» vacation http://www.cruisetripvacations.com Tue, 29 Jun 2010 20:52:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 All Inclusive Famous Cruise Liner: Positive Aspects And Down Sides http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/all-inclusive-famous-cruise-liner-positive-aspects-and-down-sides http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/all-inclusive-famous-cruise-liner-positive-aspects-and-down-sides#comments Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:52:24 +0000 admin http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/all-inclusive-famous-cruise-liner-positive-aspects-and-down-sides Vacations can turn out to be costly. The charge is often linked with additional expenditures such as meals, drinks, and leisure. In the event you strategy vacationing aboard a cruise ship, you don’t necessarily need to be worried concerning the price.   

All inclusive famous cruise liner is really a dispatch where just about almost everything is incorporated. The charge of one’s beverages, foodstuff, and enjoyment are usually used care of. A lot of people wonder whether or not or not they you need to book reservations aboard a standard luxury crusie ship or an all inclusive famous cruise liner.

There are many advantages and drawbacks to an all inclusive cruise ship.

The greatest benefit is that the majority of one’s wants are taken care of. Most all inclusive cruicruises cover meals, drinks, and enjoyment. When you plan to drink a large quantity of alcohol or feasting around the amazing onboard foodstuff, you may be capable to do so free of charge of impose. You might also be granted exclusive admittance into movie theatres and video arcades.  

Whilst many of your respective foodstuff and beverages are integrated within an all-inclusive package deal, not all are.  It really is possible that you could be needed to pay for your alcoholic drinks. There are some cruise ships exactly where alcohol drinks are integrated inside the package, but on other people it’s not.

With regards to meals, your foods at a sit-down restaurant may well be provided no cost of charge, but your snacks are generally not covered. This typically includes snacks or small meals purchased at onboard specialty shops and vending machines. You possibly can save dollars by brining your personal snacks onboard, when the famous cruise liner allows it.

Enjoyment is frequently included within an all inclusive luxury crusie ship package. As with foodstuff and drinks, the amusement is typically restricted.  It truly is likely that you will acquire free admission into a dance or ball, but you may not be able to gamble free of demand.  

To find out whether or not you might save money aboard an all inclusive cruise ship, you need to estimate your price of foodstuff, drinks, and leisure aboard a standard cruise.  By comparing the two, you are able to determine which cruise package deal provides the far better option.

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]]> http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/all-inclusive-famous-cruise-liner-positive-aspects-and-down-sides/feed 0 Enjoy A Great Cruise To Hawaii http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/enjoy-a-great-cruise-to-hawaii http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/enjoy-a-great-cruise-to-hawaii#comments Sat, 19 Jun 2010 12:18:04 +0000 admin http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/enjoy-a-great-cruise-to-hawaii Should you want to have a excellent time and also you want to appreciate a brand new way to appreciate your vacation then you should take a Cruise Hawaii. Taking a cruise could be more fun than any other holiday retreat you have been on.

On a cruise you can enjoy casinos, bars, discotheques, shops, contests, and the partyfeeling all the time, but you can also enjoy the beautiful beaches. Hawaii is one of the most popular islands in the world and here you will find a lot of things to do. If you are in a cruise you are able to enjoy every one of these activities when the boat docks around the island. Members of the crew will also give you information about where to go and where to take some of the tours to know the island.

Whenever you buy a package having a cruise organization you’ll get everything included and you won’t need to worry about anything else. The cruise atmosphere is exciting and fun for everyone who is a guest, there are many contests on the board to help you meet new indivuals. At the end of your trip you will have friends from all over the world as this is a very friendly environment.

Sometimes cruises are cheaper that taking a trip directly to the island and you have the chance of staying on the ocean for some days and some other days on the Hawaiian islands.
Now days there are a lot of promotions to get good deals on cruise packages. Taking a cruise to Hawaii is really a great idea and it gives you an additional perspective of knowing the island. So if you have traveled to Hawaii, but you haven’t taken a cruise to the Big Island we recommend you to do it and see another way to enjoy the Hawaiian culture.

