Samuel

WHAT TYPES OF TRANSPORT ARE USED IN ANTARTICA? Travelling in Antarctica is difficult as there are crevasses in the ice. Crevasses are gaps in the snow and these are very dangerous when they are hidden by the snow. You could not see it and then when you’re travelling you might fall in the crevasse and it will very hard to get out. If you want to travel in Antarctica you would need transport to travel both on land and water. A Sno-Cat is a special type of tractor use to cross crevasses. Different type of models have been made to go on the ice since the twentieth century, there are four wheeled trucks, hagglunds, ski-doos ( a ski-doo is a motorised toboggans), snowmobiles and lots more.

Aeroplanes have made it easier for scientists to get to Antarctica. Some aeroplanes have big skis under them instead of wheels. Helicopters fly from many ships and bases. They take passengers very quickly to places and are helpful because they require really small areas to land.

The early explorers’ ships were wooden sailing vessels that easily got stuck in the ice. Steel plates were made on the outside so that it could crush the ice and protect the boat from the ice. Some ships called Ice-Breakers have strong steel hulls and powerful engines so that they can cut through the strong packs of ice and snow.

As you can see the transport gets better when there is better technology. There are many different ways to got to Antarctica.

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=Captain James Cooks Voyage =

In 1772, the British explorer Captain James Cook was sent to search for Antarctica. Captain James Cook was first to cross the Antarctic Circle but the explorer never saw Antarctica itself.

Captain James Cook’s voyage lasted three years. His crew sailed in small ships called the Resolution and the Adventure. These ships have two wooden hulls to protect them from the ice. Cook crossed the Antarctic Circle four times. He was first to navigate Antarctica and prove that it was south of the Antarctic Circle. Captain James Cook also discovered some Sub-Antarctic Islands.

When Captain James Cook returned to England, he told stories of giant icebergs, pack ice, thick fogs, dangerous seas and plentiful wildlife. He was sure that most of the ice in the Southern Ocean was the land of the South Pole. His crew proved that Antarctica was not a green and fertile place.

Captain James Cook was a brave man to go to Antarctica, he said that no one would explore further South than he did. He also said that Antarctica was a remote land and was a complete wasteland.