Safety in Antarctic Waters
Having watched the recent TV programme about the sinking of the 'Little Red Ship' in Antarctica, I thought it was fascinating to hear that the coastguard which co-ordinated the rescue was actually in Falmouth, Cornwall, UK! Thousands of miles away. They did an amazing job under extremely challenging circumstances and all passengers found themselves safely at home a week after abandoning ship to the icy waters of the Antarctic. However it certainly raised some questions on the safety of Antarctic cruising and with an increase in tourist traffic and ships (including a former cross Channel ferry!) this is surely of concern to travellers contemplating what is usually considered the trip of a lifetime.
Imaginative Traveller uses the Clipper Adventurer and Lyubov Orlova - both ships classed as expedition cruising vessels. The Clipper Adventurer underwent a $13 conversion in 1998, is Ice Class A-1 and, importantly, carries 4 fully covered lifeboats. Its sister ship, the Lyubov Orlova, is ice-strengthened to Ice Class L3 and also underwent extensive renovations in 2006.
Check out our spectacular Antarctic Cruising itineraries below:
Antarctica, the Falklands and South Georgia
