On March 2, 2026, after 77 days spent in the Antarctic Peninsula, the crew of WHY set foot on land in Ushuaia. This arrival officially marks the end of a major expedition—one that Emmanuelle and Ghislain had, in a way, been preparing for nearly twenty years.

Departing on December 4, 2025, the schooner WHY sailed through the icy waters of the Antarctic Peninsula to continue the DEEPLIFE scientific program, endorsed by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science.

Beyond the exceptional and extreme nature of the expedition, the 15 crew members witnessed, day after day, majestic polar landscapes and an abundance of wildlife, both on land and at sea, down to depths of 130 meters.

In collaboration with the Malizia Explorer, these three months in Antarctica brought together explorers, divers, scientists, and activists sharing expertise and coordinating their efforts. Dives at depths never before reached in Antarctica allowed scientists to study these little‑known ecosystems, revealing their richness while stressing the urgent need to protect them. This information was then passed on to the activists on board, whose mission is to amplify the scientists’ recommendations to the general public and governments.

Combining polar diving, scientific research, outreach efforts, and conservation missions, this journey stands to date as the most ambitious expedition carried out under the DEEPLIFE program since its launch in 2021.

A type of marine animal forest never studied before as part of the DEEPLIFE scientific program.

Prior to the expedition, scientists selected several promising sites, whose exploration was approved by the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF), the authority responsible for regulating access to this remote territory at the end of the world.

During the first phase of the expedition, the Under The Pole team carried out dives to identify the most relevant sites for study. All DEEPLIFE protocols were ultimately deployed on a marine animal forest located near Doumer Island, at depths ranging from 70 to 130 meters. Unlike previously studied marine animal forests—mainly composed of black corals or gorgonians—this is the first time the DEEPLIFE program has focused on a forest primarily formed of bryozoans.

To analyze this unique forest, standard protocols—such as photoquadrat imaging, targeted sampling, and the installation of sensors and experimental setups—were implemented, along with a new protocol designed to characterize the trophic network of this marine animal forest. The WHY’s permanent scientific team, composed of Lorenzo Bramanti, CNRS researcher and director of the scientific program, assisted by Florence Niemetzky, was strengthened by the arrival of Francisco Otero, professor at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain), and Juliette Jacquemont, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Santa Barbara (California).

Carrying science under sail with the Malizia Explorer

This expedition was carried out in collaboration with the Malizia Explorer, a research sailing vessel operated by Team Malizia and offshore sailor Boris Herrmann. Together, the two crews advanced science under sail, exploring Antarctica through two scientific programs: DEEPLIFE, led by Lorenzo Bramanti, and a study on the impact of climate change on the Southern Ocean, conducted by Léa Olivier, a researcher at the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany.

For two months, both crews shared their respective expertise to better understand this ecosystem, showcase its richness and fragility, and advocate for its protection through an international citizen mobilization campaign.

This collaboration also allowed the WHY to carry out the DEEPLIFE program without leaving the peninsula for a full three months, thanks to the logistical support of the Malizia Explorer. The vessel made three rotations, resupplying the WHY and transporting various engaged personalities, further amplifying the message of Antarctic conservation.

An international campaign to support the creation of the Domain 1 Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Antarctic Peninsula

The scientific work conducted on board as part of the DEEPLIFE program during this expedition also aimed to support conservation efforts. As part of their advocacy activities, Under The Pole and Malizia Explorer hosted activists Camille Étienne, Luisa Neubauer, Tamara Klink, and Anne‑Sophie Roux on board to co‑develop a citizen mobilization campaign dedicated to protecting Antarctica.

This international campaign seeks to support the proposal to establish the Domain 1 Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the western Antarctic Peninsula, put forward by Chile and Argentina since 2018.

At the same time, the scientific work conducted on board under the DEEPLIFE program aimed to characterize the newly discovered ecosystems as Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs). These are deep‑sea habitats that are exceptionally rich in biodiversity but highly fragile in the face of human disturbances, such as certain types of bottom fishing activities.

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