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]]> http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/enjoy-a-great-cruise-to-hawaii/feed 0 48 Hours On The Explorer http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/48-hours-on-the-explorer http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/48-hours-on-the-explorer#comments Fri, 18 Jun 2010 20:54:19 +0000 admin Reflecting what Antarctica is all about are penguins, elephant seals, albatrosses, and icebergs. 3.3 billion gallons of frozen water in 3 tons of ice plus 10 pounds of tiny baby fur seals never fail to be disappointing especially for a continent on earth that is so dry, high, and windy. When you would like to get more information on antarctica cruise check out this site.

 

Probably two of the most wide traveled teachers have chosen Antarctica, the land of frozen wastes and uneventful expeditions, as the location for their Christmas holiday. Never having seen Antarctica up close, these teachers are in the quest to finally visit this somewhat remarkable vacation destination. Considering the amount of time they spent on this idea for a vacation they even read about the explorer in a travel magazine.

 

These women were able to discover the value of being prepared. A regular set of clothes is necessary for a day in Antarctica but this will be accessorized with three pairs of socks with one of them being wool, boots weighing 15 pounds, insulated underwear, a parka, and rubberized pants and slicker that are seamless and waterproof to top everything off. With two pairs of gloves, one waterproof, the ensemble is complete.

 

Other than cold feet, frostbite was a lingering problem to face. Summer is being experienced in the Southern Hemisphere. Water stayed at 32 degrees even when the ice warmed up above the point of freezing and travel was allowed through the ice pack that was breaking. When it comes to air temperature, one Antarctic research station had a thermometer measuring it to be at 47 degrees. Nothing but sunlight was experienced in the morning but when nightfall arrived the Explorer faced snowstorms and sleet storms. This site teaches you about trips to antarctica.

 

If having unpredictable weather was bad enough, the women were also told about the possibility of itineraries changing due to winds. They spent 24 days on the southern ice cap but they did not experience the wind chill that occurred in their hometown last Christmas which was 84 below.

 

When it comes to passage, the dreaded Drake Passage was conquered. Claiming a lot of ships along the way is this passage going from the tip of South America in Cape Horn to the Antarctic Peninsula. Seat belts on the bunk were used by the women to strap in as they slept while the Explorer went through the passage for 48 hours. For one of the ladies, some bruises were inevitable.

 

The penguins were countless. One lady said, they would walk right up to them and their nests, almost touch them. Part of a penguin’s day is talking continuously. Penguin watching was a fun activity. A lot of seals were there as well. Open mouthed scooting around was their game. Should you get too close to them and their babies they would probably bite.

 

There were no dull moments on the trip. Shades of blue were in the sky and on the water which was so clean. There were intensely huge icebergs that could probably measure up to three stories high as they floated along with some carrying penguins. They saw old whaling stations, closed for 20 years since the treaties of the 1960s. Even without a decent plane ride to the South Pole the sight of the huts left by early explorers were pleasing, some of them even had leftover cans of old food.

 

As their journey is mapped out, they have gone to Punta Arenas on the south end of Chile, the Shetland Islands, Antarctica, the South Orkneys, South Georgia, and the Falklands before heading back. This was indeed a different way of spending the holidays.

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]]> http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/48-hours-on-the-explorer/feed 0 Antartica: Off The Beaten Vacation Track http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/antartica-off-the-beaten-vacation-track http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/antartica-off-the-beaten-vacation-track#comments Thu, 03 Jun 2010 05:41:41 +0000 admin The arrangement of unusual vacation getaways has become a booming business in travel jaded America. Americans are tired of going to the usual spots like Mexico and Monte Carlo. Sailing around the Caribbean has become a humdrum option for savvy travelers. Today’s travelers are looking for something more unusual that offers more excitement. The vacation that tops all others, in terms of brag-ability and exotic nature, is one to Antarctica. Read this site if you want antarctica tours information.

 

Making this journey is actually much less challenging than you would think. Your travel will include a 24 hour airplane ride out of New York, followed by a three day ocean journey leaving from Ushuaia’s little port on South America’s southernmost tip. This isolated spot isn’t as dangerous as it seems, thanks to the presence of the American Navy. The United States, together with various additional nations, began manning a base in Antarctica in 1957. The US Navy, whose sailors may or may not like the huge increase in tourists, certainly calm nervous visitors with their mere presence.

