Christchurch Antarctica

Christchurch and Antarctic Connections

Antarctica is Earths southernmost continent situated in the South Pole in the Antarctic region of the southern hemisphere, almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle surrounded by the Southern Ocean being the  coldest, dries and windiest continent that has the highest average elevation of all the continents with overall area of 14,000,000 km² with no permanent human residents but between 1000 to 5000 people reside throughout the year at the research stations scattered across the continent and only cold adapted plants and animals survive there including seals, penguins and many types of algae and Tundra vegetations. About 98% of Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet, a sheet of ice averaging at least 1.6 km thick, the continent has about 90% of the worlds ice and thereby about 70% of the worlds fresh water and if all of this ice were melted seal levels would rise about 60m.  

Christchurch is home to the Antarctic research offices of New Zealand, USA and Italy and is a gateway to Antarctica. Tourists, explores, scientists, students and artists have prepared for their challenges from Christchurch which have added to the cultural and economic base of Christchurch Industry development.

The early navigators such as Captain James Cook where he circumnavigated New Zealand in 1770 aboard the Endeavour and second voyage aboard Resolution in 1774 where pack ice stopped their exploration progress of Antarctic which he was hoping to discover he came within distance of about 121km of the Antarctic coast before retreating in the face of field ice. In 1832 whaling ships were operating from five Bank’s searching the Southern Ocean where their prizes were whalebone used for corsets, ambergris used in perfumes and oil used in lamps.

Heroic explorers had dreams of reaching the South Pole and on 14th of December in 1911 Roald Amundsen was the first to reach the South Pole, but many lost their lives and dreams such as Robert Falcon with three attempts in December 1901, November 1910 and 12th of February Terra Nova brought the tragic news of the death of Scott and his four companions while on their way back from South Pole and Sir Ernest Shackleton with scattered plans of cross the entire Antarctic continent which required two ships, Aurora and Endurance.

Today the Antarctic New Zealand operations have many countries fascinated with the Antarctic’s, with Programme that operates at Scott Base and has became permanent base since 1951 and provides many support services to people working during the summer season that deliver high quality scientific environmental programmes which are related to Antarctica.

Research is carried out extensively even by University of Canterbury which has many students and staff involved in Antarctic and Southern Ocean research where the projects include ICECUBE which is the telescope at the South Pole. With country’s such as United States maintaining bases and conducting scientific research in the Ross Seat at McMurdo Station, South Pole Station and Palmer Station. Britain achieved the Antarctic Expedition of crossing the entire Antarctic continent in 1958 which was lead by Vivian Fuchs with Sir Edmund Hillary. Italy established its Antarctic Base in Terra Nova Bay in the Ross Sea in 1986 which operates out of the International Antarctic Centre.

The Antarctic Treaty was created 1st of December 1959 and entered into force on the 23rd of June in 1961 where the Governments of Argentina, Australia, Chile, Belgium, French, Japan, Norway, New Zealand, Union of South Africa, Union of Soviet Socialist republics, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland and United States of America recognized that Antarctica shall continue forever to be used exclusively of peaceful purposes and shall not become the scene or object of international discord in the interest of all mankind with peaceful purposes only and continuance of international harmony in will further the purposes and principles of the Untied Nations, to date forty six countries have signed the treaty and ongoing experiments are conducted by more than 4,000 scientists of many nationalities with different research interests.

The Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP) is based at University of Canterbury’s Gateway Antarctica created in 1988, it’s a National Antarctic Programmes, which develops and promote scientific research in Antarctica from around the world with constantly developing innovative ways to successfully delivering high quality research and support in Antarctica. COMNAP is committed to serve its role in Antarctic Treaty System and in the protection of the Antarctic environment by providing objective and practical technical and non political advice drawn from the National Antarctic Programs pool of expertise.

Now you can make your own Antarctic expedition were you start from the Christchurch International Airport Complex with Antarctic related places and items of interests and International Antarctic Campus being home to the New Zealand, Untied States and Italian Antarctic programmes with the Antarctic Visitor’s Centre with hands on experience for the whole family with indoor Snow & Ice Experience and Antarctic Storm with educational programs provided.