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00:00There are places in the world that have the power to change us.
00:03Antarctica, a stunning continent like no other.
00:09Julia Bradbury's Wonders of the Frozen South.
00:11Brought to you by HX Expeditions.
00:17The Frozen South.
00:21Untamed, unforgiving,
00:24and awe-inspiring.
00:26The last true wilderness.
00:31I'm Julia Bradbury.
00:33Join me on an epic adventure to the edge of the world.
00:37I'm setting sail on a 4,000-mile voyage.
00:41Wow! Look at this place!
00:43From the rugged beauty of the Falklands...
00:46And they are little rock stars.
00:47The way they look...
00:48Oh, I could just stay here for days watching this.
00:52Through the wilderness of South Georgia...
00:54This is what it sounds like to be surrounded
00:56by more than 100,000 king penguins.
01:01All the way to the great white continent...
01:06Antarctica.
01:07Look at this!
01:07Sideway snow, 30-mile-an-hour winds.
01:11There's a reason why humans don't live here.
01:14With close encounters of the wildest kind.
01:19Three whales servicing at the same time.
01:22Oh, thank you very much.
01:24What a show.
01:27I'll explore land...
01:29It is simply stunning.
01:32Sea...
01:33And look at this!
01:35...and ice.
01:36Oh, look, it's breaking up!
01:37Oh, my gosh!
01:38Oh, my gosh!
01:40What a spectacle!
01:42It's just extraordinary!
01:44Wow!
01:50As I journey through this fragile ecosystem...
01:53We have to do all our best to protect the wonders that South Georgia has.
01:58It would be very sad if we could lose images like this.
02:01I'll discover how these incredible animals survive and thrive in one of the planet's most hostile places.
02:10This is just heaven at the edge of the earth.
02:22After 14 days at sea...
02:25Oh, Cape Petrels!
02:30Oh, they look so beautiful!
02:32Look at these!
02:33I'm approaching the vast white desert of Antarctica.
02:39A wondrous wilderness that few have truly explored.
02:45And the icebergs!
02:46This is it!
02:47We are getting closer and closer!
02:51My journey's taken me from the southern tip of Chile...
02:56Through the breathtaking Falkland Islands...
02:59...and onwards to the untamed paradise of South Georgia.
03:04Ahead of me lies the unforgiving Southern Ocean...
03:08...and my ultimate goal...
03:10...the frozen continent.
03:21There, there, there's a blow, yeah, a little blow.
03:24There it is, there it is.
03:25It's...
03:26...to the left of that larger iceberg.
03:32There are whales in these here waters.
03:36The Southern Ocean circles Antarctica...
03:39...sealing it off from the rest of the world.
03:43Conditions can be brutal.
03:46And I want to discover how the wildlife of the frozen South survives these waters.
03:51The Southern Ocean is where more whales come to feed than any ocean in the world.
03:57So this is a really significant part of the journey...
04:01...because we're crossing the boundary of the Antarctic continental shelf.
04:06So the waters are going from thousands of meters of depth...
04:10...to hundreds of meters of depth.
04:11And what that's doing is it's pushing the iron and nutrient-rich water to the surface.
04:15And that's what makes this such a superb fiending ground for the whales.
04:20Lots and lots of whales.
04:23Three whales servicing at the same time.
04:26It really is one of the most amazing things to witness in your life.
04:33Oh, thank you very much.
04:35What a show.
04:39Much of the marine life here is dependent on melting ice.
04:42Drifting like nature's larder, slowly feeding the ocean.
04:48Out here, there's no fixed course.
04:51Huge blocks of ice can force expedition vessels to slow, stop or completely change course.
05:01For HX Expedition's captain, Theria Nielsen, navigation is a constant negotiation.
05:09We're passing through an ice field area.
05:12Yep.
05:12So we try to circumnavigate, go around and then come back on track.
05:15Right, so we've got to go around the edge.
05:18Yeah, so now we are 90 degrees off and just looking for openings in the ice.
05:22It's always very demanding, standing here, hand-staring.
05:25Why can't we just go straight?
05:27Yeah, I wish we could, yeah.
05:28As we can see outside now, the blue-white ice here, it's multiple years, so it's very hard.
05:36We don't want to hit that kind of hard ice.
05:39This would cause real damage?
05:40This would cause real damage.
05:42Right.
05:42It has a lot to do with speed and, of course, hardness.
05:46So this little one here?
05:47It could be like a can opener.
05:49It can be really sharp.
05:50Right.
05:51And if you come in with a high speed and hits the correct place, it could open a hole in
05:56the ship.
05:57So it's demanding and requires real focus from all of you here.
06:06This does feel like true Antarctica now, to be sailing through these icebergs.
06:12But look, there are some penguins on that iceberg.
06:14Yeah, there's one standing there.
06:15Oh, that's brilliant.
06:16Fantastic.
06:17But you can really feel we are heading into true Antarctica.
06:21Oh, yeah.
06:22That's for sure.
