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August 14, 2009
Antarctica: Exploring with explorers
I’ve been to Alaska and marveled at its beauty—but it pales in comparison to the vast spectacle of Antarctica. To be—quite literally—in the middle of nowhere surrounded by nothing but white … to set foot on frozen land that really isn’t “land” at all, accompanied only by penguins and sea lions … to see an albatross soaring overhead with its huge wingspan … all of it was amazing to me.
I was there in 1993 with Alan, Edward, and Charlotte, plus 20 associates from Boston and 350 travelers. We were celebrating the 35th anniversary of OAT’s sister company, Grand Circle, and we had invited some very special guests aboard: Bradford and Barbara Washburn and Sir Edmund Hillary. All three were influential explorers and mountaineers in their own right, as well as members of Grand Circle Foundation’s Honorary Board of Directors. It was fitting to be in such a wild, remote place with this elite group, since we owe our ability to travel to Antarctica to the explorers who risked their lives to demystify it.
Bradford Washburn passed away in 2007, as did Sir Edmund Hillary in 2008—so I feel incredibly lucky to have shared such a special journey with them. And Antarctica truly is special—a raw, rugged place of white and sea that is more pure than any place else on earth. You can explore it for yourself on Antarctica’s White Wilderness.
Harriet Lewis