Antarctica - Jacquetta Megarry

Antarctica may seem remote, extreme and perhaps even forbidding. Yet everybody who has visited comes back full of enthusiasm for its otherworldly scenery, amazingly well-adapted wildlife and brings home lasting memories and stunning photos. The author inspires interest in this amazing place while encouraging responsible, informed and sustainable tourism.

The book helps you to decide where and when to go, whether to include South Georgia and/or the Falklands, how to read between the lines of an itinerary, which operator to book with and what size of ship will suit you best. It provides practical information about weather, clothing, photography and biosecurity. 

Antarctica's ice cap stores 90% of the world's freshwater ice, and it is a crucial place for climate monitoring and other scientific research. The author explains the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, and the Madrid and Montreal Protocols, and their implications both for the continent and for visitors on cruise ships. She interprets the formation of icebergs and glaciers, how the climate varies over different parts of Antarctica and how Antarctic ice affects sea levels.

The guide covers the history of Antarctica's discovery and exploration, not only the Scott/Amundsen famous race to the South Pole and Shackleton's extraordinary rescue, but also the less-known achievements of Douglas Mawson. The story is updated with Tim Jarvis's recreations of Mawson's and Shackleton's famous journeys, and the 2022 discovery of the Endurance shipwreck, 107 years after the ship was crushed and sank.

Use this book to plan your adventure of a lifetime, but be warned: many who visit Antarctica end up trying to return.