ADVENTURE CRUISING
ANTARCTIC AFFAIRS
All landings in Antarctica are subject to strict controls and we were issued with a waterproof jacket and wellingtons to be worn at each place we visited. If you bring a backpack with you, it will be vacuumed inside and out before you land so as not to introduce any alien species to the region. Plus, all boots are disinfected before you leave the ship and hosed down on your return. You must take some form of waterproof
over-trousers with you as well as hat, gloves and thermal undergarments. And do not forget a good pair of sunglasses or ski goggles. The ship has a shop with a limited supply of warm clothes, toiletries, local souvenirs, postcards, etc. Hurtigruten are one of the most dedicated operators to preserving the environment. Everywhere you go on the ship there are four brightly-coloured containers, one each for plastic, metal, paper and glass. These are kept in the hold and stored until being disposed of at the end of the voyage. The ship has an ice-class hull to reduce the risk of grounding and oil spill. Remember, too, this really is an expedition and, because of the wind and ice conditions, landings can change. We had expected to visit Snowy Hill Island in the Weddell Sea but the ice was closing in, so the captain had to take the ship back through the Antarctic Sound to the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula and we explored other islands.
Many card and board games were up and run- ning, with people who did not share a common language but did a sense of fun and laughter. These activities took place in the large lounge, which in- cluded free coffee, tea, hot chocolate and assorted pastries and cakes 24 hours a day. It also housed the information centre, where you could follow the ship’s progress with charts and get the latest information on activities and excursions. Adjoining it were the two lecture theatres and Inter- net suite with six computers available. The Fram carried about 300 passengers on our trip, so we quickly got to know our fellow guests. There were no organised Broadway shows or films as you would expect on the larger cruise lines but we did get an excellent series of lectures on a vari- ety of polar subjects, from penguins to the history of the region’s exploration.
52 WORLD OF CRUISING I Autumn 2011
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100