Antarctica Favorites

  Fernando's artwork on Sara's bed.
by 850prc
 
  • Fernando's artwork on Sara's bed.
      Fernando's artwork on Sara's bed.
    by 850prc
  • Asst Exp Leader Danny stamping at Vernadsky Stn
      Asst Exp Leader Danny stamping at...
    by 850prc
  • Everybody JUMP.
      Everybody JUMP.
    by 850prc
  • Ok, head back under water.
      Ok, head back under water.
    by 850prc
  • Now jump again. :)
      Now jump again. :)
    by 850prc
 
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The General Consensus is...

by Sharrie

Cold! Well, not really. It was manageable, if you have enough clothing, that is.Everything is in relativity.I felt much colder when I was in Guangdong, China. It was raining then & very humid. Though it's just freezing point, it felt much much colder than Antarctica.So, my verdict is Antarctica is NOT cold.At least not when I was there. (At times, I did't even wear that red parka!)It can be chilly if it's windy & one is not dressed for it.But after having been to the Arctic (which incidentally is in Winter while Antarctica is in its Summer season), Antarctica is comfortable :-)

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The Very famous

by Sharrie

Not really my favorite thing to listen to lectures while on a vacation... but this is an expedition, so be it.A few names came up often. One such is Sir Ernest Shackleton.Here's a write-up on him on the Ocean Explorer."Sir Ernest Shackleton (1874-1922) Ernest Shackleton first visited the Antarctic as an officer on Robert Falcon Scott's 1901-04 National Antarctic Expedition, on which he joined Scott & Edward Wilson in sledging to a 'farthest south'. In 1907-09, Shackleton led his own expedition, on which he discovered the Beardmore Glacier, reached the Polar Plateau, & came to within 97 miles of the South Pole before having to turn back.The goal of Shackleton's next expedition, 1914-17, was to cross the Antarctic continent.However, his ship Endurance was caught in the ice & sank, leaving the crew stranded.After months of camping as the floes drifted north, Shackleton led his men 100 milse...

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Those who came before...

by Sharrie

THE EXPLORERS"Who first discovered the Antarctic Continent?His identity is uncertain, but the event probably happened during 1820.Was it the Estonian, Thaddeus von Bellingshausen, in charge of a Russian expedition?Or the British naval lieutenant Edward Bransfield? Or the young American sealing captain Nathaniel Palmer, from Stonington, Connecticut?Or was it none of these, but perhaps another sealer, who chose to keep his discovery secret for commercial reasons?The first person to set foot on the Antarctica continent was probably the American sealer John Davis, who sailed from New Haven, Connecticut, & landed at what is thought to be Hughes Bay on the Antarctica Peninsula on 7 Feb. 1821. He noted in his log that "I think this Southern Land to be a Continent."The first woman to land on Antarctica was Caroline Mikkelsen, the wife of Captain Klarius Mikkelsen of the Norwegian whaling ship...

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Frozen in Time

by Sharrie

BY WILLIAM ARNOLD (Published on Seattle Post-Intelligence) on Jan. 29, 2004Excerpt:Crossing 60 deg south (the latitude that officially designates Antarctica), the first of what will become an endless parade of dazzlingly sculpted, blue-tinged icebergs begin to pass, & you're suddenly engulfed by a nature that is more pure, powerful & savagely inhospitable than anything you might have imagined.As the days start to get longer (until you're finally in 24 hours of daylight) & the jagged, snow-covered peaks of the South Shetlands, then the continent itself appear, a mental metamorphosis takes hold. The world of the cell phones, terrorists & "Jackass the Movie" seems a blissful galaxy away.It is, of course, trite to report that the one thing the movies - even the Imax versions - fail to do is to capture Antarctica's epic beauty. But I have to say it: There's simply no way the full scope &...

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Frozen in Time

by Sharrie

BY WILLIAM ARNOLD (Published on Seattle Post-Intelligence) on Jan. 29, 2004Excerpt:The first pleasant thing you learn about Antarctic travel is that it remains a relative rarity. It tends to be expensive (for a couple, the cost of a new car), lengthy (because the distances are so great) & confined to a narrow, 3-month window of opportunity provided by the Antarctic summer.This season, some 24 ships will make the voyage (tripling 2003's figure of 5000 tourists), but that's still a tiny scratch on a chunk of real estate larger than Europe.It's been estimated that only 150,000 human beings have set foot here in all of history - a tourist statistic that Paris can equal in a single day.It is also a fairly rugged trip. I had a berth on the maiden voyage of MV Discovery - as luxurious as these things get - but it still involved "wet" landings with Zodiac inflatable boats, much exposure to...

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Surprisingly green

by MissAntarctica2002

One of the things that surprised our gang is how much greenery there is in Antarctica in the summer.I'm not talking foliage because soil doesn't form in Antarctica, but there are lichens and mossy-type things all over the place.Something to keep in mind during your shore trips is that things take ages to grow in this climate. Therefore if you aren't conscientious and stomp all over these lichens and things, it will take many years for them to recover.

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Pleneau

by Sharrie

Remember this name & place.It's probably one of the largest iceberg fields on this planet. Well, it's most beautiful certainly. I've more than 50 photos on this location alone.I was out there twice remember?Unfortunately, there is just not enough space in the travelogue section for me to upload my photos. So, here it will be.For those of you who are not inspired by icebergs, you may skip this section from now onwards. What follows will be more or less a slide show of the intricacy & beauty of Planeau.

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The Heat is Up!

by Sharrie

I love icebergs.What can I say? They stimulate my imagination... sooooo cold & yet (mind my language) bloody beautiful! It's almost aphrodisiac! Oops, what kind of description is that? I am sure I learned that word on VT! We need censorship! ;-)Ok, I did some "serious" reading while onboard... bored while I was on Drake Passage. It was said by some expert, not me, that the temperature has been increasing by 2.5 deg. C every year for the last 20 years. The consequences? Figure that out & you'll be the Nobel Prize Winner of 2005! ;-)

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Antarctica the Continent

by Sharrie

Antarctica is a mystery.Most have not seen an image of it or has heard anything distinctive other than it being very cold.It's by far the least well known of the world's land masses since its discovery & exploration have been very recent.Antarctica made up 10% of this planet's land surface! (Huge eh?!). It was sighted as recently as 1820 (though not confirmed) & 1899 has its first residence (men, I mean).B4 1925, only 5% of Antarctica has been explored.How many have visited?Well under 200,000.& now, we formed part of this rarity. :-)

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Purity

by Sharrie

Pure & Pristine... that's Antarctica.One's love for it is beyond nationalities & beyond characters. It's within each & everyone of us, I think. What can I say? I just am very romantic where icebergs are concerned. Not penguins, not seals, not whales...but icebergs.Come to think of it, they are just water in another form.Now, as philosophical as I'm ;-), tell me, love ... is there another form?

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Reviews and photos of Antarctica attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Antarctica sightseeing.

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Popular Countries in Antarctica

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Favorites  French Southern and Antarctic Lands Favorites  Heard Island and McDonald Islands Favorites 

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Questions and Answers

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Q:  Hello, I'm so excited about my trip to Antarctica on 2/19 on Quark. Questions for those who've been there - 1. packing -... 

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A: There is a tiny place on Deception Island, where the ground is so hot that you can dig out a hole and let the sea-water in that will allow you to take a bath in hot... 

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