You are here

Home >> Dive Resources >> Diving Guides >> Amazing Antarctica: Discover The Land Like No Other

Warning message

The subscription service is currently unavailable. Please try again later.

Amazing Antarctica: Discover The Land Like No Other

Accordion Content

Overview

_emperor_penguin_ross_sea_antarctica_travel_guide.jpg

Two emperor penguins make their way about the ice covered surfaces surrounding the Ross Sea in Antarctica

(Photo By Michael Van Woert, NOAA)

Introduction

Not so long ago, people thought of Antarctica as a cold, forbidding place not worth visiting. Thanks mainly to scientists who have set up research facilities and encouraged people to learn more about this important continent, more adventurers are traveling to Antarctica for amazing undersea adventures, incredible wildlife encounters, and more. 

The only time one can visit Antarctica is during the summer.  All divers must be drysuit certified; various operators require different minimum numbers of ice dives in divers’ log books, so be sure to check and ensure that your experience level is sufficient as you are making plans. Since trips to Antarctica fill up rapidly and the planning stage normally takes more than a year, you’ll have plenty of time to be sure that you have accumulated enough recent dives. Tour operators do warn that even experienced ice divers sometimes feel like novices during their first few dives in Antarctic water; don’t feel bad if it takes you some time to adjust.

Make the most of your trip by getting yourself into great physical condition before your trip so it will be easier for your body to work in the demanding conditions. Try to plan your trip with a buddy you feel comfortable with, and dedicate plenty of time to trip planning together. 

Geography

Antarctica is the planet’s southernmost continent and home to the geographic South Pole. It is located in the Antarctic portion of the Southern Hemisphere, and most of it lies well south of the Antarctic Circle. Surrounded entirely by the Southern Ocean, it covers 14 million square kilometers and is the fifth-largest of the world’s continents, approximately two times the size of Australia and 1.3 times the size of Europe. Approximately 98 percent of Antarctica is covered by a thick mantle of ice averaging at least 1.6 kilometers thick. 

Despite its heavy coat of ice, Antarctica is considered to be a desert. It is the driest and windiest of all continents, and receives only about eight inches of precipitation along its coastline each year; inland Antarctica receives even less precipitation. 

History

Antarctica’s history is an interesting one. Because there is no way for archaeologists to explore the land mass lying beneath the ice, it’s impossible to say whether it was ever inhabited by humans before its discovery in the 19th century. There are no indigenous people there, and because of darkness and weather conditions, few researchers remain throughout the winter. 

Antarctica has no government; instead, it is protected under the 1952 Antarctic Treaty. A group of twelve nations signed the original treaty; today, there are 49 nations who operate under its auspices. The Antarctic Treaty prohibits mineral mining, nuclear explosions or nuclear waste disposal, and military activity. It protects Antarctica’s eco-zone and supports scientific research; during any given year, as many as 4,000 scientists from different countries visit to conduct joint experiments. 

Economy

Fishing is permitted on a limited basis by the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) however illegal fishing is a problem, as is overfishing of krill for use in dietary supplements. Fish and krill comprise the total production of Antarctica, although tourism and scientific research also contribute to various economies.

Location:
  • Antarctica
  • Antarctica
Keywords: diving guides, antarctica dive travel, antarctica diving Author:
Melissa Gwaldis
Related Tags: Diving Guides