| Reviews and photos of Antarctica attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Antarctica sightseeing. |
 | Antarctica Things To Do | Tips 1 - 10 of 509 |  |
 Noctilucent clouds, Mawson
1966 by tiabunna
Noctilucent clouds are seen only at relatively high latitudes, much as are the nacreous clouds in my previous tip. They are most frequent in the summer months, but because the sun must be below the horizon, you need either to be travelling at the shoulders of the tourist season for a chance to see them at the polar circles (north or south) or to be looking from slightly further from the pole. Probably the best chances for antarctic tourists to see these clouds would be as you commence or finish your trip (there have been numerous sightings from South America ).
Now, why do noctilucent clouds shine in the early night? Because they still are in the sunlight, which means they are very high indeed - typically about 80km! They still are surrounded by scientific mystery, but were first seen after the Krakatoa volcano exploded in 1885. There also are suggestions they may have a link to the hole in the ozone layer: maybe a special NASA satellite, due for launch late in 2006, will give some answers. Directions: As you head off to the Antarctic (or Arctic), look low above the sunset part of the sky when the sun is between 6 and 16 degrees below the horizon (roughly one hour after sunset). You are looking for wispy bluish-white clouds.Website: http://www.aad.gov.au/default.asp?casid=2005
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 yup - to Russian Orthodox
service Bellingshausen by Ekahau,
4 more photos
This place is owned and operated by the
Russian Antarctic Expedition
The Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
38 Bering Street
199397 St Petersburg
RUSSIA Leave a Comment Address: King George III islandPhone: +7 (812) 352-1541Directions: The warm Antarctic North Photos below is a seal on her way to Russian Orthodox service on Bellingshausen the Russia base on King George island. Yes it is true!! you can also see the Russian Orthodox in photo 4 on the hillOther Contact: lukin@aari.nw.ru or lukin@raexp.
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 Dumont D'Urville by tiabunna
Should you have the opportunity to visit a scientific station, make the most of it by asking the locals about the work being carried out there. It will help to put your Antarctic experience into perspective.
This photo shows the French station at "Dumont D'Urville". As a matter of interest, the film March of the Penguins was filmed at the nearby Emperor Penguin colonies. Also, as a matter of interest, those ropes in the foreground of the photo are blizzard lines, they are the lifeline for people walking around during blizzards. Address: Antarctica
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 Dumont d'Urville stamps
in passport by tiabunna
When you are in Antarctica, if you visit one of the scientific stations, ask the postmaster to stamp your passport, to record your visit. These stamps were from the French station at Dumont d'Urville. Address: AntarcticaOther Contact: Scientific stations
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 Nacreous Clouds over
Met.Office, Mawson 1966 by tiabunna, 1 more photos
The first of the cloud types is officially called Nacreous Cloud, it also is known as 'Mother of Pearl Cloud'. Despite the suggestion on some websites that they are seen only after the sun sets, nacreous clouds sometimes can be seen throughout the day - they certainly show up more after sunset though! They have a smooth lenticular appearance, but are very bright - far brighter than the usual lenticular clouds or cirrus clouds. Most spectacularly, they have very distinct irisation colouring, giving a 'mother of pearl' or opalescent appearance. The highest 'normal' clouds are the cirrus type, forming no higher than about 12 km: that is low compared to Nacreous Clouds, which form at about 30-40 km high.
What causes them is still subject to some scientific uncertainty, as this part of the atmosphere normally has insufficient moisture to form clouds. They appear linked to unusual events, such as large volcanic eruptions (in 1966, atmospheric nuclear testing still continued - could that have been related?). We were fortunate to see nacreous clouds on several occasions in 1966, high in the sky throughout the day (photo 1) and dazzling white when other clouds coloured at sunset (photo 2). Directions: Higher latitudes (generally polar regions, but can be seen rarely to about latitude 50 north or south), most commonly at about sunset. Look for brightness, lack of visible movement, and possible irisation colouring.Website: http://www.cloudappreciationsociety.org/
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Here is the story – “In early 2002, the Chief of the Russian Antarctic Expedition was received by the Head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexis II. During the discussion they decided to commemorate all the Russians who gave their lives for the sake of study and exploration of the Antarctic. So the Patriarch proposed to build a Russian orthodox church at one of the Russian Antarctic stations. This choice was in full conformity with the Russian historical traditions. The place for construction of the church was selected at Bellingshausen station on King George Island.
The Creative workshop of the architect Anisiforov designed the church.
On August 18, 2003, the Patriarch of Russia issued a decree on establishing a Patriarchy podvorie at the Orthodox Temple in Antarctica. The Temple was placed under the Confessor of the Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra. The Bishop of Sergiev Posad, Deputy of the Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra was requested to designate a priest who will be the father of the temple in the Antarctic.
So now you know -- and does the seal stand or kneel Leave a Comment
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Villa Las Estrellas
Well this is way off the beaten Path but for about $2,300 (one day) you can fly from Punta Arenes Chile fly to Villa Las Estrellas, President Frei Base on the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. You see I was here looking at Medical support for a Trans Antarctica expedition and this was one way I got here. This is really on King George Island, just off the Peninsula, the little town that supports scientific researchers is Villa Las Estrellas it is one of only about 70 scientific posts built by 2 dozen different countries in Antarctica
Tours of President Frei Base and Fildes bays with it penguin rookery, and walks through Villa de Las Estrellas, the main population center in the area, are some of the activities that the VTers can do.
Only a few hours away from Punta Arenas down one day over night and back the next. Cool ya,
This place is unusual in that it is a rambling base scattered over quite a distance from the sea edge where there is the wharf up to the Aerodrome a distance away. It has 21 main buildings. Sometimes the base is also called "Teniente Rodolfo Marsh" Base although this name now seems to be applied exclusively to the Airport, while the main base buildings are usually referred to as "Eduardo Frei" Base. Adding to the confusion is the fact that the Russian Bellinghausen base of 17 buildings is actually mixed in with the Eduardo Frei Base buildings. Leave a Comment
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These are lovely white birds with contrasting black eyes, beaks and feet, slightly larger than pigeons.
Snow Petrels (Pagodroma nivea) nest in rock areas around the coast of Antarctica (way back, when working in Antarctica, I even saw them hundreds of miles inland around mountains) and rarely venture far north beyond the pack ice. Don’t get too close taking photos, they may fire a stream of stinking oil at you as a defence – besides, the tourist code is that you shouldn’t be closer than five metres! Address: AntarcticaDirections: Around the coasts
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Another local trip you can take from your VT base at Frei Hotel Polor Star is a Zodiac-type vessel ride across Bransfield Straits to Chile Bay which, is located on Greenwich Island in the South Shetlands. This is where the Chilean, Arturo Prat Naval Base, is located. Also this is the home to the Comodoro Federico Guesalaga Toro museum (I had half expect some old lawn equipment or a bull ring). But no it is about the heroes of Chiles efforts in Antarctica. This base seems to have a focused on biology and oceanographic research and it is home to a Marine Science Station. Leave a Comment
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Back in the old days, Wilson’s Storm Petrels (Oceanites oceanicus) were seen as a warning of bad weather. They nest around the rocky areas of Antarctica, but travel around the oceans of the entire globe. It’s been suggested they are the world’s most numerous birds, with a population in the billions. So, if there are so many, no wonder they were seen before bad weather (or almost anything else!).
They’re smallish, just a little larger than swallows, which means you need to be fairly close to get photos and you also need to use telephoto. But taking photos of them on the wing is something of a challenge because they also are fast. I found it a frustrating process! Address: AntarcticaDirections: Around the coasts
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