06:26There are countless frozen hurdles to overcome.
06:31But I've dreamt of experiencing this unique place up close my whole life.
06:39Out in this frozen desert, every landing is carefully assessed before anyone is allowed ashore.
06:47The expedition team goes in first to check ice, tides and potential hazards.
06:53Only then does the landing go ahead.
07:02When I close my eyes and I imagine what Antarctica looks like, this is what I see.
07:13And I'm on my way to set foot on land in Antarctica.
07:18But the frozen south doesn't give up its secrets easily.
07:23Going into this ice, it's called brash ice, and it's tricky to navigate.
07:28These broken chunks of ice collect in Antarctica's sheltered bays, making progress tough.
07:36Listen to that.
07:38I mean, if you heard that underneath your car on the road, you wouldn't be happy.
07:47We are literally crushing through the ice.
07:54Oh, massive, massive chunk we've just gone through and over there.
07:59We've carved it in half.
08:02The mountains are cloaked in loose, powdery snow.
08:05Hazards lie everywhere, making the expedition team's carefully mapped route the only safe way through.
08:12Step on the road.
08:13Yep.
08:15Watch your step.
08:16It's slippery.
08:22On land.
08:26We're here.
08:27So it's been a long, long journey.
08:34Finally, we're on land.
08:40This is Orn Harbour, framed by snow, ice and granite peaks.
08:50Beneath this frozen blanket, the Antarctic Peninsula is remarkably mountainous, with peaks soaring up to 3,000 metres, rivaling rangers
09:01in the Rockies and the Alps.
09:03It's a tough climb.
09:05It really is.
09:08But it's just so beautiful.
09:12But look at that.
09:16This is what you hike for.
09:18You hike for views.
09:19And you hike to feel the fresh air in your lungs.
09:23And there couldn't be any fresher air.
09:25And there can't be a better view in the world than this.
09:30I'm climbing high up these steep, slippery slopes, hoping to catch a rare bird's eye view of the icy wilderness
09:38below.
09:39But every step brings its own challenge.
09:43You've basically got to find your technique.
09:47I like to sidestep into the snow and sort of get a bit of bite on my boot.
09:51You do not want to slip and fall, because this is just, it's a black run in ski terms, and
09:59that's where you end up.
10:12I've had to put sunglasses on, so that I can actually see the snow.
10:17I was getting a bit snow blind.
10:26Look at this!
10:38Oh, my goodness.
10:44Look at this place.
10:58This is just heaven.
11:03I couldn't have wished for a better landing here in Antarctica.
11:08I mean, look at this place.
11:10It's otherworldly, unimaginable.
11:13There are no superlatives to describe it.
11:16I can't wait to explore more.
11:25Antarctica, a stunning continent like no other.
11:29Julia Bradbury's Wonders of the Frozen South,
11:32brought to you by HX Expeditions.
11:35Antarctica, a stunning continent like no other.
11:39Julia Bradbury's Wonders of the Frozen South,
11:42brought to you by HX Expeditions.
11:53I'm exploring the frozen south,
11:55sailing waters that circle the world's largest body of ice.
12:01It's difficult to comprehend the size of Antarctica,
12:03because normally when you're looking at a map,
12:04it's just that tiny strip of white along the bottom.
12:08But here it is in all its glory.
12:10It's double the size of Australia,
12:12and you could get 50 United Kingdoms in here.
12:16It's absolutely huge.
12:20Antarctica's ice fields are so vast,
12:23they reflect the sun's heat back into space,
12:26helping to cool the entire planet.
12:29Even in summer, blizzards still rage,
12:34turning landings into epic adventures.
12:43Antarctica is certainly living up to its reputation
12:45as one of the coldest and windiest places on Earth.
12:50In fact, it's not one of,
12:51it's the coldest and windiest place on Earth.
12:55But on the South Shetland Islands,
12:57life appears to thrive against the odds.
13:02Seals haul out on the icy beaches with thick blubber
13:06and finely-tuned instincts to help them survive.
13:11And Gentoo penguins crowd the rocky shores,
13:14busy preparing their nests, whatever the weather.
13:18Today, look at this, sideways snow.
13:22It's minus one, 30-mile-an-hour winds.
13:26The windchill factor will be much more than that.
13:30This is the reason humans don't live here.
13:34Well, not many of them, anyway.
13:41Even in these harsh conditions,
13:43it's business as usual for the Gentoos.
13:46You can see this one heading back and forth
13:48with pebbles to take back to their nest.
13:51And he hasn't stopped.
13:53These penguins have evolved over thousands of years,
13:56developing a dense coat of waterproof feathers
13:59and a thick layer of blubber
14:01to keep them warm in the freezing cold.
14:04The pink underneath this Gentoo's wings,
14:07well, that's actually their way of thermoregulating.
14:10Bizarrely, even in these incredibly harsh conditions,
14:13I'm freezing cold, but he is expelling heat.
14:22It's very humbling to be here with these animals
14:25that are so perfectly adapted
14:27to this incredibly hostile environment.
