The first explorer to make an attempt to cross the South Pole early this century, Sir Ernest Shackleton penned these words when he was too sick to be able to go on another expedition to this inspiring region:

And the love of men for each other that was born in that naked land, constant through life's great changes will be held by our little band. Though the grip of the frost may be cruel, and relentless its icy hold, Yet it knit our hearts together in that darkness stern and cold.

Antarctica possesses its own rare beauty; it is seen most dramatically at sunrise and sunset. The ice of the continent reflects the entire rainbow of colors, and the outcroppings of land beneath the white covering gives a stark contrast, unlike those landscapes in more temperate areas. The sea has many moods, from calm to angry, as it passes from water to ice to water again with the change of seasons. Even the air itself, crystal clear one day, can suddenly fill with fog or delicate mists that add to the land's mysterious presence.

En route to the continent, there are opportunities to view solitary, pelagic birds such as the albatross. Despite its harsh climate, life is extant on the continent.

The coastal areas of islands in the Antarctic Ocean and the mainland abount with seals, sea lions, and birds of every description. Whales come to this area to nourish themselves on the ample supply of krill that populate the cold, oxygen-rich water.

So here it is: Antarctica as I have experienced it.