 

What activities can be done in Antarctica? Antarctica offers wonderful photography and wildlife study opportunities.  You’ll see whales, penguins, seals and many sea birds. If you’re more into active geologic phenomena you can get your wish in the form of an active volcano. An ice cone twelve-thousand feet up spewing plumes of white smoke into the sky. This volcano is absolutely stunning.

 

What kind of tourist would want to spend around $5,000 to cover both air and sea fares in taking this type of vacation? Doctors and scientists  make up the bulk of these extreme travelers. However, normal married couples are also known to join in. Several grandmothers have even made the journey. Recently, more and more individuals have become attracted to vacationing in Antarctica, according to one travel agency representative. Experiencing the continent is now possible for almost anyone, he went on to say, as opposed to times past, when only a few brave and daring explorers could actually see the continent. You will find that further information on antarctica trip is on that site.

 

A U.S. Navy spokesperson Navy says the only regulations place on tourists is that they need to take safety precautions, be self-reliant, and follow the international rules set for preservation and conservation of Antarctica. This worries both the conservationists and the scientists. They can all too easily foresee Antarctica as tourist trap, with troops of unruly “Ugly American” tourists running roughshod over the terrain, terrifying the indigenous wildlife, littering everywhere and even leaving graffiti on the few monuments of historical interest that exist in Antarctica.

 

A hut in Camp Royds shows this.  The members of a famous expedition wintered-over here and then left it in 1907.  There is canned food on the shelves and clothing in the closet, in the exact condition it was in when they left over 100 years ago. The table holds a newspaper that had been printed in a major European city during that same year.

 

Vacationers may scale the hill regularly to capture the Antarctic mountains in pictures. While they are nine hundred miles in the distance they are still clearly visible standing guard over the South Pole thanks to the perfectly clear, unspoiled air of the Antarctic. The pole wasn’t previously marked.  Explorers and pioneers saw nothing different when getting there originally. Today, the South Pole is marked with an eight-foot tall, orange and blue barber’s pole.  It has a silver reflective ball on the top.

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]]> http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/antartica-off-the-beaten-vacation-track/feed 0 Understanding An Antarctic Visit http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/understanding-an-antarctic-visit-3 http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/understanding-an-antarctic-visit-3#comments Sat, 29 May 2010 06:04:38 +0000 admin This well traveled tourist has seen a large part of our planet.  This ninety-one year-old has now visited Antarctica too. This visit was in person to Antarctica.  She saw the continent with her own eyes and didn?t rely on television or magazines to show her. Though she?d been in this area twice before, this was the first time she?d actually viewed Antarctica. According to our tourist, the plane never landed, but they certainly traveled over it. You will find that further information on adventure antarctica tours is on that site.

 

Ice covered vistas, cold mountain peaks, crusty glaciers and sparkling fjords gave the tourist a beautiful view of Antarctica during her four hour flight. At one point they even descended to 300 feet above the ground. One mountain range they flew by was covered in fog. A brightly shining sun and clear sky gave them perfect viewing weather. They flew through sub-freezing air, even though the flight took place at the end of March, which is technically still in the Antarctic Summer. The flight offered a chance to hear a lecture from a naturalist who was working in Antarctica.

 

The 91 year-old really wished she could see penguins during her flight over Antarctica. Her daughter, also on the plane, saw a far-away colony through another window.  She did not see any penguins on the flight. The pair also traveled via cruise ship to the Falkland Islands, off Argentina?s coastline. She boarded yet another boat to get to the East Falkland Island.  Hundreds of Magellan penguins live on one beach there. These are the tallest penguins on earth.

 

After flying for sixteen hours from the United States, their cruise started in a South American city. Passengers could opt to swim in the ship?s pool, in addition to traveling to many ports of call. She did go swimming and was given a certificate for her bravery.  The ninety-one year old ignored the thirty-five degree weather. When you would like to get more information on antarctic tours check out this site.

 

After the ship reached Chile, the tourists were driven to Santiago, which they toured.  They then flew to Rio. No one could have asked for better weather during their three week cruise. Even the Southern Cross, the smallest constellation, was clearly visible.

 

Her last trip to South America brought her to the major river system and one large city. Seeing the loss of bird habitat in the area around the river is of great concern to our traveler. She has also been to Africa to visit friends and go on Safari. Having already visited, she only needed to see Antarctica. She finally visited them all with her recent trip to Antarctica.

