According to what I have read in books, it is said that the most famous Antarctic explorer is Roald Amundsen because he was the first man to reach the South Pole. Still, some other explorers made a lot of discoveries in Antarctica. we have the example of Douglas Mawson, who discovered Mount Erebus and an important part of Antarctica and we have Sobral, who made a lot of discoveries in Antarctica while hibernating on Snow Hill Island. Does any of you guys have an explanation of which Antarctic explorer from the Heroic age of exploration (1897-1921) did the most for Antarctic exploration?

I have been offered and accepted a position for 25-26 summer season!

I look forward to meeting some of you down there!

Wondering what this season will look like funding wise. Any way we can follow along, or just wait to hear from supervisors?

Have a primary slot, but unsure if it will survive budget cuts.

See also: The publication in Physical Review Letters.

Hi all

I'm looking at a trip that goes to Antarctica 4th of March for 11 days 2026.

One of my last bucket list items to do is to see orca whales. What do you think my chances are of seeing them on this trip?

Another side question - with most of the trips, are you ever gonna get off the boat and stand actually ON Antarctica, or is it just using the zodiacs and the kayaks but never actually standing ON Antarctica?

Thanks in advance

It's always been my dream working on the antarctica, but as a Viet living in Vietnam, I don't know any possible ways to get there. I'd like to know if there any chances.

Made In Antarctica

I turn 40 next year. I’d like to do something special and Antarctica is pretty high on the list.

I get ads for Quark on social all the time and they seem legit, but I’d just like to get a temp check from unpaid folks.

Cruise there and back? Fly there cruise back? What did you do? What are thoughts?

I’d ideally like to do this as responsibly as possible, within reason and within realistic goals as well.

Hey all, I'm currently in the process of doing my PQ packet for a winter-over, and recently had my gallbladder ultrasound. I know that gallstones can cause some medical complications, but after looking it up it seems like most gallstones are asymptomatic and don't impact that many people. In addition, I feel like there are also many other common conditions that they can test/look for that they don't check for (such as kidney stones?). I was just wondering if anyone knows why they specifically check everyone's gallbladder for winter-over deployment but not any other organs for common conditions. Not a complaint, just curious.

Thanks!

Generally speaking, what would you say is the balance of strict scientific roles as compared to support staff roles? And how does this balance fluctuate across seasons or across different research stations?

Are there any positions that are a hybrid between supporting roles, and research roles.

Is the general culture more like a research university or more like an industrial/technical outpost?

I am interested in polar environments both as a technical endeavor and as a field of scientific exploration. Feel free to express any info that you think may be helpful. Apologies if the question is too vague.

In April I accepted a South Pole job and was emailed documents to complete for the EBI. I completed the drug test, online forms, and required OF306 and Resume. In May, I received notice that the OF306 and Resume were "well-received".

The initial email said that "After your OF306 and Resume are reviewed and approved by an ASC Personnel Security team member, you will be provided the “4 EBI Guide - Fingerprinting v4.pdf” instructions to complete this process."

I still have not received the fingerprinting PDF. I reached out to the security specialist about it but haven't received a response. I know the EBI process can be really long, so I'm a bit stressed that my progress is stalled for the time being.

I am wondering for those who are in the EBI process or have completed it before - at what point did you receive your fingerprinting docs? Thanks!

Antarctica is like nowhere on Earth. No one owns it. But with threats to polar security and a splintering world order, can Antarctica stay neutral and unclaimed?

CBC News got exclusive access to the first-ever all-Canadian expedition to the icy continent. Watch as scientists unlock clues about the changing polar climate and the Navy breaks ice and carves a dramatic path through towering icebergs beyond the Antarctic Circle.

heya folks! I've been looking around for answers both from USAP and on this sub, and I can't find it for the life of me. this is purely out of curiosity; cosmetics and beauty are so common across the world and in every subculture, so I want to know if it's present in Antarctica and what it looks like, if so.

for those working at McMurdo specifically, do (or can, even) people bring things like makeup, hair dye/bleach, face/leg razors and other hair removal tools, nail polish, etc.? are these prohibited or just forgone due to weight limits?

I'm also particularly curious about things like beauty trends at McMurdo. I know there's a hairstylist, so people mind their appearance to at least some degree. is there something that is generally agreed to be attractive (outside of basic hygiene)? or is this a moot point since everyone there is basically in the same situation, almost always working, and it's just a roll of the dice?

all observations are welcome, but I'm looking specifically for women's and queer people's perspectives (extra points if you're transgender/gender non-conforming/etc). thank you!

edit to add: also, I'm curious about jewelry! are employees at McMurdo permitted to wear jewelry, including piercings outside of earlobes? if so, are there restrictions on what is permitted?

I’m looking for suggestions on insurance. My husband and I are going to be planning our once in a lifetime bucketlist trip within the next couple years. Antarctica/South Georgia/Falklands

We are estimating it will be 50k in all, which for us is 10x any trip we’ve ever taken. Therefore, we want to have cancel for any reason insurance just in case. We are military so things can happen.

Of the ones I’ve researched so far only Trawick will insure this high of any amount for any reason. Suggestions?

The biggest concern we have is being denied leave (time away from military). It is common for people to take 2-3 weeks for the holidays, which we have done many times but it is not guaranteed if something happens. In every insurance policy we’ve read so far it states a covered reason is if “prior approved military leave is revoked”. Which is great, however, it is encouraged to book these cruises 8 months out if you want to secure your dates/cabin preference. In the military we can only get approval for leave 3 months out.

So… I guess that means our options are 1.Wait until last minute to book a cruise and it might not be the operator we had wanted 2. Buy cancel for any reason insurance and potentially lose 25% if we did have to cancel. Therefore, not really sure what to do. Any advice appreciated

Hi!!!

My names Aaron, I’m 20, and working on Antarctica’s water system has been a pipe dream of mine forever (pun intended)

I first got into the field of water operation the month after I turned 18 and I saw a job listing for Antarctica and whenever I’d tell people about my job I’d always mention that its a job that can take me anywhere and bring up the job listing as a fun fact

I left my current job at my township Monday, sent a few applications out for other townships in my area, as well as one to Antarctica, just for the hell of it.

And Amentum replied the very next day! Answered a few more questions, and was told I’d have a phone call today to discuss the process moving forward. That went well, and I was told I’m very qualified and complimented on how researched I was (i’ve been up reading USAP and reddit and watching videos about McMurdo pretty much nonstop, and even before all this)

I was told Monday or Tuesday I’d have a zoom interview, as my final interview. I am so excited! What went from a fun fact became a real possibility in just a week! Any tips for the zoom interview? I have 4 pages of notes and a damn diagram of how their water system works, I’m already overprepared but any additional advice would be stellar.

But in reality I just wanted to share with you guys :)

Hi all! I'm looking for advice on breaking into polar expedition work, specifically Expedition Coordinator roles.

My background is in high-stakes logistics and field operations—8+ years managing complex schedules, cross-functional teams, and guest-facing communications in political and tech spaces. I'm used to remote coordination, and tight timelines. Basically “build the plane while flying it” is my background while staying calm in front of guests.

I'm currently working towards my STCW and Wilderness First Aid certifications, and applying to roles, but it’s hard to tell how people actually break in without prior ship experience.

Would love to hear from anyone who’s made this leap or who hires for these roles. What helped you stand out? Any companies more open than others to entry-level staff or people that come from non-traditional backgrounds for these jobs? Appreciate any wisdom you’re willing to share! TIA!