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CRUISES
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CRUISES : CRUISING THE FROZEN WILDERNESS by Winnie Graham   Icebergs the size of houses floated across the sea, whales flicked their tails and thousands of penguins congregated on the snowy reaches of the Antarctic Peninsula.This was our first view of “frozen wilderness” – a place visited by fewer than 250,000 people since humankind first reached the icy wasteland at the bottom of the world. The opportunity of seeing Antarctica came via Princess Cruises which this year took some 2,600 passengers on the luxurious Golden Princess to the Southern Ocean. The voyage was controversial. Some described it as “the start of a new era in the commercial exploitation of the Great White South” and predicted disaster. Surely a ship as large as the Golden Princess – the largest ever to cruise to the Antarctica – would run into trouble there? In fact, it was a magical experience that went off without a hitch. Most of the passengers and crew spent the four days along the coast of Antarctica warmly wrapped on the deck, braving icy winds and occasional snow to watch the scenery unfold among the islands and coastline. It was a trip of a lifetime for many. The majority were ordinary people who dreamed of seeing the frozen desert made famous by explorers such as Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole, Robert Falcon Scott who died in his attempt, and Ernest Shackleton whose adventures are legendary. Now, as we approached Antarctica, everyone was on deck to witness our arrival. The passengers had spent days preparing for the frozen wilderness. They wanted to see all they could of the continent. That first view was as stark as it was beautiful. There was no relief from the white and black images, no vestige of green, no tree-lined hills. The snow covered slopes looked perfect skiing terrain, but all ended in the icy ocean. The skies were grey, the ocean almost black. Albatrosses and petrels swooped above the vessel. On board a lone voice from the bridge provided viewers with a commentary detailing pertinent facts… The passengers seemed in harmony with the frozen wilderness. Few spoke. Snow and mist initially made photography difficulty, but the second morning dawned clear. As the vessel cruised through Bransfield Strait to the Antarctic Sound, she slowed down to around 7 knots an hour. We were in “iceberg alley” surrounded by an array of oddly shaped chunks of ice, some gigantic, others fragmented, many blue. Was this the result of global warming – or just the natural shedding of ice off the huge sheet that covers the continent? Now we were less than two kilometres from shore and within easy radio contact with the Argentinian Esparanza research station. There were other humans within striking distance after all! We stood on deck all day, retreating indoors only occasionally for a warm drink or a meal. There was not a second to be lost. At about 3 pm we entered Admiralty Bay – and had guests. Four Polish researchers came on board from the Arclowski Base to give passengers a brief insight into life on the Antarctic. They left 40 minutes later armed with a few supplies from the ship. The Golden Princess continued its journey ever southwards. The snow-covered peaks along the Gerlache Strait were etched against a blue sky, dramatic sentinels on a stretch of water so calm we could take pictures of their reflection in the ocean. As the vessel picked its way among the icebergs (apparently only 20% of an iceberg is visible above the waterline), cameras clicked constantly. Every angle presented a new image. The beauty was heady, the air so crisp and clean that breathing deeply became pure pleasure. We reached Flanders Bay (latitude 65) by 10 am on February 2 – the most southerly point of the Princess’ operational area. It was time to turn back. But there was still more to come – with the scenery more starkly dramatic each day. Deception Island must rank as the highlight of an incredible journey, for the weather was still and passengers on both sides of the ship could see the huge penguin colonies on the coast. Once again humpback and southern right whales surfaced in the water nearby and albatrosses and petrels followed in our wake. We were some 1500 kms from the South Pole, cruising among the most beautiful scenery in the world – a wonderland of snow-capped mountains, glaciers and the huge continental ice sheet As we headed towards the South Shetland Islands, it was necessary to make a diversion. A Norwegian cruise ship had run aground in Maxwell Bay, and though the passengers had been airlifted to safety, some 43 crew members from the Nordkapp remained at Bellinghausen Base. The Golden Princess was asked by the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators to pick up the group. The rescue was watched by passengers who cheered loudly as they were brought safely on board, with the ship now heading towards Drake Passage and Cape Horn. Again, the history learned as a schoolgirl many years ago came crowding back. It was Magellan who first successfully rounded the treacherous tip of south America in 1520 – and that in a tiny wooden craft. Then came the first Englishman, Sir Francis Drake, who returned to Britain after circumnavigating the globe. Today there is a memorial on a hill at Cape Horn commemorating the hundreds of men who through the centuries have died in the Straits of Magellan, an area known as “the mariners graveyard.” How weirdly wonderful it was to stand on deck and see the actual area where those heroic sailors battled wild seas to round the Cape. We were lucky. The sea was not particularly rough and we were cosseted within a stabilised giant cocoon where fine wines were served with great meals. If the spirits of those ancient mariners were around, they would have marvelled at our vessel. Instead, we looked out at the inhospitable jagged coastline and wondered at the bravery of those long dead sailors. Smaller ships carrying fewer passengers have been visiting Antarctica for years at considerable cost. Princess Cruises has brought the Antarctica within reach of a wide range of environmentally interested people – and revealed the majesty of the white desert without anyone setting foot on the continent. Photo: courtesy Stewart Graham For further information, in Africa, call Discover the World Marketing in Johannbesburg at 011 27 11 289-8111 or email: jnb@dtwm.co.za |
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