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]]> http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/understanding-an-antarctic-visit-3/feed 0 Mapping The Route To Antarctica http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/mapping-the-route-to-antarctica http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/mapping-the-route-to-antarctica#comments Wed, 19 May 2010 08:40:51 +0000 admin An American?s trip to the continent recently illustrated to the world just how closed off and alien Antarctica really is. Estimations of the land mass of Antarctica are that it approaches 5,000,000 square miles, all underneath a continental ice sheet, which is the largest on Earth. The thickness of this ice sheet isn?t really known.  Some scientists suggest it may be 2000 feet thick, others say it is much thicker. The very tallest mountain peaks and some land areas on the coast are the only areas to have escaped the ice. You will find that further information on Antarctic Cruising is on that site.

 

Just like a glacier, the ice passes in valleys between the high mountains as it heads to the sea. The South Pole is located on the huge central plateau.  It juts above the ocean from eight to ten thousand feet.

 

Antarctica has been divided into four sections which have been named for areas to the north. Tourists and explorers know them as the African,, Pacific and American quadrants. The coastlines of both the African and the Pacific quadrants haven?t truly been explored. The best known and peopled of the quadrants is the quadrant covering the Ross Sea section, which scientists have focused more upon and a tiny area of the American quadrant.

 

Queen Mary Land serves as the westward border of the quadrant and the Ross See is the eastern border.  It also has South Victoria Land, Oates Land, King George V Land, Adelle Land and Wilkes Land. Giant mountain peaks jut through the Ross Barrier, a slab of shelf ice measuring over 160,000 square miles. This site teaches you about trips to antarctica.

 

The barrier region, close to the Bay of Whales, features a harbor on the edge of the ice at the commencement of the shelf, where the adventurer established his exploration launching point. Two volcanoes fill Ross Island.  They are called Mount Erebus and Mount Terror. Spanning over Ross Sea to King Edward VII land, the barrier is over 400 miles in length. It is 400 miles wide.

 

The barrier is shelf ice, as can only be found in Antarctica. It was created by glacier tongues which originated in the mountains and subsequently spread over the submerged area of Antarctica in the Ross Sea section. The largest glacier is over one hundred miles long of the many glaciers which reach down from the vast interior and discharge their ice into the Ross Sea. Scientists don?t know if the Barrier is floating in the water or sitting on the bottom.

 

The Ross Sea borders the Pacific Quadrant, as well.  It is near here that fantastic rock outcroppings can be seen in King Edward VII land. The adventurer made his way to this sector on an initial expanded flight from the Bay of Whales, and it was then that he observed the Scott Nunataks and the Alexandra Mountains. A new island was discovered, fourteen mountain peaks were added to the map, and the explorer also captured a look at the previously unknown back country. His later flights gave geographers vastly important data that could allow them to map the Pacific quadrant’s coastline, as well as other valuable information about Antarctica.

 

Explorers frequent the American quadrant’s Coats Land, Charcot Land and Graham Land, in addition to the Weddell sea area. One explorer flew over Graham Land and found it to be a separate island, not actually connected to the mainland. A main geographical issue regarding Antarctica deals with the chance of dividing the continent. Adding further evidence to the question is the fact that the Ross Sea in the Quadrant is sitting almost directly across from the Weddell Sea in the American Quadrant.

 

Of major geographical concern is that the continent itself could very well be divided.. A finished map of the coast line and mountain ranges, as well as the polar plateau are the geographers goal.

 

The geologist is very involved in learning the composition of the ice covered land and in the gathering of geological data from glacial moraines and rock outcroppings which aid in explaining the glaciology of the continent.

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]]> http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/mapping-the-route-to-antarctica/feed 0 Understanding An Antarctic Visit http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/understanding-an-antarctic-visit-2 http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/understanding-an-antarctic-visit-2#comments Wed, 19 May 2010 08:40:24 +0000 admin This well traveled tourist has seen a large part of our planet.  This ninety-one year-old has now visited Antarctica too. This visit was in person to Antarctica.  She saw the continent with her own eyes and didn?t rely on television or magazines to show her. Though she?d been in this area twice before, this was the first time she?d actually viewed Antarctica. According to our tourist, the plane never landed, but they certainly traveled over it. You will find that further information on adventure antarctica tours is on that site.