14:31And here I am, dressed from head to toe,
14:32my windproof, waterproof gear,
14:34desperately trying to stay warm.
14:39Antarctic animals have adapted brilliantly
14:41to survive extreme cold.
14:43Elephant seals are the largest seals on Earth
14:46and use their sheer size to reduce heat loss
14:49in freezing waters.
14:52That ring of blubber is perfectly insulating
14:56this elephant seal.
14:57And the other ingenious thing that they can do
14:59is they can hold their breath for up to 20 minutes
15:02at a time while they're on land,
15:04and that conserves their energy and prevents heat loss.
15:10And they're just carrying on with life
15:12another day in the Antarctic office.
15:21Humans have only been exploring Antarctica
15:23here at the bottom of the world
15:25for the last 150 years.
15:27The animals have existed and evolved for millions,
15:33which is what makes this precious ancient landscape
15:37so valuable.
15:42The genius of nature is also at work
15:44below the surface of the water,
15:46where microscopic organisms underpin the entire ecosystem.
15:52From the smallest penguins to the biggest whales,
15:55the Southern Ocean food web is powered by phytoplankton,
15:59invisible to the naked eye.
16:03I'm meeting marine scientist Zoe Walker
16:05in the ship's science centre
16:07to find out more about these tiny ocean powerhouses.
16:12We've concentrated some plankton into our samples here.
16:16This is the microscopic plankton that we're looking at.
16:19So what you're going to do is take your pipette,
16:21grab a little fresh water.
16:22Perfect.
16:23And then you can add some drops here.
16:25Okay.
16:26Beautiful sample.
16:27Lovely. Look at that.
16:28Shall we put it under the microscope?
16:29Let us do that.
16:30So what can you see?
16:32You can see an entire forest in just a single drop of water.
16:36Take a look. Wait, are you ready?
16:37I'm ready. I'm ready.
16:38I am ready. I'm ready.
16:43Wow.
16:44It looks like there are little letters,
16:47all those like DNA codes in there.
16:49It's phenomenal to look at, isn't it?
16:53What is it?
16:54I mean, is it a plant?
16:54Is it an animal?
16:56So what we're looking at is called phytoplankton.
16:59The phytoplankton are the base of the food chain.
17:02And then there are other small creatures that eat that,
17:05which are eaten by slightly larger creatures,
17:06which are then eaten by maybe smaller fish,
17:09by medium sized fish, by big sized fish,
17:12by seals, by birds, by everyone else.
17:15So this is really where it builds up.
17:17That drifts around like little tiny plants in the sea.
17:20And it creates between 30 and 70% of oxygen on earth
17:25comes from phytoplankton like this.
17:28That is a phenomenal fact.
17:31They look like tiny little beads and then hairs
17:35and then these just sort of fluffy things.
17:40These microscopic organisms use sunlight to produce energy,
17:45generating huge amounts of the oxygen that we breathe on earth.
17:50There's an incredible diversity in the world of plankton.
17:54I mean, everyone knows what a tree is.
17:55Everyone knows the Amazon is important.
17:57But here we have the foundation of life on earth.
18:00Without plankton, there is no other life really.
18:04It's just mind-blowing.
18:11In the summer, these hidden wonders fuel krill, small fish,
18:15and Antarctica's most iconic animals.
18:19In the maze of bays and fjords, penguins, seals and whales hunt,
18:24largely unseen.
18:28Brown Station is an Argentine research base
18:32with an abundance of marine life nearby.
18:35And I'm heading out to try and find it.
18:40We're out on the zodiac for a bit of wildlife spotting.
18:44These are the moments when sometimes you can be exceptionally lucky
18:48if something pops up.
18:50And sometimes you sit here for hours, nothing pops up.
19:01Here they are, look, look!
19:04Penguins.
19:06Look at these guys.
19:08In these icy waters,
19:10chin-strap penguins dart and twist with incredible skill.
19:18Propelling themselves through the water.
19:21While Gentoos can leap clear out of the water to escape predators.
19:26These are some of the fastest, strongest swimmers in the penguin family.
19:31Very gentle movement into the water,
19:33and then they are like torpedoes.
19:37You can see their feathers.
19:38They're very oily and tightly knitted,
19:40so they can cut through the water.
19:42And the wings are very strong,
19:44so they use them for swimming
19:46and they use their feet as rudders.
19:50Take a seal.
19:52No, it definitely was a seal,
19:54not a whale shape.
19:56Looks like he's snorkelling.
19:59Antarctica is home to six different species of seal,
20:02each relying on the continent's bays and inlets
20:05as key hunting grounds,
20:06where they feed on fish, squid and even penguins.
20:12But what I'm desperate to observe in the wild, close up,
20:15is a whale.
20:17A century ago, these waters were alive with them
20:20before hunting pushed many species to the brink of extinction.
20:24But humpback whales have made one of the most remarkable comebacks on the planet.
20:29So where is the whale?
20:36The patient's game.
