An interesting article that poses a lot of questions. Tourism will likely be controlled in some manner, like they are doing in other places around the world. Venice, Italy is a prime example where they seem to be placing more and more restrictions on tourism in order to maintain some semblance of a lifestyle for the locals and to just help Venice from a physical perspective as our climate changes.
Interesting article. Antarctica has never been on my radar, I don’t care if is the only continent I haven’t been to. Seen penguins from Galapagos to South Africa, New Zealand. Seals many places too, whales and orcas. Icebergs and glaciers, yes seen those. Antarctica is an expensive trip with 4 days just getting there and back on a possibly very rough sea. I’m happy to read other peoples adventures there.
Yes, an article worth reading. Since our Antarctica with Tauck trip starts next week, I checked on current location of our Ponant ship L'Austral. By expanding the image, you can see 35 ships between Usuaia, Falklands, Antarctica, and Drake Passage at this time. Our ship will have 200 passengers, so only 100 can zodiac to shore at a time. Would not want to be on a 500 passenger ship ! Hopefully, proper procedures can be put in place to protect the environment, land, and animals, as more tourists continue to visit Antarctica. Hoping for relatively calm waters thru the Drake Passage. I will post pictures when I can.
Went last year and never saw another ship outside of Ishuaia. The place is far from overrun with tourists. Great care is taken to not interfere with the animals. Nothing was taken ashore and masks were discouraged.
Things were pretty strict when we went with Hurtigruten in 2008. Attendance taken at orientation briefing, boot cleaning on and off the ship. Take nothing, leave nothing policy. Only 100 at a time on shore.
I wonder if people are flocking there now before they close up the continent to tourists; cruise lines are squeezing in as many trips as possible during the summer seasons.
Tourism impacts entire communities in both negative and positive ways. People earn their living off of tourist dollars; that was clearly seen during the height of Covid and the difficulties these areas incurred as a result. Now they are taking advantage of the upsurge of travel and trying recoup their losses.
I want to continue to travel as much as possible, but I do appreciate that we are responsible for our planet and have to behave accordingly. We travel for our personal pleasure. I hate to think that my pleasure could impact a place negatively. So hard to find the balance!
The article is thought provoking.When we went in 2016,tourist numbers were not that high .We we’re so impressed by the measures they took to protect the continent including washing the boots as mentioned by SGF.The air you breathed felt so much different than any where else in the world.To preserve the continent with all the fauna it will be a huge cooperative effort of all the nations and the people.I hope they take measures to restrict tourism and allow by quota?Agree Penguins are in other continents( have seen them ) but seeing them in Antarctica was just so unique .British:you are so widely traveled and you look very fit in the pictures ;reconsider your decision about Antarctica before the continent changes drastically!Just a friendly suggestion!
There are so many other places that are more appealing to me. Examples,I’ve booked Madagascar and hope to get to Mongolia sometime soon.
I did spend a couple of hours reading Mike Henderson’s blog. I notice that he and his wife didn’t do all the excursions, some because they were canceled because of weather and some out of choice not to . I’ve spoken to others who have not gone on all the excursions, partly because they got fed up of all the clothing they had to put on. That surprised me. On Mike’s tour, the fact the tour canceled Port Stanley, that is a place I would like to see because the War in 1982 in Britain was such a part of the history and when it broke out, I was pregnant and it made me feel very fearful.
When we go to Chile and Argentina this time next year, we visit Ushuaia, Tierra Del Fuego, the Beagle channel and Martillo Islander where we will learn all about the Gentoo and Magellanic Penguins, that’s as near as we want to get to Antarctica.
This is what we faced when we were near Port Stanley!The first batch of zodiacs left ;we were all dressed and ready to go;however the whole area up;they cancelled for the rest of us.we all watched the zodiacs slowly make their way back safely.The weather and sea conditions are unpredictable but that is the adventure in these unique trips.We we’re disappointed that we didn’t get to see the only post office!ofcourse the rest of the trip more than made up for that.
Comments
An interesting article that poses a lot of questions. Tourism will likely be controlled in some manner, like they are doing in other places around the world. Venice, Italy is a prime example where they seem to be placing more and more restrictions on tourism in order to maintain some semblance of a lifestyle for the locals and to just help Venice from a physical perspective as our climate changes.