 

Ice covered vistas, cold mountain peaks, crusty glaciers and sparkling fjords gave the tourist a beautiful view of Antarctica during her four hour flight. At one point they even descended to 300 feet above the ground. One mountain range they flew by was covered in fog. A brightly shining sun and clear sky gave them perfect viewing weather. They flew through sub-freezing air, even though the flight took place at the end of March, which is technically still in the Antarctic Summer. The flight offered a chance to hear a lecture from a naturalist who was working in Antarctica.

 

The 91 year-old really wished she could see penguins during her flight over Antarctica. Her daughter, also on the plane, saw a far-away colony through another window.  She did not see any penguins on the flight. The pair also traveled via cruise ship to the Falkland Islands, off Argentina?s coastline. She boarded yet another boat to get to the East Falkland Island.  Hundreds of Magellan penguins live on one beach there. These are the tallest penguins on earth.

 

After flying for sixteen hours from the United States, their cruise started in a South American city. Passengers could opt to swim in the ship?s pool, in addition to traveling to many ports of call. She did go swimming and was given a certificate for her bravery.  The ninety-one year old ignored the thirty-five degree weather. When you would like to get more information on antarctic tours check out this site.

 

After the ship reached Chile, the tourists were driven to Santiago, which they toured.  They then flew to Rio. No one could have asked for better weather during their three week cruise. Even the Southern Cross, the smallest constellation, was clearly visible.

 

Her last trip to South America brought her to the major river system and one large city. Seeing the loss of bird habitat in the area around the river is of great concern to our traveler. She has also been to Africa to visit friends and go on Safari. Having already visited, she only needed to see Antarctica. She finally visited them all with her recent trip to Antarctica.

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]]> http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/understanding-an-antarctic-visit-2/feed 0 Just Imagine – In Only A Few Short Hours, You Can Be Looking Down On The Unique And Enchanting Land Of Antarctica. http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/just-imagine-in-only-a-few-short-hours-you-can-be-looking-down-on-the-unique-and-enchanting-land-of-antarctica http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/just-imagine-in-only-a-few-short-hours-you-can-be-looking-down-on-the-unique-and-enchanting-land-of-antarctica#comments Sat, 01 May 2010 12:38:48 +0000 admin http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/just-imagine-in-only-a-few-short-hours-you-can-be-looking-down-on-the-unique-and-enchanting-land-of-antarctica As the jumbo jet flies a group of tourists over the magnetic South Pole on a one-day excursion, the compass needle wobbles and jumps irregularly. Underneath you, as you fly over, you will be able to witness all the glaciers and icy land masses that have been formed through centuries of harsh and relentless weather. Even this high above the land they can watch the wind sending ribbons of snow toward the sea, making it look as if plumes of steam instead of snow are sweeping across the glacier’s frozen white waves. When you would like to get more information on antarctica cruise check out this site.

 

The first explorers to reach the South Magnetic Pole in 1909 had to sledge over the dangerous ice for 134 days and 1,260 miles. Passengers on this flight reached the Magnetic South Pole four hours after having left,.  They were able to enjoy a round trip flight that spent many hours over Antarctica.

 

The South Magnetic Pole is the location of magnetic lines of force which merge in the Southern Hemisphere, and it’s this convergence that cause magnetic compass needles to spin wildly as a plane is crossing over Antarctica. It’s a gyroscope, as well as a satellite guidance equipment, that allows a jetliner to maintain it’s course. The geographic South Pole, not the same thing, is located over 1,500 miles away on the continent itself; it was also first reached by explorers in the early 1900s. This airline offers passengers a chance to copy that famous American pilot who is accredited with the first flights over both the North and South Poles in the 1920’s.  He always said he was a man who accomplished his destiny while sitting down.

 

The Antarctic winds blast past the airplane. Within the cabin itself, passengers are relaxed and warm.  Some are only wearing t-shirts and shorts and sip on chardonnay. Since the first iceberg sightings, just three hours from, there has been a party-like atmosphere on the flight. Passengers move up and down the aisles looking at all of the different sights from various vantage points throughout the jet cabin in order to get a better view of the icebergs. Visit this site for further information on cruise to antarctica.

