The Great Ice Barrier - looking east from Cape Crozier

The Great Ice Barrier is the edge of the ice shelf that extends for hundreds of miles. It is where the glaciers that flow from the Antarctic land mass, leave and begin to float on the sea providing a cliff of ice with only very rare places where a landing is possible. These ice-cliffs prevented many of the early explorers of Antarctica from making landfall causing them to sail for days until a place could be found where a small boats crew could get ashore.

Painting by Dr. E.A. Wilson - In: "Scott's Last Expedition", 1913.

Picture courtesy NOAA