The Antarctic

Given the Antarctic was only discovered 200 years ago, there’s still so much about it that we can learn on every journey south. While guides, such as ornithologist and marine mammal expert Dr Alex Cowan (read more about his adventures on page 17–19), have observed the wildlife here for years, studied the weather and traversed the most challenging channels, every excursion offers plenty of opportunities to experience something extraordinary. Nothing is guaranteed on these trips, not even our itineraries, so we surrender to the elements and let Antarctica take the lead. The weather is extreme, colder than the north, and so you won’t find communities of people living off the land, we can only visit this complete continent during Antarctic summer; it’s unreachable for half of the year. But just because people haven’t set up home here, doesn’t mean that the region is devoid of life – quite the opposite is true. Eight species of penguin visit in pairs to nest in the open, huddled in their millions on the white, pristine wilderness. Gentoo, Adélie, chinstrap, king, rockhopper, Magellanic and macaroni species can be found across the peninsula, as can the more elusive (and rarely seen) emperor. This region is perfect for budding ornithologists too, with migrating species in vast numbers offering prolific bird spotting opportunities; wandering albatross, skua and storm petrels are real highlights. Unlike the Arctic, there’s little in the way of vegetation to see, with mountains, glaciers and sheet ice that stretch for miles on the horizon. With much frostier temperatures, compared to the Arctic, there’s lots to learn about the brave voyagers who risked life and limb to first venture to the southernmost pole. Consider Sir Ernest Shackleton and his men, whose ship Endurance was crushed by ice and plummeted into the blue back in 1915 as they endeavoured to explore a new world (read more about that on pages 9–11). The sheer will to survive took the band of adventurers on an extraordinary journey back to civilisation and it’s one we regularly follow, a chance to connect with the past. In the present, whales migrate to Antarctica to hunt for krill in November and December; later in the season, you’ll become accustomed to spotting humpback flukes rising and disappearing beneath the surface of the cold water. Then there are the five seal species, rolling in the waves; the Antarctic fur seal, Weddell, crabeater, leopard and elephant. We stay on polar ships when we visit, remaining ever in the heart of Antarctica. Aboard, we have the chance to reflect and learn more from the experts that know this place best, logging our findings and contributing to the research of a region that still has so many mysteries to be unveiled.