Interesting article. Antarctica has never been on my radar, I don’t care if is the only continent I haven’t been to. Seen penguins from Galapagos to South Africa, New Zealand. Seals many places too, whales and orcas. Icebergs and glaciers, yes seen those. Antarctica is an expensive trip with 4 days just getting there and back on a possibly very rough sea. I’m happy to read other peoples adventures there.
Yes, an article worth reading. Since our Antarctica with Tauck trip starts next week, I checked on current location of our Ponant ship L'Austral. By expanding the image, you can see 35 ships between Usuaia, Falklands, Antarctica, and Drake Passage at this time. Our ship will have 200 passengers, so only 100 can zodiac to shore at a time. Would not want to be on a 500 passenger ship ! Hopefully, proper procedures can be put in place to protect the environment, land, and animals, as more tourists continue to visit Antarctica. Hoping for relatively calm waters thru the Drake Passage. I will post pictures when I can.
Have a wonderful trip! It’s an incredible place.
Went last year and never saw another ship outside of Ishuaia. The place is far from overrun with tourists. Great care is taken to not interfere with the animals. Nothing was taken ashore and masks were discouraged.
Things were pretty strict when we went with Hurtigruten in 2008. Attendance taken at orientation briefing, boot cleaning on and off the ship. Take nothing, leave nothing policy. Only 100 at a time on shore.
I wonder if people are flocking there now before they close up the continent to tourists; cruise lines are squeezing in as many trips as possible during the summer seasons.
Tourism impacts entire communities in both negative and positive ways. People earn their living off of tourist dollars; that was clearly seen during the height of Covid and the difficulties these areas incurred as a result. Now they are taking advantage of the upsurge of travel and trying recoup their losses.
I want to continue to travel as much as possible, but I do appreciate that we are responsible for our planet and have to behave accordingly. We travel for our personal pleasure. I hate to think that my pleasure could impact a place negatively. So hard to find the balance!
The article is thought provoking.When we went in 2016,tourist numbers were not that high .We we’re so impressed by the measures they took to protect the continent including washing the boots as mentioned by SGF.The air you breathed felt so much different than any where else in the world.To preserve the continent with all the fauna it will be a huge cooperative effort of all the nations and the people.I hope they take measures to restrict tourism and allow by quota?Agree Penguins are in other continents( have seen them ) but seeing them in Antarctica was just so unique .British:you are so widely traveled and you look very fit in the pictures ;reconsider your decision about Antarctica before the continent changes drastically!Just a friendly suggestion!
There are so many other places that are more appealing to me. Examples,I’ve booked Madagascar and hope to get to Mongolia sometime soon.
I did spend a couple of hours reading Mike Henderson’s blog. I notice that he and his wife didn’t do all the excursions, some because they were canceled because of weather and some out of choice not to . I’ve spoken to others who have not gone on all the excursions, partly because they got fed up of all the clothing they had to put on. That surprised me. On Mike’s tour, the fact the tour canceled Port Stanley, that is a place I would like to see because the War in 1982 in Britain was such a part of the history and when it broke out, I was pregnant and it made me feel very fearful.
When we go to Chile and Argentina this time next year, we visit Ushuaia, Tierra Del Fuego, the Beagle channel and Martillo Islander where we will learn all about the Gentoo and Magellanic Penguins, that’s as near as we want to get to Antarctica.
This is what we faced when we were near Port Stanley!The first batch of zodiacs left ;we were all dressed and ready to go;however the whole area up;they cancelled for the rest of us.we all watched the zodiacs slowly make their way back safely.The weather and sea conditions are unpredictable but that is the adventure in these unique trips.We we’re disappointed that we didn’t get to see the only post office!ofcourse the rest of the trip more than made up for that.
The whole area iced up!
British referenced my blog of our Antarctic trip. In case anyone else is interested, I'll post a link to it here - https://www.mikeandjudytravel.com/2021-2Antarctica-01.htm
Our trip was in heavy COVID time so take that into consideration.