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Words and Images by Jon McCormack | September 2024
As we threaded through the Beagle Channel, I wondered if this icy continent could live up to the lofty expectations I’d formed since childhood. Growing up reading the tales of Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Roald Amundsen, and Ernest Shackleton, Antarctica became a place of myth in my mind. Would it be as awe-inspiring as those stories made it seem?
The following is a brief account of my journey to Antarctica’s ice wonders and why I now think every photographer should travel there at least once.
The Voyage
The ship lurches through the waves, its prow slapping the water as sea spray flies high into the air. My eyes are fixed on the horizon, lost in the endless expanse of blue.
An albatross glides by, barely grazing the surface before vanishing into the mist. The only break from the ship’s rhythm comes from my seasick shipmates as we navigate the Drake Passage, the world’s roughest sea.
I wasn’t the first to be captivated by this place. The explorers I admired had risked their lives to uncover its secrets. Captain James Cook, however, was less impressed. When he encountered impassable ice in 1773, he declared the continent “not worth the discovery.”
But I wanted to see it for myself.
My first landing was at Port Lockroy, also known as “Station A.” This base, now a museum, was once home to meteorologists and geologists. It’s nothing more than a hut surrounded by penguins, but it held a powerful history of human endurance.
Antarctica’s Allure
The allure of Antarctica is multifaceted. What drives people to endure freezing temperatures, endless layers of clothing, and the isolation? For me, the first answer came from the icebergs.
As we neared the continent, small, weathered blocks of ice gave way to towering sculptures carved by wind and water. These frozen monoliths are as artistic as they are imposing, with their shapes and shades of blue constantly changing with the light. The term “blue ice” refers to the phenomenon where ancient glacial ice, compressed over time, turns into hues ranging from cobalt to pale white.
One of my favorite moments came when I spotted an iceberg with stunning vertical blue stripes. I dashed out onto the deck to capture the shot, barefoot and freezing, but the result was worth every second of discomfort.
Life Amongst the Ice
But Antarctica isn’t just about ice. Photographing penguins and leopard seals in Antarctica is a unique and exhilarating experience that immerses you in the heart of one of the world’s last truly wild places.
Penguins, with their playful antics and densely populated colonies, offer endless opportunities for capturing vibrant images against the stark white and icy blue landscapes. Their grace in the water contrasts with their comical, waddling movements on land.
Leopard seals, on the other hand, bring a different kind of thrill. These apex predators, sleek and powerful, are elusive and demand careful observation. Capturing an image of a leopard seal requires patience and an understanding of its behavior, as well as respect for its dominance in the Antarctic food chain.
Both animals represent the raw beauty and fragility of this remote ecosystem and photographing them is both a privilege and a challenge, offering breathtaking images of life at the edge of the world.
Climate Urgency
Beyond the thrill of photography, there’s an undeniable urgency to visit Antarctica. It’s a place that’s rapidly changing due to climate change. One of my companions, who had first visited Antarctica 50 years ago, frequently remarked, “There used to be much more ice here.”
Indeed, the continent lost 16 percent of its ice coverage between 2014 and 2017, according to satellite observations. The icebergs and glaciers I saw might not exist for much longer, making this already remote destination even more elusive.
Worth the Effort
Visiting Antarctica is a commitment—both in time and money—and the unpredictable weather adds to the challenge. People often ask me if it was worth the effort. Without hesitation, my answer is yes.
If you have the opportunity to visit this distant, otherworldly place, I urge you to go. As Jon Krakauer once said, “Antarctica has this mythic weight. It resides in the collective unconscious of so many people, and it makes this huge impact, just like outer space.” For me, one trip isn’t enough. I’ll be back. I still have a bucket list item waiting to be checked off: photographing a leopard seal underwater. Antarctica, with its mystery and grandeur, will always call me back.
See more of McCormack’s photography at jonmccormack.com.
Top photo: A ship sails onto the Beagle Channel. The gateway to Antarctica and the start of one of the world’s most treacherous ocean crossings.
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