Antarctic Travel

There are over seventy thousand pairs of penguins in Antarctica, and they walk around looking like they’re dressed for dinner and they own this entire land you are about to check out. You will gain a deeper understanding about antarctic cruises by checking out that resource.

They’re constantly cleaning themselves, getting angry with other penguins who get in their nests, and sending off seals who aren’t invited. It seems the little ones who are still brown and covered with down, are always hungry for their parent’s predigested food. The parents always have a ready supply of food for their chicks. Once the female comes home with a belly full of food, the parents perform a ritual of pecks and bows and then the father takes his turn at sea.

Believe it or not, there is nothing cute about penguins. They are belligerent and demanding.  And, they stink. Even so, we maintain our fascination with these birds.  Our desire to visit them in their habitat has greatly increased the number of people visiting Antarctica.

There’s more to Antarctica than just penguins, though. You’ll see birds like albatross in the skies and animals like whales, dolphins and seals in the waters.  The land and seascapes are beautiful backdrops to all of these creatures, as well. Some of the cathedrals in Europe sport spires that are much shorter than the ones found on glaciers in Antarctica. You’ll also experience something that relatively few people have ever seen by taking a trip to this unusual, distant land. Antarctica is one of the most beautiful places has to offer us. Visit this site for further information on cruise to antarctica.

You are going to be having an adventure before you even reach the Antarctic. The trip, though rarely taken, will be stimulating, unique and costly. If you are leaving from the US, it takes at the very least 20 hours of air travel to make it to the southernmost port of Argentina. Christchurch, New Zealand; Punta Arenas, Chile; or Cape Town, South Africa are other ports from which you can sail.  You must go on an ice-rated expedition ship. Getting to the continent is only possible via ship, which entails several days of very rough sea passage.

Bigger in surface than the US and Mexico put together, Antarctica is covered by ice shelves that make a surface much larger than North America, Europe and Greenland.  The earth’s surface indents in the area because the continent is so heavy.  And, it holds 70 percent of all the earth’s fresh water. Cruises last from ten to twenty-eight days. Usually, trips which travel to Antarctica are on the small side, carrying a maximum of 200 people. Prepare for a different type of ship than those that cruise the Caribbean or Mediterranean. These ships are going to be teaching you things about Antarctica’s natural science and the history of the continent.

These ships will put their passengers onto rafts so that they can approach the rookeries of penguins and colonies of seals, or to get them to research stations. At these stations, scientists investigate a wide variety of things, from the nature of the ozone layer to how life can sustain in Antarctic climates.

Only five countries have research facilities on the continent.  They are the original countries who participated in signing the international agreement on Antarctica.  This makes the continent a haven for scientific study by requiring it stay commerce, nuclear and border ‘free.

Some people raise the concern that tourists coming to Antarctica isn’t a very safe idea. A DC-10 had crashed in 1979 and killed over 250 people, which effectively ended tourism by simply flying over the continent. Antarctica’s fragile ecosystem must be protected from all tourism, according to environmentalists. Politicians, environmentalists and scientists dispute different aspects of Antarctic tourism. They all want to keep Antarctica safe. They must also think about the good a returning tourist can spread.

Currently, there are no tourism regulations for Antarctica. That said, you must follow the basic ideas of ecotourism if you do go. You can only take pictures, leave only footprints, and stay away from the natives. Clothes that can be removed in layers are best. Although most of the ships will provide you with down filled parkas, you have to provide your own water proof boots, as well as several pairs of socks. Don’t forget your own camera, sunglasses and very strong sun block.  You may find some to buy onboard, but they’ll be super expensive, and there aren’t any convenience stores in Antarctica.