us for further information or to make a booking, our consultants have expert knowledge on the polar regions and can arrange all your travel needs.

Lou Day, our resident trekking expert, shares one of her tales from the trail.

When reflecting on what has been my favourite trek to date I must admit I was torn as to what to choose. Having been lucky enough to work at Peregrine for over 10 years now, I have had the fortune to be able to pursue my passion for trekking in some of the most spectacular places across the globe.

My travels have taken me through the Annapurna’s and the high trails of the Everest region in Nepal, to the moonscapes of Ladakh, the trenches along the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea and recently to the top of Kilimanjaro! Not to mention the feeling of remoteness and untouched beauty I experienced when trekking through the Simien Mountains of Ethiopia. To experience the unique culture and learn more of the proud heritage of the Ethiopian people was a privilege.

However whilst it pains me to choose a ‘favourite’ I cannot go past Nepal, it is my favourite place in the world! I love everything about it - the nervous laughter that fills your small aircraft as you land on what I believe is the most dramatic airstrip in the world - Lukla , the gateway into the Everest Region. It is from where you commence trekking to Everest Base Camp, and if you have time branch off to visit the Goykyo and Khumbu Valleys. Our group was a mixture of Australian, British and Canadian travellers, all with that common goal of reaching Base Camp. Part of the appeal of the trek to Base Camp I believe is that you have a genuine feeling of being on an expedition and the camaraderie we felt, helping each other to achieve our own personal goals, was a special one. Our group still remains in touch some five years later as the experiences you share on the track are hard to replicate once you return home. Perhaps that’s why I get back to Nepal every year I can.

Everyone at Peregrine is very proud of our local tour leaders. Time and time again they are mentioned in feedback that we receive from travellers and the theme is always the same – they made the trip what it was, and were a vital part of the overall holiday experience. We’re not surprised, as after all, who better to show you around than someone born and raised in the region. Each year we pick the best of the best, so listed below are our 2009 Tour Leader Award winners. Congratulations to them all, we’re very proud of you!

Australia - Adam Slade
Central Asia - Aminov Davlat
China and Tibet - Annie Li
East Africa - James Phillip Urio
Egypt - Mostafa Gamal
Ethiopia and West Africa - Solomon Girmay
Europe - Antonia Maricic
India - Shaliendra Singh
Jordan, Syria and Turkey - Samer Younes
Latin America - Dennis Berk
Morocco - Said Baadoud
Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet - Passang Sherpa
South East Asia - Khamla
Southern Africa - Tracker Spokes

As part of celebrating all of our leader’s tireless passion for their homeland and their diligent approach to their role, we thought we’d feature a short profile of three of the worthy winners:

Southern Africa - Tracker Spokes
Tracker Spokes has a deep-seated intimate love for the bush. It’s his life! When he is not on safari he often sets up a tent in his own backyard, longing to be ‘closer to nature’. What Spokes wants most is to be immersed in the wilderness and share his passion for the bush with his guests. Exploring the wildlife with Spokes is an experience, but wait until you hear his animated camp fire stories. Ask him for his uncle’s honey badger encounter and you will truly laugh your heart out. He needs to write a book! There were quite a few tears shed when we parted at the end of our two-week adventure.
Yes, Spokes had given us exhilarating insights into the wonderful nature of Botswana and its people,
but we all had grown to love him as a friend.

C.M. who travelled with Spokes in August 2008

Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet - Passang Sherpa
On 19 May 2006 Passang fulfilled his lifelong ambition of summitting Everest. Passang mainly leads our climbing and exploratory trips. He comes from the Solu region of the Everest area, but has travelled widely having lived in Bhutan and India as well as Nepal. He has worked for Peregrine for many years and has an excellent knowledge of the Himalayan peoples, their customs and folklore. ‘Passang Sherpa is a truly remarkable man. Diligent and 100 percent professional, he is the most inspirational person I have met. Trekking with him was truly a privilege. Thank you Passang. ’

MH, Melbourne who trekked with Passang in October 2008

Europe - Antonia Maricic
Antonia Maricic has been a tour guide in Croatia for many years and we have been lucky to have her lead our Peregrine trips over the past couple of years. Antonia is proud and passionate about her homeland and has a vast knowledge on the history, culture and traditions of Croatia. She loves nothing more than sharing this knowledge with visitors from around the world. She particularly enjoys leading groups from Australia and New Zealand, as she feels a real connection with these cultures after having spent time here in her youth. Antonia’s enthusiasm, her professionalism and her ability to make people feel like guests in her country make her an exceptional tour leader.

