Well, not exactly.\u00a0 Last October you may have seen my blog, In Search of Polar Bears. That trip took me just below the Arctic Circle and thus still a distance from the North Pole.\u00a0 In just over a month on Nov 5th<\/sup> I will be heading to Antarctica.\u00a0 My adventure there will again be a distance from the pole but I\u2019m still going to say that I have been at the top and the bottom of this beautiful planet.<\/p>\n Antarctica has been at the top of my wanderlist for a number of years and I am excited about realizing this aspiration.\u00a0 I have to admit that I feel a slight bit of trepidation about crossing the Drake passage which is often notoriously rough.\u00a0 This could be a real test of my sea legs.\u00a0 What I will focus on instead is the opportunity to see those magnificent ice formations,\u00a0 \u00a0visit penguin rookeries, scout for humpback and minke whales, and search for a number of southern seal species, including the cunning leopard seal.<\/p>\n Besides its natural beauty and importance to the health of our planet it is also intriguing that the continent is not \u201cowned\u201d by any nation. \u00a0in April 1958 President Eisenhower convened a conference to discuss the future of Antarctica. It was proposed that the continent should be open to all nations for the pursuit of scientifi\u00adc and other peaceful activities. On 1 December 1959 the Antarctic Treaty was signed by the 12 nations which had operated scientifi\u00adc stations in the area during IGY. The treaty was rati\u00adfied by all twelve countries on 23 June 1961 when it came into force. It has grown to have 50 adherents by 2012 which represent almost 85% of the world\u2019s population. One of the most important aspects of the Treaty is that the claimant nations have, in effect, frozen or shelved their sovereignty claims inde\u00adfinitely.<\/p>\n Stayed tuned.<\/p>\n Watch this great video from Paul Statham to get an idea of the trip and the beauty of Antartica.<\/p>\n