Flying over Antarctica for the day takes the plane above the Magnetic South Pole. The compass needle jumps and wiggles as they cross the area. Many meters beneath the comfortable passengers, the ice sheet has been etched into wave-like patterns by a relentlessly blowing polar wind as it heads out to sea. Although the tourists hover high above, the trails of snow, making their way to the ocean, resemble slowly shifting, feathery steam, meandering across the glacier’s wave shaped sculptures. As a person looking for antarctica tours you should visit that site.
The first team of explorers were able to reach the magnetic South Pole in 1909, after dangerously traveling through ice and snow in a journey that took them 2,030km in 134 days. Leaving, under four short hours ago, the tourists, seated comfortably on the jumbo jet, are now flying over the pole, and will marvel at the natural beauty of this final wilderness left on the Earth, as they take in the antarctic landscape for a few hours, before heading back to to complete their round trip.
The Magnetic South Pole is the point at which several magnetic force lines collide. These forces greatly affect compasses as airplanes fly over Antarctica. Equipped with satellite guidance and a gyroscope, the jumbo jet is able to hold it’s course. Explorer’s reached the more popular geographic South Pole in the early 1900’s. It is about 2,500 kilometers away from the magnetic South Pole. Similar to the airman who claimed the first flights over both the North and South Poles in the 1920’s, passengers on this flight can claim they achieved their destiny while sitting down.
Barely separated from the passengers, the Antarctic winds rocket frigidly past. Within the cabin itself, passengers are relaxed and warm. Some are only wearing t-shirts and shorts and sip on chardonnay. By the time the jumbo jet was roughly three hours south of the first icebergs could be seen and a party atmosphere took over on the plane. Sightseers of all ages now traipse about the plane, trying to find the best place to see the icebergs. This site teaches you about antarctic tours.
As the plane gets closer to the magnetic South Pole, the icebergs begin to multiply and begin to take on unusual geometrical shapes along the Antarctic coast, shining like bits of glass and broken mirror in a striking display against the dark blue sea. Seeing the glacier’s meeting the sea is awe-inspiring to the passengers, who have been sharing windows so that everyone can get a good photo or video. They were then treated to the wonder of the Trans Antarctic Mountains, as well as the glaringly white ice caps that are streaked with blue.
These new and exciting day trips to the Antarctic are a revival of an old flight pattern that used to bring two major airlines over the dark and frozen continent. Not only do the passengers get to see the glaciers, mountains, coasts and icebergs, but they can also fly over an abandoned French research base. It used to be a penguin colony before the French took over. A tidal wave later destroyed the base. It was geologists who were the first to reach the base, which is not too far from the South Magnetic Pole.