20:41I've been out for three hours now.
20:42We still haven't seen a whale.
20:43We've seen some fantastic penguins,
20:46saw a seal head.
20:48But the elusive humpbacks are really playing hard to get.
20:53I've seen a couple of blows in the distance,
20:55but these guys can dive for 10, 15 minutes at a time.
20:59So you do need to be patient.
21:02Come on, Mr. or Mrs. Humpback.
21:07With hunting long band,
21:10these vast feeding grounds
21:11now attract around 25,000 humpbacks every summer.
21:18Oh, oh, oh!
21:22And one of them is breaking cover.
21:25So we've got humpbacks.
21:28It's freezing cold,
21:30and I have to admit,
21:31I was giving up hope.
21:35To be so close is incredibly special.
21:41There!
21:44Now I'm greedy and I want to see more.
21:51This whole area is a feeding ground for the humpbacks.
21:54They're feeding on the krill.
22:01These are nutrient-rich, iron-rich waters.
22:05And they travel thousands of miles to come here for this.
22:13And I've traveled thousands of miles to come here for this.
22:16And I've traveled thousands of miles to come here for this too.
22:19It's been wonderful to see the whales
22:21from the deck of the ship
22:23and in the distance.
22:25But to actually be in the same water in a zodiac
22:29with the Humpback is an unbelievable experience.
22:36Whale! Whale! Whale!
22:38Whale! Tail!
22:40Oh!
22:43Oh!
22:50Antarctica, a stunning continent like no other.
22:54Julia Bradbury's Wonders of the Frozen South, brought to you by HX Expeditions.
23:00Antarctica, a stunning continent like no other.
23:04Julia Bradbury's Wonders of the Frozen South, brought to you by HX Expeditions.
23:15I'm in Antarctica, one of the least explored places on Earth, and its hidden depths are just as mysterious.
23:23We know less about some of the seafloor here than about the surface of the moon.
23:27The fishing line is being released.
23:31What is this magnificent bit of kit, Mano?
23:33Well, this is an ROV, but basically it's an underwater drone.
23:37And is this one of the first times that this area has been explored with this type of equipment?
23:42Yes. We are expecting to find huge sponges.
23:45Dr Manuel Navillo is a marine biologist from Argentina, studying the wonders of life hiding on the ocean floor.
23:54You can find sponges that might have more than 100 years old living down there.
23:59Yellow colours, orange colours, red colours.
24:02So it's really nice to explore these areas.
24:05Oh, look at that.
24:07Now, sponges are incredible organisms, aren't they?
24:11Of course, and particularly these ones are gigantic ones.
24:15So here's another sponge, Julia.
24:17What a lovely colour.
24:19It's an orange one.
24:20Bright orange with a starfish hanging out.
24:23Look, these are just cream.
24:25They almost look like ornamental vases under there.
24:29These sponges also serve as spawning grounds for fish.
24:33Of course, it's safer to lay their eggs inside.
24:37Yes, in here.
24:38Yeah, to protect them.
24:39A safe harbour deep within the sponge.
24:42Remarkable.
24:43You can get a closer look there.
24:45But we're seeing all sorts of lovely floaty algae.
24:50Oh, look at these giant sponges, starfish, ribbon worms.
24:56There's so much life underneath this level.
25:00Remarkable.
25:03After seeing how life can flourish on the Antarctic Peninsula,
25:07I want to experience what it feels like to be part of this frozen world.
25:14Tonight, the ship's expedition team will set up a camp on the ice
25:18under strict protocols designed to safeguard one of the last great wildernesses on Earth.
25:25Now, I'm not known for packing lightly, but there's not a lot that I can take with me
25:28because we're just not allowed to take things onto land.
25:32I want to stay warm, so I'm double bagging on socks.
25:35I've got some waterproof socks and just some other warm socks.
25:38I'm going to sleep in these gloves.
25:40These are lovely and puffy.
25:42Eye mask because I don't know how dark it's going to be.
25:46And then in here, I'm not going to be able to take that.
25:49No food allowed.
25:51Most importantly, I want to take something from my family with me.
25:54One of my daughters doesn't like to let me know that she loves me,
25:57so it's always a little bit of a secret code.
25:58Look at this, it's so cute.
26:00She gave me this before I left and said,
26:01Mum, don't open it when we're together.
26:03So, little thing.
26:05Code.
26:12And essential, because let's remember how cold it's going to be on this ice,
26:16I've got hugs.
26:18Coupons.
26:19Hug coupons.
26:27Before pitching my tent,
26:29I want to explore this pristine landscape on foot.
26:32But moving across the deep snow has its own risks.
26:38So, the expedition team are preparing snowshoes,
26:42designed to distribute weight and stop me sinking into the drifts.
26:48The snow and ice here can reach up to two kilometres thick,
26:51a colossal sheet that can hide deep crevasses beneath its frozen surface.
26:58So, we'll put those on.
27:00Right.
