Although more than a century has passed since the last regions of Earth were discovered and explored, Antarctica and the nearby islands remain a remote wilderness. Protected by frigid cold temperatures, ice-laden difficult to navigate waters, and frequent gales that at times transformed the ocean into giant swells with occasional rogue waves, the unknown southern continent that we now know as Antarctica remained undiscovered until the eighteenth century. Through the grit and determination of early explorers, the southern continent and nearby islands were eventually discovered and explored. These discoveries brought glory to those who took on the challenge to wander into the unknown. However, oftentimes their glory was overshadowed by suffering and tragedy.

This book is a photojournal of a contemporary expedition to the region of the Antarctic Peninsula inclusive of the Falkland Islands, South Georgia Island, Elephant Island, and the Antarctic Peninsula. To gain an appreciation of what the first explorers in this region experienced, each segment of the journey begins by recalling the tales of early explorers.