As a consequence of global warming, adventure cruising on small boats through the Polar Regions is becoming easier and more common. Once the sole preserve of scientists and the military, these icy landscapes are a fascinating mix of hostile environments and a pristine calmness and beauty.
Many companies now offer cruises to the Arctic (North Pole) and the Antarctic (South Pole), so what are the differences between the two regions, and what can you expect to see and do while you’re there?
Continental Divide
The main thing to note is, the Antarctic is a continent, while the Arctic is not. It’s an ocean region surrounded by other continents, that is covered by ice caps all year long. At an annual mean temperature of 0°F, the Arctic is actually far warmer than the Antarctic, although it does get pretty chilly, so do still bring gloves!
There’s over 2 million ethnic peoples living in or around the Arctic – you may have heard of some of them, Eskimos (or Esquimaux)?
Mankind first crossed the Arctic Circle in Prehistoric times, but unfortunately this pre-dates Twitter so we don’t know how the trip went. By contrast, the only people really living in the Antarctic are small groups of very cold and probably quite bored scientists and soldiers, posted at research stations and military bases for long periods. Good thing that games like 카지노사이트 벳무브 can ease anyone’s boredom.
About The North and South Poles
Flora and fauna
The Arctic is named after the star Arktos that guided the first sailors there. Arktos means Land of the Big Bear, and you can probably guess which one they were talking about. The mighty Polar Bear is one of the planet’s most formidable and ferocious beasts, roaming a terrain of hundreds of miles in search of food. They’re joined on the ice by wolves, lemmings, caribou and reindeer, among other animals. In the Antarctic the only land mammals to be seen are those manning the microscopes. There are, however, some familiar birds. A lot of them in fact. There’s estimated to be around 20 million breeding pairs of penguins in the Antarctic. As with the Arctic, there are abundant whales, seals and porpoises around too. And sadly, one of their favourite foods is penguin.
Flora-wise, it’s very sparse down at the Antarctic, pretty much nothing but ice in fact. The Arctic is more developed, with moss, lichen and various other plants found growing in some areas where the soil can bear life. Still not especially diverse, but it breaks up the endless white.
Activities
What, you mean just staring at the jaw-dropping scenery isn’t enough for you? Okay, well the obvious thing is to get out on the ice and start exploring, so you will of course need appropriate clothing and equipment. Most tours will provide the basics though.
Naturally, in such massive places, the available activities depend on where exactly you are.
For example, in the Arctic you might use Alaska as a starting-point. On Alaska tours you could expect to spend considerable time in one of several incredible National Parks, where you could encounter gigantic glaciers, the tallest peaks on the continent, and assorted wildlife. Sea kayaking is quite a common activity, and if you can imagine quietly kayaking between icebergs over some of the clearest water – that has got to be an unforgettable experience. And of course, at some point you’re going to want your guide to try and help you see polar bears, but they’re pretty difficult to track down so don’t pin your hopes on it.
About The North and South Poles
In Antarctica, the activities are pretty similar to be honest – a great deal of photography, kayaking, lots of sailing past epic icebergs and mountain ranges. Bird-spotters love the Antarctic, if you visit South Georgia alone you can see up to 30 species of seabird and 4 penguin species.
Rob Smith is a big advocate of protecting both North and South Poles and keenly follows the exploits of the mighty Sea Shepherd.
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About Douglas Smythe
Don’t forget the Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis and round the clock sunshine and darkness for months