This week I’ve had the enjoyable task of sifting through some rather lovely polar bear photos to add to our new-look website (it’s a tough job…!). So I was delighted to then go home to find a particularly cute mother and cub lurking in my tv guide last night, highlighting a new documentary airing this Friday, 23rd January. The Natural World is showing on BBC2 at 8pm, and will be focusing on global warming and the impact it is having on both the polar bears and the grizzlies of northern Canada. As the temperature increases the bears are beginning to find themselves in the same areas, as the grizzlies head north to cooler climes, and the two species have even started to interbreed. One to watch this weekend!
Category: current_affairs
Race for the South Pole!
Here in the office we’ve been excitedly watching the progress of our old friend Ben Fogle, as he competes in a race for the South Pole. After a delayed start due to blizzard conditions, the 6 teams finally commenced the Amundsen Omega 3 South Pole Race on 4th January. This 495 mile slog over the Antarctic Ice-Cap was inspired by the race between Captain Scott & Roald Amundsen back in 1912 – Scott’s team arrived at the Pole five weeks after Amundsen, but sadly none of the team survived the return journey.
Team QinetiQ consists of Ben Fogle, double Olympic Champion James Cracknell, and junior doctor Ed Coats. They've maintained their lead since Day One, but they face tough competition out on the ice. You can keep track of their progress on the official Team QinetiQ website.
Off to Antarctica - Goodbye from Nikki
Well, today I bid a fond farewell to Discover the World, after an incredibly enjoyable 8 years of working with some of the best people in the travel industry. The ice and penguins of Antarctica are calling me back - I am thrilled to let you know that I'll be flying out from the UK next Thursday to Argentina, on my way down to Port Lockroy. I'll be working for the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust at their flagship historic base - Bransfield House on tiny Goudier Island, nestled along the Antarctic Peninsula. I'll be joining Rick, Judith and Laura, and around 700 gentoo penguins! Words cannot describe how excited I am!
My duties will include welcoming visitors from the expedition ships to Port Lockroy, helping man the shop, Post Office and 'Living Museum' down there, maintance of Port Lockroy and monitoring penguins! This is an amazing opportunity which is a dream come true. Port Lockroy is pivotal in raising awareness of Antarctic heritage, conservation issues and also in bringing funds to the UKAHT. I look forward to perhaps meeting some of you down there this season, if you're swinging by between early November 08 and early March 09. Do say hello and have a look around! You can keep track of goings on at Port Lockroy by reading the Diaries/Letters from Lockroy.
I've thoroughly enjoyed blogging here for Discover the World - and hope to send a few diary notes from Antarctica - so perhaps this is not quite goodbye! I will leave you in the trusty hands of my colleague Liz, who will be blogging about all things polar, so stay tuned! All the best to everyone out there who shares my passion for the White Continent! Cheers. Nikki.
Antarctica - A Place Like No Other - Video
The British Antarctic Survey has launched a fantastic video introducing the Antarctic continent and their work in this stunning frozen environment. The video (click here) is approximately 20 minutes long - grab a cuppa and lose yourself in Antarctica for a few Monday morning moments!
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is a component of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). Based in Cambridge, United Kingdom, it has, for almost 60 years, undertaken the majority of Britain's scientific research on and around the Antarctic continent. It now shares that continent with scientists from over thirty countries. BAS employs over 400 staff, and supports three stations in the Antarctic, at Rothera, Halley and Signy, and two stations on South Georgia, at King Edward Point and Bird Island. The Antarctic operations and science programmes are executed and managed from Cambridge, and rely on a wide-ranging team of professional staff. The BAS station that is potentially visited on Antarctic cruises to the Peninsula is Rothera - only the longer Peninsula itineraries such as 'Crossing the Antarctic Circle' allow for enough time to potentially (ice and weather permitting) push south enough to reach Rothera.
Extreme Tourists - The Richard & Judy Show
Antarctic tourism really is a hot topic at the moment (no pun intended on global warming - *groan*)! Earlier this week Patrick Barkham from the Guardian quizzed Discover the World on how a desire for 'extreme adventures' draws polar travellers to the Antarctic continent. Read the article here. Then we were called by a researcher from the Richard & Judy Show, looking to unlock the minds of so-called 'Extreme Tourists' (a bit media-speak for me to be honest!).
We were only too pleased to assist with putting them in touch with our past passenger, the bubbly and friendly Dawn Collins, who is a true polar aficionado. Dawn, together with her husband Sean (a fantastic amateur photographer - see his pictures here), has travelled both to Spitsbergen in the Arctic, and the Antarctic Peninsula. I'm sure Sean was delighted to see his pictures of a polar bear and penguin on national television, courtesy of the Richard & Judy Show!
It was Dawn however who took the limelight with her 15 minutes of fame 'on the box' last night (Channel 4, at 5pm), talking about her polar experiences and how it was possible to find her own space behind a piece of ice, and reflect on the reality of visiting the stunning Antarctic continent.
Antarctica webcams
Although it's pretty dark and bleak at present in Antarctica (being mid-June and all, and the middle of the winter!) I thought I'd share some handy webcams with you for when the daylight hours return again to this icy wonderland - only a few months to go until beginning of November when the austral summer begins, the ice begins its melt, the penguins start nesting, and the continent springs back to life!
