Explore More UK Winter 2020-2021

OCEANS
The
ARCTIC OCEAN
The coldest and northernmost of the world’s seas,
the Arctic Ocean enchants with majestic icebergs
and mystical frozen waters
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK; GETTY
The planet’s northernmost
body of water, the Arctic
Ocean is characterised
by floating icebergs,
otherworldly icy landscapes and
freezing temperatures. A seemingly
stark and inhospitable part of the
world, this magical ocean is home
to an array of wildlife and is of
fundamental importance to the
rest of the planet. This somewhat
bleak and remote region plays a
crucial role in keeping the world’s
climate in balance, controlling the
temperature and weather systems
across the world.
The Arctic consists mainly of the
Arctic Ocean, as well as portions
of land belonging to Canada,
Greenland, Russia, Norway,
Sweden, Finland, Iceland and the
US. The North Pole is right at its
heart, permanently covered in sea
ice and located 430 miles north of
the northern tip of Greenland.
THE HISTORY
An enduring fascination with the
Arctic has driven explorers to the
North Pole for decades, with man
attempting to take on nature and
reach the top of the world, risking
life and limb in doing so. Records
suggest that the Arctic Ocean was
first explored around 325BC, when
the ancient Greek sailor Pytheas
reached a frozen sea while trying to
find the source of tin metal.
Ever since, stories have regaled of
pioneers, adventurers and explorers
attempting to reach polar regions,
with European and American
explorers particularly engaged in
the 19th and 20th centuries. Some
intrepid explorers – John Cabot,
Henry Hudson and James Cook to
name a few – attempted to navigate
the frozen tundra in search of the
Northwest Passage, connecting the
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, whilst
Wally Herbert became the first
confirmed person to walk to the
Pole as part of an incredible
3,800-mile crossing.
THE POPULATION
Despite its freezing and barren
landscape, the Arctic is home to
around four million people,
including indigenous groups with
rich cultures that have thrived there
for nearly 30,000 years. These
include Inuit of North America, the
Sami of Northern Europe and the
Yakuts of Siberia who have long
inhabited this part of the world and
successfully so.
Visitors to the Arctic have the
opportunity to experience life
in remote communities based
around historic Viking and Inuit
settlements. There are many
cultural activities to discover, such
as watching locals performing
throat singing – a traditional type
of music performed amongst the
Inuit communities – and a wide
range of Indigenous art on offer at
local galleries.
THE WILDLIFE
Arctic wildlife has evolved over
thousands of years to cope with the
extreme polar temperatures. Diving
down into the thick sea ice, much
of the Arctic Ocean is pitch black,
closed off from sunlight by ice
cover, but photographers diving
further with equipment and lights
are able to expose the reality of
wildlife in the Arctic, which is
rich and varied.
At the bottom of the food
chain in the dark Arctic depths
lurks plankton – a food group
that makes up the base of the
Opposite:
Spotting polar
bears is one
of the highlights
of a trip to
the Arctic
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