Welcome back to the Northern Hemisphere!

The last days have been relaxed and not relaxed, they have been busy and not busy, everything at the same time. It is difficult to explain, but the time passed by very fast during our holidays here on board.

As the weather was still fine we spent a lot of time outside on the open deck. Everybody found his more or less private place. But we had also a little program. We had lectures about the Atlantic, a photo workshop, we participated in a crew drill, we got our Equator certifications, we played table tennis and enjoyed our fitness times in the gym. We cooked with our chef a tasty “Orange carrot soup” and together with the expedition team we baked waffles for the crew. The crew was so nice to share the waffle later on with us. Look at the following pictures and you can see how much fun we had.

We crossed the line!

In the early morning at 5.54.15h we crossed the Equator. The officer blew the ships horn and so nobody could miss this moment.

At 14.00h we expected Neptune and his entourage and they came in time. After they were welcomed by our Captain the baptism ceremony could start directly.

First the passengers were baptized. Neptune made the decision that water and ice should be enough for the nice guests on board. But that was not the right baptism for crew and workers on board. Neptune recognized even that we had some guests which needed the stronger version of the baptism. And what was the stronger version? Fish soup, row eggs, hot chili bread and egg foam. But the pictures will give you all in the World Wide Web the right impression of this traditional seamen ceremony.

We ask for permission

During the next two days we will be more or less focused on the Equator crossing and the Equator baptism celebration. But of course there was also something else going on.

During the morning hours we passed Fernando de Noronha, a Brazilian Archipelago app. 354 km (220nm) offshore from the coast of Brazil. We had to stay in a distance from 12 nm and it was a little bit misty, but we could see the islands nevertheless quiet well. From 2014 onward FRAM will stop there and we will have the possibility for a visit.

In the afternoon we all met with our Captain Rune Andreassen on deck 7 to ask King Neptune for the permission to cross the equator. The Captain hold a little speech and then he throw the letter to King Neptune with the list of all guests, workers and crew they have not been baptized before into the ocean.

Those who have been baptized before had to show their certificate at the reception. Everything was under best control.

At 17.55 we got via deep sea ocean mail Neptune’s permission to cross the line. Let us see what the next day will bring.

After dinner the group games like chest, table tennis and foo ball were going further on. The tropical temperatures made it possible to sit on the open decks until late in the night.

Sailing in good company

During the last two days we were sailing through a zone with upwelling waters and as we had a little more wind at the same time we were companied by more sea birds, Masked Boobies, Brown Boobies and Frigate Birds. It was so nice to watch them when they were diving for fishing or catching the flying fish. But it was also very interesting to see how the Frigate Birds used the Masked Boobies as their slaves. They developed a special technic to get the fish the Boobies caught before.

It was so hot outside that we could not sit there the whole day. Most of us used the opportunity to listen to another lecture, this time about the marine ecosystem, between. The crew had to listen to another lecture in the second lecture hall. Every morning they are taught in another topic, by the ship’s doctor, the 1.Officer or Safety Officer. So the crew is really busy the whole day with their maintenances and school lessons.

 

The evenings we spent outside on the open decks, enjoying the BBQ and talking to the other passengers. That was also the time when the crew started to relax. It was wonderful to see how much fun they had in the evenings with their Karaoke singing, group games or only sitting in the bar, feeling a little bit like passengers, as they do not have this possibility on other cruises.

A South Atlantic greeting from an Irishman on Saint Patrick’s Day

“Here on the good ship ‘Fram’ everything is relaxed and friendly, with first names being the order of the day amid the total informality of this South Atlantic crossing. As the only Irishman aboard, it was a total coincidence that I was asked to write this on Saint Patrick’s Day. From a long line of Irish writers such as Shaw, Yeats, Behan, Binchy, O’Brien and many more, I regret that I am not one but I am lucky to know Hurtigruten and the wonderful ships in it’s fleet.

My favorite time is at Christmas and I have sailed north from Bergen to Kirkenes many times along the beautiful coast of Norway, and in case you missed something you get a second chance going south! Having experienced ‘Vesterålen’, ‘Nordlys’, and ‘Midnatsol’, the youngest member of the fleet ‘Fram’ has more than fulfilled my expectations. Although the temperature on the outside decks may be different, inside the warm friendly atmosphere is the same whether in Norway or South Atlantic.

I see in contrast that ‘Fram’ displays as an ‘explorer’, from the daily work schedule of the other ships which service the ports on the beautiful coast of Norway. I am delighted to be amongst the lucky passengers to experience the great voyage back to Europe. See you next Christmas!”

Mike O’Neill

We have started to relax!

Time is passing by very fast. After four days at sea we feel like home on our ship MV FRAM. The weather is wonderful. The wind is blowing more or less in a gentle breeze and the temperatures reach around 9am already 27 degree Celsius. Just the right conditions to sit outside in the sun only dreaming or relaxing with a nice book.

But we have a little program on board too. We had a first lecture about seabirds and we met the Navigation Officer Clyde on the bridge. We enjoyed his talk and we are happy that we can come back during the trip to get more information.

In the evenings we had the famous BBQs again. Here already a big thank you to the crew. They are working hard during the day but they have always a big smile for us.

The evenings we spent together with the crew in the bar on deck 7. There was Karaoke singing and on Saturday evening we had a “Disco Night”. It was nice to see how the crew enjoys the free evenings. We ourselves need perhaps a little bit longer tom participate really. But it is already fun to watch only.

As everybody from us is not used to so much fresh air most of us go to bed early. But this is also part of our relaxing program.

A first day at sea

When we woke up in the morning we were sailing already in the South Atlantic. In a distance of 12nm we passed Uruguay. Like a shadow at the horizon we had a last possibility to see land. Only some hours later there was no land to see anymore. Now our real crossing started.

At 11h the captain and his officers welcomed us in the bar on deck 7. It has been more a very informal talk as the officers changed their uniform against private clothes. And that will stay like this until we will reach Las Palmas.

Just after lunch we got our first possibility to visit the bridge. The Captain himself gave us an overview over his bridge equipment. During our crossing we will have more chances to come back. Than we will meet the Navigation Officer Clyde and we will give us more information about the ship. We are looking forward to these special lessons already.

The rest of the day we made ourselves familiar with the ship. And in the evening we enjoyed our first BBQ on the open deck. Today it was still a little bit fresh, but we can be sure that this will change during the next days.

Let’s start the Atlantic crossing!

During the last night we sailed through the Rio de la Plata and reached Buenos Aires around 8:00h. Here we had to change our passengers again. Our last cruise from Ushuaia via the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands came to its end. And here in Buenos Aires the Antarctic season ended too. And we can say we can look backwards over a successful Antarctic season. We had the feeling that our passengers enjoyed all the different trips we offered and we hope that they are still happy with all their impressive experiences they got here on board MV FRAM. Hopefully we will see many of them back on board at any time.

During the late morning our new incoming passengers arrived. They came for a very special voyage – the Atlantic Crossing – a trip from Buenos Aires to Las Palmas. A relaxing trip with 15 full sea days. Our view will go from horizon to horizon, doesn’t matter in which direction we are looking. Amazing. The right trip to calm down and relax. We are only a small group so it will be perhaps a little bit like a family trip.

The sun was shining when we set sail under a clear blue sky. Let’s see what the next days will bring to us.