Antarctica (Day 1)

January 26, 2023

Some interesting history from Antarctic Guide (First speculations about Antarctica (antarcticguide.com)…Antarctica is the only continent that, from the perspective of human thought, began as a sophisticated concept emerging from a series of deductions. In the sixth century BC Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras calculated that the earth was round, and about a century later Parmenides divided the world into five climatic zones not unlike those that we know empirically today. He postulated frigid zones at the poles, a torrid zone at the equator, and temperate zones separating these uninhabitable extremes of heat and cold. In the fourth century BC Aristotle suggested that the landmass of the northern hemisphere must be balanced by a large landmass in the south…By AD 200 philosophers such as Pomponius Mela had postulated the existence of a cold continent at the southern pole of a globe roughly the size that we now know it to be, spinning around the sun. It was the nearest to the truth that anyone would be for 1,500 years.

Antarctica was discovered in 1820, but the first record of anyone actually setting foot on mainland Antarctica was 1853.  It is hard to imagine what those experiences must have been like.

Our visit to Antarctica officially began in Admiralty Bay, the largest harbor of the South Shetland Island area of Antarctica.  Members of the Expedition team were positioned on the Bridge and among those of us on the observation decks to explain the area we were seeing and help us spot wildlife. 

As we entered the waters of Antarctica we were greeted by several groups of Chinstrap Penguins.

There was a pod of at least 30 humpback whales spouting off in the distance, too far for a photo, but these guys came close enough for us to give you a glimpse…

Next came the ice floes, growing larger as we went along.

As the continent began to reveal herself it was absolutely awe inspiring!

Oh, did I mention it is cold down here? Pam was thrilled that it was snowing in Antartica – like that never happens!