Welcome to Our Blogs from the Polar Regions

By admin
January 1st, 2008 | 11:17 am
Categories: An Introduction

We are blogging from our vessels, providing you with first hand accounts of our voyages. The blogging began with the Maiden Voyage to the North Pole of the world’s largest icebreaker 50 Years of Victory. (That’s Victory to the left, as she pulled out of Murmansk harbour at midnight!)

We encourage you to post your comments and questions, and we’ll do our best to have our bloggers answer them. But remember, because we operate in remote areas, with limited connectivity, there will inevitably be time delays! To begin reading the blog that interests you, click on a category to the left.

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Parka Politics – All Zipped Up

By admin
February 8th, 2010 | 6:08 am
Categories: End of Era

“I think this kind of location is perfect for building those kinds of frank conversations.”

CTV was quoting Jim Flaherty, the Canadian Finance Minister. Flaherty was explaining why the Arctic was a good choice for a G7 summit. According to the report, the G7 ministers left their ties at home, sat around a fireplace and chatted. Rather than heart to heart, I imagine the talks were ledger to ledger.

Our End of the Era expeditions to the Canadian Arctic foster heart to heart talks. The intimacy of traveling with a small group. The beauty of the landscape. Strolls across the tundra in daylight at midnight. Romance is everywhere, if you are open to it. Our Northwest Passage expedition cruise in July 2010 may be the ticket to re-ignite passion.

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Private Jet Transportation – OMG!

By admin
February 4th, 2010 | 8:43 am
Categories: End of Era

BaffinTomArbanThe Arctic Circumnavigation expedition, just may be the ultimate End of an Era cruise. 66-days – countless uninhabited and seldom-visited Arctic islands. One fabulous icebreaker. Helicopters – on board for aerial sightseeing - and that’s included in the cost of the voyage.

But it could be better…what if you added private jet transportation from your home airport to Anchorage, Alaska – and back? You can do it. Our Flight Services Team works with Air Parnter, a private jet charter firm.

Can it get better than that? Yes it can. Because if you charter a private jet, you can stop over en route. Let’s say you live in Washington, DC. You could fly to Seattle or San Francisco or Vancouver and spend a few days exploring the city and getting over your jet lag. Then refreshed, you could continue your flight to Anchorage, where Arctic Circumnavigation begins. It’s just a thought!

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More Cabins Available on Arctic Circumnavigation

By admin
February 3rd, 2010 | 10:27 am
Categories: End of Era
Reindeer Herder's Hut, Russian Arctic
Reindeer Herder’s Hut, Russian Arctic

Continuing to keep our promise to alert you to significant changes in our End of an Era program, we announce that cabins have come available for the Arctic Circumnavigation. We were moments from a sell out yesterday. So we reviewed the situation, and found a cabin or two we could release for sale.

This 66-day epic expedition begins and ends in Anchorage, Alaska. The last time Quark Expeditions completed a full circumnavigation of the Arctic was more than 10 years ago. Remember, we’ll never do it again with Kapitan Khlebnikov, as the icebreaker retires as an expedition vessel in 2012.
From July 10 to September 13, 2011, only 112 people can attest that they are participating in the End of an Era circumnavigation of the Arctic. A deposit of $2,000 per person is required, but that holds your berth until final payment is due in April 2011. If once-in-a-lifetime is your criterion for travel, don’t miss this expedition cruise.

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Ross Sea Dreams

By admin
February 2nd, 2010 | 8:57 am
Categories: End of Era

Leeth-H-1016-3079.TIFOne of our travelers has an interesting blog in which she wonders if the next visit to the ice should be the Ross Sea?

Most definitely we say, because Kapitan Khlebnikov is sailing the Ross Sea only twice in the next two years, and one of the voyages is completely sold out!  The voyage available is called the Ross Sea. We didn’t want to make it too difficult to identify, she writes, smiling.

Our Ross Sea voyage is in 2011, and it is the penultimate expedition for Khlebnikov. Sailing in the Ross is a challenge. There is plenty of pack ice, and leads are few. As a matter of fact, a couple of years ago, Khlebnikov, with guests on board, was asked to assist a ship carrying supplies to McMurdo that couldn’t reach its destination.

The special guest on that voyage is Nigel Watson. Nigel is Executive Director of New Zealand’s Antarctic Heritage Trust. He is the man responsible for preserving the historic huts in the Ross Sea sector. There was no one more appropriate for our voyage that marks the centennaries of Amundsen and Scott.

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Tanquary Fjord – An Arctic Travelog

By admin
January 28th, 2010 | 4:58 pm
Categories: End of Era
Tanquary Fjord
Tanquary Fjord

Have you been thinking of keeping the BBC Film Crew company on our End of an Era expedition to Tanquary Fjord? Then you should watch our Arctic Travelog about Tanquary Fjord. The two part presentation was created by Rich Lowenberg, a young photographer and media consultant, who sailed aboard Kapitan Khlebnikov, a couple of years ago.

That was the same voyage on whichYann Martel – of Life of Pi fame – sailed. We would love to start a rumour that his next best seller will be set on Khlebnikov, but it wouldn’t be true. What is true?  You just do not know who you will meet on an icebreaker expedition. Something else that is true is that Ang Lee will direct the film version of Life of Pi. The movie is currently scheduled for release in 2011.

Author Jennifer Niven is launching her new book this week. She sailed on Kapitan Khlebnikov to Wrangel Island in 2005.

