Washington and Lee University
Antarctica, the world’s most remote frontier, has intrigued scientists and beckoned explorers for generations. Although discovered by Russian and British expeditions and an American whaler in 1820, she had to await the likes of Amundsen, Scott, Shackleton, and Byrd before her awesome beauty, extraordinary wildlife, and immense power would be known. Still, after a century of exploration and scientific research, Antarctica remains remarkably mysterious, an irresistible magnet for scientists and the curious traveler, and a revered cause célèbre for the global environmentalist.
A continent of superlatives and extremes, Antarctica is the highest, the windiest, the coldest, the most remote, and the most fragile and delicately balanced ecosystem. An immense ice cap, two miles deep, covers most of the continent’s land mass and holds 90 percent of the earth’s fresh water. In contrast to this desolate, titanic oblivion of rugged mountain peaks, snowfields, and glaciers, the surrounding sea is rich in nutrients, supporting varied and abundant marine life. Literally millions of penguins and other fascinating seabirds, including albatrosses, skuas, petrels, gulls, and terns, most of the species of great whales, and other marine mammals such as sea lions and a variety of seals, including elephant, leopard, crabeater, and fur, thrive in her waters.
Today, more than ever before, Antarctica is accessible to those wishing to know her intelligently.We’ll visit Antarctica during the brief austral summer, when the days are long, temperatures moderate, and the wildlife most active. The extraordinary wildlife and habitats of the region are protected by the Antarctic Treaty, which governs all activity below 60 degrees south latitude. In this rare, untouched environment, the wildlife is remarkably untroubled by our presence; visitors are privileged to witness at close range penguins, seals, and other creatures following their age-old patterns and cycles.
For this compelling voyage, we have chosen the all-suite 114- passenger Corinthian II, which combines luxurious accommodations and personalized service with meticulous environmental sensitivity. Newly discounted rates include a triple occupancy accommodation for families, friends, or the especially adventurous. The voyage’s on-board staff of naturalists will work with our own expertise to make this a truly unforgettable introduction to the seventh continent.
Download the complete itinerary and reservation form (.pdf)
Ed Spencer is the Ruth Parmly Professor of Geology emeritus at Washington and Lee University. A popular study leader, Ed has led W&L Traveller programs in the Grand Canyon, Nepal, Patagonia, Norway and Sweden, Australia and New Zealand, Switzerland, the Pyrenees, and W&L's "Around the World by Private Jet." He has conducted research in Spain, France, Greece, Scotland, as well as throughout the United States. Ed is the author of several college textbooks on geology, earth science, environmental systems, and map interpretation. His fields of specialization include mountain belts, environmental geology, and fresh water conservation. Educated at Washington and Lee, with a Ph.D. from Columbia, Ed has been honored for his superior teaching by the Virginia Department of Higher Education. He is fondly known by his students as "Dr. Rock."
When Ed accepted a job teaching geology at W&L a half century ago, he had to give up plans for a research year in Antarctica. Ever since that day, he's wondered what he missed.
In January 2010, he finally will have a chance to answer the question--and a good many more--as leader of the W&L Traveller's "Voyage to the Seventh Continent."
