ATYPICALDAY INTHE POLARREGIONS
There is really, no such thing as a typical day in the Polar regions. Individual landing locations are different every time due to weather, ice, currents or light conditions. The time in the season will affect many of these items as will it affect what is happening with the wildlife. In addition, every ship has different configurations, rules and structures. For example some ships may serve all buffet meals on board while others may serve a la cartemeals. One shipmay have you keep your expedition boots and jackets in the mud room, another in your cabin. The below example is for a two landing day, but please be aware that every day is different – if the weather is poor then there may be no landings and sometimes asmany as four landings have been achieved in a single day. 5:00am The ship has travelled overnight and you’re now over 200 km from where you watched last night’s sunset (presuming you’re in an area and time of the season where the sun does set). You’re momentarily woken by the sound of the ship’s anchor as it clanks down to the icy depths below.The captainhasanchored ina relatively shelteredbay. As youdrift back tosleepyounotice theship isnowrelatively still compared with the rhythmic rocking you experienced overnight while the ship was travelling through open water. Some passengers stir and head to the lounge for an early coffee or pre-breakfast muffin while others wander to the opendecks toset eyeson themorning’snewlocation for the first time.
7:00am - 8:00am A buffet breakfast is served and you steady yourself against the ship’smotion at the buffet table as you consider if you should take a healthy fruit salad, a full cooked breakfast or both. After filling your plate you select a table next to some of your fellow passengers –meal times areagreat timetomeetsomeofyour travellingcompanions. As you start chatting away with the people at your table the waiting staff bring you some coffee and offer you some warm toast. Once you’ve had your breakfast you return to your cabin and get ready for your first landing. 8:00am- 11:30am Leaving your cabin, youwalk down to the mud room where you get dressed in your expedition gear, put on your boots and then join the queue for a zodiac. The linemoves quickly as the zodiacs shuttle everyone back and forth. You finally come to the gangway, take a few steps and the expedition teamhelp you board the zodiac and you take your seat. Once seated you feel the sharp bite of the cold wind on your face as the zodiac accelerates towards shore. On approach a couple of penguins breach next to the zodiac, as if to provide an escort for your arrival. Elephant and fur seals laze about in small groups, occasionally looking up to observe the new visitors on their beach. From the shore you take a short ten minute walk up to a nearby hill, where you get a stunning panoramic view of the bay and all its wildlife. An hour and a half goes by before you even know it and you climb back into your zodiac and return to the ship.
11:30am - 1:30pm Returning to your cabin you keep on your expedition trousers although you swap your hardouter shell jacket for a simple fleece. Lunch is called and the expedition crew have decided to prepare a BBQ lunch on the back deck and you head down there as you’re surprisingly hungry after your morning of exploring. As you enjoy some locally inspired food, you hear the anchor raise and the ship begins tomove again. Youorder awine and sit back and relax as the ship moves along slowly in the ice wilderness to your next landing site. 1:30pm - 3:30pm After lunch you put your expedition jacket back on as you prepare to undertake another landing. This timeyouhavearrivedata researchbase. Youtakethe zodiac and on this occasion you have a dry landing at a small pier. Some team members from the base welcome you ashore and offer to give you a tour of the base. Your host shows you through the base’s living areas and you get a feel for the life of a scientist at this base. They also show you some of the research projects that they are currently working on and explain the ramifications of their research. Finally you return to the ship oncemore. 3:30pm - 7:00pm Back on board the ship the expedition crew announce that there will be no more landings for the day so you head to your cabin and change out of your expedition gear. Some people head to the library to read or sit on the deck with a drink and some snacks as the ship begins tomoveagain. Oneof theexpedition teampresentsa
lectureonAntarctichistory in the lecture roomfor those that are interested. Around6:00pmtheshipcomes intodramatic scenery and an abundance of wildlife. Everyone heads out to the outer decks and as the ship moves on whales are witnessed breaching on the one side of the ship. On the other side of the ship a seal glances up from an ice floe as the ship passes by. As the ship progresses the sun drops in the sky and brilliant pink and orange hues light up the sky at the end of the channel. You look around as everyone gasps with wonder, the snaps of cameras crescendo as the ship passes through the end of the channel and the multi- coloured sky opens up in an iceberg littered bay. Everyone reluctantly leaves theopen decks as the sun disappears and the temperature drops. 7:00pm - 8:30pm Dinner is soon called and you sit down to an a la carte dinner. The ship sets course for its new location the next day. While waiting for your meals you trade images on your camera with your fellow passengers and talk about everything that you’ve seen during the day. You choose a chocolate mud cake dessert which is delicious. After dinner some people go to an evening lecture on the wildlife whilst others watch a movie on TV, head to the expedition lounge bar for some drinks or retire to the library to read a book. Everyday is different on a Polar cruise, with many special opportunities waiting to be experienced. Start planning your cruise today and contact us formore information onwhat to expect andwhat we can offer you as the Polar specialists.
18
19
Made with FlippingBook Publishing Software