Calm Seas

Fram's Chief Baker, Elmer starts his day early and continues to prepare the breads for the dining room through the day.  A varied choice, fresh out of the oven, always ready.

 Baker Elmer starts his day early, and continues to prepare the breads for the dining room through the day. There is always a varied choice fresh out of the oven.

For the crew there was a Safety Drill. Today a simulated fire. This was a practice for all aspects of handling such a situation on board. And a great picture opportunity for the ship’s photographer!

A flat calm day at sea, made for a comfortable progress towards home territory for Hurtigruten. We even enjoyed the company on deck of a cute fledgling finch. After a day of lectures and relaxing for the passengers, we crossed into Norweigan waters shortly after sunset.

Boarding in Hamburg

The huge inner city redevelopment of Hafen City is the location of a new cruise terminal on the Elbe. Here old and new rub shoulders. A mix of glass, steel, open terraces and gardens and the historic. Traditionally the church of seamen, St. Catherine’s Church dating from the 13th Century is one of the oldest buildings remaining. The port has been a vital source of income since those merchant days of the Hanseatic League.

Hamburg has a number of significant buildings in a wide range of styles, one from classical modernism is the Chilihaus, completed in 1924. An easy walk from Fram this extraordinary office block is shaped as an ocean liner using almost 5 million dark Oldenburg bricks. On Germany’s list as a potential submission for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List it was commissioned by Shipping magnate Henry B. Sloman after making his fortune trading saltpeter from Chile. Hence the name.

Arriving guests strolled up the terminal gangway to check in, collect their jackets and find their way around before the Safety Drill. Explanation of Fram’s safety equipment and procedures are tannoyed from the bridge. Off in the fading light of the day, a toast at the Captain’s Welcome, then next stop Norway.

Photocall

Expedition Team standby Deck 2. On this occasion not for a Polar Cirkle landing but for a photocall. A shot of the team is always included in the CD log compiled for each cruise. Thus guests can leave with a record of their journey – maps, daily programmes, nautical mileage and more.

Passing through the Straits of Dover early in the day, we continued into the North Sea. A varied schedule of subjects were presented in lectures.

Tessa led passengers on a navigation of the montage depictions of the three Polar voyages of the original Fram. These are on the Deck 4 Museum walls alongside original artefacts from her exploration, kindly loaned by the Fram Museum in Oslo.

The Captain bade farewell at his Cocktail Reception before dinner. Bjorn ready to play the night away, a chance to dance.

Honfleur

The French harbour of Honfleur has evolved from Medieval fortress, through important commercial port during the Epic Maritime Period, to being a place for painters and the birthplace of Impressionist Art in the 19th century.

Central is the Vieux Bassin, an attractive inner harbour edged by wood framed buildings constructed at a time when the area was surrounded by forests. Maritime history here is closely connected to the great discoveries and the search for new trade routes. This was the point from which many navigators started including the 1608 expedition of Samuel de Champlain.

The Lieutenance is the only building remaining of the medieval fortified town. From the end of the C17th until the French revolution it was used as a lodging for the King’s Lieutenant.

Place Sainte-Catherine has always been a market area, and was traditionally occupied by sailors and therefore highly populated. Its church is a unique timber framed basilica. In 1468 the first nave, then in 1488 a second identical one were built. The central colonnade is of entire oak trees. An 18m square bell tower stands adjacent.

A guided walking tour of the city also spent time perusing the paintings in the Boudin Museum. After lunch on board, excursions drove out of town in two directions. North along the coast Expedition Leader Karin took walkers amidst the dramatic scenery of Etratat. In the opposite direction, a visit to the elegant seafront town of Deauville. The boardwalks on the white sand give the public beach its name Les Planches. Somewhat deserted today in the wind, the bathing huts are for hire. In line with the glamour of the resort, each cubicle is named after a Hollywood filmstar of old.

 On the return, drive through rural Auge, a chance to taste Cider and Calvados produced at a local farm. Its buildings of the style typical of the region.

A Change of Plan ...

Dropping anchor off Sark, not far from Creux Harbour, a grey dawn turned into bright sunshine. Sadly the wind and sea conditions were not safe enough to transfer to this stunning small island. Instead we headed on for our next call to Guernsey.

