| If you're one of those people who loves to get off the | | | | rage on the coastal regions and the whole place is just |
| beaten track, there can't be many places further off | | | | mind-blowing (pardon the pun!)These winds "are |
| than Antarctica! | | | | caused by a combination of the cold of the interior, the |
| You can travel to Antarctica by cruise ship from | | | | domed shape of the continent and intense low |
| Argentina or Chile, or by icebreaker from Australia or | | | | pressure systems around the coast. For long periods - |
| New Zealand.Travellers with less time can fly by jet | | | | often many days - large amounts of dense, cold air |
| over Antarctica from Australia for a full day of aerial | | | | slide at an accelerating rate down the coastal slopes |
| sightseeing. | | | | of Antarctica's ice sheet, reaching hurricane force |
| More adventurous types can try Antarctic scuba | | | | (around 120 km/h) by the time they reach the sea. |
| diving, kayaking, mountain climbing or even a South | | | | Maximum gusts can be more than 250 km/h." |
| Pole trekking adventure.When you tour Antarctica and | | | | If you ever complain about it being windy where you |
| its neighbouring chains of islands by ship, you'll be able | | | | are, spare a thought for the Australasian Antarctic |
| to get up close and personal with all the magnificent | | | | Expedition of 1911 to 1914. "At the Cape Denison |
| wildlife that abounds in these unspoiled regions. There | | | | headquarters, the average year-round wind speed |
| are whale, seal and sea bird watching opportunities. | | | | was nearly 80 km/h, and in June and July the average |
| Bird lovers will especially appreciate the chance to see | | | | speed was 120 km/h."As well as being the windiest, |
| the Emperor and King Penguin rookeries. Ask your | | | | Antarctica is also the coldest place on Earth: "the |
| travel agent about the special cruises for | | | | lowest temperatures recorded in nature have been at |
| birdwatchers.You can fly over Antarctica with Qantas | | | | the Russian Vostok base, when on 21 July 1983, the |
| - details here: There are only ten flights (aboard a | | | | temperature dropped to minus 89.2 degrees C (-128.6 |
| Qantas 747) that depart Sydney, Melbourne and | | | | F). In 1998 the Vostok temperature was reported to |
| Adelaide between October and February. While you're | | | | have dropped below minus 90 degrees C (this is yet |
| at this site, click on the Photo gallery link for some | | | | to be confirmed)."So take your woolly vest!If you want |
| spectacular scenery.This is one holiday destination | | | | to see what it's like before you go, here's the webcam |
| where you'll need to pack carefully ... no wandering | | | | at Casey Base: When I just visited, the temperature |
| around in a t-shirt and shorts here! You'll find lots of | | | | was a balmy -5.1 degrees C, and wind speed 7 km/hr. |
| information on what to take, what you'll see etc here: | | | | Hey -- it's summer!J M Stewart is a freelance writer |
| you know that the average thickness of the Antarctic | | | | and editor. Sign up for free, weekly writing tips that |
| ice is 2,000 m (6,500 feet), and the greatest measured | | | | have been delivered every Friday since 1998: mailto:J |
| thickness is more than 4,770 m (15,650 feet)? | | | | M Stewart's travel site provides intending travellers |
| (Bramwell, Martyn. Glaciers and Icecaps. Belgium: | | | | with all they need to know to visit, live and work in |
| Franklin Watts, 1986) | | | | Australia. Drop by now to see if you're eligible for an |
| That's a lot of ice... then add the katabatic winds that | | | | Australian work visa! |