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The Magic of Mogamat Kahn

The Magic of Mogamat Kahn

By Anton Bowring My colleagues and I have given much attention recently to the splendours of the Southern Ocean and, increasingly, to the subject of Antarctica. It is hardly surprising. It isn’t every day that one visits Antarctica (although, shortly, our visit is about to be on an all too daily basis and, for some, it will be on an annual basis). This is all well and good but there are other…

THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

Today is our 11th day at sea on the Agulhas. We are right on scheduled to complete a 13-day trip to Crown Bay from Cape Town. Considering the slight mechanical glitch our first day, I am told this is really good time. When I stood down from my bunk this morning and looked outside, hoping to see even more ice than the day before, I was disheartened by the complete lack of icy obstacles. Instead,…

It’s a Hard LIfe On Board – by Ian Prickett

It's a Hard LIfe On Board - by Ian Prickett

The great white continent is in sight and my routine is about to be shaken off. We have endured two punishing weeks at sea on board our expedition ship the SA Agulhas. Having sailed a few times now through these seas, I was looking forward to having a good old rough and tumble with the best that the Southern Ocean could throw at us. In reality I have had rougher crossings in my kayak paddling…

Pack Ice

Pack Ice

We reached the pack ice earlier this morning. If there was anyone aboard who hadn’t felt the true reality of this voyage, they have now. Stunning. Photo: Geoff Long…

That’s not an Ice Berg, that’s an Ice Cube!

That’s not an Ice Berg, that’s an Ice Cube!

A few days ago, as I awoke on our 7th day at sea, I saw a solitary Ice Berg float by my window. Thinking we had made it into the ice pack already and outside was an assembly of bergs, I took my time getting ready. When I finally made my way up the stairwell to the top deck, camera poised and ready, to my dismay, there wasn’t an Ice Berg in sight. Had I imagined it? Was I so subconsciously…

The Antarctic Circle – and other things

The Antarctic Circle - and other things

Tonight we will cross the Antarctic Circle so we can truly say that we have arrived in its waters. The sea temperature is down around +1C, the birdlife has slowly changed and the frequency of bergs has increased – we just know that we are nearing the pack-ice and the great white continent. But what is the Antarctic Circle ? For those that don’t know here is a quick insight: The world is split…

Flickr – and engine room pics

Flickr - and engine room pics

Did you know that there are nearly 200 images from the expedition to date in our Flickr gallery? To see them, click on the set of images in the bottom right hand side of any Coldest Journey web page. Images are arranged in “sets”. When you click through from the website you will initially be taken to “Recent Images”. If you want to see older photographs, click where it says By The Coldest Journey…

The bergs are getting bigger!

The bergs are getting bigger!

We passed this one just shy of 60S, the official start of Antarctica (by Geoff Long)…

Tracking

Tracking

When the Ice Team gets to Antarctica in just a few days’ time, they will spend about a week offloading the ship before the SA Agulhas and her crew wave goodbye to them for the best part of a year. Once alone, the team will be doing preparatory walks to bring their fitness levels up, provide polar experience for Spencer Smirl and Richmond Dykes (who have not been to the Antarctic before) and carry…

Mysteries of life at sea, #237.

Mysteries of life at sea, #237.

By Rob Lambert It’s not often that I take a photo of my bathroom, but I do so here to illustrate a worrying phenomenon. Apparently I’m a messy showerer. Here’s the bathroom (or head, as nautical folk call it) shared by me and my cabin-mate, Ian ‘pretty boy’ Prickett. As you can see, it has a little shower section at the far end, separated from the rest of the room by a wee tiled wall, but no…

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