More About Antarctica

About Antarctica:

• The name Antarctica has its roots in the Greek language.  The ancient Greeks assumed that there was a continent at the bottom of the globe to balance the large landmasses of the northern hemisphere, which they named Antarktikos.  Its name originated from being situated opposite the region in the north called Arkticos, which means “near the bear,” after the constellation Ursa Major.
• Antarctica is the fifth largest continent in size after Asia, Africa, North America and South America.  To give some sense of scale, Antarctica is nearly twice the size of Australia, (and bigger than all of US and Mexico.). 
• About 250 million years ago, Antarctica was located in the subtropical band of the planet, covered with abundant forests and inhabited by reptiles and amphibians. At this time, it was part of the supercontinent of Gondwana, from which it permanently separated 65 million years ago and began to drift towards the South Pole.  
• The territory east of the Greenwich meridian, containing the South Pole is called East Antarctica, while the other part, which includes the Antarctic Peninsula, is called West Antarctica.
• A unique feature of the Antarctic continent is its unusually high average elevation. Compared to a world average of 1,970 ft, Antarctica is the highest of all continents with an average elevation of 6,725 ft above sea level.  Although its average thickness of ice is 6,560 ft, some areas have recorded depths exceeding 15,420 ft.
• The Antarctic continent has an almost circular shape that is centered at the South Pole with one exception in the shape of the Antarctic Peninsula that projects into the north closer to South America, and two large bays that are the Weddell Sea and Ross Sea.  With an average distance of 1,550 miles between the coast and the pole, most of the continent lies within the Antarctic Circle (66°33’S). It is separated from other continents by large distances, being 620 miles from South America, 2,240 miles from Africa and 1,370 miles from Oceania.
• In the winter, much of the Southern ocean is covered with a thick layer of sea ice, effectively doubling the surface of the continent and making access almost impossible.
  - Sea ice, also called pack ice, which each winter covers more than 1/10 of the total area of the southern hemisphere.
  - The sea begins to freeze in late summer and reaches its peak in September, covering almost 20 million km.  It then retreats until March, when it reaches its minimum extent of 3 million km.
• Today the Antarctic ice sheet has a volume of approximately 6.7 million cubic miles or 90% of all ice on the planet, making it the largest body of fresh water on Earth.
• Southern Ocean is a distinctive marine system in itself.  It is distinguished by high productivity due to low temperatures and high mineral content, which allows the development of a large number of microorganisms that constitute the Antarctic marine ecosystem.

•  At the base of the Antarctic Peninsula are the Ellsworth Mountains, which include the highest peak on the continent, Mount Vinson, which is 16,050 ft above sea level.
• Although it sounds hard to believe, Antarctica is one of the driest areas of the planet, with precipitation rates even lower than in the Sahara desert.
• Well known for their power, the Antarctic katabatic winds are capable of blowing at more than 125 mph.
• The first people to actually reach Antarctica were the seal hunters around 1820. Since the beginning of the century sealers had reached South Georgia and Tierra del Fuego, attracted by the stories of Cook that mentioned huge populations of Pinnipeds.
• However, it was only with the first voyages of the exclusively scientific expeditions of the French Dumont d’Urville, the American Charles Wilkes and the English James Clark Ross, that Antarctica finally stopped being a myth. Particularly noteworthy was the voyage of Ross between 1839 and 1843, which penetrated into the sea that now bears his name and reached a new furthest south.
• Most research facilities today are located in protected bays along the coast in ice-free areas where maintenance and access are less difficult. Seen from a distance they look like small colorful villages, which consist of several relatively small buildings, among which are included laboratories, homes, warehouses and workshops. However, there are exceptions such as the U.S. McMurdo base, which is closer to a small mining town, including basic services such as hospitals and bars.
  P.S.  Bases (and all ships servicing them) operate on fossil fuels - none on nuclear.
• Scientists and engineers working in the Antarctic bases form a highly variable and transient population, numbering from about 800-1000 people in winter and increasing to 3000-4000 during the summer months, when the intensity of research activity comes to its peak.  The average number of people at each base ranges from 20-40 people in the smaller stations to over 100 in the largest.
• Finally, Antarctica's history is just a little over 100 years - it was really discovered only in 1912.

