“No matter how many books you read or how many documentaries you watch, nothing prepares you for the real thing. It’s a mind-blowing experience.”

This is how John Borg, senior curator at the National Museum of Natural History in Mdina, described his recent trip to Antarctica, the earth’s coldest and driest continent.

Gentoo penguins

Mr Borg joined a 21-day tour on board the Oceanwide Expeditions ship which left from Argentina and sailed past the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and South Shetland Islands before reaching the Antarctic Peninsula. He was among 16 scientists, including marine biologists, meteorologists, botanists, mammalogists (cetaceans and seals), ornithologists (general and seabird specialists) as well as student researchers in different fields, and about 100 tourists, mostly photographers.

For over 36 years, Mr Borg has studied the breeding behaviour of Malta’s three pelagic seabirds and carried out research on other species, ranging from fish to small mammals, particularly bats. His research has led him to a number of scientific expeditions to the northern parts of the Amazon but visiting Antarctica was always on his wish list.

“Visiting Antarctica has been my obsession since my early teens, also fuelled by my deep interest in seabirds. So when the right opportunity came knocking, I just grabbed it,” he told the Times of Malta.

Icebergs off Antarctica

Mr Borg was impressed by the southern continent’s “truly spectacular” landscape, with its high mountain ranges and vast open spaces dominated by ice and water.

“From walking on icebergs to sailing into a caldera of a dormant volcano, the landscape is continuously changing,” he noted.

The main aim of the expedition was to count species of populations where possible, such as the large penguin colonies, as well as to record the flora and fauna on some of the more remote islands and compare them to past figures. Mr Borg’s particular focus was the albatross, especially the wandering variety, the largest flying bird, but he also witnessed shearwater, petrels and prions among other bird species, cetaceans and seals.

Rapidly melting glaciers are a continuous reminder that global warming is a very real threat

“Sitting on a zodiac in open water with up to five humpback whales forming bubble corridors to trap krill and lounge out of the water with their mouth gaping wide is surely an unforgettable experience, as was walking among 350,000 pairs of King Penguins. I will cherish these moments,” he enthused.

Blue-eyed cormorants at the Falkland Islands

Antarctica’s ecosystem is particularly unique due to its remoteness. There are no permanent settlements, only research stations, most of which are occupied during the austral summer, from December to March.

Another factor which makes it unique is the abundance of shrimp-like creatures, krill, which is the basic food of a wide range of creatures, from penguins up to large whales.

Despite its remoteness, Antarctica has not escaped the negative impact of humanity.

“The rapidly melting glaciers is a continuous reminder that global warming is a very real threat,” Mr Borg lamented. “We also encountered a number of seabirds and seals entangled in plastic or discarded fishing nets.”

The secondary aim of the expedition was, in fact, for the guests to serve as ambassadors for this “fast disappearing wildlife paradise”.

Mr Borg is sharing his self-funded experience during a free lecture being held on Tuesday at the National Museum of Natural History in Mdina at 6.30pm.

“Participants will be able to get a taste of this continent through sights and sound. Unfortunately, the very strong and persistent fishy odours present in all the seabird colonies cannot be replicated,” he quipped.

“They will also see how our actions, both positive as well as negative, are impacting the creatures living there. And hopefully, it will entice others to undertake a similar expedition.”

For more information, visit www.heritagemalta.org.

Giant petrels at South Georgia

A black-browed albatross spotted off South Georgia

Adelie penguins on an iceberg