Crikey, this ship/boat doesn’t have an anchor! It’ll be just like that dream I had after Bulgaria when we were racing down the hairpin bends without brakes!
But, we are reassured, there is no need to worry. This ship/boat (I haven’t found the answer to that query yet) doesn’t need an anchor. It stays in place with the latest technology, GPS, and coordinates (remember those, again from Bulgaria?).
We are sailing on a brand new Ultramarine. It’s swish, and has been designed by our tour company Quark Expeditions with Polar exploration in mind. It’s certainly a step up since our previous sailing experience with the company eight years ago. Our cabin keys have all the latest technology. Apart from opening our cabin door our ‘keys’ (similar to a credit card) slip into the sleeves of our bright yellow parkas so that we can be zapped in and out when we leave and return on board. The computer records everything, including any purchases at the onboard shop, spa treatments (no time for those with our hectic schedule), and tells those who need to know, who we are – handy if we fall overboard! That hectic schedule includes explorations, and daily lectures, presentations and recaps. If guests decide not to attend they can watch the ‘Zoom-style’ recordings on their cabin TV screens – that is, when they are not watching ice-related films.
We arrived somewhat weary into this lap of luxury after a slow journey from Toronto to Kangerlussuaq. The temperature on arrival was warmer than I expected, based on previous Arctic experiences and I didn’t need the multiple layers I had donned, together with snood and thermal hat. One can never be too sure!
Covid precautions are uppermost in the minds of the organisers. The ship is at two-thirds capacity, making room for isolation cabins if they are needed. There are around 130 guests, plus approximately 100 staff. This includes 23 people in the kitchens and many Expedition Team members who organise our every minute of the day with adventures to land or on zodiac boats to see the wildlife and icebergs. Masks are to be worn in all areas outside the cabin unless passengers are eating or drinking.
We were to find out that mask wearing was to prove quite a restriction, particularly regarding facial recognition and interaction with others. It really is difficult to recognise people time and again if their full faces cannot be seen. Additionally, the dining room has been laid out, quite sensibly, with tables of two, or four people to a table of six, for example. Where people would have interacted over a meal, for safety reasons it is better to opt for a table of two.
More emphasis on safety followed, with the mandatory zodiac and lifeboat drills within 24 hours of boarding. First up was a demonstration of the hand to wrist sailor’s grip when getting on and off the zodiacs. Next we had to return to our cabins to collect our life jackets and survival kit comprising merino wool socks, liner gloves, mittens and gloves. There was a thermal sleeping bag that accommodated our big life jacket; sun lotion, should we be stranded for some time (haven’t seen the sun for a while here); sun glasses to prevent snow blindness; a knife should we wish to gut a fish; and a whistle.
Most interesting was a 70-page Arctic survival guide advising how to create a tent out of a parachute (not sure where I will get one of those though); ground to air emergency signs comprising 18 codes to draw on the earth (an L shape indicates need for fuel and oil, two L shapes means all is well, and a square means require map and compass). I am not sure of the sign for ‘get me out of here and fast!’.
Then delving into the bottom of the kit bag I find a cup, no doubt for the Seven Oceans standard emergency ration. Goodness knows what that is but it weighs a tonne. Nine servings provide 271 calories each of wheat flour, palm fat, sugar and vitamins. Hmmm my favourite, but joking aside, we would be mighty grateful if we had to use them and with our history we don’t take that lightly. In 2018, our ship ‘Akademik Ioffe’ hit the rocks and we had to be rescued by the Canadian Coastguard from high up in the Arctic. Luckily we did not have to use the lifeboats.
The lifeboats on our ship today are very modern and can hold 85 passengers, which is pretty incredible when viewed from the outside. I think they must be double deckers.
So now we are ready to settle in with much excitement of what lies ahead, but a trip around the decks provided some extra reassurance. Spotted hidden on one of the decks was a huge anchor. The captain’s motto must be “Always pack a spare”.
Copyright: Words and photos: Sue Barnard 2022