Water's Three States in an Antarctic Traveler's Mind

Antarctica Ahoy by Juhan Smuul (1922-1971) is a remarkable travel book in the context of Estonian literature as well as in the framework of the literary treatment of the polar areas. The diary of a voyage from the Baltic Sea to the coast of Antarctica, a two-month stay on the sixth continent, and the passage back to Europe via Australia and Africa, the book also illuminates the author's most intimate symbols, beliefs, and aspirations. This study focuses on the images of water in its fluid, solid, and vaporous forms in Antarctica Ahoy, pointing out some of the culture-specific features of experiencing and conceptualizing water in extreme environments, emphasizing the perspectives of a Baltic writer and researcher.