Bethany J. Mitchell » Antarctica

Penguin of the Day

Bethany — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 02:05:26 +0000

Chinstrap Penguins on Aitcho Island (Photo: Bethany Mitchell)

Calling all penguin lovers! The British Antarctic Survey posts a new penguin photo every day in its “Penguin of the Day” image gallery. The penguins are adorable and the photos are fantastic.

See one or two you love? You can purchase the images as well!

The Antarctic penguins await you here>>

On the left, I’ve included one of the lovely penguin photos I took on my trip to the Antarctic Peninsula in 2001.

Terra Nova Found Off Greenland

Bethany — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 02:14:55 +0000

Scott’s Cape Evans Hut (Photo: Alan Light)

A U.S. research company recently found what it believes to be the wreckage of the ship Terra Nova off the coast of Greenland. The wooden ship sank in 1943 while on a supply mission. But it is best known as the ship that carried Robert Scott and his fellow explorers to Antarctica in 1910-1912 as they attempted to be the first to reach the South Pole. Unfortunately, Scott and his four companions discovered the Norwegian party led by Roald Amundsen had reached the Pole first. All the members of Scott’s party died on the return trek back from South Pole.

It’s rather extraordinary that the wreckage was found now when the world is celebrating the 100 year anniversary of Scott’s fateful Terra Nova Expedition.

More about the discovery of the Terra Nova wreckage:

More about Scott’s Terra Nova Expedition:

Cool Video of the Many Sides to Antarctica

Bethany — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 18:50:22 +0000

I stumbled across this great video of Antarctica recently. I love how it shows so much of the beautiful scenery intermingled with what it is like to live there.

Ten Years Ago…Cape Horn

Bethany — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 21:16:16 +0000

Cape Horn, Chile (2001)

Ten years ago this month I was way down south traveling through Argentina and along the Antarctic Peninsula–one of the most amazing adventures of my life. In this photo still taken from a video, I’m standing at the ship’s rail as we sail past Cape Horn at the southern tip of Chile. The Cape is the northern boundary of the Drake Passage, the body of water that separates South America from the Shetland Islands of Antarctica. It’s one of the roughest bodies of water in the world as I can attest to after the severe motion sickness I suffered (along with many of my fellow passengers) during both crossings. But the time on the Antarctic Peninsula was well worth the rough trip. Absolutely wonderful.