We shall steam close in past the coast of Prince Edward, and anchor off the South African research station on Marion Island. Although we are formally requesting landing permission, it is unlikely that we will be able to land on Marion Island, but we shall lie very close in off the island (ca 250 m offshore), and if weather permits, take the more adventurous passengers even closer inshore aboard the ship's boats. Crozet Shag and Kerguelen Tern, as well as the four breeding penguins, will be seen feeding close to the ship. Lesser Sheathbill is likely to remain ashore, although we may be lucky to have one come out to investigate the ship.

We'll then steam south, past Kildalky, a vast colony of King and Macaroni Penguins (with more than a million breeding birds), and head south-west for the pack ice. Exactly how long this will take depends on the extent of the sea-ice, and the weather conditions we encounter. However, we plan to have at least one full day (ideally two) steaming through the pack-ice. This is an unforgettable experience, with calm seas and plenty to look at (seals, icebergs as well as birds).

Finally it'll be time to head back north to Cape Town. This will be a long six days, with few new species to be seen, so those less than gung-ho birders who aren't fussed about honing their seabird ID skills might want to spend some time reading, listening to lectures or watching videos. We plan to dock early on 17 November, but given the vagaries of the weather, we might be earlier or later than this.

A team of enthusiastic seabirders will be aboard to help you get to grips with the often tricky business of identifying pelagic seabirds. All the guides have lots of experience of the ship, the Prince Edward Islands and the birds and mammals we will encounter. Guides will be scattered around the ship, and will endeavour to ensure that everyone sees the most important birds. They will wear diagnostic gear to make them readily identifiable aboard ship. The list of guides is not finalised yet, but the team will be led by Ian Sinclair and Peter Ryan.

Seabirding is a matter of perseverance, and by spending 17 days at sea, we stand an excellent chance of seeing a very large proportion of the species known to occur in the waters south of Africa. This ignores the 'inshore' species which are essentially coastal birds that are much better observed from shore (e.g. the endemic cormorants around Cape Town). The list also includes some of the marine mammals we may encounter - these are often much harder to see than birds, and sightings are strongly linked to sea conditions (it's much easier to spot whales and dolphins on calm days). Each evening we'll have a feedback session and post an 'official' bird list for the day.

Full details on this will be made available once people have signed up for the trip. But briefly, all bedding and linen is provided, and there's a well-stocked (and very reasonably-priced) bar on board. A checklist of other things to remember includes:

You also need to take out comprehensive travel and cancellation insurance.

We can make guest house/hotel/B&B bookings for people arriving from outside Cape Town, and can book shuttles to and from the harbour if needed.

With many passengers coming from outside South Africa, there will doubtless be lots of land-based birding going on in the days immediately before and after the trip. October-November is perhaps the peak time for birding in western South Africa. We can assist people wanting self-guided tours, but suggest they first visit the Cape Birding Route, which includes invaluable information from Callan and Claire's Essential Birding in Western South Africa, as well as advice on accommodation, etc.

If people are interested, we shall arrange pre- and post- trip birding tours. These can range from single-day trips around Cape Town, to longer trips targeting all the region's endemics.