Antarctica, Weddell Sea

[1612]

Please

 

Can someone tell me the differences to be found at the western side of the peninsula where the Weddell Sea is compare to the most visited eastern side

 

Thank you very much indeed for input

[radio Flyer]

The Weddell Sea can be full of sea ice making movement challenging and even trapping ships. The West side of the Antarctic Peninsula has more locations for landings.

[PattiGe]

I took a National Geographic expedition and we went to both the west side (Weddell Sea) and the eastern side.

 

We were only on the western side for a small part of our trip (one day or two). There is a lot of sea ice so the ship has to break through ice. We had no landings on the western side except for one afternoon when we were able to park by ice and walk on ice. We did see emperor penguins from the ship (but they were very very far). The ship went as far south as it could go but the ice was too thick to go further. Our ship had an ice-strengthened hull but in order to go further south you would need to be on an icebreaker.

 

The eastern side is the most visited and also where you can make more landings.

[dileep]

we too spent a day on the eastern side but did not go far enough (close to Snow Island) to run into ice issue. The Antarctic Sound is very scenic with lots of huge table icebergs.

[1612]

PattiGe,

 

The ship went as far south as it could go but the ice was too thick to go further.

 

Do you know how far south you been, in degrees of latitude, thanks again.

[dileep]

http://www.abercrombiekent.com/travel_logs/view_log.cfm?ID=1&order=17

[PattiGe]

The expedition report on the website says:

"Our furthest south for the east side of Antarctica was: 64º 26’S and 56º51’W, just over 120 nautical miles from the Antarctic Circle."

 

I realize I had was using west instead of east and east instead of west. The Weddell see is on the east side so switch east and west on my prior answer.

Also upon reviewing my expedition reports we were at the Weddell Sea for one day.

 

 

http://www.expeditions.com/DER_Details198.asp?DailyReport=150143&SearchSource=Main&Ship=20

[dileep]

PattiGe:

Our ships crossed in the Lemaire Channel and near Booth Island on Jan 17 and you were docked across from us in Ushuaia on Jan 20.

[hopeitfloatsflorida]

Been to Alaska a couple of time, but never Antarctica!! Sounds awesome!!