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Disembarkation day. It was an early start, cases outside the room by 7am, out of the cabin at 8 am and ready to head onto the bus around 8.40 am. A quick tour to Camp Berantz before being dropped at the airport.
To be honest, none of us really knew what Camp Berantz was! Or why we were going there. But I have to say it turned out to be quite a special moment.
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Just about everyone we were with on our Hurtigruten’s ‘Circumnavigating Spitsbergen – In the Realm of the Polar Bear’ trip with wanted to see a polar bear. Well, of course, thats one of the main things you visit for.
But it’s definitely not as easy as you think! You can say that about most wildlife of course, it plays to its own tune and if you spot anything in the Arctic, especially in the ocean, then you are very privileged.
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What’s the first thing you think about when planning a trip to the Arctic? Most probably, will I see a Polar Bear?
What’s the second thing you think about? Which of the many trips should I go on and which am I and my party best suited to?
Both are very good questions.
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Oslo seems to have more than its fair share of them. We kicked off our trip, ultimately to circumnavigate Spitsbergen, with a short stay at The Grand, Oslo but not before an interesting beginning to our adventure…
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Very excited to hear that our film ‘It’s time to act. NOW’ has been nominated for another short film festival – Germany this time.
All you need to know follows and if you haven’t seen the film yet, then you can watch it here – it’s only 2 minutes!
We hope it’s a film that will keep giving – to those organisations that are already working on protecting the Antarctica and all that is in our Southern Ocean.
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A powerful advocate for the environment, a guardian of cultural heritage and a catalyst for change, all describe ‘Polar Art’ to me. When someone captures the stark beauty and profound significance of the Artic and Antarctic regions, it’s not just an artistic endeavour.
May seems to be the month for ‘Art Trails and ‘Open Studio’s’ across the UK and I reconnected with a fellow shipmate from our trip to South Georgia and Antarctica, Polar Artist Helen Young, at her Open Studio event as part of the Oxfordshire Art Weeks.
Come with me as I recount the experience of what I can only describe as a quintessential British garden party but with substance, in the depths of stunning countryside that is Oxfordshire.
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Hands up who knows the remarkable story of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s voyage to Antarctica on the ship Endurance? It’s the one that took place in 1914 on his endeavour to attempt the first land crossing of the Antarctic, from the Weddell Sea through the South Pole to the Ross Sea.
Remember the part where Shackleton and his men are stranded on Elephant Island? He takes a lifeboat with Frank Worsley, Tom Crean and three others battling treacherous seas and ice for 16 days and 800 miles before reaching the ‘wrong’ side of South Georgia, with mountains between them and the whaling station that could provide the help to rescue his men…
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When we think about Antarctica, what tends to come to mind are penguins, whales, seals and of course, snow and ice but unless you have been able to see it for yourself, the vastness and brutality of its stunning scenery are hard to convey in photographs and indeed through paintings.
But that’s exactly what the Friends of the Scott Polar Research Institute (FoSPRI) annual ‘Artist In Residence’ scheme looks to achieve. Each artist, will have their own unique style capturing Antarctica or the Artic in ways we would not necessarily think about and opening our eyes to new perceptions.
As an FoSPRI member, we joined a preview evening in London of the most recent work and got to speak to the artist, Polly Townsend, first hand about how she transferred her experiences to canvas…
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After the success of our short film “It’s time to act. NOW“, we didn’t want to stop there! Continuing the collaboration with the various environmental organisations, we’ve produced a short documentary film that follows my life-changing voyage to South Georgia Island and Antarctica.
Join me as I share my journey and experiences in this very visual way, demonstrating how each of us can contribute to the preservation of our environment and the eco-systems that we are both part of and dependent upon….
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Thats a very good question and scientists quite frankly are divided. I think it could be another ‘audacious goal’ but share the nervousness that, like my last week’s blog on the Arctic, we are interfering with nature and eco-systems in a big way and don’t necessarily understand yet the implications of that.
Here’s the dilemma…
Read moreZodiac cruising in the stunning Yoldiabukta #Spitsbergen The #ice cracked the sun shone but read our #polarbear adventure in my latest icy writing here: https://bit.ly/3Wpu9MG
Choosing a polar expedition cruise can be a challenge. My latest icy blog - well more about seeing #polarbear than #ice ! This might help or watch the video
https://youtu.be/zzisoGg0Knk
Zodiac Cruising in the Arctic, Circumnavigating Spitsbergen in the...
What's it like to go on a zodiac? Will I be able to get in and out of it easily, I have a knee replace...
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Beautiful #Burgerbukta in Spitsbergen held many secrets in its icy bays. Huge #glaciers #seaice & #BelugaWhales #whales #Spitsbergen
Read my latest icy blog: https://bit.ly/3Wpu9MG
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