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The Ways and Wildlife of the Weddell Sea
The Weddell Sea is situated off the coast of Antarctica, at the southernmost part of the Atlantic Ocean. Its coordinates are 75 degrees south and 47 degrees west, encompassing the Argentine, Chilean, and British territories of Antarctica. The severe weather and extensive pack ice have historically made the Weddell Sea challenging to access, but modern icebreaker ships are now enabling explorers to venture into this remote area.
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The Wonderful Weddell Sea: Places, Pics, and Impressions
When we talk about Antarctica, itâs easy to slip into familiar words: amazing, astounding, extraordinary, exceptional. And though most Antarctic locations more than deserve these descriptions, some deserve them more than others.
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Path of Polar Heroes: Hiking Shackleton’s Historic Route
âWe had seen God in his splendors, heard the text that Nature renders.â ~Ernest Shackleton
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The bowhead whale, whaling about the Arctic
The bowhead whale typically resides near pack ice, often in shallow waters. These whales are commonly found north of Europe, between Canada and Greenland, in the Hudson Bay area, the Okhotsk Sea, and the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas. In these regions, they filter food through their large baleen plates. Bowheads are known to open their large mouths and graze along the surface, in the water column, or on the sea floor.
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Earth vs. Mars: Polar Regions Compared
Itâs well-known that Mars, like Earth, has its own polar regions, often referred to as the Martian ice caps. These regions, similar to Earth's, are situated at the north and south poles and experience much lower temperatures compared to the areas in-between.
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The Ancient Fossil Forests of Antarctica
Over a hundred years ago, Robert Falcon Scottâs expedition to Antarctica discovered fossils of plants on the Beardmore Glacier, less than 500 km (310 miles) from the South Pole. Edward Wilson, who was the expeditionâs chief scientist, recorded the findings in his diary, stating that âmost of the bigger leaves were like beech leaves in shape and venation.â
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The Overlooked Treasures of Ascension Island
If you know anything about Ascension Island, which is unlikely, it probably has to do with the green turtle breeding population that exists there.
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The Enchanting Islands of Svalbard
Svalbard is an Arctic archipelago situated between the North Pole and the Norwegian mainland, offering visitors some of the most stunning wildlife and landscapes in the world. Here we explore seven of the most visited Svalbard islands, highlighting the many wonders that draw people back year after year.
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Greenland: Where the Kayak Was Invented
If you've ever enjoyed kayaking, you owe a debt of gratitude to the ancient Greenlandic Inuit who originally designed them for hunting. The thrilling adventures people now have navigating some of the world's most challenging rapids wouldn't be possible without the Inuit's need for a nimble form of water transportation. While travelers still use kayaks in this region, they are typically not fishing, whaling, or sealing. Consequently, recreational kayaks have been adapted to fit their new role.
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Six Must-See Svalbard Sites
It's home to humanity's last-ditch supply of crop seeds, the world's northernmost settlement of over 1,000 people, and it is one of the best places on Earth to spot a polar bear.
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9 Facts about the Greenland Shark
The Greenland shark, or Somniosus microcephalus, is one of many fish that inhabit the waters around Greenland, though this is not the only area in which the shark resides. These sharks, sometimes referred to as âgray sharksâ or âgurry sharks,â can also be found in the north Atlantic Ocean near Iceland, Norway, and Canada.
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Navigating by touch through the sea ice
Ships are meant to glide effortlessly through calm waters, but our Greenland expedition vessel Ortelius is shuddering and wiggling as it navigates through the calm yet frozen waters between Svalbard and the islands. Weâre on the North Atlantic Odyssey, a journey that starts in continental Europe and concludes near the North Pole in Svalbard. Onboard are 115 enthusiastic passengers. Most of them are currently on the outer decks, cameras in hand, captivated by the sea ice.
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Inside the Svalbard Global Seed Vault
Literature, cinema, and even video games often present us with various global disaster scenarios. These typically involve devastating wars, catastrophic natural events, or widespread pandemics that leave survivors scavenging for food and supplies amidst hordes of zombies.
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Seven Tips to Get the Most out of Your Expedition Cruise
Polar cruises are easy to enjoy, but thereâs an art to getting the most out of them.
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The Secret Life of Glaciers: How They Form, Move, and Melt
One of the most awe-inspiring natural wonders you can witness on an Arctic or Antarctic expedition is glaciers. These immense ice formations have been gradually moving from the mountains to the oceans for countless years, acting as both time capsules and indicators of our rapidly changing environment.
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Penguins, Albatrosses, Petrels: The Winged Wildlife of South Georgia
South Georgiaâs location south of the Antarctic Convergence gives the island a more Antarctic-like climate compared to other regions at the same latitude. The climate here is marked by cold, cloudy, wet, and windy conditions with highly variable weather.
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Imperial Antarctica: the Snow Hill Emperor Penguins
Recently, a rare achievement was made by visiting Antarcticaâs northernmost emperor penguin colony on Snow Hill Island. Typically surrounded by impassable pack ice, Snow Hill is a notoriously difficult destination in the Weddell Sea cruise itinerary, only accessible using helicopters carried especially for this purpose.
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Greenlandic Inuit Beliefs
Greenland is the worldâs largest island and with the northern tip around 740 kilometres from the North Pole it is the northernmost country on Earth. The island is around 2,670 kilometres long and is about 650 kilometres across at its widest point.
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Weddell Sea, Shackleton’s Endurance, and New Swabia
Our Antarctica 2023-24 cruise program is packed with incredible expeditions, including a new itinerary that explores key locations such as South Georgia, the Weddell Sea, and the more easterly region of New Swabia (Neuschwabenland).
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Svalbard’s Texas Bar
Texas Bar is one of the historic areas we visit on certain Svalbard trips, and it always proves to be a cherished landing site among both our guides and guests. This might be surprising, however, given that its name can be a bit misleading.