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Antarctica/The White Continent
Origin - It is the fifth continent and the last one to be discovered. In 1912, the German geologist, Alfred Wegener, assumed the theory that Antarctica had been part of a great land mass called Gondwana, from which it broke away some 225 million years ago, during the Permian (Paleozoic Era) geological period.
Geography - Antarctica is located in the entire area south of the 60th parallel. Its surface spans a bit more than 14,000,000km². Its diameter is close to 4,000km. It is divided into two sectors: Major Antarctica or Eastern Antarctica, the widest and oldest, and Minor Antarctica, or Western Antarctica, of recent formation characterized by its curved tail which points north like a serpent and its known as the Antarctic Peninsula. It has two seas of its own: the Weddel and Ross Seas, with their corresponding bays. More than 90% of its territory is covered by ice. It is the highest of all the continents, with an average altitude of 2,250m and peaks that frequently reach above 3,000m. It is also an important factory of winds: its system rules the climate of the entire planet, especially in the Southern Hemisphere.
Climate - It has the coldest and harshest climate in the world. Average temperatures in the interior of Antarctica vary between -70° and -40°C during the cold month of August, and between -15° and -45°C in the warmer month of February. Coastal temperatures are higher, from -32° to -15°C in winter ,and between -5° and 5°C in summer months, these being the highest temperatures that are registered in the Antarctic Peninsula.
Discovery - The existence of Antarctica was surmised by the Greeks in 400 B.C, like a large mass of earth located south, opposite the one known to exist in the north. After many centuries of adventure and expeditions, the first inroads in Antarctic waters were done in 1675 by the English merchant seaman Anthony de la Roche. Other adventurers gave shape to the map of Antarctica, which now bears their names in their memory.
Antarctica is an ecological wonder that bewitches explorers, scientists and voyagers alike.
Getting to know and contemplate this yet unexplored continent has been the goal and dream of many adventurers that are not satisfied with simply imagining how it would feel like to traverse its ice caps and who have made up their minds to enter this wildlife paradise. The Antarctic Continent keeps many hidden surprises for those who visit it. This Fascinating territory contains more than 90% of the earth´s land ice, which transforms it into the largest sweet water reserve on earth.
Antarctica has the singularity of being the continent that remained hidden from man during the longest period of time and thus, its first visitors arrived at these virgin frozen lands only two hundred years ago.
Its matchless beauty contrasts with extreme climate conditions, all of which makes it an exotic destination, truly hypnotizing for those few that reach this far away corner of the universe.
Among the main species that make up marine Antarctic fauna are Whales, Elephant Seals, Weddell Seals, Adelie, Chinstrap and Gentoo Penguins, apart from the variety of birds, such as Albatrosses, Petrels and Snowy Sheathbills.
In this enchanting adventure not only will you have the opportunity of coming into contact with animals unique in their species, but will also enjoy the awesome scenery made up by glaciers, mountain and roaming icebergs. An amazing panorama that can only be found in Antarctica
Please find below the description of the short 5 day trip.
It is not day by day, but will give a pretty good idea of what you will find in terms of Antarctic wildlife. It was described by our Expedition Leader, who also happens to be an excellent ornithologist.
After sailing from Ushuaia, we arrive to the impressive island of Cape Horn, very well known by many of the sailors adventuring on this latitude. As soon as we enter in these beautiful and protected waters, surrounded by impressive virgin islands with impenetrable forest and hanging glaciers. Here, the fauna will change dramatically from Antarctica. The species of penguins we have here is the Magellanic Penguin which nest in borrows on some of the islands. We will also get to see Magellanic Diving Petrel, Sooty and Pink footed Shearwater, among other sea birds. On the edges of the island it is possible to spot the big Flightless Steamer Duck and Kelp Goose, plus other waterfowl such as Chilean teal, Crested Duck and Yellow billed Pintail. Dolphin Gull is another very abundant species of this latitude. Among the marine mammals you will be able to get the most beautiful black and white Dolphin called Commerson´s Dolphin, the Houglass dolphin and some South American Fur seals and sea lions. The variety of song birds in the forest it is also very impressive including the elusive Magellanic Woodpecker, Austral Parakeets, Thorn tailed rayadito among others.
In approximately 48 hours of crossing the Drake passage we will get to see the southern most tip of the White Continent,
What a magnificent experience to spend some time on the gate to the Antarctic continent. Only few hours walking around the Chilean base Eduardo Frei, will give you a general idea how the base operate and how do people overwinter in this unusual area of the globe. You will be in one of the largest base on this part of Antarctica. It is a great opportunity to stamp your passport on one of the most inaccessible continent to have in your record. On king George Island there will be 5 hours of exploring the penguin area, the Russian, Chilean and Chinese bases.
In term of wildlife you will have the chance to meet one of the most fascinating governor of the Antarctic continent, the Penguins, depending the time of the year, you can see all three different species of penguins wondering next to the base or in the shoreline:Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adelie. Plus many other species of seabirds: always next to human facilities there is the agresive Brown or Antarctic Skua, the Kelp or Dominican Gull, and the Antarctic Sheathbill, all of them feeding next to the kitchen where there is always some debris. On the coast you will be able to see the largest Petrel, Southern Giant Petrel, plus many other birds such as Antarctic Tern, King Cormorant and Wilson´s Storm Petrel. Here on land also, you will have the chance to see a few seals, generally, the most common are Southern Elephant Seal, and Weddell seal lying on the beach. If you are lucky, as soon as our ship start sailing you have to keep looking for Antarctic Fur seal swimming next to our vessel or Crab eater Seal, and why not a Leopard seal lying on the ice. There is also good chance to spot some Humpback, or Menke whales or an impressive pod of Orcas.
