ANTARCTICA

Immense. Intense. Serenely still.

Welcome to our desert continent. It is our highest, driest, coldest, flattest and windiest one. Containing 70% of the world’s freshwater, if all its ice melted, global sea levels would rise about 60 metres. Over the last 50 years, temperatures here have increased five times the global average.

This destination feels more like travel to another planet than elsewhere on this one. The earth has many remote places, but they all come adjacent to some form of human culture. Not here. This is a world of extreme otherness without our input. Don’t pack a large ego. Here we are transitory incidentals.

Fossils confirm it was once at least as warm as Auckland, covered in lush forest and dinosaurs. Now in summer there are six months of almost constant daylight, matched in winter by six months of utter darkness. Telling the time is difficult and arbitrary. At the South Pole the lines of longitude – which create our global time zones – all meet at a single point. Currently sunset is at 11:30 pm and sunrise at 2:30 am.

The continent is twice the size of Australia. There are active volcanoes, and a subglacial lake whose waters flow blood red with oxidised iron. Over 235 animal species live here along with only two flowering plants. There are no terrestrial mammals, although there are many fish, birds, seals, whales and seven species of penguins.

The Emperor penguin is the largest type and adults can reach 45 kilos. Penguin feathers are surprisingly stiff. Sharp bristles hook together, trapping in air over a layer of down beneath. Colonies can number in the thousands. Of interest to this nutritionist, penguins have a special gland in their eye to get rid of the high salt content from their diet. By regulation, no one is allowed to walk within five metres of the wildlife. Some penguins miss the memo, waddle close and inspect my boots.

I see the colour green only once, via a small patch of moss. Everything from fish to penguins to birds has krill on the menu: a tiny, translucent, orange crustacean. The food web of the region though, starts with plankton, the pasture of the sea and krill’s main repast.

Phytoplankton are microscopic, yet through photosynthesis remove carbon dioxide. Astoundingly, they also help form clouds. Annually they emit 20 million tons of sulphur compounds. These gases rise and help create denser water particles than anywhere else. Clouds over Antarctica are therefore brighter. This enables them to reflect light and keep the earth from over-heating. Marvel at life’s supportive complexity.

History

More than 2,000 years ago, Aristotle presumed this land mass existed as a balance to the North Pole. He named it Antarktikos. Around five centuries ago, indigenous people from what is now Chile probably visited, and possibly Polynesians too. In 1773 that industrious Captain James Cook was the first to record crossing the Antarctic Circle. Pack ice and fog pushed him back from landing. Enterprising sealers later came to shore in the 1800s.

Early travel involved epic, dangerous exploits. In preparation for my journey, I read six books telling these tales, as well as contemporary accounts of those stationed there for research purposes, and on the local wildlife.

Starting in 1901, Anglo-Irish Ernest Shackleton made four attempts to reach the South Pole. He was known for heroic perseverance. Then in 1911 Norwegian Roald Amundsen, a master of meticulous planning, was the first person to achieve the goal. He had lived with the Canadian Inuit and learned their dog sled skills, food choices and other survival techniques. He thus chose sturdy fur garments rather than wool ones. All of his team survived.

Five weeks later, British Naval Officer Robert Falcon Scott – more romantic and less methodical – struggled there with inadequate supplies. He and his starving men all died in a blizzard trying to return.

Sir Raymond Priestley was an English geologist and 1907 Antarctic explorer. He later wrote, “For scientific leadership, give me Scott; for safe and efficient travel, Amundsen; but when you are in a hopeless situation, when there seems to be no way out, get on your knees and pray for Shackleton.”

On Board

The cruise departs from Puerto Williams, Chile, which is the world’s southernmost city. It is a little more southerly than the bigger and better known, Ushuaia at the bottom of Argentina’s spine. Their shared region, Patagonia, is known for dramatic fjords, mountains and glacial lakes.

Numerous islands are actually submerged Andean peaks. It is about 3,000 kilometres to the continental coast below. In between is the notorious Drake Passage: one of the planet’s most turbulent voyages due to high winds, rough waters and the risk of icebergs. The crossings take one to two days. Calm versions are termed ‘Drake Lake’, while the tempestuous ones are ‘Drake Shake’. Like an honour guard, the voyage is accompanied by humpbacks, dolphins and gulls.

Due to environmental concerns, no large vessels are permitted to land on the Antarctic coast. The number of people disembarking is also controlled by international agreement. Most companies hire their ships. Silversea is a luxury line that owns its own vessels. This one is specialised for polar expeditions with about two hundred passengers.

Research scientists lecture on biology, botany, geology, oceanography, ornithology and glaciology in a gorgeous, tall cinema-space. Mountain slopes are monitored for avalanche potential. These can sheer huge slabs of ice into the water and cause tsunamis. The ice breaks up into a carpet of meringue-like shards with depth unknown. They can stretch for kilometres and make passage cautionary.

I thought I would spend a lot of time reading. Didn’t happen once. There were too many activities including daily yoga, Pilates, group games and photography classes. Plus long mealtime conversations with interesting guests. Many have been to the Arctic and say this is much grander.

My elegant, comfortable suite has a private balcony, floor to ceiling windows, a spacious seating area and walk-in wardrobe. The fridge holds ‘free’ champagne, caviar, premier chocolates and other requests replenished as desired. On offer are a hot tub, pool, spa, gym and sauna; numerous dining area options with one available 24 hours, as is room service. Like a scene from Downton Abbey, a private butler brings me tea in the morning before I get up.

The dining is healthy, international and ever changing. Particular favourites are the Panorama Room for beguiling patisserie, snacks, hot soup station and an eight page list of cocktails (I particularly enjoy the chocolate martini). La Terrazza for Italian.  La Dame for fine dining. The Grill for barbecue and casual meals. The dress code is smart casual except for the option of dressy dinners. Of course, I indulge in glam.

Adventures

The cruise includes equipment and specialised cold weather clothing (you get to keep the backpack and matching bright red polar jacket, so handy for Auckland). I bought my own TradeMe hiking poles, which are excellent for balance. Uncertain snow quality and bulky safety gear make walking awkward. Sometimes the snow is soft and one foot plunges down 30 cm or more. We must fill any deep holes so penguins don’t get trapped inside. There are kayaks, and inflatable zodiacs for landings, which are also physically challenging to enter and exit. I wouldn’t want to be much older to attempt all this.

Summer highs are between one degree and minus three. We hike and explore twice daily. I ignore every rational alarm system (and the pleas of my lifelong, cold-avoidant flesh) and sign up for the optional polar plunge in the Southern Ocean. No fancy outfit is worn, just an ordinary swimsuit. Attached to the ship is a comfortingly, serious cable coiled around the waist and clipped at the back. Diving from a small landing, the homeostasis reset is a kind of astonished rebirth. Surprisingly, the even colder part is climbing out of the water and into the wind. Apparently, at these water temperatures, people can survive between five and fifteen minutes. I have no urge to test that.

Pods of Orcas cavort. Albatross glide. Male seals guard territory and can weigh up to four tons – four times the size of females. Courtship sounds dangerous. Each fresh curve of the coast is a stunning cathedral experience of quiet awe. Bergs glide past like tall sculptures, artist unknown. It is useful to feel puny.

I am gradually fulfilling my childhood dream of seeing the world and have now visited seven continents.

Onward huskies to my next adventure.