Why Antarctica Has Become A Prime Tourist Destination
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Reminiscent of the symbol of Antarctica’s age of innocence’s death, the cruise liner’s badly gashed orange hull rose from the deep, icy waters. Oblivious to the trouble around, penguins happily perch on the overturned shipwreck surrounded by oil. To date, there is more diesel fuel leaking out gradually from the wreckage despite the fact that before, much of the oil spill, in tens of thousands, have already evaporated and was thought to be gone.
Time quickly evolves down at Earth’s final frontier. Nations that envision owning a slice of the Frozen Continent send in aircraft and sea vessels, amphibious trucks and bulldozers consistently. Bit by nationalistic fanfare, new bases are build and research efforts fortified. The austral summer sees hundreds of well heeled travelers arriving from cruise ships, military planes or supply vessels contracted by specialized travel agencies each week.
Since the last place Earth does not require passports, polar skiing expeditions and private yachts get to venture here with ease. Accidents occur as what had happened to the cruise ship that sank , making the poor animals around Antarctica pay a high price with growing political, legal and environmental questions being thrown the way hazardous icebergs sprout throughout the uncharted seas of this frozen continent. No laws apply to Antarctica because no one owns it, according to the terms of the Antarctic Treaty.
Twelve nations, back in 1961 went into this treaty that enabled peaceful research to come into Antarctica as all these countries in the treaty waived their territorial claims for at least 30 years. With 8 countries joining the pact and given full voting ability, 18 more of them only held status of observers but nevertheless agreed to abide by all the governing laws. Meetings are held every two years among treaty nations. A plan was able to be created by the organization and it stipulated that strictly regulated exploration and exploitation can be achieved, on the mineral resources of the entire Antarctica. It comes as a shock that it now has to answer to many challenges thrown its way such as concerns on base proliferation, indemnification, marine and air safety, as well as facilities for medical and rescue operations.
On average, a hundred tourists goes comes in aboard ships, around 30 of them scheduled to call on Palmer and all these happens during the austral summer. Being uncontrolled, many perceive tourism to be beyond control. As the Science Foundation aimed to keep people from disturbing the research process, tourists were banned briefly last year. However, the ban was inhibited when influential citizens in the US demanded to learn how exactly their tax dollars are appropriated.
One of the valuable employees of the station also include a medical corpsman over at a small room which is able to hold even up to around four dozens of people working over at the compound. Its strength is not in handling maritime tragedies. Fair weather will never lead to a catastrophe, share the workers in the station. Workers all know that the inflatable open rafts did not have its motors and oars anymore when they examined the sunken cruise ship. It was a calm day and they could easily be pulled back to shore using small work boats. Workers share that this could have been blown out to sea with the raging Antarctic weather or have overturned, making things worse.
Addressing the oil spill quandary, the National Science Foundation immediately released navy and civilian pollution containment experts lugging 52 tons of specialized equipment that they will need. Two million dollars were spent for the mission. Chilean and Argentinian navies come to clean up missions and these cost a lot. The cleaning task only lasted until mid March, but was still insufficient in addressing the problem for the submerged vessel holds 63,000 gallons more and such can’t be reached or siphoned out safely and we can just stare as the toxic waste continues to seep out as the wrecked vessel disintegrates or perhaps torn during a winter storm that means more poison coming out. Hauling away the wreckage, according to experts, would entail so much cost.
The oil spill is disastrous for the area abounds with different animals from penguins, cormorants, Arctic terns, skuas and other types of birds. At the bay, whales and seals swim through. Science experts have revealed the indirect evidence on penguin and bird deaths due to the poisonous leak, but in terms of the extent of the damage, they have yet to establish that. Researchers from Argentina, Chile and the United States make up the special team of 15 to study comprehensively the impact of the spill to the environment. They are left in the dark when it comes to any claim for damages as they wait for years and years of its completion.
Since the United States has no property rights to the area at or around Palmer Station, it has no legal grounds for seeking compensation The area of the accident, on the Antarctic Peninsula, is claimed by Chile, Argentina and Great Britain. Lately, plans on an article that will ensure each country will be financially responsible for environmental damages and other accidents shall be pushed by Chile, come the next Antarctic Treaty. The Science Foundation plans to press for agreement on cost sharing in clean up of spills and other accidents, and for formation of an international coordinating office for emergencies
See this Antarctic Cruising Tours information for a deeper understanding. You may be looking for antarctic tours information, in which case you should visit that site.
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