The most adventurous people would love to cross the Drake Passage, which is known to be one of the roughest oceans on the planet. This will be an unforgettable and wonderful experience, to feel what the old sailors faced last century, you want regret it. There will be plenty of activities on board the ship (fascinating lectures, and magnificent films). This is also a good opportunity to spend time on deck looking for different species of seabirds and why not to spot some whales nearby. Below, you will find a possible list of seabirds on the crossing.
King Penguin
Adelie Penguin
Chinstrap Penguin
Gentoo Penguin
Macaroni Penguin
Rockhopper Penguin
Wandering Albatross
Royal Albatross
Black-browed Albatross
Gray-headed Albatross
Light-mantled Sooty Albatross
Southern Giant Petrel
Northern Giant Petrel
Southern Fulmar
Cape or Pintado Petrel
Antarctic Petrel
Snow Petrel
Kerguelen Petrel
White headed Petrel
Gray Petrel
White-chinned Petrel
Blue Petrel
Broad-billed Prion
Thin billed Prion
Fairy Prion
Sooty Shearwater
Wilson´s Storm Petrel
Black bellied Storm Petrel
Gray headed Strom Petrel
Georgian Diving Petrel
Common Diving Petrel
Antarctic Blue eyed Shag
Snowy Sheathbill
Brown Skua
South Polar Skua
Kelp or Southern black-backed Gull
Antarctic Tern
Arctic Tern
In general this will be an unforgettable experience you should not miss.
More important information on your trip
Terms and Conditions
The main feature of this cruise is that you all will be able to arrive and depart from the frozen continent without having to sail through the sometimes stormy Drake Passage.
The 5 day cruise gives you both air travel one way and then an interesting 48 hour crossing of the Drake sea.
Chile is one of seven countries worldwide, from both the northern and southern hemispheres, to claim a portion of Antarctica as national territory. Nonetheless, a treaty signed in 1959 protects the continent and its outlying islands from mineral exploitation and arms testing, and indefinitely suspends all formal discussion of ownership.
The Antarctic Peninsula, which stretches north like a finger towards Cape Horn, is the northernmost and consequently warmest portion of the continent. Nine countries have research stations on the Antarctic Peninsula and its outlying islands, and most tours focus upon this area.
Geologically and biotically, the Antarctic Peninsula is closely linked with southernmost continental Chile. South America and Antarctica were neighbors on the ancient continent of Gondwanaland until some 27 million years ago, when the formation of the Drake Passage definitively separated the two continents. Antarctic plant fossils from the Pliocene indicate the presence of a temperate ecosystem similar to that of southern Patagonia.
Today, some 91% of the world's freshwater reserves are contained in Antarctic ice, which averages 6500 feet deep and in places reaches over 13,000 feet. Flowing from the center of the continent to its edges, the ice forms huge shelves which extend for miles into the surrounding ocean. Cruise ships pass along the leading edge of these shelves and treat visitors to the spectacle of huge chunks of ice 'calving' off these 150-foot high walls of ice.
Though Antarctic terrestrial flora is limited to numerous species of lichens, mosses, and fungi, this lack of floral diversity is contrasted by the hugely productive and entirely unique Antarctic marine ecosystem. Annual production of krill in these waters averages 200-600 million tons, and upon this vast resource depends nearly every higher species of marine fauna. Blue whales - one of a dozen migratory whales to visit Antarctica -- scoop up krill in unfathomable quantities, while six species of seals, some 100 million individual penguins belonging to seven separate species, and 30 species of migratory birds all feed on fish which, in turn, feed on krill. Research indicates that krill production has declined in recent years, and in 1991 it was reported that the hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica had reached some 13 million square kilometers. Though protected by international treaty, the southern continent is proving to be the most fragile of all .
Today, a growing variety of Antarctic tourist services allow modern adventurers to follow in the footsteps of great explorers such as Cook and Shackleton, Amundson and Scott.
Maritime cruises and expeditions by yacht:
(see victory-cruises web pages)
http://www.victory-cruises.com/special_yachts.html
Scenic flights departing from Punta Arenas continue to be the most common means of visiting Antarctica, though mountaineering trips and overnight visits to Chile's research bases and the civilian settlement at Villa las Estrellas, King George Island are increasingly available by airplane:
The frozen continent - the wildest and least understood of all -- has never been closer or more accessible. If you would like to get to know wonderful Antarctica
and don't have time for a boat,
Go by airplane only:
We have 1-2 day overnight adventure expeditions available.
Above is a Map of King George Island (Isla Rey Jorge)
where your plane lands with details showing
research stations on King George Island
Notice that you fly right over Cape Horn
(Cabo de Hornos) which is 600 miles from Antarctica
Click here for Large map of King George Island and Antarctic Peninsula
Since 1991 Exploring The "Uttermost Parts Of The Earth":
The Arctic, Antarctica and Cape Horn
Your Cruise Specialists at the "ends of the earth"
Phone/Fax (56)61-621092, Phone (56)61-621010,Box 70, Teniente Munoz 118, Puerto Williams,
Tierra Del Fuego, Chile 'The Gateway To Antarctica'
http://cape-horn.net
email: sailing@victory-cruises.com
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