Almost 93 years ago Sir Ernest Shackleton, accompanied by Tom Crean and Frank Worsley, completed the first leg of their rescue mission. They ended a 1500 kilometre journey from Elephant Island, Antarctica (in a small boat named the James Caird) to King Haakon Bay and finally the whaling station at Stromness, on South Georgia.

In January 2010 we will be offering you the chance to join a very select group of individuals who have attempted to recreate this monumental journey. Unlike Shackleton and his team you will cover the last 1500 kilometres of your voyage on board the state-of-the-art vessel Akademik Sergey Vavilov, and you’ll be accompanied by expert guides who have successfully completed this expedition before. We will also be providing the technical equipment necessary to undertake this challenge safely.

If you believe you possess a little of Shackleton’s indomitable spirit of adventure, then we have the expedition to challenge you. We are offering up to 12 adventurers the opportunity to take up this challenge on our 20-night Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falklands voyage (departing 20 January 2010).

We expect this traverse to take from 3-5 days, mainly on glacial terrain. To follow in their footsteps and relive the legend of Shackleton and his men, participants must be prepared for the unknown and unexpected, with weather conditions sometimes severe and always unpredictable. The journey itself is very challenging and will be dependent upon the prevailing weather conditions at the time.

If this historic adventure appeals to you then please email your expression of interest to expedition@peregrineadventures.com. Please note that this traverse will incur a fee in addition to the voyage price, and that participants will need to meet certain requirements and have the necessary experience and qualifications to undertake this arduous journey. At this stage we are only taking expressions of interest.

We’ve combined two separate Arctic voyages to make one awesome 28-night expedition that takes in ‘both sides’ of the Arctic.

In joining on you save over A$5000*. We’ve put together this ’special’ package with our flight and hotel partners that combines the following voyages - the Spitsbergen, East Greenland & Iceland (departing 6 July 09) voyage and the Iceland, Greenland & Baffin Island (departing 19 July 09) Explorer voyage. This fantastic package includes both voyages, international flights (from Melbourne/Sydney), 3 nights’ accommodation, all transfers and charter flights.

These two trips combine the Canadian High Arctic and the Scandinavian High Arctic in one awesome adventure. The wildlife, landscape and cultural highlights encountered on these voyages are seemingly endless.

Wildlife
Throughout the voyage you go in search of the extraordinary wildlife of the region including walrus, seal, whale, musk ox, puffin and the great polar bear. Polar bears can be spotted for most of the voyage and the Svalbard archipelago alone is home to over 4000 of these amazing beasts. When crossing the Denmark Strait we recommend you to be on the lookout for whales, as several species of massive marine mammals are often found here. The bird life is also rich and diverse with colonies of black guillemots, little auks, puffins and black-legged kittiwakes found in colonies of staggering numbers, sometimes containing hundreds of thousands of birds.

Landscapes
You experience enormous glaciers and cruise through fjords like Scorebysundfjord that are dotted with icebergs. In Greenland you see some of the most ancient rock found on earth. In our Zodiac inflatable boats we cruise beneath the sheer cliffs, which provide shelter and a safe refuge for many Arctic birds.

Cultural Highlights
In Greenland you visit the ruins at Herjolfsnaes, which was settled around 985 AD by Vikings from Iceland led by Erik the Red. You also walk through musk ox habitat, visit fascinating ancient Thule settlements and learn about life in a remote Greenlandic settlement that is the northernmost community on the island’s east coast. At Beechey Island you learn of the centuries-old quest to find the Northwest Passage, which was to open up a new trade route across the top of the world. You also hike to the graves marking the winter camp of the ill-fated 1845 Franklin expedition. In their search for the Northwest Passage, all 132 men died after their ships were crushed by the ice. In addition to history you also get to meet, interact with and learn about today’s Greenlanders and the Inuit people in general.

This is our most extensive Arctic expedition to date. At such a great price, can you afford to pass it up?

Want to no more?
For further information or to submit an expression of interest for this special combination voyage, please email expedition@peregrineadventures.com

*Packaged price quoted is for same berths on each voyage. Is subject to availability of cabin type, voyage and flights.  Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.  All booking conditions apply as per Peregrine’s High Arctic 09 brochure.

