When passing over the South magnetic Pole, the compass needle wobbles. The plane is ferrying passengers over Antarctica on a one-day air tour.The mass of ice below the warm passengers has been blown into waves by the never-ending winds that crisscross the continent on their way to the coast.The glacier below seems to be puffing steam, as the brisk wind blows wisps of snow across the surface. This is clearly visible from the air.
It was back in 1909 that a hardy team of explorers spent 134 days on an laborious journey of some 2030 kilometers across the treacherous ice to become the first ever to reach the South Magnetic Pole.Today?s flight reached the South Magnetic Pole a mere four hours after having left,. Passengers were treated to a several hour air tour over the planet?s last frontier, Antarctica.Comprehensive information on Antarctic Cruising is found on there.
Compass needles jump and the compasses themselves spin when they pass over the South Magnetic Pole because it is at this spot that many lines of magnetic force converge in the Southern Hemisphere.Because of it’s strong magnetic pull, the planes that fly over it have other instruments that prevent them from being knocked off course.The geographic South Pole - which is different than the magnetic South Pole - is where most explorers in the 1900s raced to discover is approximately 2500 kilometers away.Most of the travelers who make this trek don apparel close to what famous aviators wore back in the day, when flight and travel to the south pole was deemed the most extreme thing a person could do.
The sweeping, icy winds of Antarctica begin to churn all around the airliner.Some passengers are only dressed in t-shirts and shorts within the cabin. They are relaxed as they sip chardonnay.The flight seems like a giant party since the first icebergs were spotted just three hours from.Passengers move up and down the aisles looking at all of the different sights from various vantage points throughout the jet cabin in order to get a better view of the icebergs.
You will be able to witness the gigantic icebergs before you actually reach the Antarctic coastline and the difference between glaring white and the deep blue sea will absolutely amaze you.Seeing the glacier?s meeting the sea is awe-inspiring to the passengers, who have been sharing windows so that everyone can get a good photo or video.Prepare to be amazed at the Trans Antarctic Mountains, whose large mountain snow caps seem to jut into the air for miles and miles.See this antarctica holiday information for a deeper understanding.
These tourist flights have revived the aerial tourism for Antarctic that had flourished years ago when there were regular flights of jumbo aircraft by two major airlines across this dark and cold continent.Not only can the passengers delight in the natural wonders of Antarctica like the mountains, glaciers, coast and icebergs, but they can also see man?s influence. They fly over an abandoned French research facility. The continent is reclaiming it after it was severely damaged by a tidal wave. The base is relatively close to the Magnetic South Pole, which geologists discovered first.
