Why not a unique journey to the Ross Sea Antarctica?
By Helen McCormick
Antarctica is an amazing continent, unique for its scenery, wildlife and experiences. Nestled between East and West Antarctica, the Ross Sea is the southernmost sea in the world.
The Ross Ice Shelf, more than 600km long (370 miles) and several hundred meters thick, is the largest in Antarctica. Rising up from the edge of the ice shelf, on Ross Island, is Mt Erebus, the southernmost active volcano on earth.
Six days each way
A journey to this historic area is not to be taken lightly. Crossing the Southern Ocean takes 5 to 6 days, longer with stops at the Sub-Antarctic islands along the way.
On our return journey, we contended with 12-meter (40 foot) waves that crashed on the windows on five out of the 6 decks on the ship. I thought it was exciting, but many of the passengers didn’t agree with me! There were a lot of breakages in the dining room at meal times, and we had to batten down the hatches in our cabins, for our personal safety.
No wonder this part of Antarctica is rarely visited. In the 2017–2018 season, only 189 passengers out of 51,707 visitors to Antarctica (0.4%) cruised to the area.
The world is a huge place. How will you know where you fit in unless you explore beyond your comfort zone?
Ernest Shackleton
Depart New Zealand
Our starting point was Bluff in New Zealand. Our expedition cruise on the MV Orion had scientists and Australian adventurers on the staff. Don and Margie McIntyre, the expedition leaders, spent t 1995 living in a hut, chained to the rocks at Cape Denison. It is considered to be the windiest place on earth!
On the way to the Ross Sea, we passed increasingly large icebergs. With only 10% of the iceberg above sea level, their crisp white beauty and size is awe inspiring.
Brave or Foolhardy?
For those crossing the Antarctic Circle for the first time, a hosing down ceremony is offered on the icy deck. This unique experience is not for the faint-hearted!
Standing on the ice-covered deck at 3am, in only a swimsuit and bare feet facing a rush of cold water is only for the tough and brave individuals. They were rewarded with a brandy afterwards.
Even more stamina is required for the Polar Plunge, which entails jumping into the icy Antarctic waters (on our ship they were attached by a rope.) Diving is not recommended.
Meeting the locals
The wildlife in Antarctica is unique. The Adelie penguins are wonderful to watch during the short summer breeding season. They gather pebbles for their nests, hatch their eggs and then feed their young before the extreme conditions deteriorate.
Emperor penguins are located at Cape Adare — unfortunately, we were unable to go ashore to see them, as the pack ice was trapped by too many icebergs. While this was one of the few landings we missed, some expeditions have failed to land at all.
Albatrosses follow the ships, flying long distances without landing. They are amazing birds, with huge wingspans up to 3.7m or 12 feet. They have great endurance, flying across the Southern Ocean, often quite large distances from the land.
Other wildlife that can be seen are Snow and Antarctic Petrels, South Polar Skuas, Minke whales, Killer whales, Weddell seals and Leopard seals. A Colossal Squid was captured on February 22nd, 2007, which was 10m (32.8 feet) long, weighing 495kg (1091 lbs).
Shackleton — safety first
On Ross Island there are two historic huts. At Cape Royds, Shackleton’s hut is nestled in a sheltered spot. Ernest Shackleton tried twice to reach the South Pole, but never made it. The first time in 1902, he went with Robert F. Scott, but their expedition was cut short by illness and snow blindness.
On the second attempt in 1908, Shackleton took 3 others with him, but illness and hunger forced them to abandon the trek 180 km from the pole. On a third expedition in 1916, Shackleton was attempting to be the first to cross Antarctica from coast to coast by sledge. However, their ship was crushed by ice and sank in the Weddell Sea.
After camping on the ice for several months, Shackleton and five others managed to take a very small boat 1300 km north to find help for the men left behind. As a result of this heroic action, all of his crew was miraculously saved.
Shackleton’s hut remains just as he and his men left it a century ago. The walk to the hut was slippery along the fast ice, but manageable with the appropriate footwear and care. We were able to appreciate what the early explorers had to endure, with more primitive equipment and clothing.
Scott — pipped at the post
At Cape Evans, Scott’s hut is preserved for all time. This hut is larger than Shackleton’s with separate sleeping quarters for the officers — unlike Shackleton’s hut were everyone was treated the same. Scott’s hut has lots of shelves and even a stable for the ponies.
Robert F Scott made two attempts to reach the South Pole. The first was with Shackleton in 1902 and the second was in 1912. Scott succeeded in reaching the pole, only to discover that the Norwegian Roald Amundsen had beaten him to it, 33 days earlier. Scott and his team all died on the return journey.
It was well worth the effort to see the hut with the tinned food, their clothing and a dead penguin preserved on the table.
For scientific discovery give me Scott; for speed and efficiency of travel give me Amundsen; but when disaster strikes and all hope is gone, get down on your knees and pray for Shackleton.
Sir Raymond Priestly
Nearing 78 degrees South
The US has a research centre on the southern tip of Ross Island. We followed a US icebreaker, part of the way up to the base in McMurdo sound, reaching a latitude of 77.8 degrees South. We then headed back up the coast, stopping off at Inexpressible Island. It was snowing, so it looked beautiful, but the visibility was reduced. We couldn’t see Mt Melbourne.
Scott had divided his team into groups, and the Northern Party, led by Victor Campbell did not accompany Scott into the interior. Instead, they wintered at Cape Adare. This group of 6 men began making their way home, to meet the ship ‘Terra Nova”.
The ship could not reach them because of heavy pack ice, so they excavated a small ice cave in a snow drift they named ‘Inexpressible Island”. The conditions were miserable, and they suffered from hunger, dysentery and frostbite. The site of the cave has been designated a Historic site or Monument.
In Antarctica, the days are long in Summer, with nearly 24 hours of daylight. In Winter, however, it is dark for most of the day and is much colder.
Returning Home
All in all, this was a trip that we will never forget. The uniqueness of the Ross Sea and all that lies within it, are a once in a lifetime adventure.
Wondering if you should put the Ross Sea on your bucket list? When making travel plans, you often get recommended to go to a lot of tourist traps that are overpriced and crowded.
To discover how you can go on uneek (unique) memorable experiences around the world, download our eBook, “29 Uneek Travel Experiences that You’ll Love”.
