Flight to Antarctica

One of the most dangerous parts of this adventure is flying into and out of Antarctica. Flight time is approx. 4.5 hours from Punta Arenas Chile. Do you remember your geography? The plane flies over:

Tierra Del Fuego, Drake Passage, Antarctic Convergence, Antarctic Circle, Bellingshausen Sea,

Antarctic Peninsula, Ellsworth Mountains, Union Glacier Blue-ice Runway. Tierra Del Fuego (Land of Fire) is separated from the mainland of Chile and Argentina by the Straits of Magellan. It is an archipelago consisting of several islands including Cape Horn. Drake Passage is open water and known for its violent storms. The Antarctic Convergence is an area where cold Antarctic waters meet warmer sub-antarctic waters producing an environment rich in the marine life that forms the base of the food chain for Antarctica's wildlife. The Antarctic Circle, is an imaginary line 66 degrees south. Bellingshausen Sea lies along the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula between Alexander and Turston Island. The Antarctic Peninsula is the northern most part of the mainland of Antarctica and where most of the research stations are located. The Ellsworth Mountains are the highest range of mountains on Antarctica. Near the southern tip of the mountains lies Union Glacier Camp.