27:00Thanks to the snowshoe physics,
27:02they will spread your weight around the snow and you won't sink in.
27:05Perfect.
27:06Right.
27:07Paul Roman, one of the ship's guides,
27:09is helping me prepare to float across the snow.
27:15OK.
27:16You are good to go.
27:16I'm on.
27:17Right.
27:17Here we go.
27:18My first steps in snowshoes.
27:21How do you feel?
27:22Secure, comfortable.
27:24Yep, comfortable.
27:24Superpowered.
27:25Can't really feel them, which is good.
27:26They're not too heavy.
27:28Let's go.
27:29There we go.
27:32There we go.
27:39It's like walking with tea trays on your feet.
27:41I wish they turned into skis.
27:43That would be useful.
27:44Well, despite the harsh conditions,
27:48a few thousand scientists work in research bases dotted across Antarctica,
27:53where they search for clues to help protect our planet.
28:00These buildings over here are Argentinian Antarctic research centres,
28:05but even the hardy Argentinians only come here in the summer months.
28:19This is one of the most beautiful island hikes in Antarctica.
28:25But actually, it has to be one of the most beautiful island hikes in the world.
28:30It is simply stunning scenery.
28:35I've done a lot of travelling and adventuring around the world.
28:40I've been to some beautiful places.
28:44I'm very fortunate to have done a lot of lovely things.
28:50But this is the first time I've done any snowshoeing.
28:56What a place to do it for the first time.
29:06Today, oh, nearly fell over.
29:09Today, I have been so cold.
29:12My fingers have been so cold.
29:14Honestly, I felt like I had frostbite.
29:16I thought they were going to drop off.
29:19Now, the sun is out.
29:22And with all this movement hiking up the hill,
29:25I am on fire.
29:28You probably see steam coming off me.
29:34I love the sound of snow crunching underneath your feet.
29:40Let's stop a minute.
29:42Just listen.
29:47So fresh snow absorbs sound waves,
29:51and it reduces ambient noise by more than 50%.
29:54So what you're listening to now
29:57is utter calm and softness.
30:08This is a sensory overload for me
30:11in a good way.
30:14I mean, I always feel so happy and instantly calm
30:18when I'm in nature.
30:20But when you're somewhere like this, somewhere pristine, unspoiled,
30:24and to my eye, a virgin landscape, beautiful, beautiful.
30:35At the end of this epic harbour,
30:37chin-strap penguins are taking on their own adventure.
30:42They, too, like to spread their weight across the snow,
30:46launching themselves downhill on their bellies.
30:49Oh, he's off.
30:50And battling their way back up the steep slopes.
30:56So I've reached the end of my hike,
30:58and it's pretty fitting that I should meet
30:59the mountaineering penguins of the penguin world.
31:03The chin-straps are part of the brust-tail family,
31:05but you can see they just spend hours
31:07traipsing up and down these hills.
31:19Look at this glassy water.
31:22I haven't seen it so still.
31:25I've left the South Shetlands
31:27to venture deeper into the frozen heart
31:29of the Antarctic mainland.
31:32We are camping out
31:34a night under the stars
31:35and on the ice.
31:38So I'm hoping that tonight
31:40the weather will be kind.
31:51A Weddell welcoming.
31:54Weddell seals are the masters
31:56of Antarctic survival
31:57and one of the few animals
31:59that live here all year round,
32:01whereas people rarely spend a night on the ice.
32:06Overnight permits are carefully limited
32:08by the authorities
32:09to protect this pristine place.
32:13I've been granted one night
32:14alongside a group of fellow adventurers
32:17from around the world.
32:19In the morning,
32:20we'll leave without a trace.
32:23I mean, it is quite literally
32:24the coolest campsite in the world.
32:26It's certainly the coolest place
32:28that I've ever pitched a tent.
32:31I'm staying in Paradise Bay
32:34on the western side
32:35of the Antarctic Peninsula,
32:37named by early whalers
32:39for its stunning beauty.
32:49This, I think,
32:52is the most important bit of the kit
32:54because it's the floor.
32:56This is all that separates us
32:58from the ice.
33:00But it's the main event.
33:03It looks pretty lush now,
33:06but temperatures can change
33:08in an instant.
33:12It could get as cold as
33:13minus five, minus ten.
33:15Wind chill factor, wind.
33:20So this better do the job.
33:29Only a handful of people
33:30get the chance
33:31to spend the night
33:32in Antarctica each year.
33:34My neighbours in the camp
33:35are fellow Brits,
33:37Ian and Ellie.
33:38Look at this.
33:39It really is just...
33:42I mean,
33:43I don't know about you,
33:44but I don't think
33:44I'm ever going to sleep
33:45anywhere like this again.
33:46No, it's definitely
33:48top view I've ever witnessed
33:50and probably top bedroom,
33:52if you can call it that.
33:53Yeah.
33:54So the night of a lifetime.
33:56Oh, absolutely.
33:57Well, no, see,
33:57I'm trying to do
33:59all seven continents
34:00and 100 countries
34:01before I'm 70.
