Why Antarctica provides the perfect extreme classroom
Extraordinary adventure is guaranteed when you visit Antarctica, one of the last great remote wildernesses on earth and also one of THE most exciting! The ‘White Continent’ as it is affectionately known, harbours one of the most hostile, majestic and ecologically abundant environments known to man. It will at once inspire and challenge you, making it the perfect location to hold a truly remarkable extreme meeting of medical minds.
Here is why Antarctica is a place like no other:
It’s quite simply another world
Antarctica offers captivating landscapes, which you’ll not witness anywhere else in the world. Immense glacial icebergs of all shapes and sizes float in pools of turquoise blue meltwater and stately mountains soar up to 9,000 feet from the sea. You’ll be enchanted by its icy scenery and exotic sights, and drawn in by the tranquillity and eerie silence, broken only by the sudden cries and chattering of its native seabirds.
Sir David Attenborough said:
“At a time when it’s possible for thirty people to stand on the top of Everest in one day, Antarctica still remains a remote, lonely and desolate continent. A place where it’s possible to see the splendours and immensities of the natural world at its most dramatic and, what’s more, witness them almost exactly as they were, long, long before human beings ever arrived on the surface of this planet. Long may it remain so.”
Adventure around every corner
Travelling to the southern-most point on the map and the depths of the white continent is a huge adventure in itself. You are after all exploring one of the most pristine and untouched places on the planet. During your expedition you’ll experience the Zodiac – a small lightweight inflatable boat, which will take you out amid towering icebergs. You’ll hike to a snow-capped summit and enjoy breath taking views, kayak along a cliff-side rookery in search of blue-eyed shags and sunbathing crabeater seals, or step ashore amid a huge colony of chattering gentoo penguins. Wherever you look, unforgettable sights will astonish, and delight, leaving you with memories that will last a lifetime.
The climate
Stating the obvious – it’s cold. This snow and ice-covered continent has freezing temperatures all year round, although during our expedition, we will be travelling in the Southern Hemisphere’s summer, so the average air temperature in Antarctica will be between 30 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (-1 to 4.4 degrees Celsius). As long as you’re dressed appropriately, you’ll quickly acclimatise to your new temperatures – there’s something truly wonderful about a polar environment that makes you feel alive.
Become part of Antarctica’s story
Due to its extreme weather and far flung location, you’ll become part of Antarctica’s history, being one of the very few people to have visited this amazing part of the world. With no permanent human habitation and only you, your ship mates and any scientists and long-term travellers you meet along the way, your unique experience means you will have an incredible story to share. In the words of the famous 14th century traveller, IBN Battuta said: “Travelling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller”
You can only imagine the encounters you’ll have and the mesmerising stories you’ll come back with after this ‘once in a lifetime’ expedition.
The wildlife
Catch an authentic glimpse into the lives of an array of wild animals all within their natural habitat and many without fear of humans – meaning you can quite often get up close and personal, especially with the curious gentoo penguins as they come to greet you. As you cruise along, expect the unexpected – look out for humpback whales gently breaching the surface water, pods of seals basking in the sun on ice floes or Antarctic seabirds soaring high above the rocky cliffs and plunging into the polar waters to fish. You’ll be able to use the ship’s array of undersea tools for exploring, with the Splash-Cams and hydrophones bringing to life the sights and sounds of marine life beneath the sea.
A ‘bucket list’ journey
The renowned ‘National Geographic Explorer’ ship will be your home for the duration of the Antarctica Conference Cruise as you journey across the legendary Drake Passage to the peace and serenity of the Antarctic. It’s a place that has only two temperaments: ‘the Drake Shake’ or the ‘the Drake Lake’ – whether you encounter a smooth sailing or the choppiest of seas it’s all part of the adventure. Indeed, crossing the infamous Drake Passage is an unforgettable encounter, a bucket list moment and a milestone in any adventurer’s journey as you follow in the footsteps of many of the world’s famous explorers.
On why Antarctica provides the perfect classroom when talking about all things extreme, WEM founder Mark Hannaford says:
“Antarctica is one of the world’s last frontiers with vast swathes barely visited or explored and similarly our extraordinary speakers our part of massive initiatives to explore Space the final frontier. As mariners of the past set out to discover the world, our extreme medicine practitioners are themselves working in new frontiers often constrained by limited resources, all while constantly discovering and learning as they explore”.
For an experience like no other…
In a rare, wondrous location…
With remarkable expertise…
Join an Antarctica Conference Cruise like no other.
To find out more about this truly exceptional medical experience and become part of this epic expedition, please click here. Take your medical career to the next level!
