Antarctica is not easy to access but that is part of its appeal. Amidst such solitude, adventurous travelers will discover an ethereal landscape that lingers in the memory. Very few have ventured onto the continent and those who do will usually rave about the privilege of gazing upon topography that yields towering mountains, bulky glaciers and luminous, dreamlike icebergs, carved into curious shapes. Perhaps more than anywhere else, Antarctica reminds those who visit it of the awesome (and savage) power of nature. No two travelers will ever see the same icebergs forged in exactly the same form,
such is its ephemeral and austere beauty.
However, some argue that Antarctica is changing, and by humanmade causes rather than natural ones. Antarctica is welcoming more tourist-orientated cruises and ferries to the region every year, and facilities are continually developing, with more accommodation, culinary and travel options available. There is now ample opportunity to ascend Mount Erebus, the southernmost active volcano on Earth; to fly via helicopter or venture by boat to penguin colonies; to really make the most of a terrain that teems with wildlife, with a multitude of birds, seals, albatrosses and enormous whales; and so on. Some regard this gradual focus on tourism as disconcerting – many wish to preserve Antarctica in its elemental state and want to avoid any potential environmental damage. However, the focus on tourism is, indeed, gradual, and as long as any visitor is aware of their impact upon the landscape and does their utmost to limit that impact, Antarctica is still a magical experience that most, given the chance, would find hard to resist.
Perhaps the reason behind fascination with Antarctica is its function as a symbol of endurance and survival. It has only been a little over 100 years since humans first occupied the continent (1899) and only nearly 200 years since seafarers first even saw the islands of the Antarctic Peninsula (1819). Before this, the continent was the subject of constant speculation, spoken of in almost mythical terms as
Terra Australia Incognita – the Unknown Southern Land. Even once known, Antarctica seemed inhospitable and incomprehensible and, in many ways, it still is. But it seems fitting that the continent should be the site for numerous global research stations, proving it remains testament to human endeavour.
GeographyAntarctica is the largest remaining wilderness on Earth and is still relatively untouched by human impact. It covers an area of 13.7 million sq km (5.3 million sq miles) around the South Pole and is covered with an ice sheet 4km (2.5 miles) deep. It has no permanent human population other than a small number of personnel at 82 research stations run by 27 different nations.
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