What are you in to, raw vacation spots without as many tourists as the conventional areas? Destinations where they would be the first official settlers become the tourists’ motivation to go to the ends of the earth. At the south end of the world lies Antarctica where New Zealand and South America sightseers plan to meet up.
It was in 1820 when the continent was found and sealers, explorers, and scientists have been the only ones here. Limited traveling occurs to the places on the partially ice free coast of the continent as big as the United States and Mexico combined with a 7,000 foot thick ice blanket. Part of getting there involves sailing through stormy seas not to mention riding in ships that are strong enough for ice impact. Seldom does the temperature go above freezing and there are also 24 hours of sunlight every day.
This group of 14 men and 12 women were the first ones in the south of the Antarctic Circle not to mention 2,000 miles south of and New Zealand in the Mcmurdo Sound area. Long ago, British explorers faced unexplainable hardship and death in this area which is now the home of 800 sailors and scientists who are part of a US navy facility. The south of the equator faces seasons in direct opposite of that in the Northern Hemisphere.
Since 1957, only two airline stewardesses were the only women to set foot on this place. Although some of the Navymen at McMurdo Station had not seen women for a year, the greeting they gave the stewardesses was less than enthusiastic. This is for the simple reason that the sailors did not favor any interruptions to their capacity not to look at women for so long.
When tourists come in January and February, they should expect the same disregard from the people at McMurdo. According to the sailors, civilian technicians, and the scientists, they were chosen to perform a significant job in this place. Everything from the romance to the edge of Antarctica may be lost to tourists. This kind of trip means extra services of drinks, tips, laundry, and seasick pills that can be obtained other than the warm pants, kodachrome, mittens, and red parka supplied by the travel service.
American scientists and US Navy personnel were the only occupants of Antarctica since 1955. Nine scientific stations are also located here and on adjacent islands and they are maintained by other nations. Could the Navy be affected when the tourists arrive? Having no territorial claim mean that they have no say in who comes here, according to the commander of naval forces in Antarctica. But they can say who can and cannot come to their stations.
Those who are not self supporting are not allowed to enter. Having a well equipped ship rids them of such problems. People on board are protected by safety precautions. Taking note of passenger safety is the travel agency considering their operation plan.
Wandering around the base here, tourists can see Antarctica’s first nuclear power reactor, visit the ship’s store or post exchange, attend services at the Chapel of the Snows, or have a few drinks at a number of enlisted men’s clubs and an officers’ club. Since most of them are ardent hikers, conservationists and bird watchers, they will probably head for nearby penguin rookeries, the abandoned but restored huts of earlier explorers, or places where seals, skua gulls and killer whales may be seen.
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