34:03OK.
34:04And it only counts
34:05if I sleep there.
34:06Right.
34:06So passing through
34:07doesn't count,
34:08and as long as I have
34:09to sleep here tonight,
34:11otherwise Antarctica
34:12doesn't count.
34:13And are you vivvying
34:13or tenting?
34:14I'm vivvying.
34:15I thought it'd be quite nice
34:17to be with the elements.
34:18If there's anything going on,
34:20I can quickly put my cap down,
34:23whereas the tent,
34:23you know,
34:24all over the world.
34:24Yeah, you've got to unzip.
34:25But think of the moment
34:26in the morning.
34:27I'm tenting,
34:28so I'm going to unzip
34:28and look at that.
34:29Yeah.
34:30It's going to be
34:30very, very special.
34:31I don't think
34:32you can beat this.
34:33No.
34:36I'm so far south,
34:37the sun doesn't set
34:39at this time of year.
34:41It's past midnight,
34:43and I can still see
34:44a solitary whale
34:45feeding in the bay.
34:49This is one of those moments
34:51in your life
34:53when you really
34:56start to reflect on
34:58where you are,
34:59where you're going,
35:01who you are.
35:07There was a point
35:09through my cancer journey
35:10when I was out
35:13the other side
35:14and I really didn't think
35:16I would ever leave
35:17my family again.
35:18As in,
35:19I didn't think
35:19I wanted to travel.
35:20I didn't think
35:21I wanted to go far
35:22from home ever again.
35:24I just wanted to stay close
35:27and keep them close
35:29because I was frightened.
35:33So to be able
35:34to come here
35:35and to really
35:37experience Antarctica
35:41and bed down
35:42into the nature
35:43and the wilderness
35:44and the wildlife,
35:45which I absolutely love,
35:49has been a cathartic
35:51experience for me,
35:52but just a real,
35:55a very important moment
35:57of growth for me
35:59because I'm not
36:00frightened anymore.
36:06I wish I could be here
36:08with my family.
36:09I miss them now
36:11and it's fantastic
36:13to be the adventurer
36:15of the family
36:16and to go to
36:17all these amazing places.
36:21But I want to be here now.
36:30I really would like
36:32them to be here now.
36:39And I'm just
36:40incredibly happy
36:42and grateful
36:43that
36:46I've experienced it,
36:47that I'm here,
36:48that I've felt it.
36:49And that
36:50is what Antarctica
36:51has made me do.
36:53It's made me feel again.
37:06Antarctica,
37:08a stunning continent
37:09like no other.
37:11Julia Bradbury's
37:12Wonders of the Frozen South
37:14brought to you
37:14by HX Expeditions.
37:17Antarctica,
37:18a stunning continent
37:19like no other.
37:21Julia Bradbury's
37:22Wonders of the Frozen South
37:24brought to you
37:25by HX Expeditions.
37:34On my journey
37:35through the frozen south,
37:37I've been camping out
37:38on the Antarctic ice.
37:41Oh, that was
37:42an interesting night.
37:44I don't feel
37:45very refreshed.
37:46The view is still
37:48pretty epic.
37:51But the noises
37:53of Antarctica
37:54were phenomenal.
37:55The wind
37:56was so loud
37:57at one point.
37:59The buffeting
38:00was just
38:01incredible.
38:03And
38:04bits of the glacier
38:05kept falling off.
38:07And it was like
38:07this
38:09And I saw it
38:11happen a couple
38:11of times.
38:14I'll never forget
38:15this night,
38:15that's for sure.
38:20The Antarctic
38:21peninsula
38:22is dominated
38:22by ice.
38:27At nearby
38:28Cooverville Island,
38:30the bay
38:31is frozen
38:31solid in winter.
38:33But in the summer,
38:34100-metre-tall
38:36glaciers
38:36break apart,
38:38forming new
38:38icebergs
38:39and nourishing
38:40the waters below.
38:43The weather
38:44here in
38:45Antarctica
38:45has really
38:47come out
38:48to play
38:48today as well.
38:50Look at
38:50these skies.
38:51I mean,
38:52the sun
38:52just helps
38:53bounce
38:54these magical
38:55reflections
38:55off the water
38:56and off
38:57the glaciers.
38:58The colours
38:59really play
39:00tricks with
39:01your mind.
39:03And the
39:04abundance of
39:05food in the
39:06waters here
39:06supports the
39:07continent's
39:08biggest colony
39:09of Gentoo
39:10penguins.
39:11Here he goes.
39:13Having a little
39:14look around.
39:15And he's
39:16off.
39:17Around
39:186,500
39:18breeding pairs
39:20of Gentoos
39:21call this
39:21island home.
39:23Each spring,
39:24they gather
39:25here to build
39:25nests out
39:26of small
39:27stones to
39:28prepare for
39:28the breeding
39:29season.
39:35Stephen Feng
39:36is one of
39:36the ship's
39:37ornithologists.
