A Day of Zodiac Landings in Antarctica
On an Antarctic voyage the real adventure happens off the ship, in small inflatable boats called Zodiacs. Here is how a day of landings and cruises unfolds, from the morning briefing to the evening recap.
An Antarctic expedition voyage is built around the Zodiac — a sturdy, flat-floored inflatable boat that ferries small groups from the ship to shore and noses among the icebergs where no ship could go. A good day on the peninsula usually means two outings, morning and afternoon, each one a landing on shore or a cruise among the ice and wildlife.
There is a clear rhythm to these days, and knowing it helps a first-time traveller relax into the voyage. Nothing is rushed, the weather sets the agenda, and the expedition team handles the logistics so guests can concentrate on where they are. Here is how a typical day of Zodiac operations actually works.
Morning: the plan and the briefing
The day's plan is provisional until the moment it happens, because wind, ice and swell decide what is possible. Over breakfast the expedition leader announces the morning's intended site and what to expect — a penguin colony, perhaps, or a historic hut, or a cruise along an ice-choked bay.
Before any landing there is a briefing covering the site, the wildlife present, the route ashore and the conduct expected. On the first day this includes the mandatory IAATO and biosecurity briefing; thereafter it is shorter. Guests dress in layers, waterproof trousers and the rubber boots issued for landings, and gather at the loading area when their group is called.
Boarding a Zodiac
Zodiacs load a handful of guests at a time from a platform at the side of the ship. Crew steady the boat and guide each person aboard using the sailor's grip — forearm to forearm — and guests sit on the inflatable tubes around the edge, holding the rope that runs along them.
The driver, an experienced member of the expedition team, then runs the group to shore or out among the ice. The ride is part of the pleasure: low to the water, engine humming, with the cold clean air and the chance of a seal on an ice floe or a penguin porpoising past. Lifejackets are worn at all times on the water.
Ashore: a landing
A landing is usually a wet landing — the Zodiac noses onto a beach and guests step over the side into shallow water, which is exactly what the rubber boots are for. On shore the expedition team has marked a route, often with flags, that keeps visitors clear of wildlife, nesting birds and fragile ground.
Within those bounds the time ashore is unhurried — typically an hour or two to walk, watch and photograph, with naturalists stationed to explain what you are seeing. The IAATO guidelines apply throughout: keep at least five metres from wildlife, give animals right of way, take nothing and leave nothing, and never block a penguin's path to the sea. Because of the 100-visitors-ashore limit, smaller ships can land everyone at once while larger ships rotate groups.
Or a Zodiac cruise
When a landing is not possible or not the best option, the alternative is a Zodiac cruise: an hour or more weaving among icebergs, along glacier fronts and past floes without going ashore. Cruises are superb for ice scenery and for wildlife that lives at the water's edge — seals hauled out on floes, seabirds, and often whales.
Drivers cut the engine and let the boat drift when there is something to watch, so a cruise can be wonderfully quiet — just the creak of ice and the breath of a whale. Cruising also lets a voyage make the most of marginal weather, turning a day that defeats a landing into a memorable outing all the same.
Back aboard, and the evening recap
Returning to the ship, every guest steps through boot-washing stations to scrub and disinfect their boots — biosecurity bookends every outing. Wet gear is hung in a dedicated room, and there is usually time to warm up before the next activity or a meal.
Most expedition ships close the day with a recap and briefing, often before dinner: the team reviews what the day held, a specialist may expand on something seen, and the expedition leader outlines the provisional plan for tomorrow. On our Andes to Antarctica journey, these landing days are the core of the peninsula leg — a steady rhythm of going ashore, returning, and going ashore again, each outing shaped by the ice and the weather of that single day.
Quick answers
What is a Zodiac in Antarctica?
A Zodiac is a rugged inflatable boat with a flat floor and an outboard motor, used on every Antarctic expedition voyage. Zodiacs carry small groups of guests from the ship to shore for landings and take them on cruises among icebergs and wildlife. They are stable, versatile, and the standard way travellers actually reach the continent.
How many Zodiac outings happen each day?
A typical day on the Antarctic Peninsula includes two Zodiac outings, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, each either a landing ashore or a cruise among the ice. The exact plan depends on the weather, ice and swell, and the expedition leader adjusts it as conditions change through the day.
Is getting in and out of a Zodiac difficult?
It requires reasonable mobility and balance but no special skill. Crew steady the boat and assist each guest with a forearm grip while boarding, and most landings are wet landings, meaning you step into shallow water in the rubber boots provided. Travellers of a wide range of ages and fitness manage Zodiac operations comfortably.
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