Antarctic Peninsula - Penisola Antartica

Antarctic Peninsula
Adelaide Island, Webb Island
Location
Antarctic Peninsula - Location

Antarctic Peninsula it is the northernmost tip of the continent Antarctic.

To know

It is the most visited region of Antarctica.

It is located in front of the coasts of South America. It extends from Chief Adams, located at the base of the peninsula and overlooking the Weddell Sea up to the Antarctic Strait (Antartic Sound) an arm of the sea that separates the continent fromJoinville Archipelago. The northernmost point of the peninsula is close to Hope Bay 63 ° 23 'S and 57 ° 00' W, called prime head 63 ° 13 'S.

The territory is mainly mountainous with peaks that reach 2,800 m a.s.l. The mountain range that constitutes its structure is considered a continuation of the Andes chain to which it is joined by an underwater ridge.

Background

The date of the first sighting of the peninsula is controversial, but apparently it happened around 1820. In 1964 the US bodies of the US-ACAN (Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names) and the British one of the UK-APC (Antarctic Place-Names Committee) reached an agreement on the name and established that the name "Graham's Land" defines the part of the peninsula north of the line joining Cape Jeremy and Cape Agassiz while the southern part is called Palmer's Land.
In Chile the Antarctic Peninsula is called "Tierra de O'Higgins" and in Argentina, "Tierra de San Martín", while in other Spanish-speaking countries the name "Península Antártica" is used.
The sovereignty of the peninsula is disputed between Chile, Argentina and the United Kingdom, like any other Antarctic territory, however, it falls under the provisions of the Antarctic treaty.

Spoken languages

As there is no indigenous population in this region, the language of communication depends on the country of the base where you are staying or organizing the tour. Spanish and English should be the most useful languages ​​in this part of Antarctica.

Territories and tourist destinations

Regions

Bases

Brown Station


How to get

On boat

The ruins of the whaling station at Whaler's Bay on Deception Island

There are no airstrips along the Peninsula, so the only access to the island is by boat. Most tourists arrive on icebreakers. There are many islands scattered along the west side of the peninsula, many of which are occupied by scientific research bases organized by different countries.

Companies that can help organize trips to the Antarctic Peninsula are:

  • Cheesemans Ecology Safaris. It offers an in-depth tour that takes up maximum time ashore and Zodiac cruises organized by a large staff of Antarctic veterans. They have been offering different itineraries for several years. This special extended itinerary explores the remote, iceberg-filled Weddell Sea, the many wildlife-rich islands in the northern and western peninsula and the South Shetland Islands, and a drive south to the Antarctic Circle.
  • Hurtigruten. Offers cruises-itineraries departing from Ushuaia.


How to get around


What see

Cruise with the Zodiac

Many itineraries are offered by tour companies, from short 7 days to 20 day trips. Longer itineraries offer more landings and can travel further south than shorter versions; but they are also more flexible and can adjust landings to weather conditions.

Tours usually start from Ushuaia at the very tip of South America, to then sail for about two days through the Drake Passage towards the Antarctic Peninsula. The west side of the peninsula is navigable since it is relatively ice-free during the summer Antarctic tourist season. Many islands are scattered along the coast here providing numerous landing sites for visitors. Huge colonies of penguins are usually found in ice-free areas, such as on Paulet and Livingston Islands. Zodiac cruising is popular along the peninsula where attack is not allowed or not possible, providing a great way to see whales, seals and penguins on ice floes. Landings on the Antarctic continent can be made in several areas, such as Almirante Brown, Neko Harbor, and Brown Bluff.

Tourism in Antarctica is tightly regulated to protect its fragile and pristine environment. The Antarctic Treaty provides the strict guidelines to reduce the impacts of tourism. Private tourism companies have set up the"International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators" (IAATO) in 1991 to promote responsible tourism in the Antarctic regions. Tourist itineraries must be approved and registered with IAATO.


What to do


At the table


Safety


Other projects

  • Collaborate on WikipediaWikipedia contains an entry concerning Antarctic Peninsula
  • Collaborate on CommonsCommons contains images or other files on Antarctic Peninsula
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