39:38You only
39:39have to be
39:40here for,
39:41I don't
39:41know,
39:41a minute
39:42to really
39:43appreciate
39:43how busy
39:44these
39:45Gentoos are.
39:45There's so
39:46much going
39:47on.
39:47Explain some
39:48of the
39:48behaviour to
39:48me.
39:49At this
39:49time of
39:49year,
39:50the snow
39:50has finally
39:51melted
39:51enough that
39:52some of
39:52this bare
39:52rock is
39:53getting
39:53exposed.
39:54And we're
39:54seeing some
39:55mating displays,
39:56some courtship
39:57displays.
39:58There's a
39:58lot of
39:59nest building
39:59going on,
40:00some mating,
40:01some of
40:01these eggs
40:01already down
40:02and being
40:02incubated.
40:03One penguin
40:04will bring
40:05up their
40:05favourite rock,
40:06drop it in
40:06the nest,
40:07and there's
40:08just hundreds
40:08and hundreds
40:08of pebbles.
40:09It takes
40:10a lot of
40:10effort,
40:11and they
40:11rebuild
40:11this every
40:12single year.
40:12They don't
40:13reuse the
40:13nests,
40:14so every
40:14single year...
40:16They start
40:16the rebuild.
40:17They've
40:17got to
40:18start the
40:18rebuild.
40:19Yeah,
40:19there's
40:19a lot
40:19of argy
40:20bargy
40:21that goes
40:21on.
40:21You see
40:21quite a
40:22lot of
40:22head
40:23butting
40:23and
40:23flapping
40:27in the
40:28air.
40:28And as
40:29you look
40:29closely,
40:30you look
40:30at these
40:30really
40:30intricate
40:31nests,
40:32these
40:32little
40:32mounds
40:32of
40:32pebbles.
40:33Every
40:34now and
40:34then you
40:34get
40:34troublemakers
40:35who will
40:35try to
40:35steal
40:36rocks
40:36from
40:37adjacent
40:37nests
40:38instead
40:38of
40:38finding
40:39their
40:39own.
40:39These
40:40gentoos
40:40have
40:40quite
40:40a
40:41unique
40:41breeding
40:43cycle.
40:43The farther
40:44south you
40:45go,
40:45the faster
40:45the chicks
40:46will leave
40:46the nest.
40:47So it
40:47can be
40:47a short
40:48of 60
40:48days.
40:48The farther
40:49north we
40:49go,
40:50these chicks
40:50may take
40:50up to
40:51110 days
40:51to
40:52fledge.
40:53So they've
40:53got to get
40:54going and
40:54they've got
40:54to survive.
40:55So based
40:56on where
40:56we are
40:56right now
40:57in the
40:57breeding
40:57season,
40:58I'm expecting
40:59the chicks
41:00to start
41:00showing up
41:01in about
41:01two weeks
41:01or so,
41:02but for
41:02now we're
41:03just seeing
41:03just eggs.
41:04And we've
41:05been lucky
41:05enough to
41:05catch some
41:06glimpses
41:06of eggs
41:07here.
41:07I don't
41:08know that
41:09there is
41:10a more
41:10beautifully
41:11situated
41:12penguin
41:13colony
41:13anywhere in
41:14the world.
41:14So this
41:15is about
41:16as scenic
41:17as it
41:17gets.
41:17On a
41:18day like
41:18this where
41:18it's sunny
41:19and the
41:20glistening
41:20got
41:21gossiers
41:21and
41:22bergs
41:22back there.
41:23Truly
41:24spectacular.
41:27As well
41:28as ingenious
41:28nest builders,
41:30Gentoo's
41:31are the
41:31rulers
41:31of the
41:32road,
41:32building
41:33efficient
41:34penguin
41:34highways
41:35between
41:35their
41:36colonies
41:36and the
41:37ocean
41:38that
41:38feeds
41:38them.
41:40They're
41:41only little
41:41and these
41:42snowdrifts
41:42are incredibly
41:43tough for
41:43them to
41:44walk through.
41:44So they've
41:45created these
41:46channels that
41:47they use.
41:48And when
41:48you see them
41:49passing,
41:49they're
41:49incredibly
41:50polite.
41:57Look at
41:58these two.
42:09Not quite
42:10living up to
42:12the penguin
42:12etiquette code.
42:13The highway
42:15code.
42:16Oh,
42:17to our
42:19little
42:19incident
42:20there.
42:23Unlike
42:24Antarctica's
42:24interior
42:25polar
42:25desert,
42:26the
42:27peninsula
42:27sees
42:28frequent
42:28snowfall.
42:29Here,
42:30the penguins
42:31endlessly rebuild
42:32their highways
42:33just to navigate
42:34the frozen
42:35terrain.
42:35green.
42:37This one,
42:38I think,
42:39is going rogue
42:40and trying
42:41to forge
42:41another path.
42:44The
42:45entrepreneur
42:46of the
42:46colony.
42:49You can see
42:49how much effort
42:50he needs to
42:50expel to get
42:51over this
42:51thick snow.
