Antarctica Things to Do Tips by Ekahau

The Antarctic Peninsula is relatively speaking a bargain for US$ 2.600,00 you can spend two days and one night. I flew in on a military C-130 on one trip and a commercial Twin Otter or King air from Punta arena or Puerto Williams, Tierra Del Fuego, Chile.

We boarded our airplane very early in the morning in Punta arena flying south over Strait of Magellan and Tierra del Fuego Island. We flew low over the Darwin Mountains and its glaciers seeing Cape Horn and the last rocks of the American continent into the Beagle strait. Three hours later we landed at Chile's Frei Base.

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Phone: 5661-621010
Address: Antarctic Peninsula
Directions: Because of its location "Eduardo Frei" often operates as a main base station for VT ers like me. Lots of the activity "on the ice" rely on "Eduardo Frei" for mail and other regular supplies.
Other Contact: TENIENTE MUNOZ 118 Puerto Willia

Villa Las Estrellas

Well this is way off the beaten Path but for about $2,300 (one day) you can fly from Punta Arenes Chile fly to Villa Las Estrellas, President Frei Base on the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. You see I was here looking at Medical support for a Trans Antarctica expedition and this was one way I got here. This is really on King George Island, just off the Peninsula, the little town that supports scientific researchers is Villa Las Estrellas it is one of only about 70 scientific posts built by 2 dozen different countries in Antarctica

Tours of President Frei Base and Fildes bays with it penguin rookery, and walks through Villa de Las Estrellas, the main population center in the area, are some of the activities that the VTers can do.

Only a few hours away from Punta Arenas down one day over night and back the next. Cool ya,

This place is unusual in that it is a rambling base scattered over quite a distance from the sea edge where there is the wharf up to the Aerodrome a distance away. It has 21 main buildings. Sometimes the base is also called "Teniente Rodolfo Marsh" Base although this name now seems to be applied exclusively to the Airport, while the main base buildings are usually referred to as "Eduardo Frei" Base. Adding to the confusion is the fact that the Russian Bellinghausen base of 17 buildings is actually mixed in with the Eduardo Frei Base buildings.

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Bellingshausen this Russia Base is very easy to get to from President Frei its about 50 meters away in fact the building are mixed together. This place has about 40 people in the Summer and 20 or so that Winter over. They have a full time orthodox Priest which is I think the only one stationed in Antarctic year around and an Orthodox church. The priest said that prior to this assignment he had been in a really cold spot in Siberia and came down to Antarctica to warm up. The base has 14 or 15 building including you guessed it why else would I be there a “hospital”. One Russian Doctor two beds and the very basic stuff the doctor from Chile and Russia support each other I was glad to know.

This place is owned and operated by the

Russian Antarctic Expedition
The Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
38 Bering Street
199397 St Petersburg
RUSSIA

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Phone: +7 (812) 352-1541
Address: King George III island
Directions: The warm Antarctic North

Photos below is a seal on her way to Russian Orthodox service on Bellingshausen the
Russia base on King George island. Yes it is true!! you can also see the Russian Orthodox in photo 4 on the hill
Other Contact: lukin@aari.nw.ru or lukin@raexp.

Another local trip you can take from your VT base at Frei Hotel Polor Star is a Zodiac-type vessel ride across Bransfield Straits to Chile Bay which, is located on Greenwich Island in the South Shetlands. This is where the Chilean, Arturo Prat Naval Base, is located. Also this is the home to the Comodoro Federico Guesalaga Toro museum (I had half expect some old lawn equipment or a bull ring). But no it is about the heroes of Chiles efforts in Antarctica. This base seems to have a focused on biology and oceanographic research and it is home to a Marine Science Station.

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Here is the story – “In early 2002, the Chief of the Russian Antarctic Expedition was received by the Head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexis II. During the discussion they decided to commemorate all the Russians who gave their lives for the sake of study and exploration of the Antarctic. So the Patriarch proposed to build a Russian orthodox church at one of the Russian Antarctic stations. This choice was in full conformity with the Russian historical traditions. The place for construction of the church was selected at Bellingshausen station on King George Island.

The Creative workshop of the architect Anisiforov designed the church.