Arriving at the east coast town of St. Peter Port luck changed. Castle Cornet dating to the13th Century stands guard over the deep natural harbor.  All who wished were able to enjoy extra time exploring this charming capital. First timers impressed with the ease of getting in and out of Polar Cirkle boats both from Fram’s platform and at the quayside.

Buildings are stacked up on the steep hillside from where, on such a clear day, there were great views back to Sark and its neighbours Herm and Jethou.

Starting off in perfect afternoon weather, those on the Island Drive excursion had perfect panorama’s. Heading south from the harbour the road’s steep twisting incline is used for vehicle hill races. From this route there were clear views back to Sark and its neighbours Herm and Jethou. Heading on around the island anti-clockwise the chatty driver guides brought the Island history, sights, traditions and current trades to life.

Some explored independently, others joined a local guide on a walking tour to hear the history of the town and Castle Cornet, stopping for refreshment in the fortress itself.  By late afternoon rainy mizzle had set in, so it was no hardship to return to the ship to enjoy the Filipino buffet and Fram crew show.

At Sea to Sark

Heading for the Channel Islands, the day started bright. A day for puzzles, lectures from the Expedition Team, postcard writing or just plain watching the sea.

Alternating with the seated dinners everyone was introduced to tomorrow’s destination, the UK Channel Islands, and safety on the Polarcirkle boats. Tendering is needed to reach shore tomorrow.

In the meantime, galley crew were unloading a large block of ice from the freezer. Carried to the Panorama Lounge, this was for Leo from the galley to carve at the Fruit and Ice Show. The man with the chisel is the only one who ever knows what subject will evolve from the block. Leo was joined by Lito making birds and flowers from fruit and vegetables, and Julius Michael modelling cake decorations in marzipan. Tonight it was a swan that emerged from the ice. Returned to the freezer the bird will feature as a decoration in the dining room tomorrow, before melting away. 

Special Bridge for a Special City

A Pilot came aboard at 0230 for navigation of the Garonne River, arriving in Bordeaux city centre before daybreak. The clay and gravel mix of soils on the starboard side approaching the city give excellent growing conditions for the production of its renowned full bodied red wines. It was to chateaux in this area that guests enjoyed wine tastings following a panoramic guided tour of the UNESCO listed urban ensemble of buildings.

As the coaches left to take those morning excursions the Sunday market stallholders were setting up on the quayside. Many speciality foods are sold here each week, to eat on the spot or to take home. Oysters from the local farms are available in several sizes. Offering tastings, such a farm was the last stop on an option to visit the Bay of Archachon and walk up the Pyla sand dune, the highest in Europe at 105m.

The same crane that lifted a barrel of Cognac off the deck of Fram, also handled the external gangway needed due to the tidal variation at the Quai Louis VIII. This very special Cognac was distilled using melted ice water from the Poles, carried for a year on Fram, north over the Arctic Circle, then south over the Equator crossing the Antarctic Circle before returning to Bordeaux to be bottled.

Named after Jacques Chaban-Delmas, Mayor of Bordeaux from 1947 to 1995, the late afternoon riverside was lined with spectators who stopped their promenade to watch Fram leave under their brand new bridge. Inaugurated in March, the largest lift bridge in Europe is 117 metres long, with a central span rising to a height of 53 metres.

Out on the Bay of Biscay

With plenty to entertain, this was a day at sea crossing the Bay of Biscay. Dolphins joined us more than once, racing to keep up. Several main rivers of France and Spain drain into this large gulf including the Garonne, our destination for tomorrow.

Chelsea, the ship’s photographer, put her camera down to offer advice on photo technique by means of a Lecture. Other subjects for the day were the Stone Age, the birth of Gothic Architecture in Europe and the relationship between Wine and Soil.

At afternoon tea time the ever popular Waffles were made and served in the Panorama lounge. Pianist Bjorn played and it seems he soothed the waves as by the evening the sea was like a lake.

Presented after dinner this evening, and always modelled by the Officers and Expedition Team the Fashion Show of each cruise shows off the clothes and accessories found in the shop. Clarice dresses the models and fortunately amongst the styles many shapes, sizes and colours are available. Something for all – the long, the short, the skinny and the not so!