42:54And the
42:55roots are
42:55leading back
42:56and forth
42:56up to
42:57nesting
42:58regions,
42:59down to
43:00the ocean
43:00where they
43:01have to
43:01come and
43:01feed
43:01regularly.
43:02And so
43:03they go,
43:04up and
43:05down,
43:06up and
43:06down.
43:19I'm leaving
43:20the penguins
43:21and their
43:21highways to
43:22head offshore
43:23amongst the
43:24towering icebergs
43:25that dominate
43:26these waters.
43:30These
43:31colossal
43:32chunks of
43:33ice are
43:33carved from
43:34ancient glaciers
43:35and sculpted
43:36by wind
43:37and rain.
43:38Their
43:39beauty is
43:40breathtaking.
43:47Look
43:48at these
43:49giant ice
43:50sculptures.
43:52It's
43:52nature's
43:53artistry
43:54at work.
44:00shapes,
44:01the
44:01colors,
44:03even
44:03the
44:03sounds
44:04of
44:04these
44:04huge
44:05icy
44:06structures
44:08are
44:08completely
44:09unique.
44:11It's
44:11a moment
44:12in time.
44:13It really
44:14is
44:15otherworldly.
44:16If there's
44:17ever a
44:18place to
44:18be at
44:18one of
44:19the
44:19elements,
44:19it's
44:19here
44:19in
44:20Antarctica.
44:27Look at
44:27the shapes
44:28on this
44:28one.
44:29It's
44:29ludicrous.
44:31Look.
44:41And you
44:42can really
44:42see the
44:43fissure
44:44from this
44:45angle.
44:45Look at
44:46that giant
44:46crack.
44:47This is
44:47certainly
44:48going to
44:49break away
44:50in the
44:50not-too-distant
44:51future.
44:55Oh!
44:56Oh,
44:57look,
44:57it's
44:57breaking
44:57up!
44:58Oh,
44:58my gosh!
44:59Oh,
45:00my gosh!
45:02Oh,
45:02my
45:03goodness
45:03me!
45:04I said
45:05it was
45:05going to
45:05break
45:05up at
45:06any
45:06moment.
45:06Look at
45:07the wave!
45:08Look at the
45:08weight that
45:09made!
45:12what a
45:13spectacle!
45:17To see
45:18that,
45:19to capture
45:19that
45:19moment
45:20is just
45:21extraordinary!
45:24Wow!
45:31The
45:32adrenaline
45:32is flowing.
45:33I can't
45:33believe
45:34that I
45:34actually
45:35saw that.
45:36My
45:36heart
45:36is
45:37pumping.
45:38What
45:39an
45:39incredible
45:40thing
45:40to
45:40witness.
45:51To
45:52see
45:52that
45:53iceberg
45:53breaking
45:54apart
45:55is one
45:57of the
45:57most
45:57incredible
45:57things
45:58I've
45:58witnessed
45:58in my
45:58lifetime.
46:04My
46:04journey
46:05through
46:05the
46:05frozen
46:06south
46:06has
46:06been
46:07both
46:07humbling
46:08and
46:08exhilarating.
46:13It's
46:14so
46:14immense.
46:15Just
46:15look.
46:17We're
46:17in the
46:17way.
46:18We've
46:18got to
46:18move
46:18again.
46:19Look at
46:20this.
46:22And I've
46:23got my
46:23miracle,
46:23so it's
46:24all okay.
46:25I've
46:26come face
46:26to face
46:27with some
46:27of the
46:27planet's
46:28wildest
46:28and most
46:29remarkable
46:30creatures.
46:31Oh!
46:32My first
46:33aggressive
46:33fur seal
46:34encounter.
46:35This
46:36is
46:37insane.
46:38And
46:39journey
46:39through
46:40awe-inspiring
46:41landscapes.
46:44This
46:45is one
46:45of the
46:46most
46:46beautiful
46:46places
46:47on earth.
46:49I'll
46:49remember
46:50this
46:50forever.
46:52When I
46:53set out
46:54on this
46:54journey,
46:55I wanted
46:55to uncover
46:56the secrets
46:56of this
46:57mysterious
46:58corner of
46:58our planet
46:59and learn
47:00how its
47:00remarkable
47:01wildlife
47:02survives.
47:03I leave
47:04humbled,
47:05deeply
47:06moved,
47:06and inspired
47:08to help
47:08protect
47:08this
47:09astonishing
47:09place,
47:10so its
47:11magic will
47:12endure
47:12for generations
47:14to come.
47:15I have
47:16traveled to
47:17every continent
47:17on earth,
47:18and I can
47:18honestly say
47:19that Antarctica
47:20is the
47:21wildest,
47:22most extreme,
47:23most extraordinary
47:24continent I've
47:25visited.
47:51Julia Bradbury's
47:52Wonders of the
47:53Frozen South,
47:53brought to you
47:54by HX Expeditions.
47:57Wonders of the
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