Spending Christmas In Antarctica For The First Time
Reflecting what Antarctica is all about are penguins, elephant seals, albatrosses, and icebergs. Considering how high, dry, and windy the continent is, it still remains to be one of the most spectacular sights with 10 pound tiny baby fur seals to 3 million tons in ice mounds that hold frozen water in massive amounts amounting to 3.3 billion gallons.
Probably two of the most wide traveled teachers have chosen Antarctica, the land of frozen wastes and uneventful expeditions, as the location for their Christmas holiday. Not having been to the continent in the past is why this atypical vacation spot that is Antarctica became enticing for these teachers. Considering the amount of time they spent on this idea for a vacation they even read about the explorer in a travel magazine. Get in touch with this resource if you have a desire to find out about antarctica cruises.
Preparation was important, the women found. As much as three pairs of socks, one wool, worn under 15 pound rubber boots plus insulated underwear, a regular set of clothes, a parka, and rubberized, seamless, and waterproof pants and slicker as the outer layer are necessary for one day spent in Antarctica.One waterproof and one regular pair of gloves complete the list of clothes.
Regardless of these, one is susceptible to frostbite and cold feet. The summer in the Southern Hemisphere is this way. Even though the ice was warming up to about a point above the freezing point and travel could be done on the breaking ice pack still the water was at 32 degrees. At one Antarctic research station, a thermometer gave an air temperature reading of 47 degrees. During the day there was direct sunlight but that evening proved to be harsh for the Explorer for snowstorms and sleet storms came its way.
If having unpredictable weather was bad enough, the women were also told about the possibility of itineraries changing due to winds. Staying for 24 days in the southern ice cap did not result to an experience of an 84 below wind chill like the one that occurred last Christmas in their hometown. To get a closer look on cruise to antarctica visit this site.
The most feared passage, the Drake Passage, was passed. This passage that runs from the tip of South America in Cape Horn to the Antarctic Peninsula has already claimed a number of ships. 48 hours was the Explorer’s passage time and the women strapped themselves in for sleep by using their bunks’ seat belts. A lady donned some bruises after being bounced around.
At least a million penguins were there. Feeling the penguins and their nests could be done on the trip. The daily activity of penguins is fussing. Watching them was satisfying. Another plus is the seals. What they do is scoot around with open mouths. But these ones bite if you get too close especially to their babies.
Much beauty can be seen all throughout. There was a spectacularly blue sky and the water was bluer than usual. Also there were icebergs floating along and they were beautiful considering that they were three stories high some even with penguins on. They saw old whaling stations, closed for 20 years since the treaties of the 1960s. While the trip didn’t include a plane ride to the South Pole, they saw some of the huts left by the early explorers, some still hold canned food stored there years ago.
On this trip the route they took brought them to Punta Arenas on the south end of Chile and then to the Shetland Islands, next to Antarctica and then to the South Orkneys, to South Georgia and finally to the Falklands before returning home. Such a trip was truly extraordinary as both of them agree.