Wildlife: 

• Of all the sea birds that live in Antarctica, the largest in number and certainly the best known are the penguins, often taken as a symbol of the local fauna.  Of the 17 species of penguins worldwide, seven live in the Antarctic: Emperor penguins, which are regarded as the true master of the ice; the three Pygoscelis penguins; Adelie, Gentoo and Chinstrap, and Macaroni penguins. Rock hopper penguins and King penguins live in northern areas of the region, on islands near the Antarctic Convergence.
• While emperor penguins are a little different, the majority of Antarctic penguin species have similar social, reproductive and food habits. After spending the winter scattered around the ocean, they return to the continent’s ice-free areas in the springs, where they gather in large colonies that can sometimes exceed one million.  In late October, the female lays usually two eggs, which are incubated alternately by both parents for about 35 days. After hatching from the egg, the chick is covered with a soft plumage that is highly effective as an insulator from the cold. They seem to have an insatiable appetite. Parents regurgitate freshly caught food, usually small fish, krill, squid and crustaceans. By the end of summer the penguin chicks develop waterproof feathers that allow them to enter the water and to be independent.
• Seals and whales are the two major groups of mammals that live in the Antarctic. Both are species with terrestrial ancestors that have adapted to the marine environment. But seals have not completely abandoned the land, where some complete their reproductive cycle.
• Penguin's predators include birds and aquatic mammals. Southern giant petrels (Macronectes giganteus) are the predominant land predator of chicks, responsible for up to 34% of chick deaths in some colonies though they often scavenge dead penguins as well. The south polar skua (Stercorarius maccormicki) mainly scavenges for dead chicks, as the live chicks are too large to be attacked by the time of its annual arrival in the colony.  Occasionally, a parent may defend their chick from attack, although it may be more passive if the chick is sickly.
• The only known predators thought to attack healthy adults, and who attack emperor penguins in the water, are both mammals. The first is the leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx), which takes some adult birds, as well as fledglings soon after they enter the water.  Orcas (Orcinus orca), mostly take adult birds, although they will attack penguins of any age in or near water.
• For Penguins of the Antarctica - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2gbMbzpaUk

Tourism:

• Antarctic tourism, undoubtedly one of the fastest growing activities on the continent in recent years, does not have much in common with other popular destinations in the world, and should be treated differently given the extreme nature of the continent.
• Historically, Antarctic tourism has focused on the Antarctic Peninsula, with fewer options existing to visit the Ross Sea or the inhospitable East continent. The typical trip left civilization in the most southern point of South America (Ushuaia or Punta Arenas) on an expedition where half of the days are taken up crossing the infamous Drake Passage. Nowadays, you may also opt to fly to the Peninsula, weather permitting.
• From the nearly 6,000 visitors in the 1992-93 season, the number increased over time reaching today’s levels of about 30,000 travelers per season.

Weather "proofing":

• The average temperature in the Antarctic Peninsula area is around 0°C (32°F), a little lower with wind chill factor.  (Temperature on the boat 68°F.)  Like everywhere else cold, it is best to wear several layers of light, warm clothing, with a windproof and waterproof jacket and pants for the outside layer (ski style).  Of course, warm gloves and a warm cap to protect your head are a must.  Most landings in Antarctica are “wet landings” - knee-high waterproof boots are provided.
• Also, good quality UV filtering sunglasses are essential.  So is good sun block lotion for your face (SPF 40 and above). 

Viewing:

• To observe wildlife, you should have a good pair of lightweight binoculars (best degree of magnification 7 or 8 X 30).  If you are passionate about photography, do not forget a good zoom lens to shoot wildlife while avoiding close approaches. Take with you an ample supply of memory cards.
• For more details:
• Welcome - https://youtu.be/VxnbUB8WD6A
• Zodiac - https://youtu.be/-uUiiGNuG6E
• Guidelines - https://youtu.be/mBpEIrpdY3w