 

As they approach the Antarctic coast, more and more icebergs come into view, looking something like a mirror that has shattered into various geometrical shapes, resting on the startling bluish, black backdrop of the ocean. Ensuring that everyone has the chance to get a good photo or video, passengers share the windows and become awestruck at the sight of glaciers meeting the ocean. Another spectacular view comes when the plan flies into view of the white ice capped Trans Antarctic Mountains that tower high into the sky.

 

Today’s Antarctic tourism is a revival of regular over-flights to Antarctica that were made by two major airlines from 1977 to 1979, until they were ended following a fatal crash. You should expect to see mountains, coastlines, bergs and wildlife as you make your way over the Antarctic.  And you should also get a good view of one of the many different research bases that dot the area. This French base isn?t too far from the Magnetic South Pole, which was first reached by geologists.

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]]> http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/just-imagine-in-only-a-few-short-hours-you-can-be-looking-down-on-the-unique-and-enchanting-land-of-antarctica/feed 0 Taking A Sail To That Huge Frozen Continent In The Southern Hemisphere http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/taking-a-sail-to-that-huge-frozen-continent-in-the-southern-hemisphere http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/taking-a-sail-to-that-huge-frozen-continent-in-the-southern-hemisphere#comments Fri, 30 Apr 2010 09:04:13 +0000 admin  

The very last spot in South America leads to a massive body of water. On the other side is the Antarctic continent. Drake’s Passage is like a rite of passage one must endure to get to Antarctica. Currents collide in this 400 mile stretch of water.  The weather is impossible, and there is no land in sight to calm the water. I only expected to see penguins and icebergs out there. I didn’t really know what to expect since I had no real grasp of the topography. Never having been keen on geography, I wasn’t prepared for what Antarctica had in store. You will find that further information on antarctica cruises is on that site.

 

Cruising toward Antarctica, we didn?t experience the terrors of Drake?s Passage in its entirety. However, it was not so on our way back up. Our first morning in Antarctica was calm, but gray and dreary.

 

We could make out hazy, gray-brown mountains blanketed in snow on the horizon and it was not long before we came across our first ice. Little ice chunks floated happily in the water, bobbing around the boat. I grabbed my camera and threw on the bright red parka the ship had supplied.  Then I hurried out into the polar air.

 

We were treated to lectures and slides from the ship?s naturalist, when we weren?t rushing outside to see dolphins, whales or penguins. It was so amazing to finally get into the little rafts and head toward shore.  How fun it was to pass nearby the giant ice chunks. Penguins lined the shoreline and contemplated the water. They stood on an icy, rocky island and considered us as we floated by. Visit this site for further information on adventure antarctica cruises.

 

We were surrounded by hundreds of penguins, from all sides. A group of researchers shared this bit of land in Paradise Harbor with these disheveled and gentle little penguins. The penguins made their way to the shore all over the island. Their movements purposeful and committed. Some of them were standing atop rocks, observing the intruders in their red parkas who mingled amongst them while smiling and pointing at them. Most penguin parents had already left their chicks to survive on their own. Some of the chicks were decidedly in denial about this. The chicks like to eat krill.  They?ve had a steady delivery of regurgitated krill from their parents until just recently.

 

We saw that they evidenced different phases of molting. As most adolescents, they were at that awkward stage between childhood and adulthood. While they wore mostly the smooth feathers of adulthood, they had patches of unkempt gray down in hard-to-reach places that left them looking as if they had either been to a sadistic barber or were wearing hats or earmuffs. Of necessity, our trip back to the ship took us through the chunks of floating ice on the bay. Our driver took us straight past a big jagged piece of mountainous ice on which a lone seal was majestically stretching. Seeing him and his huge, pink tongued yawn [perhaps an editorial comment on how much he cared about us was the perfect ending to a really wonderful day. |He gave us a giant tongue-filled yawn; maybe he was telling us how boring we were to see. |Maybe he was commenting on how boring we were when he gave us a giant yawn. |Evidently we bored him because he gave returned our stares with a huge yawn. |He yawned, exposing his enormous pink tongue. His lack of concern for our presence belied the unspoiled characteristic of this beautiful land where we'd spend a perfect day. |He presented us with a large, pink-tongued yawn, by which he could have been indicating just how impressed he was that we were there, but which certainly was an ideal manner of concluding our day. ]

 

The penguins began displaying their very penguin-like behaviors. We all found them extremely charming. We loved the waddle. Their odd, formal black and white coloring paired with their flappy, webbed orange feet gives them a signature, and adorable look. There was far less soil than rock on the island, so the penguins were cleaner. And to make them even more fashionable, they had a thin black line under their chins, giving them the impression of round cheeks.

