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52 Blogposts gefunden

Eissturmvögel im Kongsfjord

Heute, am ersten Tag unserer Spitzbergen-Umrundung, standen mein Bruder und ich bereits um halb sieben auf, denn schließlich wollten wir die Einfahrt in den Kongsfjord nicht verpassen! Es hat sich wirklich gelohnt, und sicher eine halbe Stunde lang fotogr

Swiss birders on the rocks: North Atlantic Odyssey 2017

Being used to cold and snow from the Swiss mountains, our team of four Swiss birders decided to book a tour with Oceanwide Expeditions in May 2017. We headed from Aberdeen, Scotland, towards the island of Spitsbergen, in the farthest north of our globe. The target species on our mind clearly was the enigmatic ivory gull as well as the polar bear. As a mountain people, of course, we were also especially curious to encounter the broad variety of marine mammals like whales, dolphins, and seals.

Under the Northern Lights of Greenland

Driving towards the port in Akureyri, I recognized Plancius from miles away. This was the ship that once took me to the end of the Earth, the ship that inspired me to give up everything back home and begin a new adventure. Now resting peacefully, she waited for her next expedition into the rough open sea. Seeing her again felt like meeting an old friend, bringing back the fascination, laughter, and epiphanies I had while sailing with her in Antarctica. Now that I was going to the northern end of the world, I couldn’t wait to be reunited. I hurried on board, eager for the adventure ahead.

Remembrance of Expeditions Past

Today I sit in the sun, thinking back on the years I spent with my Oceanwide family since my retirement in 1997. My first trips were on a little Russian vessel, Grigoriy Mikheev, which carried only 44 passengers – but a nice size for me to get to know everyone on board.

Ortelius on My Mind

Imagine having an alarm clock that didn’t wake you with the usual BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! but instead purred gently into your ear, “Good morning. This is your wake-up call. The weather is beautiful, the traffic light, and your breakfast is ready whenever you are.”

The Most Epic Journey In The World: Ross Sea Antarctica

This expedition had everything – jaw dropping landscapes, whales galore, volcanoes, ice, ice and more ice of all kinds, berg, fast, sea, pancake, brash... forever sunsets, heroes, huts and of course, penguins...

A helicopter flight over Antarctica

Dutch journalist Gemma Venhuizen embarked on the m/v Ortelius during the Weddell Sea cruise ‘In search of the emperor penguins – including helicopters’. Flying over the Antarctic Peninsula was a dream coming true.

The Antarctica State of Mind

The grandeur and wonder of Antarctica is beyond words. Staring at my screen and not knowing where to start, I took a glance at the dark grey sky and chaotic streets of Shanghai. The messiness of my life now is so far from the empty silence of Antarctica.

Wild in Antarctica

Recently, one of my best friends told me about a trip she was taking to Antarctica, which would fulfill her goal of travelling to all seven continents.

Following the tracks of Viking Explorer Fridtjof Nansen

In late August of 2016, I went on a week-long tour of East Greenland on the Rembrandt Van Rijn. The ship was originally built in the 1920's but did not feel that way. It had seen many updates but managed to maintain the original charm.

Werden wir uns wiedersehen?

Ich steige in das Flugzeug in der Hoffnung, dich hier im hohen Norden zu finden, weit weg von meinem Daheim. Lange habe ich auf diesen Moment gewartet.

Rode Island

Van 6 september t/m 23 september 2016 ben ik meegegaan met reis 30 en 31 van de Rembrandt van Rijn. We mochten genieten van een geweldige reis naar een prachtig land op het mooie Nederlandse zeilschip De Rembrandt van Rijn.

Reise in den hohen Norden

Auf einem Schiff rund um ein paar steinerne Inseln, flächenmässig etwa so gross wie die Schweiz, irgendwo in der Arktis mit 2700 Einwohnern und 3000 Eisbären, willst du dieses Jahr deine Sommerferien verbringen?

They Don’t Speak Gentoo on This Island

So what would you do with your last few hours at the end of the world? How would you spend your remaining time before sailing off into what was once marked as “Here be Dragons” territory, or possibly over the “edge” if you are of the “flat earth” persuasion?

A true polar bear special

When I look out of the window I see only ice. Floes as far as the eye can see. It is Saturday, but not your typical Saturday. This morning I woke up at 6 am and it was broad daylight and now at 11 pm it is still broad daylight.

Once in a lifetime … or …?

“Goodmoooorning folks, goodmooorning”, the voice from our expedition leader Nathan echoed through our cosy triple porthole cabin on board of The Ortelius at 05.40 a.m.

Mesmerised by the wild beauty of Svalbard

Myrtle Ryan found herself mesmerised by the wild beauty of the icy high Arctic, and the many fascinating creatures which call it home. A customer story...

"Major Tom, I wish you’d known..."

Grey sky. I wake up with a cotton-padded head: all noises and thoughts come muffled up, both from the outside and the inside. Alas, today’s plan is a hike on the tundra. Yes, we are here to explore the most characteristics aspects of Southwestern Greenland, its history and nature- and tundra definitely is one!

Kayaking the Waters of Antarctica

The weather changes so dramatically down here that you simply cannot say, "this looks like a great day" if it is one - rather you must live in the moment and perhaps a more appropriate phrase might be, "this looks like a great moment"!

A Rare Convergence of Possibilities - Crossing the Drake Passage

During an unusually calm crossing of the Drake Passage Andrew - the Expedition Leader - asked the Captain if it was possible to do a zodiac cruise. To Andrew’s delight, and then ours, the Captain gave his nod.

Ushuaia: The Little-Known History of Antarctica's Gateway

Ushuaia's official birth date is October 12, 1884. On that day, the Argentine Commodore Augusto Lasserre established the sub-division of Ushuaia as part of the South Atlantic Expedition. One year later, Ushuaia was established by decree as capital of the province of Tierra del Fuego.

Iceberg Encounters in Antarctica

When we told friends and family that we were going to Antarctica for Christmas and the New Year there were a couple of instant, if a little strange, comments. "Don't get eaten by a Polar Bear" (some education needed here) and "Aren't you worried about the icebergs" (aka the Titanic effect)?