In terms of life onboard, I wasn’t sure what to expect when we booked this trip. The only reason we picked the Vavilov was that the departure date suited our holiday dates. As it turns out we couldn’t have picked a better ship if we’d tried. This ship was built by the Russians for scientific exploration of the Arctic and Antarctic. As such it has a reinforced hull and superb stabilisers. Nice to know since I’m looking out the window at some massive icebergs. We had 40-45 knots of wind last night and while it was rolling a bit, not enough to make the majority of people sick. The fact that the ship is small, in cruise ship terms, means that we can get into coves and bays that the larger ships have to sail past. (Not that we’ve actually seen any other vessels – apart from some crazy people in a yacht near South Georgia).
The Mud Room -where we get to put on sexy green wellies, wet gear and life jackets.
Life boat – smaller inside than it looks
There are 86 passengers, 16 expedition staff, about 30 Russian crew looking after food, cleaning, maintenance and sailing the ship. There are also about 10 scientists on board. They work in the lab and on the bridge. The passenger fees cover the cost of the scientific work on board. What this work is, is anybody’s guess. From the bridge they seem to be documenting numbers of whales, albatross etc. The lab guys are looking at water temperature and other stuff they don’t discuss.
There are at least 5 Zodiacs on board. These are large inflatables we use to get from ship to shore. We also use them for coastal trips when it is not possible to dock. The drivers are really well skilled and are flexible about stopping for us to take photos.
The bar – usually empty except during happy hour
The Bridge – great spot for whale watching
We have a couple of days and nights at sea between each destination and I can’t believe how quickly this time passes. Apart from 3 excellent meals a day, there is happy hour in the bar before dinner, and there is always a card game in the bar after dinner. Mostly played by the Aussies as they seem to have better lasting power than the rest of us, including the small number of Irish on board.
During the day there are usually at least 2 lectures in the Presentation room. These are given by the Expedition staff and cover the fauna and flora of our next destination. Before we got to South Georgia, there were a number of talks given and documentaries shown about Shackleton and his adventures. I been giving all of the above a miss. I’ve read just about everything there is on Shackleton, seen all the documentaries, and David Attenborough has kept me well informed on the flora and fauna. However, I have been attending all the lectures on photography. Having said that you might be expecting some amazing photos on the blog. Unfortunately, theory and practice are still miles apart for me.
There is the oddest mix of people on board. For instance, some people are only here for bird watching and know nothing about the great days of Polar exploration. One such bird watcher asked me if I followed Shackleton all around the world. I explained as best I could that sadly, he is dead, and anyway, only ever explored the Antarctic!! Other folk only seem to be here because it is “a destination” and they have pots of money for travelling. And then of course there are those, like Margaret and I, who have long dreamed of (and saved for) this trip. Mostly people are decent and friendly and while they don’t have the adventurous spirit of the people I met on the Arc, are none the less ok to be with.
How else do we fill our days? I’m not sure, but time is disappearing fast just the same. There is a gym on board – but I’ve not used it. We have made great use of the sauna though. It’s piping hot and great for easing up tired legs after a day on-shore. There is a really well stocked library – all you ever wanted to know, and more, about all things Polar. You can also go up on the bridge for a fantastic view of wildlife, ice bergs etc.
Just to finish up. While it is not strictly to do with life onboard, I have to mention the kayakers. Margaret opted for kayaking, without really knowing what would be involved. A brave move and one that has really paid off. They get to kayak whenever the ship is at anchor and can get into areas the rest of us can’t. But the reason I am mentioning them in this blog is that I think they are some kind of a secret society. They have meetings that none of the rest us are invited to, are always first off the ship (without having to queue) and they even have meetings on days when we are at sea and there will not be any kayaking!! I wonder what that’s all about?