subject: Penguins In Antarctica [print this page] A lot of things can be associated with Antarctica including penguins, elephant seals, icebergs, and albatrosses. 3.3 billion gallons of frozen water in 3 tons of ice plus 10 pounds of tiny baby fur seals never fail to be disappointing especially for a continent on earth that is so dry, high, and windy.
From frozen rubbish to voyages gone wrong Antarctica seems to have it all, but this place still became the destination chosen by two of the most well traveled teachers for the Christmas holidays.
A number of vacationers would not think of going to Antarctica but these teachers simply want to add it to their places traveled to. Along the way while they were thinking about how this journey could be possible they read about the explorer through travel magazine.
This required the women to be prepared as they found out. The dress code for a day in Antarctica requires three pairs of socks, at least one in wool under a pair of rubber boots that weigh 15 pounds, insulated underwear, a regular set of clothes and a parka, all topped by rubberized, seamless and waterproof pants and slicker. Two pairs of gloves, one waterproof, complete the costume.
Frostbite is still an ongoing issue in this case not to mention cold feet. Southern Hemisphere summers are like this. As the ice warms up above the freezing point travel is made possible through the ice pack that was breaking but water was still only at 32 degrees.
Around 47 degrees is the thermometer reading from an Antarctic research station for air temperature. The Explorer experienced snowstorms and sleet storms that evening but during the day the sun was directly shining above it.
It's the most unpredictable weather in the world, the women were told, and the itinerary varied from day to day according to the winds. Last Christmas was when an 84 below wind chill swept through their hometown but they did not encounter this during their 24 days in the southern ice cap.
Dreaded but overcome was the Drake Passage. Through the tip of South America in Cape Horn and the Antarctic Peninsula is the route of this passage that led to a number of casualties. 48 hours was the Explorer's passage time and the women strapped themselves in for sleep by using their bunks' seat belts. One of the ladies said they did have bruises from being bounced around.
Millions of penguins were there. The penguins and their nests could be touched, says one lady. What the penguins do best is fuss at one another. Penguin watching was a fun activity. The seals were also an attraction. What they do is scoot around with open mouths. Seals actually bite if you get close to them not to mention their babies.
All throughout the trip was pure bliss. The sky is the most gorgeous blue all the time, it's so clean and the water is so blue. There were intensely huge icebergs that could probably measure up to three stories high as they floated along with some carrying penguins.
It was also part of their journey to see the old whaling stations closed for 20 years. No matter how it took them to see the South Pole the old huts left by the early explorers were really something, and some of them still had the canned foods left by these travelers.
Starting their trip was a trip to Punta Arenas on the south end of Chile to the Shetland Islands, and then moving on to Antarctica then the South Orkneys, then to South Georgia and then the Falklands before going back. A new way of spending Christmas is what the two agreed on.