On August 18, 2003, the Patriarch of Russia issued a decree on establishing a Patriarchy podvorie at the Orthodox Temple in Antarctica. The Temple was placed under the Confessor of the Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra. The Bishop of Sergiev Posad, Deputy of the Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra was requested to designate a priest who will be the father of the temple in the Antarctic.

So now you know -- and does the seal stand or kneel

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Directions: On a Hill
Website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3154956.stm

Just a short cold walk to the the Chinese Station to observe marine birds, penguins and Weddell Seals. The visit was at low tide which will allow the isthmus to be revealed and therefore we were able to cross over to Ardley Island, where Papua Penguin colonies live.

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I remember as a kid seeing a painting of an iceberg done in the Hudson river school of Art the (Luminist movement in American art) and thinking wow that is amazing. So I have always want to have the chance of shooting photos of icebergs and capturing the light that I remember form that painting. Well it is not so easy but I think the light the sky and how it all fades into the water is really something special. How icebergs have that mixture of deep blues and bright bright white, not easy. However if the shot is dominated by whites, it’s a good idea to try an trick the camera’s meter by overexposing the shot by at least one stop, then bracketing another third- or half-stop above that. If you’re shooting digital, play with the exposure after a quick look at the histogram. I always thought it would be this silent world of just me and the cold -- but no - because as an iceberg melts, it makes a kind of hissing sizzing sound called "Bergie Seltzer.

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Day two we saw Baleen Whales, Sea Lions, Weddell Seals, Antarctic Seals and penguins which compose the fauna, which feeds on the Antarctic's rich waters. The famous Adelie Penguins was the main species but you will also saw the Papua and Antarctic Penguins.

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Address: cute cute

Twelve days on the Ice at the Dawson-Lambton Glacier with the Most Fascinating Bird on the Planet for “only"--- $38,500!!

The Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) is considered the only "true" Antarctic bird. Breeding during the Antarctic winter when night lasts for months and temperatures drop as low as 60°C below zero, the males incubate the single egg atop their feet for approximately 60 days while their mates are at sea. The males huddle together in heat-conserving scrums, with the egg carefully balanced on their feet because they have no nest. Not only is the Emperor the largest and most vividly colored of the penguin species - it also produces the most appealing chicks. Breeding in large colonies, Emperors are sheltered by icebergs and coastal ice cliffs.

Camp at the Dawson-Lambton Glacier, within feet of the Emperor Penguin rookery. Observe the largest of the 17 penguin species, standing 1-meter tall and weighing 40kg. Learn habits of these fascinating birds from our staff expert ornithologist thousands of majestic “emps” and newly hatched chicks.

Emperor Penguin Photo Safari leaves Punta Arenas 8 Nov 2007 planed for Nov 6 2008 and around that date every year after just contact ANI on the link below

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Phone: (44) 1494 671808
Address: Dawson-Lambton Glacier
Directions: Adventure Network International
Canon House
27 London Road
Beaconsfield, Bucks.
HP9 2HN, U.K.
Tel: (44) 1494 671808
Fax: (44) 1494 671725
email: adventurenetwork@compuserve.com
web: www.adventure-network.com
Website: www.adventure-network.com

Well because it is there.

The Holy Grail of Polar Explorers now anyone can go. Eight dates available each Antarctic Summer for only $26,000. This comes with -- you guessed it dinner at the pole. Dates start in mid November and end in Mid January.
One of the greatest stories in Antarctic Exploration is that of the race to the Geographic South Pole. Still the names of explorers like Scott, Amundsen and Shackleton fascinate us as we learn of their heroic journeys in search of the Pole.
More than 80 years have past since the first explorers reached the South Pole. In 1987, ANI flew the first tourists to the South Pole and to date remains the only company in the world offering airborne travel to the interior of Antarctica and the southernmost point on earth. A journey as significant today as it was for those early explorers so many years ago.

Embark in city of Punta Arenas, Chile
Fly via private aircraft over tabular icebergs and ice shelves into the heart of Antarctica
Fly across the polar plateau reroute to the South Pole
Become one of the few to stand at the southernmost point on earth – the Geographical South Pole
Explore Patriot Hills, ANI’s base in the foothills of the Ellsworth Mountains

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Phone: (561) 237-2359
Address: On the ICE
Directions: Adventure Network International
4800 N. Federal Highway Suite 307D
Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA