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Polar Bear Primer: Eight Facts About the Arctic Wanderer
Polar bears inhabit the Arctic region across 19 subpopulations, including areas in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia. These majestic creatures prefer the edges of pack ice where currents and wind interact, creating a dynamic environment of melting and refreezing that forms ice patches and leads, which are open spaces in the sea between sea ice.
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Cheapest Antarctica Cruises: How to Save on Your Journey
Antarctica, the world’s most remote and pristine continent, is often seen as a destination reserved for luxury travelers. However, affordable options do exist, making this dream journey accessible to more adventurers. With careful planning and the right provider, like Nexta Expeditions, you can explore the icy wilderness without breaking the bank. This guide will show you how to save on your Antarctic cruise while still enjoying a high-quality experience.
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Exploration of the Polar Regions
From the Vikings via the first whale and seal hunters to Scott and Amundsen, from the maritime explorers Franklin and Nordenskiöld to present-day polar tourism, a quick tour through history reveals some of the aspects which motivated people to extend their horizons. Existential need, sheer curiosity, imperial greed, polar science, and a taste for adventure all converged in regions which pardon no mistakes.
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Birds of the South: 33 Antarctic Birds and Seabirds
Of the many compelling reasons people travel to Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic, bird life is among the most beloved.
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16 Conversation-Starting Svalbard Facts
It might seem odd that an icy, snowy, bear-packed cluster of islands at the edge of the world could be such a hotspot (so to speak) of outdoor tourism.
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Hondius Photography and Video Workshops
There’s no shortage of great things to say about a Hondius expedition cruise, but among the best are the free video and photography workshops offered during some of this ship’s voyages. These informative, interactive, highly useful supplements allow you to not only capture your memories in the best way possible but also make your friends back home maddeningly jealous.
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11 Seals You May See in Antarctica or the Arctic
1. Weddell seals – These seals are known for their calm demeanor and spend most of their lives beneath the Antarctic ice. Although they need to come up for air, they can remain underwater for up to 45 minutes. Weddell seals can dive to depths of 610 meters (2,000 feet) in search of food. These vocal animals usually have one pup annually and can grow up to 3 meters (10 feet) and weigh 544 kg (1,200 lbs).
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Cruising Solo: The Benefits of Single-Passenger Polar Travel
Traveling is often done with family, friends, or romantic partners. However, the benefits of solo travel, especially in polar regions, deserve more attention.
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Freshwater ecosystems in the Arctic
The Arctic, surprisingly, hosts a rich and varied array of freshwater ecosystems, including lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, deltas, and wetlands. Some of the world's largest rivers and deltas, such as the Lena, Ob, and Yenisei, are found in this region.
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Around Spitsbergen vs. North Spitsbergen
Svalbard, particularly Spitsbergen, was the first polar expedition cruise destination. It's no surprise that there are numerous trip programs available in this region. Among the most unique are the Around Spitsbergen and North Spitsbergen cruises.
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The bowhead whale, whaling about the Arctic
The bowhead whale typically resides near pack ice, often in shallow waters. These whales are commonly found north of Europe, between Canada and Greenland, in the Hudson Bay area, the Okhotsk Sea, and the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas. In these regions, they filter food through their large baleen plates. Bowheads are known to open their large mouths and graze along the surface, in the water column, or on the sea floor.
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Orcas (aka Killer Whales) of Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic
Orcas are highly social and intelligent members of the dolphin family Delphinidae. They are sometimes referred to as killer whales, though this name has somewhat fallen out of fashion due to inaccurately characterizing orcas as ferocious predators.
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Six Seal Species You Might See On Your Greenland Cruise
If you spot a grand old whiskered man lounging in solitary splendor, there's a good chance you're looking at a bearded seal. Your Greenland cruise will take you to bays where these solitary fellows (except during breeding season) hunt for fish in the relatively shallow waters near the shores.
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Scenes from St. Andrews Bay: 12 Pics of Penguins, Seals, and More
If you ever find yourself exploring the breathtaking sub-Antarctic island chain of South Georgia, one of the most captivating spots you'll encounter is the picturesque shoreline of St. Andrews Bay.
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“The polar bear will still be there”
For several hours, we had been navigating the pack ice in search of polar bears. Despite numerous binoculars scanning the ice, no bears were visible, and only a few tracks were found. This suggested we might be in an area with fewer bears. Later that morning, we decided to head a few miles east, suspecting a higher bear population there.
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True South: A New Flag for a Global Antarctica
When Evan Townsend signed up to spend the winter of 2018 working at an Antarctic research station, he had no reason to expect he would end the season by designing a new flag for the continent. He had even less reason to expect the support it would receive.
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All About Ice: Glaciers and Icebergs of the Arctic and Antarctica
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The disastrous expedition in the Arctic west
In 1902, Otto Sverdrup, captain of the Fram on Nansen’s expedition, led his own Arctic expedition to the north of Canada. Over the period of the expedition, which started in 1898, Sverdrup and his 15-man crew charted over 250,000 square kilometres of the Arctic using the Fram and sledges. During the expedition Ellesmere Island’s west coast was explored and new islands discovered.
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Seven Sublime Antarctic Bays
Antarctica is renowned for its glaciers, icebergs, and panoramic colonies of penguins. However, less known are the stunning crystal-clear bays that dot the Great White Continent, many of which are explored on our Antarctica cruise routes.
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How and When Did Greenland Become Covered in Ice?
Although it may be hard to believe, there was a time when Greenland was more green than icy. Today, those who embark on a Greenland expedition are greeted with views of the Greenland ice sheet and the marine life that thrives in this region, including seals and whales. Polar bears are also prominent in the northern and eastern parts of Greenland. These animals have adapted to their environment, but a few million years ago, the massive island would not have been as welcoming to them.