From the award winning document teams of Natural History New Zealand, this collection of four DVDs provides a rare look at Antarctica from a wide variety of angles. In “Whales” learn about how the Antarctic seas sanctuary helps protect the whale population and in “Hell on Ice” see two men attempt an unassisted crossing of the Antarctic Peninsula. In “Solid Water Liquid Rock” ice and fire meet dramatically on the world’s most southern volcano – Antarctica’s Mount Erebus and in “South Georgia – Legacy of Lust” we see an in depth story of the remote, lonely and raw island of South Georgia. (each DVD can also be individually ordered) Click for more information about this series.
Whales
| Hell on Ice
| Solid Water Liquid Rock 
| South Georgia Legacy of Lust 
| Special Price - Four DVDs |
Whales
Whales have lived in the seas for millions of years, but in an infinite fraction of this time, they have been pushed to the very edge of extinction.
For 150 years the Southern Seas were bloodied by mass slaughter. Hundreds of thousands of whales were hunted and killed – mostly to oil the wheels of industry. But at the eleventh hour a reprieve may have come. In 1994 an international agreement designated the Antarctic seas a sanctuary for whales. This safe area joins with the existing Indian Ocean sanctuary creating a haven for 80% of the world’s remaining whales.
Whales is the story of how this agreement was achieved and what it will hopefully accomplish.
| Whales For 150 years the Southern Seas were bloodied by mass slaughter. Hundreds of thousands of whales were killed to oil the wheels of industry. They have lived for millions of years, but in a fraction of this time they are edging to extinction. See full description & trailer. |
Hell on Ice
Despite numerous attempts, there is still an Antarctic adventure yet to be conquered — crossing the Antarctic Peninsula unassisted. The Peninsula is a jagged finger jutting away from the South Pole towards Cape Horn featuring some of the most rugged terrain Antarctica has to offer.
Two Australian explorers, Jay Watson and Peter Bland, have dreamt of completing this deadly crossing since their school days. Finally they are going to live their dream. They are the next in line to take on one of the most inhospitable areas of the frozen continent, prone to volatile weather patterns, unstable sea ice, sheer glaciers and crevasse-riddled mountains.
But their courageous attempt is shrouded in controversy. Australia’s Antarctic Division considers the trek too perilous.
Regardless of the Antarctic Division’s fears Watson and Bland set off on their 23-day expedition to walk their way into the record books. With a tight timeframe and the summer sun melting the sea ice, there’s no margin for error. Can Pete and Jay overcome the odds and make history, or will they fall victim to the conditions like every other explorer who’s taken on this challenge before them?
| Hell on Ice Two explorers, Jay Watson and Peter Bland, attempt the ultimate South Pole adventure - crossing the Antarctic without sled dogs or mechanical help. They go to one of the most inhospitable places, prone to volatile weather and crevassed mountains See full description & trailer. |
Solid Water Liquid Rock
Ice and fire meet dramatically on the world’s most southern volcano – Antarctica’s Mount Erebus. This film is an adventurous journey from the base of the volcano 300m under the sea to inside the erupting crater 3500m above sea level. See this extreme landscape, revealed as never before.
We start 1,500 feet underwater, where the previously unseen sea floor will be revealed by TVNZ’s Remote Operated Vehicle. We then trek to the summit at 12,500 feet. Because the atmosphere is thinner near the South Pole it is like breathing the air on a 15,000 feet mountain – difficult.
The crowning glory of Erebus is its convecting lava lake – one of only a few in the world. However, no one can stay on the summit for long because of the difficulty of working in the cold thin air, and because of the constant danger of eruption.
| Solid Water Liquid Rock Ice and fire meet dramatically on the world’s most southern volcano – Antarctica’s Mount Erebus. This film is an adventurous journey from the base of the volcano 300m under the sea to inside the erupting crater 3500m above sea level. See full description & trailer. |
South Georgia – Legacy of Lust
Remote, lonely and raw – the beautiful island of South Georgia is a mere dot in the great southern ocean. Surrounded by the super-abundant waters of the Atlantic and the Antarctic seas, outstanding breeding colonies of seabirds and marine mammals thrive.
It has not always been this way, and of all the Antarctic regions, South Georgia has suffered the most. Once the world’s greatest whaling empire, the island’s natural inhabitants have inherited a legacy of oily rusting remains. For decades, humans have plundered and profited, fought, and even died here. The wildlife has shown great resilience, and breeding communities now thrive. It would be unforgivable if once again, the birds and animals of South Georgia were threatened by human demands of the 21st century.
| South Georgia – Legacy of Lust Remote, lonely and raw beautiful - South Georgia is a mere island dot in the great southern ocean. Surrounded by the super-abundant waters of the Atlantic and the Antarctic seas, outstanding breeding colonies of seabirds and marine mammals thrive. See full description & trailer. |
Some Interesting Links:
A Step Too Far – the book – at Amazon
A brief bio of Peter Bland
Antarctic Connection
Cool Antarctica
Welcome to South Georgia
British Antarctic Survey
A History of Whale Sanctuaries from Greenpeace
International Whaling Commission
Mt. Erebus Volcano Observatory
Global Volcanism Program
Discovering Antarctica Website
Antarctica New Zealand
Antarctica Centre
Antarctica and South Ocean Coalition
International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators
Scott Polar Research Institute
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
Alfred Wegener Institute
Byrd Polar Research Center
The Southern Ocean Observing System
