Travel and Leisure – Topicwire

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.

This gentleman cannot forget the sight he had seen when he went to Antarctica and saw the sunrise over the continent’s plains. A religious moment, he calls it. There’s a very real presence of God down there, there’s no doubt, said the 53 year old satellite technician from Texas, who spent most of the time working at a NASA tracking station at McMurdo Station. He is only one of those who ever got the privilege of going to this large mass of volcanic ash and ice. You will gain a deeper understanding about antarctica cruise prices by checking out that resource.

It is pretty normal for people to come here to first pass by McMurdo station, which is at the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf. Formerly a US military outpost, McMurdo, which has the look and feel of a high country Western mining camp is now administered and funded by the National Science Foundation.

There’s not much one can do in that place. The outdoors are extremely cold, so going outdoors is out of the question unless you have thick layered polar clothing and a hardy constitution. Looking at the beauty around him even as he worked long and difficult hours was a practice for him. The month of May is something he anticipates, as this is the time where he gets to enjoy four hour sunsets over the Royal Society Mountains.

Seeing the names of the 1908 Shackleton expedition members was one experience he cannot also forget. The men at McMurdo will forever remain in his memory, he says. The biographies there are incredible, he said, and everybody’s on a first name basis, from the PhDs to the janitors. You can get the best exciting antarctica cruises information by visiting this website.

He does not fear the threatening landscape at all. Antarctica has not intimidated this woman of 47 years who had ventured to see a breeding ground of penguins. There is always an attraction and interest she feels toward penguins. When I would be at the zoo, they were always my favorites. I always think of them as little human beings. I don’t use the word cute, so I think I would describe them as being handsome.

When she went to Antarctica, she saw something she can never forget. It is the image of so many King Penguins everywhere on the shores of a bay. The scene was the most powerful thing that she had ever laid her eyes on. Trips to The Ice aren’t meant only for those with academic grants and pilot’s licenses.

Those who aren’t keen on being a part of the modern day Foreign Legion but are still willing to take the polar adventure may also be able to do so through other means. A fee of $3,000 is given by cruise lines that travel from New Zealand to Antarctica. Going to the South Pole would cost more if you travel by air. It’s for anyone who wants to have an adventure and has lots of money to spend.