Antarctica is the world's fifth largest continent, and extends for 14,000,000 square km or approximately 9,000,000 square miles. 2% of this landmass is bare rock, while the other 98% is covered in ice averaging 1 mile thick. It's also the largest desert in the world, in that it is a climate that has less than 250mm (10 in) of annual rainfall. This is certainly true of Antarctica.
Nonetheless, the continent's beauty is not to be understated. The Southern Ocean surrounds it and the Transatlantic Mountain Range splits it in half. People from far and near come to experience its serene, surreal beauty. No indigenous peoples exist in the country, although quite a few have staked claim to it. Explorers such as Captain James Cook of the UK or some of the first to do so; in 1773, for the first time in history, Cook crossed the Atlantic Circle. Sir James Clark Ross, also of the UK, founded the Ross Ice Shelf and the Ross Sea as he searched for the magnetic South Pole. The only creatures to permanently make their home in the Antarctica are animals: krill, skua, albatross, seals, penguins, petrel and whales. If you visit the Antarctica, don't expect the animals to run away in fright. You're just likely to get an unthreatened, nonchalant stare when they see you.
If you want to get to Antarctica, you first have to leave from New Zealand, Australia, South Africa or South America, by ship. At some point, you'll cross what's known as the "Antarctic Polar Frontal Zone". This phenomenon is caused by deep warm water flowing south from equatorial regions with deep, cold water from Antarctica. This creates a strip about 30 miles wide of up-swelling of nutrient rich turbulent water that surrounds the Antarctic. It came into existence of 20 million years ago, creating a natural barrier across which there has been very little exchange of marine life.
The netherworld of your dreams will meet reality as you take in the splendour of the seascapes and landscapes. Truly amazing scenes are awaiting you, sentinels of the land at the bottom of the world. Depending on which tour operator you travel with, there may be 1-3 landings daily where you access the mainland by way of zodiacs. The jaunts normally last about three hours at a time. Tours themselves last around 10-15 days. Once on land there are several things to see and do.
Try your hand at mountain climbing, camping, kayaking or scuba diving. This may open the southern world up to you so you can enjoy sightings of penguins, seals and whales. Places to visit frequently visited include Deception Island, which is a collapsed volcano that forms a natural harbour in the Southern Shetland Islands, offering the visitor the thermally heated Pendulum Cove. Lemaire Channel has been nicknamed Kodak Gap from its popularity with visitors. This channel is between Booth Island and the Antarctic Peninsula cliffs. Paradise Harbour with her glaciers and breathtaking scenery could be a great way to laze away a day. The Falkland Islands are nearby, as well. These islands carry a rich history going back to the 16th century as Patagonians travelled to the Islands as well as the British, French and Argentineans.
Smaller groups tend to go to Antarctica due to the limitation of the number of passengers allowed ashore at any one time. Expeditions to the Antarctica are seasonal and include stops at remote areas, historical huts, and wildlife sightings. Travel is only really possible in the summertime between November and March, when there's over 20 hours of sunlight. Temperatures are usually between one below degrees Celsius and 30 below degrees Celsius, depending on where you are; because this is also the windiest place on earth, this also affects the temperature. Nonetheless, no matter where you choose to land on Antarctica, you will find that you've literally set foot on a new world, pristine and largely untouched
Author Resource:-
Jeff Paulett is a partner of Coastal Cruises. If you would like to know more Antarctica cruising, please visit their site at Antarctica Cruising.
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