2014 - OCEAN PRINCESS - MAGDALENAFJORD, SVALBAD

Thu 12 Jun 2014

AS FAR NORTH AS WE ARE GOING - THE ISLAND OF SVALBAD, ALSO KNOWN AS SPITZBERGEN

WE SAIL INTO MAGDALENAFJORD ,TO SPEND A WHLE GENTLY GOING ROUND IN CIRCLES, VIEWING THE GLACIER AT IT'S HEAD

WHILE THE BAND KEEPS PLAYING .... PASSENGERS ARE UP LATE PHOTOGRAPHING THE SUN AT MIDNIGHT..

SOPHIA & TRE WORKING AT MIDNIGHT WITH THE SUN BEHIND THEM. TRE WAS CONSTANTLY BEMUSED BY THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN & A FEW OTHER CREW MEMBERS GOT A LITTLE CRANKY WITH IT TOO.

THE LOVELEY SOPHIA AGAIN. SHE IS FROM CHILE & WAS 18 BEFORE SHE SAW RAIN. ANOTHER AMAZING CONCEPT. PARTS OF CHILE JUST ABOUT NEVER GET RAIN. HOW WEIRD IS THAT?

ONE EVENING I OVERHEARD A MAN, DRESSED IN A TUXEDO & HIS JAMES BOND GIRL WIFE ASKING FOR A MARTINI & WENT OVER TO TELL THEM MY MARTINI STORY. SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN BUMPING INTO THEM AS THEY WATCH FOR WHALES & BIRDS ON DECK.

I HAD MENTIONED TO THEM THAT I WAS HOPING TO GET THE CLASSIC SHOT OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN TOUCHING THE HORIZON AT MIDNIGHT. THE MAN, PETER, SAID THAT AS THE SUN WOULD BE IN FRONT OF US AS WE HEAD NORTH & THE PHOTO WOULD BE TAKEN THROUGH GLASS, I SHOULD PROBABLY WAIT TIL WE WERE HEADING SOUTH & GET A SHOT OFF THE BACK OF THE BOAT OUTDOORS.
THIS MADE NO SENSE TO ME SINCE I AM POSITIVE THAT THE SUN IS ALWAYS IN THE SOUTH WHEN WE ARE IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE. PETER WAS ADAMANT THAT THE SUN AT MIDNIGHT WOULD BE IN THE NORTH & EVEN EXPLAINED THE MECHANICS OF IT. I REMAINED DOUBTFUL, AS DID MARTINE, HIS WIFE & SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE I BROACHED THE SUBJCT WITH,

GOOD JOB I DID NOT PUT ANY MONEY ON IT AS HERE IS THE SUN AT MIDNIGHT OUT OF THE FRONT WINDOW AS WE TRAVEL NORTH.

THIS GIRL ANAIN IS RUSSIAN, LOOKING WISTFULLY AT THE SNOW & THINKING OF HOME MAYBE. WE WILL BE THERE IN A FEW WEEKS. LOTS OF PRETTY STAFF ON THIS BOAT

MARLENE AGAIN. NOT DRESSED FOR THE ARCTIC...

ONE OF THE DANCERS TAKING SOME AIR .... I ASKED HER IF SHE WOULD MIND GETTING INTO THE HOT TUB SO I COULD TAKE A PHOTO OF SOMEONE DOING THAT ABOVE THE ARCTIC CIRCLE. SHE DECLINED - CANNOT IMAGINE WHY.