Robot Antarctica, properly known as Aethrem is quite a long way away.. with a few side objectives on the way. There's the one advanced dragon form just south of Valterre and north of the volcano. Also unsurprisingly there's a fire shrine on the opposite bank.
Far to the south there is a second available elemental shrine. There's a wind shrine on the east coast of Rustian. Last time you went past there, you were in an escorted ship getting the slightly impolite trip to the eastern continent. But this time you should be able to give it a visit en-route.
Overall, you're going to be travelling on two ships. A small one to visit the new dragon form, and eventually hop down to Port Silver. And a larger one from Port Silver to Aethrem.. robot Antarctica. You don't have any of the meteor heartmetal they want so desperately, but you can afford a small crate of [+3] weapons, which will bring in better money down there.
The black volcanic beaches are under the black hills near the volcano. The slopes are mostly bare, covered by fast-growing ground cover, grasses, small bushes, and baby trees. But the thaumulator is clear, whatever you are looking for is on the north slope, a good two days of hiking away from the beach and up the hills. There are no notable monster encounters to be found.
You weren't sure what you were expecting at the location, but a vineyard surrounded by fields of grapes wasn't it.