A soft fog hung over the bay, amplifying and isolating the pops and groans of the glaciers as they calved icebergs into water that had the smoothness and sheen of mercury. Standing alone on the bow of the ship, I was startled by a sound like a bursting car tyre. I leaned over the cap-rail and looked straight into the blowhole of a humpback whale.

Minutes later we were in the inflatable Zodiac boats, nudging through the brash ice as whales surfaced all around us. A huge male breached, heaving his 40-tonne bulk clear of the water and crashing down with a thunderous splash. For the next hour he 'performed' for us: breaching, tail slapping and occasionally approaching so close to the Zodiacs we could smell his fishy breath.

Such wondrous wildlife interactions are a daily — even hourly — occurrence in Antarctica. Hundreds of thousands of penguins stretch like 3D wallpaper as far as you can see. If you sit at the edge of a rookery, you'll soon find yourself surrounded: the birds haven't read the rules on minimum-approach distances. Albatrosses wheel effortlessly about the ship on the passage through the Southern Ocean; elephant seals, lying in scrofulous heaps like monstrous mouldy cigars, belch and fart with casual disinterest.

Antarctica is, arguably, the most beautiful place on earth — a pristine wilderness where ice takes on every rainbow hue, where the wildlife is astonishingly prolific and without fear of humans and where you are utterly at the mercy of the elements. It's nature at her most raw and powerful. I was awed and humbled by my first visit — and I've looked at the world differently ever since.

Responsible travel credentials

• There are now more than 30 cruise-ship operators working in Antarctica, with vessels ranging from 400-passenger ocean liners to 50- or 100-passenger ice-strengthened 'expedition-style' ships, most of which were built for the Russian scientific program before the USSR collapsed. All are required to abide by the strictest minimum-environmental-impact guidelines as stipulated by the Independent Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) and in accordance with the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (1991).
• One of the larger operators, Peregrine, claims to lead the way in environmental responsibility. Among other measures, all its Zodiacs run four-stroke outboards (cleaner than two-stroke) and it maintains a high guide-to-client ratio and a comprehensive client educational program. The company also supports a range of scientific projects and has raised over $300,000 for albatross conservation.

When to go
Voyages depart between November and March.

Getting there
The Antarctic Peninsula is the most popular and accessible part of Antarctica — it's two days sailing from Ushuaia, at the southern tip of South America, across the infamous Drake Passage and has the highest concentration of wildlife on the continent. There are also voyages from Tasmania, New Zealand and South Africa, travelling to the Ross Sea and remote Emperor penguin rookeries.

Travelling with an 'expedition-style' operator will ensure maximum time ashore or Zodiac cruising — usually averaging two to three excursions daily. Tips for selecting an operator: make sure there are enough Zodiacs to get all passengers on the water at once (avoiding 'shuttles'); choose a fast ship (the less time you spend at sea, the more time you have in Antarctica); a sophisticated stabilisation system will help stave off seasickness.

Peninsula voyages follow similar routings for most operators. For example, Peregrine offers trips from 10 to 19 nights, visiting the Antarctic Peninsula as well as South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. Its prices start at around $8500 AUD per person, twin-share, including all taxes, meals and excursions.

Further information: www.iaato.org www.peregrineadventures.com



Originally published in Code Green by Lonely Planet.