Visual Journal - Greenland's Disko Bay V13

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Day 1: Kangerlussuaq 23 August 2019 - Embarkation Day In the early hours of the morning, M/V Ocean Atlantic glided the final stretch of her long passage of almost 200 km, along the Kangerlussuaq Fjord, connecting the sea beyond to the main international airport for Greenland. Here a small township nestles in the glacial hills, existing entirely to support the associated tourism that uses the airport & services the ships that sail into the nearby port. Kangerlussuaq was established by the USA as an airbase, firstly in WW2 and then further reinforced by Cold war tensions and most of the infrastructure was designed and built almost a century ago. In more recent times with the fall of the Soviet Union, its importance diminished and the population waned. While tourism and air transport keeps the town alive, plans to relocate Greenland’s air hub to the capital of Nuuk, may forever change Kangerlussuaq’s value as a destination, that supports the local economy. Port days are busy and intensely organized days for the ship’s hard-working crew. 82 guests flying in to join us from as far afield as North America, Asia and from nearby Europe, we had much to prepare to welcome them all in the best way. As the warm northern summer sun beamed down on us, we cleaned our good ship & prepared ourselves for the journey ahead. Soon enough it seemed, our guests Page 6 From the Voyage Log © Aaron Strahlke began to arrive from their airport; it’s always an exciting time to meet new faces that would share the journey with us. Ahead of us, some good days of exploring some highlights of Greenland. There was much to look forward to! While the warm afternoon sun had become the cool breezes of twilight, we made our way by zodiac from jetty to ship. With formalities completed - luggage placed in cabins, passports collected for safe-keeping, our newly arrived guests had a few moments to become accustomed to what would be their home for the next days of adventures. In the Viking Theatre, a safety drill cleared us to sail away from port, and it was already time for a social dinner in our Vinland restaurant which we enjoyed as MV Ocean Atlantic sailed for the distant horizon. After a lengthy day of travel, it was time to rest and enjoy the deep sleep that naturally follows. “ © Aaron Strahlke We can only ever experience true beauty in nature when we are brave enough to seek it out… ” As we’re on an expedition, we know full well that there are no guarantees. We are at the mercy of the weather, the wildlife, and the landscape of this cold place. But, as explorers know all too well, we can only ever experience true beauty in nature when we are brave enough to seek it out amongst the mountains and the seas in the world’s most remote places. It is with that sentiment in mind that we venture away from Kangerlussuaq and north, to the future and all the wonders it holds. 23-28 August, 2019 Volume 1, Issue 13
The Seven Sisters of Szczecin David MacDonald, Lecturer (Geology) & Expedition Guide M/V Ocean Atlantic was launched in 1986 as the last-built of the ‘Shoshtakovich’ class of icestrengthened passenger vessels, alongside six sister ships, together known as the “Seven Sisters of Szecsecin”. Her original name was Konstantin Chernenko (Константин Черненко), after the President of the USSR (1984-1985). She was renamed Russ (Русс) in 1989, and spent much of her life working in the Russian Far East. She was purchased by Albatros Expeditions and completely refitted in 2017. She is now a 200- passenger expedition vessel and is one of the strongest polar cruise ships afloat. Here are some fun facts about the “Seven Sisters”: • All seven ships were built by Stocnia Szczecinska shipyard in Szczecin, Poland between 1979-1986 • Main engines: 4 x Skoda Sulzer 6LZ40 total power 12800 kW, giving a maximum speed of 18 knots • Most of the class have one bow thruster (736 kW) and one stern thruster (426 kW); however, two ships, including ours, built in 1986, have two stern thrusters, each of 426 kW • Feature Siemens stabilisers for seaworthiness • Although built as ferries, they have a strengthened car deck for transport of tanks • Two of them had diving chambers • MV Mikhail Sholokov had hull demagnetising Page 7 equipment so it could operate in minefields • All of these ships have been scrapped except ours and Konstantin Simonov – now Ocean Endeavour Our ship has had a complex history: 1986-1987 In Baltic traffic, then Vladivostok to Japan & S Korea 1989 renamed to Russ 1997-1999 In traffic Stockholm-Riga; 2000 Odessa-Haifa; 2002 back to Vladivostok transporting cars from Japan 2007 Sold to Sea Ferry Shipping in Majuro and renamed 2010 to Atlantic; renovations in Italy and in traffic Stockholm-Helsinki-St.Petersburg during summer and laid up (October 2010) in St Petersburg 2012 Sold to ISP in Miami and renamed to Ocean Atlantic under Marshall Islands flag 2013 Used as a hotel ship in the German bight wind farm project 2015-2017 Laid up in Helsingborg and taken to Gdansk in Poland, where totally refitted 2017 Chartered to Quark Expeditions 2017-present Chartered to Albatros Expeditions. © Renato Granieri Photography 23-28 August, 2019 Volume 1, Issue 13
Page 1 and 2: 23 rd - 28 th of August, 2019 Volum
Page 3 and 4: TABLE OF CONTENTS The Voyage By the
Page 5: By the Numbers… Page 5 Voyage Sta
Page 9 and 10: What Makes an Expedition Guide? Bri
Page 11 and 12: Ice is Nice - Glacier Fun Facts Gab
Page 13 and 14: Through the Lens Gaby Pilson, Hikin
Page 15 and 16: Becoming an Expedition Guide Greger
Page 17 and 18: A Brief History of the Zodiac Steve

Visual Journal - Greenland's Disko Bay V13

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