Diving in Antartica

Overview

by Lonely Planet :: Antarctica is the last vast wilderness on the planet. Its gigantic icebergs, mountain ranges and the emptiness of the polar plateau boggle the mind, while its weather curdles the blood. It's beautiful and serene, savage and violent, and its scale is almost unfathomable.

When To Go

Tourists do not visit Antarctica during winter, when the pack ice extends its frozen mantle for 1000km (621mi) around most of the continent, barricading it against all ship traffic. In any case, few people would pay thousands of dollars to experience the Antarctic winter's near round-the-clock darkness and extreme cold. At that temperature, boiling water thrown into the air freezes instantly - and noisily - into a cloud of snow.

The Antarctic tour season is short - about four months, with each offering its own highlights. November is early summer: the spring pack ice is breaking up, and birds - especially penguins - are courting and mating. December and January, when penguins are hatching eggs and feeding chicks, are the height of the austral summer, bringing warmer temperatures and up to 20 hours of sunlight every day. In the late summer month of February, whale-watching is best, penguin chicks are beginning to fledge and adult penguins are ashore molting.

There are other factors to consider in deciding when to travel: cruises later in the season may be less crowded, so you may not spend as much time waiting around for Zodiacs (motorised dinghies) and station tours. However, the longer you wait to go, the greater the risk that much of the wildlife will already have headed out to sea. For those wishing to see Ross Island's historic huts, your best bet is to go as late in the season as possible. Even with an icebreaker, it may be impossible to penetrate the pack ice that far south earlier in the season.

For Travel Packages

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Helpful Resources:

Get the Lonely Planet Guide :: Antarctica. Ready for the adventure of a lifetime? Gape at the icebergs looming over your ship, stand awestruck in the midst of a teeming penguin colony, or glimpse a minke whale surfacing next to your Zodiac - Antarctica will astound and transform you. Written by authors with intimate knowledge of the region, this bestselling guide is your essential companion to The Ice.

* Lonely Planet Guide :: Antarctica
* Antarctica Interactive Map