One of the most thrilling aspects of everyone’s journey to the Ross Sea is being able to see the largest ice shelf in the world. The Ross Ice Shelf is a stunning 472,000 square km (182,000 square miles), which means that it is comparable in size to the entire country of Spain.

The diverse marine life is also able to thrive within the Ross Sea because the immediate area off the Ross Ice Shelf does not freeze easily due to its high salt content. Scientists have used this to their advantage to fully explore and map the surrounding region.