A day at sea . . . time to reflect on all that we have just experienced.
Antarctica is earth's last great wilderness for many reasons. It is a continent virtually untouched by man's, often harsh, hand. Aside from the few research stations located on the continent, there are no human inhabitants. Natural life goes on mostly undisturbed; the food chain is not interrupted by human predation, and so far the land is unravaged for natural resources. Everyday something new is learned about some aspect of Antarctica, whether it is the salinity of the seawater at different depths, or how many pounds of krill a humpback eats in one mouthful.
The undersea world holds just as much, if not more, mystery than the ice covered land of the continent. The water is 28 degrees Fahrenheit, as cold as seawater can get before freezing. The creatures that live in the water are incredibly resilient, some even having an anti-freeze complex in their blood, so they do not freeze themselves. Despite the cold waters, everyday divers at the stations go under to learn about the little known creatures which abide in Antarctica. On the MS Endeavour, this is also the case. We carry an Undersea Specialist onboard, who brings the underwater world to the surface for our guests. While diving, the Undersea Specialist films sea stars, anemones, prehistoric looking fish, and the underwater acrobatics of the penguins. The Endeavour also has an ROV (remote operated vehicle) which can go down to depths no diver can venture to. Here, at depths up to 350 feet, coliseum shaped sponges, bottom- dwelling fish with no swim bladder, and krill, live. The ROV transmits the picture to the surface from the lightless depths. Some of the creatures' pictures are not found in any book or field guide, their identity a mystery. What a strange idea to think we might be the first people to see some of these species? But this is all part of the excitement of Antarctica, to travel here, where so few have traveled, and to discover all it has to offer.
