To talk about Antarctica is to talk about elephant seals and penguins not to mention icebergs and albatrosses. And from its tiny baby fur seals weighing no more than 10 pounds, to mounds of ice weighing 3 million tons and holding 3.3 billion gallons of frozen water, the highest, driest, windiest continent in the world lives up to all expectations.
There were two well traveled teachers who chose Antarctica as the place to spend the Christmas holiday in and this is in considering how it is a land of frozen wastes and voyages gone wrong. Antarctica an unusual spot for a vacation, most would agree, but the only continent not yet visited by the globe trotting teachers. As they read about the explorer in a travel magazine they were already in the process of planning this vacation. Get in touch with this resource if you have a desire to find out about antarctica trips.
As the women found out preparation is key to success. Three pairs of socks one of them wool worn under 15 pound rubber boots, insulated underwear worn under a regular set of clothes, a parka, and seamless and waterproof rubberized pants and slicker comprises the ensemble needed for a day in Antarctica. In order to complete the outfit, one waterproof and one regular pair of gloves is necessary.
Other than cold feet, frostbite was a lingering problem to face. For the Southern Hemisphere, this is summer. 32 degrees is where the water remained regardless of how the ice was warming to above the freezing level and the ice pack was breaking allowing for some travel. Measuring air temperature with a thermometer, an Antarctic research station received a reading of 47 degrees. Nothing but sunlight was experienced in the morning but when nightfall arrived the Explorer faced snowstorms and sleet storms.
Other than having weather which could not be prevented, the women were also informed about how the itineraries changed depending on winds. In their 24 days in the southern ice cap they did not encounter the 84 below wind chill that they experienced in their hometown last Christmas. To get a closer look on cruise to antarctica visit this site.
Although dreaded, the Drake Passage proved to be no obstacle. Ships in massive quantities have been unable to overcome this passage that goes through the tip of South America in Cape Horn to the Antarctic Peninsula. Seat belts on the bunk were used by the women to strap in as they slept while the Explorer went through the passage for 48 hours. Resulting to bruises after being bounced around was one lady.
A ton of penguins could be seen. A lady said that they had access to the penguins and their nests. Part of a penguin’s day is talking continuously.Watching them was satisfying. A lot of seals were there as well. Their mouths were open as they scooted around the place. Closeness to them and their babies may end up in a seal biting you.
It was a trip that was well worth taking. The sky is the most gorgeous blue all the time, it’s so clean and the water is so blue. The icebergs are so beautiful, they are as large as a city block, three stories high, just floating along, maybe with a couple of penguins. There were also the old whaling stations which have been closed done since the year 1960.Part of their journey did not involve a plane ride but a view of the early explorers’ huts in the South Pole, a number of these still had old canned goods.
The voyage took them from Punta Arenas on the south end of Chile to the Shetland Islands to Antarctica to the South Orkneys to South Georgia to the Falklands and back to their starting point. Agreeing to how different their holidays has become are the two.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.