Ice, Ice Baby - Antarctica Though Antarctica is the largest protected wilderness area, there are no park rangers and authorities to keep an eye on violaters

Having been to the largest cold desert on earth and a continent as large as Australia, I am usually accosted with exclamations like: “What! You have been to Antarctica. Wow! You must have seen polar bears?” It’s at times like these that I feel glad to have travelled to this final frontier for I can tell others, “No! It’s a land of penguins, not polar bears!” (I’ve learnt to say this calmly without an exasperated tone). I can also tell them how the effects of man’s footprints on earth can be seen in Antarctica.

I was one among the 37,000 privileged people to visit the Antarctic Peninsula at the end of 2006. I would often stand on the deck of our vessel, MV Lyubov Orlova, gazing into the waters, shimmering with icebergs as tall as the Chrysler building (1,047 ft) in the US.

Hearing the cracking boom of a calving iceberg, watching an avalanche, seeing Orca whales swim past your ship are some unforgettable experiences. The awe-inspiring beauty comes with 24-hour days, the gap between sunset and sunrise being the shortest here. Sometimes both (sunset and sunrise) blend into one, weaving a blanket of colours on the water, sky and ice. A sense of insignificance washed over me many a times: I was so small compared to this land, its beauty and importance.

Termed a desert in spite of having 90 per cent of the ice and 65 per cent of the earth’s fresh water (frozen state), Antarctica is home to the largest mammal in the world – the famed Blue Whale, the bird with the largest wingspan – the Albatross and one of the strangest species of birds – the Penguins.

Trust me when I say you can never get used to the Penguin smell - you know a colony is ahead from miles away! But there is nothing like watching a Penguin highway. Alongside penguins, one can see sea lions too. Penguins are very comfortable around humans.

According to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators treaty that cruise operators have signed, one needs to keep at least 15 ft away from the animals. They can come to you but you cannot approach them. But believe me, these curious creatures do approach you. With increase in tourism comes the possibility of threat to the species and change in their behaviour. It is happening; even the most educated, conscious travellers leave unwanted things behind: a pair of my earmuffs sank right into the pristine water.

Antarctica is the largest protected wilderness area, but there are no park rangers and no authorities to keep an eye. Educated tourists and conscious tour guides are what stand between sustainable tourism and exploitation. There is genuine concern over the rising impact of tourism in Antarctica. In spite of tour operators revering this area and minimising their impact, there are organisations that ask whether one should limit the number of people visiting the Antarctica.

In the last two years, the Antarctic waters have witnessed some disasters. The weather and ice here make travel dangerous. The ship hulls need to be strong enough to withstand sharp piercing icebergs. MS Explorer, an ice plying ship manned by an experienced captain, sank in the Antarctic waters. Along with it, the fuel that remains in it lies at the bottom of the ocean. In 2007, a Japanese whaling ship, Nisshin Maru, caught fire and threatened the pristine and delicate area of Ross Sea. MV Ushuaia stuck a rock on December 8, 2008. However, all passengers were evacuated safely to Argentina. In the past two seasons there have been three cruise ship mishaps.

To go or not to go to Antarctica is a very personal thing. One has to make a choice, considering all the factors. How can we stop ourselves from experiencing something that brings us closer to the creation? Can we be so unselfish as to say that all Antarctic travel should be banned? I cannot say, for what I saw, I might never see again.

But, it’s our responsibility to be an aware consumer, ask the right questions to the operators. Are the ships and ship crew experienced to ply the icy waters? What are the garbage disposal rules on the ship? What is their company doing for the protection of the area?

Be an educated consumer and you will make a responsible traveller to these last frontiers. The proof that the delicate balance of nature is shifting can be seen here. We can see our past, our present and predict our future just by studying the Ice, Air and Water on this final frontier. It is like the canary in a mine, telling the miners there is danger ahead. Be prepared.