7 Reasons to Explore Antarctica

Are you wondering what it is like to explore Antarctica? As the next Antarctic season draws near, we asked some of our expert polar guides and team members why they are looking forward to when returning to Antarctica. Here are seven reasons that keep them wanting to return to the Seventh Continent.

1. Explore Antarctica and its History

Sandra Walser
Country: Switzerland
Onboard position: Cruise Manager

“With a Master’s in history and working as a freelance historian, I obviously have an acute interest in the 200-plus year human history of the White Continent. The Antarctic Peninsula is littered with nostalgic nods to the past in the form of placenames (bays, mountains, fjords, and glaciers) or more obvious landmarks such as abandoned whaling or sealing outposts and scientific stations. There is often a new place to visit, learn about, or document, even after many years of voyaging in the south. I feel a sort of nostalgia layered within nostalgia when thinking about returning south to reveal the stories of expeditions, commercial enterprise, and discovery gone by. This is one of the reasons I keep returning”.

Photo credit: Hadleigh Measham

2. Camaraderie Among the Antarctic Community

Kirsty Dick
Country: United Kingdom
Onboard position: Lecturer, History

“What am I looking forward to? The list is fantastically long, but I miss the sense of camaraderie that runs throughout the Antarctic community, so I look forward to working alongside my teammates who become family before you know it. I look forward to meeting new people and sharing stories. I look forward to feeling like a tiny part of that awesome landscape once more. As soon as you have visited the frozen South, you have joined this amazing community, and experiencing that again is something I’m very excited about.”

Photo credit: Hadleigh Measham

3. Contrasting Natural Beauty

Zibo Ding
Country: China
Onboard position: Cultural Host

“In its seemingly barren land that breeds life, in its seemingly calm weather that strikes with snowstorms, and in its seemingly coldness that warms the hearts, the beauty of Antarctica lies in its duplicity. With dozens of guests, staff, and crew on board, every journey of mine to the frozen world was alone but never lonely. When darkness was complete late at night, the innumerable constellations of the southern hemisphere were close insight; there is nothing left to think other than to note my insignificance in this landscape and embrace all the positivity of the natural world. This is why I keep coming back to Antarctica – all of these two-sided, peaceful, and easy feelings.”

Antarctic landscapes. Photo credit: Hadleigh Measham.

4. Unique Opportunities to Explore Antarctica

Hadleigh Measham
Country: United Kingdom
Onboard position: Expedition Leader

“What keeps me returning to explore Antarctica? There are many things; however, the ever-present opportunity is one of the most prominent amongst them. With every single voyage comes a distinctive opportunity to witness something truly unique, and we can take action as a group every step of the way to orchestrate some of these successes. Weather is always changing, and ice is always opening and closing; information is always expanding. We have fantastic resources and deep collective knowledge to put into play for the duration, and inevitably this produces some of the finest experiences and memories voyage after voyage, even after 13 years and more than 150 expeditions personally.”

Wildlife sightings during an Antarctica21 expedition. Photo credit: Hadleigh Measham.

5. Wild Isolation & Pristine Landscapes

Sarah Merusi
Country: United States
Onboard position: Cruise Manager

“The wild isolation and silence of Antarctica and its pristine, untouched landscapes keep me returning year after year. When I am not in Antarctica, there is something incomplete within me and returning there fills my soul.

Some of my most treasured moments are Zodiac cruises with guests, taking time to turn off the engine and just listen to the ice popping, the humpback whales in the distance, and the sounds of the sea.”

Pristine landscapes in Antarctica. Photo credit: Nicolás Danyau.

6. Landscape & Nature Photography in Antarctica

Anaïs Rekus
Country: Chile
Onboard position: Expedition Photographer

“As a photographer, my job often involves capturing (and helping others capture) the dramatic nature of the weather and landscape that is presented to us in Antarctica. This photograph was taken one evening and, for me, perfectly captures this. There are dark storm clouds coming from the mainland in the east (left), with the beautiful sunset lingering in the west (right). You can leave that dichotomous moment excited about what the next day will bring. Will the darkness of the stormy weather have passed to reveal a once again serene landscape, or will it persist, presenting an exciting new landscape? Things can change fast in Antarctica, and the unknown keeps me wanting to return and explore.”

Incredible photography opportunities in Antarctica. Photo credit: Anaïs Rekus.

7. Breathtaking Place to Call Home

Carolina Pavón
Country: Chile
Operations position: Passenger Service Manager

“After you have been there, it is hard to imagine yourself not coming back. There is something about Antarctica that words simply cannot describe. The landscapes and wildlife are breathtaking and mind-blowing and you just want more and more of it: it is a magnetic attraction.

Besides what Antarctica’s nature can give you, add to the equation the possibility to get to work with amazing and knowledgeable fellow colleagues who make you feel like you are at home every single day. Sincerely, it is impossible not wanting to go back.”

Photo Credit: Carolina Pavón.

These are just a few of the many reasons to explore Antarctica. If you are as excited as our guides to explore and discover more of the Seventh Continent, see our brochures for more information about our upcoming season itineraries, dates, and pricing.