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Image: Anton Chekalin via English Russia

The picture above is not a stairway to heaven but the wind whispering through a Russian water well. Photographer Anton Chekalin visited the Russian Novolazarevskaya Antarctic Station in November of 2007 and made some absolutely stunning photographic discoveries.

The following is an eye-catching picture that one can look at for quite some time and still not be sure which way is up and which down. The area is called Schirmacher Oasis and is located in Queen Maud Land in Eastern Antarctica. With 35 square metres, it is Antarctica’s smallest oasis, yet it contains more than 100 freshwater lakes.

Image: Anton Chekalin via English Russia

Because of its close proximity to the coast and a 100 m-high plateau shielding it from inland ice flowing north, the climate at the Schirmacher Oasis is milder than in surrounding areas. This fact makes the oasis a favorite with Adélie penguins that often migrate here for up to two months. Talk about a summer vacation!

Image: Art-top

The Russian station Novolazarevskaya has been in the Antarctic since 1959; in close proximity to Schirmacher Oasis as it protects from icy drifts. About 5 km away is the Indian Maitri station. Who says that only desert oases would get crowded?

For more absolutely stunning pictures visit English Russia or see Anton Chekalin’s portfolio.

Source: 1, 2

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