THE ROSSSEA
EAST ANTARCTICA East Antarctica (excluding the Ross Sea) is one of the least visited locations on Earth, due to the huge distances involved and its isolation. The region was originally explored by American, French and Norwegian explorers but noneweremore important than Australia’s Douglas Mawson. Mawson led two expeditions to the region with a flurry of scientific research and discovery. Mawson’s expeditions were so expansive that it lead to Australia attempting to claim almost half of the Antarctica continent. Australia still maintains three permanent bases along the East Antarctica coastline. Two-thirds of the continent is taken up by East Antarctica, also called Greater Antarctica. This desolate expanse is the coldest, windiest, driest and most isolated land mass on Earth. It includes a number of high mountains and lies on the Indian Ocean side of the TransantarcticMountains. East Antarctica is almost completely covered in thick, permanent ice. It lies almost entirely within the EasternHemisphere, hence itsname,whichhasbeen used for more than 90 years. After the International Geophysical Year (1957–58) and with explorations showing that the Transantarctic Mountains provided a useful regional separation of East Antarctica and West Antarctica, the name came into greater use and was approved in the United States by the AdvisoryCommitteeonAntarcticNames (US-ACAN) in 1962. Generally speaking, East Antarctica is higher than West Antarctica, and is the coldest place on Earth. Its internal designations include Coats Land, Queen Maud Land, Enderby Land, Kemp Land, Mac Robertson Land, Princess Elizabeth Land, Wilhelm II Land, Queen Mary Land, Wilkes Land, Adélie Land, George V Land, Oates Land andVictoria Land. The subglacial Gamburtsev Mountain Range in the centreof East Antarctica isbelieved tohavebeen the formative site for the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. The range is about the same size as the European Alps.
TheRossSea isboth the richest andmost vulnerableecosystem on Earth. Found off southwestern Antarctica, itself the most unspoiled continent on Earth, the Ross Sea is valued for supporting countless colonies of mammals, seabirds and invertebrates. Itmayonlymakeup2%of theSouthernOcean, yet boasts more marine biodiversity than the remaining 98%. Mind you, the tiny portion that is the Ross Sea still comprises over 2.36 million square kilometres of seas. And not just any seas, but waters that are an irreplaceable breeding ground for several types of whales and home to various species of penguins and seals, as well as hundreds of millions of small crustaceans and countless plankton on which the larger predators feed. When it comes tomarine biology, the Ross Sea is an endless laboratory, one that offersscientistsan incredible look intowhat constitutes a perfect and balanced ecosystem. Experts claim that the Ross Sea is the most researched slice of the entire Southern Hemisphere, with data collection being an ongoing project since British explorer James Clark Ross first recognised its existence in 1841. He was attempting to reach the SouthMagneticPoleandmanaged tofindoneof themost easily accessible landing sites on the Antarctic continent. Due to warm currents which regularly flow in this section of Antarctic waters, the coastline has been almost totally explored, albeit only for geological purposes. Although sections of the Ross Ice Shelf freeze every year, it is still one of the parts of Antarctica with the least amount of ice cover and is regularly traversed by tourist expedition cruises. Over the last 175 years, the Ross Sea has never fallen victim to pollution or gross human influence of any kind. It has never been affected bymining, or invaded by foreign species of wildlife and has, so far, been protected from mass commercial fishing. Instead, ithasbeenwhollyshapedbynatural elements; bystrong polar currents and annual freeze-overs, resulting in waters that are perennially enriched by nutrients, attracting a phenomenal number of sea creatures. The Ross Sea became famous originally as the starting battleground for Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen in their respective expeditions to be the first to the South Pole. At the time these expeditions were so famous that they are likened to the astronauts of today. Amundsen won the race and Scott heroically died on his return journey across the Ross Ice Shelf. Ross Island can be visited onmost voyages.Three of the historic huts are located here: Scott’s Hut, Discovery Hut (also Scott’s) and Shackleton’s Hut at Cape Royds. The island is also home to Antarctica's largest research station, the US operated McMurdo Station.
Interested in visiting the Ross Sea? Ask us about our unique 30-day voyages to this spectacular region.
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