Fred's Logbook
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| Date / Time: 2017-12-17 22:41:44 | Voyage from: to | ETA: |
| Fred-Report: Dear friends I am back on the southern continent! It’s been a while but I can finally say I am exploring Antarctica again, this time onboard of Hurtigruten’s MS Midnatsol! I am still together with Tom who is now a lecturer on board talking about expedition history and doing daily activity briefings. We are both equally exited to be here again as we have a special bond with this remote continent. No matter how many times you go to Antarctica, every time feels like the first time and no trip is alike. The landscapes are impressive and like nothing else on this world. The wildlife is spectacular and unique and the activities we do are adventurous and challenging. I will be joining Tom on 7 expeditions with 2 different companies and ships that will start in Chile and Argentina, to Antarctica and visiting the Falkland islands on the way back. We just did our first trips and it was more than amazing! The first time I set foot on Antarctica again, I could barely contain my excitement. I jumped around in the snow and made snow angels!  There are now 380 passengers onboard the Midnatsol that are realizing the dream of exploring this place. They come from many different countries and speak many different languages. They all expect something from this experience and want to do many different things. Some go hiking, some go kayaking, some go snowshoe hiking and some go camping! Here I am with Tom, setting up the replica of Roald Amundsen’s South Pole tent to commemorate the 107th anniversary of him reaching the pole:   Since it is the start of the tourist season here in Antarctica, there are not many other ships around yet and there is extra untouched snow at the landing sites. When we have sunny weather, the snow and ice reflects the light and everything is so pure and bright, it feels like being in a Dream!  )During my first weeks here down south, we have seen many animals that were very impressive. This is the time of the year that the bigger species of whales come closer to the shore for feeding and therefore it is possible to spot humpback whales very close to the ship:  The favorite animal of all will of course always be the penguin that is very cute and entertaining to watch. They way they walk and slide in the snow is really funny and you can watch it for hours. Here are some Adelie Penguins we spotted at the Polish Arctowski station:  On the way back from Antarctica, when we go pick up new explorers, we always try to have a look at the legendary Cape Horn. Since it is very exposed, the wind and waves are too strong to go on land so we usually look at it from the ship. However, a few says ago, the weather was calm enough for us to actually try to do a landing and we succeeded! I am more than proud to say I have stood at the famous Cape horn, although “standing” is a big word, because the wind was still so strong, I could not even stay up for a picture at the Albatross Monument!  I am looking forward to sharing my upcoming Antarctic season with you all and I have a feeling this mysterious place has some cards up its sleeve for me… Stay tuned for the updates and talk to you soon! Fred Photos | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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