A trip to the Arctic or the Antarctic is more than just a diving holiday: it's an expedition quite literally to the ends of the Earth. These are regions where, given the extremes of the climate and the vast distances between settlements, everyday life is an adventure in itself. It's a place still almost untouched by human presence. Experienced divers will find much in these waters to excite and please them, but a trip to the Arctic or the Antarctic is not just about diving. You will have the opportunity to participate in many land and sea based adventures during the course of your visit ? kayaking, ice hikes, viewing nature in its magnificent raw. Diving is in its infancy here ? as is tourism. Particularly in the Antarctic there are only a few expeditionary companies offering trips, generally based on Russian ice breakers.
Diving in the polar regions varies from shallow ice diving, whereby the diving is near or under the ice floes (approx. 30 feet) to shore diving to approximately 30 to 60 feet. This is diving that you will never forget: the combination of sunlight, sea water and the often extraordinary formations of ice makes an overwhelming and ever-changing spectacle of colours, with a fantastic variety of shades and brilliance.
The marine life is much more varied than you would imagine. You will experience dives on kelp walls and see sea snails, crabs, sea butterflies, various Arctic and Antarctic fish, shrubby horsetails, jelly fish, sea hedgehogs and starfish. In Spitsbergen and the Antarctica you can dive with seals. Spitsbergen in Norway is without any doubt the most accessible place for interacting with Arctic wildlife. This is a landscape surrounded by high snowy mountains, with thousands of sea birds nestling in the cliffs. You will see the Svalbard reindeer grazing in small herds, fascinating birds like such as little auks, puffins and various gulls. As you travel further north, you may have the opportunity to see polar bears.. Near Moffen Island in the Arctic you will find your boat approached by curious packs of walruses which you can snorkel with.