Well-known as one of the last unspoilt wilderness areas in the world, Mongolia is blessed with mountains, lakes, deserts and steppes.

Our Mongolian Explorer adventure reveals the true spirit of Mongolia by exploring its countryside with the guidance of our local leaders, who were born and raised in the region. We’ll show you the vast and starkly beautiful scenery whilst spending most nights in gers – local-style white felt tents – to appreciate the remarkable solitude.

This extraordinary experience in Mongolia departs between May and September next year, see our website for more details.

Garrath Ridd, Peregrine’s Destination Manager for Australia and New Zealand, shares his favourite highlights of Tasmania’s wilderness…

My spirit of adventure remains undiminished after travelling to 78 countries (and still counting), yet Tasmania remains one of my true passions and favourite holiday destinations.

The beauty of Tasmania shines even in this time of bulging populations, sprawling cities, and overpowering pollution. This island paradise remains relatively untouched and largely unspoilt - there is an amazing wilderness experience just waiting for everyone to enjoy. The waters are pure, the air is clear, and the pristine forests are just as I remember them from my years growing up in their surrounds. A recent visit to the Tarkine Rainforest proved to me that some things don’t need to change - ever!

Our Cradle Mountain and the Tarkine trip will take you into the ancient and isolated rainforest for which this region is renowned. Discover the tallest hardwood trees on the planet, wild rivers, the rugged beauty of Cradle Mountain, and the home of over 50 endangered species. Our forest trails will open up Australia’s best kept wilderness secret for you.

Tassie will provide you with an adventure like no other, because wherever it is that you return home to, a part of you will feel enriched having enjoyed an escape from the everyday grind, and your view of life will surely be enhanced.

To view all trips in Tasmania and around Australia click here.

The mystery of the Kimberley region has been attracting travellers for many years. Today, there are a myriad of activities to take part in and an array of beautiful places to explore. The Colours of the Kimberley wilderness adventure gets you involved in all this region has to offer and so much more.

This classic 14-day adventure covers north-western Australia following the Gibb River Road through the Kimberley. Starting in the historic pearling town of Broome, you travel along this spectacular part of Australia and discover vast gorges carved into ancient river beds. You will visit outback sheep and cattle stations, and spend time in remote Aboriginal communities where you experience first-hand their unique way of life. A highlight of your trip will be the world famous El Questro Station, this unique holiday destination is a lovely place to relax and there’s plenty of space to explore – the property is one million acres in size!

If you’re looking for a shorter trip but still jam-packed full of amazing experiences then our 8-day Kakadu Wetlands & Gorges or the 7-day Uluru & Outback Trails trips are for you.

Brazil offers the traveller an exotic and diverse array of experiences. From pulsating cities to spectacular scenery and secluded wildlife-viewing opportunities, Brazil has it all, and rewards those who look for their adventures off the beaten track.

The 12-day Brazil in Depth trip includes all the highlights of this fascinating country. Starting from our hotel near Copacabana beach, we visit Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf, the incredible vantage point from which you will be convinced that Rio really is the most beautiful city in the world. We then fly to Iguazu Falls to explore both the Brazilian and Argentine sides of the world’s most spectacular waterfall.

Next stop is at the vast wetlands of the Pantanal, where the greatest concentration of wildlife in all of South America exists. Unlike the more reclusive animals of the Amazon jungle, the wildlife here is easy to spot. As well as a dazzling array of birdlife, it’s possible to see giant river otters, iguanas, anacondas and cougars, to name just a few.

Then it’s up to Manaus, on the main stretch of the mighty Amazon, the jumping off point for a couple of days in our jungle lodge amid the lush Amazon rainforest. The lodge is set in a 5000-hectare private reserve and is surrounded by a huge diversity of unspoiled ecosystems and abundant wildlife. Under the expert direction of our guide, we will see the rainforest through the eyes of a local as we are introduced to the plants and animals that inhabit this pristine wilderness.

We wind up with a couple of days in historic Salvador, a colonial town on the Atlantic coast with a vibrant culture and an African soul. The Brazilian experience is not complete without a night in the cobblestoned centre, where the heaving beats of local music will stay with you forever.

Brazil in Depth departs from April to October 2008 and March to June 2009.