 Enjoy the travelog. Hope to see you aboard.

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Follow Luis’ Adventures in Antarctica

By admin
January 27th, 2010 | 2:49 pm
Luis Winning Votes as Pingu

Luis Winning Votes as Pingu

In 2009, Luís Monteiro collected over 16,000 votes to win our competition to Blog Your Way to Antarctica. (You can view his entry here).

Luís and a companion will travel to Antarctica on February 20, 2010 aboard the adventure cruise ship Lyubov Orlova, where they will spend 12 days exploring the wildlife and landscapes of the Peninsula, and getting to know their fellow travelers.

Luis will share his discoveries with us via this blog, so be sure to check in often, and post comments to share with him!

 

 In his own words…

Hi! My name is Luís Monteiro, I’m Portuguese, 29 years old and I work as an IT consultant in Lisbon. I was born in Vila Real, a small town in the North of Portugal, close to the mountains and the Douro region, famous for its unique “port wine”! 

I’ve studied Telecommunications and informatics engineering at “ISCTE” University in Lisbon, and I’ve also lived and worked abroad in countries like Serbia, Brazil and Belgium.  I have two sisters, one brother and two incredible parents that give me all the support and enthusiasm needed for these unique adventures! During my life I have always been interested in different things:

  • I love Sport in every possible way! I have practiced soccer, tennis, swimming, and my all time favorite, basketball.
  • Music is another passion! I play guitar, contrabass, but I’ve always preferred drums – unfortunately for my family!
  • Travel! I guess I got this one from my parents… I really don’t think there is anything better to do than to travel around the world.
  • Blogging! I have a personal blog dedicated to all my travels and my daily life, kind of a tragic and comic life diary.
  • Nature! Have you ever hiked up mountains, along rivers, gorges, the sea coast? Have you seen those BBC and National Geographic wild life documentaries that take you to remote inaccessible places? I’m in!
  • Antarctica! This is of course my main dream and fascination. During the past I’ve unsuccessfully tried to go to the Southern continent. I’ve applied for several jobs in different Antarctica base stations, but it has been impossible, until the “Blog your Way to Antarctica” challenge!

DSC03466And now… after three intense months of competition, and with the incredible help from Portugal and the rest of the world, I’m finally going to fulfill my dream…and, best of all, I’m not going alone! I’m bringing three friends with me :)

Wrapping up, I’m a simple guy that loves nature in its pure state, likes to live surrounded with a lot of friends and share with them all the unforgettable moments of life! This expedition will be for sure one of those moments.

Like I said before, “It’s gonna be legendary”! Thank you for this opportunity.

Luís Monteiro

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New Video of the Falkland Islands and Antarctica

By admin
January 27th, 2010 | 10:32 am
Categories: End of Era
Stanley, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Stanley, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Harish Singhal – a passionate photographer and videographer – has posted a short video he created about his visit to the Antarctic and Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) aboard Kapitan Khlebnikov.

He shot in HD – so the images are crisp and clear. And Harish zoomed in for some truly intimate portraits of penguins caring for their young. His Black-browed Albatross shots are powerful too.

Thanks again, Harish for taking the time to put together the video and for sharing it with us!

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Khlebnikov to the Rescue!

By admin
January 26th, 2010 | 9:33 am
Categories: End of Era
Khlebnikov transiting the Northwest Passage
Khlebnikov transiting the Northwest Passage

The vessel Ivan Makarin MV was sailing from Japan to Vladivostok on January 21. Southeast of the port of Nakhodka, the ship reported a malfunction – a strong, resonance transverse vibration to be exact. Diagnosis – Ivan Makarin had lost a removable four-blade propeller.

Kapitan Khlebnikov was in the vicinity, on its re-positioning sailing from the Antarctic to the Arctic. The icebreaker was rerouted to assist the ailing Makarin. January 24, in the morning, Khlebnikov began towing Makarin towards Vladivostok. Khlebnikov was released from rescue duty January 25, with the arrival of Irbis, the rescue ship which had been dispatched from Vladivostock.

 

Vladivostok is Khlebnikov’s home port. The icebreaker, without Makarin, is expected to arrive in port today, January 26, 2010.

 

Yep, KK is a working ship all right!

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More Misleading Headlines – Tourism in Antarctica

By admin
January 25th, 2010 | 10:59 am
The Emperors Came to Call
The Emperors Came to Call

“In a study commissioned by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), it was discovered that waters around the pole are becoming increasingly polluted and C02 emissions generated by the long journeys contribute to global warming.” The study implied that visitors to Antarctica were a cause of melting ice caps on the seventh continent.

The total number of tourism visitors to Antarctica between November 2008 and March 2009 was 40,000. That’s 40,000 visitors to a continent of 5,100,023.41 square miles (13,2009,00 sq km). A continent larger than either Europe or Australia.

To put that in perspective – an annual total of 40,000 visitors is equivalent to one sold-out attendance at an average-size football stadium. [There are 17 weeks in an NFL season and there are 32 teams = 2,176,000 fans attending in one season. And that's just football...]

Tourists traveling to Antarctica are not the cause of melting ice in Antarctica. All the world’s oceans are at risk and C02 emissions are alarmingly high because of lifestyle choices we make at home. The average carbon footprint of a North American is 20 tons of carbon dioxide annually. The per person world average carbon footprint is 4 tons per year.

Protection of the polar regions begins at home, and continues by choosing an environmentally responsible tour operator.

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