Sunday 27 February 2011

Smooth Sailing


Early birds were rewarded with a beautiful sunrise
During the night it was a bit bumpy, but by breakfast time the FRAM was riding smoothly with following seas in bright sunlight. In the morning and afternoon we attended introductory lectures on Antarctica, its climate and ice conditions. In the afternoon our German speaking passengers received their IAATO briefing addressing proper behavior and boat safety procedures for our upcoming landings in Antarctica.


IAATO stands for International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators. All members commit to follow common guidelines in order to preserve the pristine wildlife and nature of this unspoiled place. For example minimum distances of 5 meters must be kept when observing penguins and boots must be washed and disinfected before each landing.

On deck in the morning and later in the evening our photographer Simon showed us how to take advantage of the features built into our cameras. We should now be able to take action photos of the birds gliding alongside the FRAM as we head south.