What a Place to Be In

Could it be that you are an individual who likes it when locations are untouched by tourists? In their search for somewhere untouched by tourists, most people will go as far as to both ends of the earth to find it. Ice laden Antarctica on the bottom of the world is where sightseers from New Zealand and South America will join.

It was in 1820 when the continent was found and sealers, explorers, and scientists have been the only ones here. The United States and Mexico put together is a rough estimation of its size and the 7,000 foot ice blanket covering it allows for limited explorations to proceed. Ships strong enough to deal with ice impact and sailing through stormy seas will be endured before you get there. Other than 24 hours of sunlight, temperatures that go above freezing happen once in a while.

Other than being able to go 2,000 miles south of and New Zealand in the McMurdo Sound area, the 14 men and 12 women were also the first visitors to the south of the Antarctic Circle. With a US Navy facility already existing in this location, about 800 sailors and scientists are staying where British explorers in the past have settled and faced inexplicable hardship and death. Consider summer in the south, it will definitely make it the winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

In this area, there were only two women who ever went and these were two airline stewardesses in 1957. Even so, the Navymen at McMurdo Station still greeted them without any kind of enthusiasm when the women arrived. Living without women for a long time is something a sailor could boast about back home and this event only became an interruption to that.

Those from McMurdo are not as eager to see the arrival of tourist ships in January and February. Many sailors, scientists and civilian technicians here see themselves as adventurers and explorers, or feel that they have been specially selected for rigorous jobs. The thought of tourists wandering around the place takes the edge off the adventure and romance of Antarctica. The travel service will provide a red parka, kodachrome, mittens, and warm pants but things like drinks, tips, laundry, and seasick pills are bought personally.

During 1955 and ever since then only American scientists and US Navy personnel were in Antarctica. Nine scientific stations are also located here and on adjacent islands and they are maintained by other nations. How does the Navy react to the tourists? They have no jurisdiction over the people that come here, says the commander of naval forces in Antarctica, for no territorial claim is present. This does not mean that they have no control too when it comes to their stations.

Only self supporting visitors are allowed. This is not a problem with a well equipped ship. Proper safety precautions must be taken for the safety of those involved. The operational plan from the travel agency meets the requirements for passenger safety.

If Antarctica's first nuclear power reactor is not enough, the visitors could go to the ship's store and post exchange, have a few drinks at the enlisted clubs, or even go the Chapel of the Snows and attend service. Bird watchers, hikers, and conservationists comprise the tourist group, and so this makes trips to where the seals, skua gulls, and killer whales live a treat as well as penguin rookeries and some may even be headed off to where the early explorers settled.

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