 

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]]> http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/taking-a-sail-to-that-huge-frozen-continent-in-the-southern-hemisphere/feed 0 Antarctica in the 20th Century http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/antarctica-in-the-20th-century http://www.cruisetripvacations.com/alaska-cruises/antarctica-in-the-20th-century#comments Thu, 22 Apr 2010 01:38:05 +0000 admin Nations around the world started claiming large chunks of Antarctica for whaling purposes. The peninsula of Antarctica is a place where Britain, Argentina, and Chile all find themselves vying for stretches of land. Other countries including New Zealand,, Norway and France have also staked claims on the continent. You will gain a deeper understanding about adventure antarctica tours by checking out that resource.

 

In 1940, the Nazis in Germany ordered airplanes to send stakes emblazoned with swastikas down to the land in order to claim it on behalf of the Third Reich. With the exception whaling, the world left Antarctica alone, so it could fight a second World War, and then a Cold War after that. However, celestial events occurred that allowed science to come back to Antarctica for a long time.

 

During 1957 to 1958, sunspot eruptions were beginning to peak, and scientists and their governments all over the world setting up stations in Antarctica to study the resulting solar emissions, taking advantage of the hole in the planet’s magnetic field at the South Pole. 67 nations sent scientists to Antarctica to study this phenomenon. The Antarctic Treaty came about from the successful cooperation of all these countries for the purposes of scientific advancement.

 

All of the countries possessing a key interest in Antarctica signed the treaty in 1959, setting aside this continent to be used for peaceful purposes only. No waste dumping or nuclear bomb tests would be permitted on Antarctica. The only permissible activity of the military here, was to help in the coordination of scientific exploration. Any territorial claims that caused conflicts between countries were just ‘put on a shelf’ and labeled as an issue. Visit this site for further information on antarctica vacations.

 

The major countries at that time showed a willingness to work together, which was exceptional during these years, and decided to forgo any claims. In addition, they did not acknowledge claims from other countries either. Thanks to this strategy, tiny countries didn’t bother to even attempt to lay any land claim.

 

It was in the 1960’s and 1970’s that governments and industry started to desiring the oil, gas, and minerals that were known to be in and around Antarctica. Soon, there were national bases all over the surrounding islands and the peninsula; at its most prolific, Antarctica is home to 5,000 people – only in the summer, and only in the science stations that are based all around the peninsula and islands.

 

By the end of the 1970s, bases from the US, Soviet Union, Britain, Italy and others propped up on King George Island, followed by more bases from China and South Korea in the 80’s, among others. These bases were technically engaged in scientific experiments and studies, but they also served to mark claims on territory. In this, the countries basically became “squatters” on land that did not truly belong to them.

 

However, by the 1980s the political mentality had begun to turn away from exploitation and in the direction of scientific exploration. The oceans have long been recognized as belonging to the world rather than any one country, and Antarctica is becoming the same way. Discovered by Britain’s Halley Bay Antarctic base, the hole in the ozone layer is proof that the atmosphere does incur damage, in the form of cancer-causing ultraviolet radiation, from industrial activity.

 

This discovery paved the way for an international accord that was signed in 1987. This agreement aimed to gradually eliminate those chemicals that have been found to degrade the ozone layer. This was to be done by the year 2000. This put Antarctica back on the map because the scientific research conducted at this location on Earth gave people a better view of how industry was changing Earth structurally and physically. In the 1980’s, whaling was falling out of favor, and the global Green campaign championed the idea of declaring Antarctica a world park.

 

It was in 1991 that the Antarctic Treaty nations decided to ban any oil and gas exploration, as well as any mining or other irreversible mistreatment of Antarctica for at least 50 years. In addition to this, they increased the concern for the environment to the same level as science. Antarctica is now acting as a guide to the human race, teaching them about the damage that can be done through industrial endeavors, and how to avoid environmental destruction in the future.

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