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Churches in Antarctica
'Below 40 degrees South there is no law; below 50 degrees South, there is no God', goes the old adage. When faced with a storm in the turbulent and freezing waters of the Drake Passage, one might think so.
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Where the Polar Bears Roam
Going to the Arctic without clapping eyes on a wild polar bear can be reasonably compared to visiting Africa without seeing a giraffe or a zebra or, most analogously, a lion.
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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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Danger Beneath the Water: 10 Facts About Leopard Seals
If your thirst for adventure leads you to Antarctica, you may be lucky enough to cross paths with a leopard seal while you’re there. These amazing animals are wonderful to observe both in and out of the water, and they are a coveted part of the polar wildlife experience.
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12 Tips to Help Keep Birds Safe During an Antarctic Cruise
One of the most incredible experiences on an Antarctic cruise is observing the numerous penguins in their natural environment. Naturally, passengers often worry about the potential of disturbing the penguins and other Antarctic birds, which could disrupt their breeding and nesting patterns.
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10 Common Misconceptions About the Arctic
The Arctic is a vast region. Truly immense.
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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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Seizing the Season: Spitsbergen’s Late Spring, Early Summer
Most Arctic expedition cruises can be categorized into two main types: those that operate during the autumn and winter, focusing on the northern lights, and those that sail during the high season (mid to late summer), concentrating on a broader range of experiences.
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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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Imperial Antarctica: the Snow Hill Emperor Penguins
Recently, a rare achievement was made by visiting Antarctica’s northernmost emperor penguin colony on Snow Hill Island. Typically surrounded by impassable pack ice, Snow Hill is a notoriously difficult destination in the Weddell Sea cruise itinerary, only accessible using helicopters carried especially for this purpose.
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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.
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The Ancient Fossil Forests of Antarctica
Over a hundred years ago, Robert Falcon Scott’s expedition to Antarctica discovered fossils of plants on the Beardmore Glacier, less than 500 km (310 miles) from the South Pole. Edward Wilson, who was the expedition’s chief scientist, recorded the findings in his diary, stating that “most of the bigger leaves were like beech leaves in shape and venation.”
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Five Reasons You Should Cruise the Ross Sea Immediately
In our search for lesser-known holiday spots that still offer fully developed amenities like spas and gift shops, we often miss out on some of the planet's truly underrated treasures.
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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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The Classic Polar Cruise: Antarctic Peninsula Facts, Pics, and More
When it comes to experiencing the vast wonders of Antarctica, the Antarctic Peninsula stands out as an unparalleled destination.
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The Eight Great Penguin Species of Antarctica
There are 17 species of penguin on the planet, but the eight you’ll most likely recognize live in Antarctica, its nearby islands, and the sub-Antarctic archipelagos of South Georgia and the Falklands. These are the core species we tend to see on our expedition cruises.
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The Most Enchanting Antarctica Cruise Islands
Whether it’s Greenland in the Arctic or Snow Hill Island in Antarctica, the bulk of our polar expeditions take place around, between, and upon islands.
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The Norse Settlement of Greenland
Erik the Red is a significant and vibrant figure in the history of the Norse Vikings. His story is primarily documented in the Icelandic Sagas Huaksbók (14th Century) and Skalhóltsbók (15th Century). These accounts offer slightly different versions of events that occurred 3-400 years earlier. The original saga of Erik the Red is believed to have been written around 1200 A.D., with the Skalhóltsbók version considered closest to the original. Additionally, Flateyjarbók (13th Century), which includes the Saga of the Greenlanders, is a crucial source for understanding the settlement of Greenland and the discovery of Vinland – North America.
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Eight Ultimate Antarctica Adventures
Antarctica has adventure in its bones. Long before most travelers even reach the continent, they have to cross the Drake Passage, an oft-tumultuous waterway considered by many a hallmark of high adventure in itself. Once you do reach the Antarctic shores, the variations of landscape and wildlife are as multiform as the activities you can pursue there. While not all of these activities can or should be shoehorned into a single article, this piece will give you a survey of the top eight. Like everything in the polar regions, these activities are subject to weather conditions – and your own threshold for adventure.
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Antarctica: When to Visit, How to Plan, What to Expect
Antarctica is an astonishing location loved in equal measure by ice enthusiasts and continent hoppers, but it also asks a lot in return for its prestigious polar status.