Antarctica is the last untouched continent, making it a
desirable destination for the intrepid traveler. It has no
indigenous people, no politics and no economy, yet it covers
almost one-tenth of the earth's surface -- making it 1.5 times
the size of the United States. More than 30,000 tourists travel
there each year -- a small number compared to Alaska's 1 million
cruise visitors. The history of Antarctica's exploration
includes Robert Scott and Roald Amundsen's famous race for the
South Pole, as well as one of the greatest survival stories of
all time. In 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew set sail
aboard Endurance on a quest to be the first to cross the
southernmost continent over land. They abandoned their attempt
when the ship was trapped in sea ice, but incredibly, thanks to
Shackleton's courage and determination, all crewmembers
survived. Today, cruise ships visit just the tip of the iceberg
compared to the great explorers, traveling to the South Shetland
Islands and the 1,000-mile-long Antarctic