Awe-Inspiring Antarctica, Up Close

The light hangs for hours in the stillness of the night as chunks of ice float silently by the hull -- the result of calving glaciers and breaking icebergs caused by the mild temperatures. The high salt content of the Antarctica waters and its near-freezing temperature gives water there a higher density. It is not unusual to experience such mirrored stillness, making if difficult for even a light breeze to create texture on its surface. The still waters reflect the stormy skies but, always, a band of light on the horizon. Nekko Bay, Antarctica, 2006. (Sebastian Copeland)