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Who or What Governs Antarctica? And How Does This Affect Tourism?


Most travelers to Antarctica know that the Seventh Continent is not sovereign territory belonging to any one nation, but rather is governed by an international agreement: the Antarctic Treaty. That’s not to say that there weren’t pre-existing claims of sovereignty prior to the Treaty’s coming into force. Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom all had territorial claims to parts of Antarctic, some going back to the 19th century. But with the signing of the Treaty in December 1959, these sovereign states mutually agreed to put their claims in abeyance for the duration of the Treaty’s life, 100 years.⁣

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“Into the Ice”


Hey, it’s a catchy title for anything ranging from a happy hour cocktail to a sprained ankle that needs relief, right? But for a polar expedition cruise operator like Poseidon Expeditions, it means something quite different.⁣

By its very nature, traveling into the high latitudes – that’s above 60º north latitude in the Arctic or below 60º latitude in the Southern Ocean – means that you’ll be getting “into the ice,” even at the height of summer. And with good reason. It is in these chilly regions where summertime brings out a wide range of wildlife activity centered around courting, breeding and attending to the young. ⁣

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Putting a priority on the “Wilderness Etiquette” in Antarctica


Passengers returning from their Antarctica cruise are sometimes surprised by the pleasant lack of seeing other ships during their adventure to the White Continent. Upon arrival in Ushuaia, these travelers sometimes marvel at observing eight or even ten ships of all sizes tied up alongside the long dock on “turn-around day” – that’s industry slang for disembarkation/embarkation and re-supply day – at the same time. And, most travelers have read that there are more expedition ships visiting the Antarctic Peninsula than in past years.
But, once these visitors get to Antarctica, where did all the ships go? Some guests report that they enjoyed an entire week without seeing another vessel once they left port.⁣

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Antarctic Wildlife Webinar with Anja Erdmann-Rutten 24 July 2020


Antarctic region is a pristine polar wilderness featuring abundant wildlife.
Watch our webinar devoted to Antarctic animals and become an Antarctic wildlife expert! Our experienced and knowledgeable expedition leader with 20 years of polar experience Anja Erdmann-Rutten shares with you the most amazing facts about penguins, seals, whales and albatrosses.⁣

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Voyage to the North Pole: What Makes an Icebreaker Different from other Ice-Class Ships

One of the key benefits of any polar expedition cruise is knowing that you’re on an ice-class vessel designed to safely operate in icy waters. Depending on the classification of the ship, you’ll be able to travel through slushy ice and bergy bits at a minimum, brash ice and possibly even thicker first-year ice.

Comparing the ice class of one ship to another can sometimes be challenging, as a variety of national and international registers exist, each with its own nomenclature and designations. You can do the research, but rest assured: your captain or ice master is experienced in the waters through which you’ll be traveling, and fully knows the capabilities and limitations of the ship that he’s commanding.

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Arctic Wildlife: Myths and Reality - Webinar with Christian Bruttel

The Arctic is home to a wide variety of animals - from polar bears to Arctic foxes, muskoxen, walruses, whales, reindeer, and many other species. Our expedition leader Christian Bruttel will unveil the world of Arctic wildlife, including common myths and the real stories behind them.⁣

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Crossing the Antarctic Convergence on Your Polar Cruise

To many of our expedition staff, who have traveled numerous times to and from the Antarctic Peninsula, the journey across the Drake Passage from the tip of South America is a not-to-be-missed prelude to actually visiting the White Continent. On the journey south, which takes the better part of two days, there’s ample time for orientation, the IAATO Briefing, informative presentations and the natural growing anticipation of visiting one of the most remote spots on earth.

But the journey is in other ways a celebrated portal to the Peninsula, crossing through the Antarctic Convergence. This is a magical yet mostly invisible doorway to the land of penguins, seals, glaciers and icebergs. What exactly is the Antarctic Convergence?

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Polar Camping & Kayaking - Webinar with Ida Olsson

Exploring the polar regions can certainly be a great adventure, but how adventurous can it get? Polar kayaking and camping are a great chance to bring your expedition cruising experience to a new level!

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How to Choose the Best Cabin on a Polar Expedition Ship

Choosing the right polar expedition ship is an essential stage of planning your cruise to the Arctic or Antarctica. You may think the vessel is just something to get you to all the amazing places in the polar regions, but that’s not entirely true. Outdoor activities and landings aside, you’re going to spend time on board, so your ship choice can make a big difference in the memories you take home with you. It comes down to finding the right balance between feeling comfortable and well taken care of on one hand, and keeping the expedition side of the voyage fun and educational on the other.

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North Pole Adventure


Recollections of My North Pole Adventure
By Steve Wellmeier

You say you love to travel and you’ve been all over the world, even to Antarctica, the Seventh Continent. Oh, a member of the Travelers’ Century Club, are you? You’ve been to all the capital cities of Europe, to game reserves in Kenya and Tanzania. Places filled with culture, restaurants and museums on one hand and, on the other, remote environments where wildlife reigns and mere mortals pay homage to Mother Nature.

After all of that, “Why?,” you say. “Why would I want to go to the North Pole?” You’re not the bucket-list type, you add, and you really don’t see the point, when you’ve already experienced Arctic wildlife in Svalbard and seen massive icebergs in East Greenland.

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