O' Higgins base Antarctic Peninsula (penguin cam); South Georgia (across to Grytviken); Macquarie Island (AUS Sub-Antarctic Islands); Halley (UK); Rothera (UK); Scott base (NZ); Casey (AUS); Mawson (AUS); South Pole/Scott-Amundsen base (US); RRS James Clark Ross (UK Research Ship); RRS Ernest Shackleton (UK Research Ship).
The wonders of modern technology never cease to amaze!
Antarctica as warm as South Africa 100 million years ago!
I've just been reading an interesting article in the Telegraph, about how Antarctica was as warm as South Africa, 100 million years ago! It's fascinating to think about how the earth has evolved and how things have changed (and are developing) in our lifetime. Both the last episode of the BBC's fantastic 'Earth: Power of the Planet' series, and also the fascinating 
documentary 'The Eleventh Hour' highlighted the fact that the earth will slowly recover and re-evolve long after humans have become extinct. We are privileged to have the opportunity to learn about and discover the wild and wonderful landscapes during our lifetimes. That we should respect the environment is without question. Human presence is just a blip in the lifeline of the planet - a very humbling thought.
Ice-packed Antarctic Festival in New Zealand
Thanks to world geography New Zealand has always had close ties with the icy Antarctic Continent. It's therefore only fitting that Christchurch should play host to an annual Antarctic Festival from 26 September – 3 October 2008, highlights of which will include imagery of the last great wilderness, tales of bravery and courage of early explorers, and updates as to research on the ice.
Work is underway to offer locals and visitors a taste of Antarctica. The Family Day on the weekend of 27 September will be focused on the International Antarctic Centre (based across from Christchurch International Airport). Other excitement will include playing with huskies, sled rides and inspection of equipment used on the continent, including aircraft used as transport to and within Antarctica. The aircraft and hangar tours will be possible thanks to the partnership of Air New Zealand's engineering section and the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Ice sculptures, treasure trails and ice sports demonstrations will be added attractions.
If you’re interested in visiting the final frontier of Antarctica, then there are a variety of voyages departing from New Zealand towards the end of 2008, including: East Antarctica and The Great Explorers’ Voyage. Further trips to the Ross Sea and Australasian side of the continent are to be offered in 2009. Don't forget that Discover the World offers a specialist New Zealand programme to take care of all your arrangements to this beautiful country.
Emperor Penguins at Snow Hill Island - New Study Announced
Penguins pop up everywhere nowadays – from adverts for refrigerators to billboards for the Austrian Tourist board! Next time you see one, bear in mind that they may well a resident of Snow Hill Island - the northern-most Emperor Penguin rookery in Antarctica. The Emperor Penguin Safari, aboard the icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov is a photographer’s delight – if you’re looking for that traditional Christmas card penguin shot with which to impress your family and friends, then this is the voyage for you. Over approx. four days at the beginning of the Austral springtime, the icebreaker will be anchored at the edge of the frozen ocean; passengers will then be flown by helicopter to a spot close by to the rookery, and will then walk to where the penguins are nesting (to ensure the birds are not disturbed). The photos shown on this blog are with the kind permission of our friend Chris Dunham, who travelled to Snow Hill last October on the Emperor Penguin Safari- lucky lady!
NEWS JUST IN – A study will take place at Snow Hill Island, led by Graham Robertson of the Australian Antarctic Division. The study will provide important information as to how global warming and the expanding krill fishery adjacent to the rookery will affect the survival of fledgling Emperors on their maiden excursion from the rookery, and how adult Emperor Penguins are affected by today’s changing climate. Incredibly, adult Emperors must double their body weight not once but twice in order 
to survive. The first time is in order to endure the three-week molt, during which they will grow a full coat of new plumage. Then the adults must again double their body weight (peaking at around 90 lbs) in order to survive the four month winter fast, when the Antarctic continent is locked by darkness and intense cold . Scientists believe that the changes to the Emperor’s environment, caused by global warming and the fishery, will have a detrimental effect on the survival of the rookery at Snow Hill. The study will require financial support – if you'd like to help then please call 001 212 247 8464 for further information. Thank you.
Circumnavigation of Antarctica - Russian Yachtsman Sets World Record!
A Russian solo yachtsman sailed into Western Australia today to set a record of 102 days for circumnavigating Antarctica. Fedor Konyukhov , 56, threw down the gauntlet to yachtsmen around the world in what was his fourth circumnavigation. Konyukhov set out from Albany (on Western Australia's south coast) with his open 85ft monohull Trading Network Alye Parusa on Australia Day. The adventurer braved a succession of storms, freezing temperatures, dodged icebergs and sailed past whales.
He came through it all unscathed, returning to King George Sound on 7 May to record a time of 102 days 00 hours 56 minutes 50secs for his 16,400 mile circuit of the Antarctic continent. Asked whether it would be his last such voyage, Konyukhov said it would be the last for a while!He said, "the Southern Ocean provides the most spectacular sailing conditions in the world".
If you fancy following in Konyukhov's footsteps, then you can do so thanks to the sturdy icebreaker, the Kapitan Khlebnikov, which will trace the coastline of the Antarctic continent in a semi-circumnavigation departing from South America (in an anti-clockwise direction) to Australasia this November. Find out more about the amazing Epic Antarctica voyage here - there is VERY limited availability left! Rumours abound that there may be a full circumnavigation voyage with the icebreaker planned for the Antarctic season 2009/10 - how incredible an adventure would that be! We hope to have details of the 2009/10 season within the next few weeks, so watch this space!
