subject: Two Stewardesses In Antarctica [print this page] Are you one of those people who prefer traveling to unchartered destinations without crowds? Traveling to the ends of the earth is done by tourists in the aim of being the first ones to reach a particular location. Sightseers from New Zealand and South America will be congregating at the Antarctic continent way down south.
The only people able to reach the continent found in 1820 were sealers, scientists, and some explorers. As large as the United States and Mexico combined, it is covered by a 7,000 foot thick ice blanket so that they can only visit a few places on the partially ice free coast.
Ships strong enough to deal with ice impact and sailing through stormy seas will be endured before you get there. Everyday there are 24 hours of sun and above freezing temperatures seldom happen.
Reaching the south of the Antarctic Circle for the very first time is the group of 14 men and 12 women and they were also able to go the Mcmurdo Sound area, 2,000 miles south of and New Zealand.
800 sailors and scientists are part of the US Navy facility that is now located in this area which brought untold hardship and death to British explorers long ago. The seasons here happens in the exact opposite of that in the Northern Hemisphere.
Their brief landing in 1957 allowed two airline stewardesses to be the sole women in this area. It was not an enthusiastic welcome provided by the Navymen at McMurdo Station when the women arrived on the continent. The reason behind this was that the sailors did not want any disruptions in their capacity to not look at women for a very long time.
Even the ships arriving in January and February are not eagerly awaited to by the people at McMurdo. According to the sailors, civilian technicians, and the scientists, they were chosen to perform a significant job in this place.
Everything from the romance to the edge of Antarctica may be lost to tourists. Everything from warm pants, mittens, a red parka, and kodachrome will come from the travel service but additional services include laundry, seasick pills, tips, and drinks.
Antarctica was inhabited solely by US Navy personnel and American scientists since 1955. Nine scientific stations are also located here and on adjacent islands and they are maintained by other nations.
How will the arrival of tourists be acted upon by the Navy? Controlling visitors is not possible for there is no territorial claim that exist, said the commander of naval forces in Antarctica. They jurisdiction applies to their stations though.
They only prohibit those who cannot support themselves. Such a hurdle is easily overcome in a well equipped ship.
Taking several precautions protect everyone on board. The tourist agency has provided us with a copy of their operational plan and I am satisfied that they meet the test of safety.
There are a lot of things to see and do here including the first nuclear power reactor in Antarctica and visitors can attend services at the Chapel of the Snows, visit the ship's store, post exchange, or have a few drinks at the enlisted clubs.
The group consists of ardent bird watchers, hikers, and conservationists, so from the huts used by the early explorers they may also find themselves searching for seals, skua gulls, and killer whales not to mention visiting penguin rookeries.
