"Louise and I were thinking about what to do for that traditional break that people take after their wedding. Our wedding had been a four day party in the Highlands of Scotland so we approached the planning of the honeymoon with a sense of adventure. A picture of the vessel under full sail by a glacier sold it to us. Chloe at Aqua Firma gave us some insight into what to expect but really nothing can prepare you. We were coming to the Arctic as winter fell to sail on this amazing schooner.
Our guide met us at the airport and took us aboard. We were greeted by the crew. We set sail that night and slipped into the fiords dark waters. We were informed of the route of the voyage and itinerary each night but the sense of adventure of going into the unknown was very real. This was the Arctic in winter. All the childhood stories of polar exploration and endeavour came alive. The magic of the voyage was personified not only by the vessel and her crew by also by the passengers onboard. You get to meet and talk to all sorts. And you learn something. You are well fed and well engaged by everything that goes on. The standard of cooking is excellent. You leave the ship by Zodiac dinghy extremely well fortified and with a sense of anticipation. Nothing though prepares you for the menacing majesty of the terrain that you land on. It's more than what you see in the pictures because it is now so extremely real. This is not your land. You are not the rightful inhabitants.
Go and see it for yourself. Fjords and glaciers, black icy water and the wind whistling, the green haze of the Northern lights as it dances over the inky black skies. The reality of what you experience transcends the myths. You will fulfil some of your dreams here. You will have some respect for those you travel with but most of all you will have respect for the sheer pristine beauty of the mountains, glaciers and seas and seek to protect it.
The Arctic wildlife here watches you which adds to the constant sense of adventure. I have wanted to take part in an adventure like this for all my life. Come onboard! "
Nigel Dewar Gibb and Louise Roberts South Spitsbergen Sailing Voyage
"Our expedition was the most marvellous, exciting and wonderful adventure of our lives. It was the trip of a lifetime for us. My lifelong ambition of seeing the Aurora was fulfilled in spades! The scenery, the scale, the silence and stillness was overwhelming - truly awesome. Your advice to take extra picture cards was pertinent - we took about 800 pictures between us (and I cannot bear to delete one of them).
We amazed ourselves by doing 9 of 11 of the 2-3 hour hikes. There were a couple of ridge walk we declined.
I have never been so cold in my entire life or so overawed by the intense beauty of the great diversity of scenery - it changed every few hours.
Our guide was absolutely wonderful - his expert knowledge of the area added enormously to our pleasure. We learned sooo much from him. The crew were also wonderful, always accommodating our questions, requests and ready to help at all times.
We definitely would return to that most amazing part of our planet.
We saw the Aurora on four different occasions, each time stronger than the last and the last most conveniently before we had gone to bed and lasting around 20 minutes of sheer heaven.
And finally, thank you so much for all the advice, help and hints and tips you gave us, and you readiness to answer all our questions. We could not have asked for a better briefing. Aqua-Firma is firmly in our 'favourites' and I am sure you will hear from again."
Margot Leach, South Spitsbergen Sailing Voyage
"This was one of the best trips I have ever done."
Malcolm Blake, North Spitsbergen Sailing Voyage
"We had a fantastic holiday - it was a great experience and the boat and crew were all first-rate and worked hard to ensure we all enjoyed ourselves."
Francis Branfield, North Spitsbergen Sailing Voyage
"I don't think we can thank you enough or put into words quite what a wonderful time we had. As we knew this was an experience not just a holiday! Everything about the whole trip was perfect. We met the most amazing people, from the staff to the passengers. I felt well any truly cared for and never once felt uncomfortable on the Zodiacs.
I think the main highlight day was actually my birthday! You couldn't have asked for more! We awoke to a beautiful day and after breakfast went ashore to see a haul out of walrus, which included some in the water. Then until dinner we were travelling through ice floes on the hunt for polar bears. Amazingly about 20 mins before dinner was served one was spotted on the horizon. Our expert and amazing captain, whose enthusiasm for the voyage and wildlife was second only to the rest of ours, managed to follow at a respectable pace and whether it was the same one or a second polar bear (there was some dispute) we were able to have one approach us. This bear approached so closely that it actually put its nose on the porthole of the kitchen and licked it!!!!!!! I didn't think it was going to get any better than that but then after a wonderful meal including a cake and a birthday card from my new friends for life, it was announced that we were to go out for a walk on the ice floe. The captain took a great picture of all of us in a group photo and then it was back to the vessel just in time to watch the fin whales as they passed! I told you it was an amazing day."
Zena Chapman and Derek Wilson, Around Spitsbergen Voyage, Ice-Strengthened vessel
"The 'Arctic Diving, Photography & Wildlife Expedition' is a trip of my life time that I would never forget!!! For a man whose life-time passion is indeed traveling, Aqua-Firma is definitely the best traveling company I have ever traveled with so far in my life. The services provided, from taking care of my luggage sent to the ship by express mail to managing all the details in diving, landing and other excellent activities, are way beyond my wildest expectations. Charlotte is such a great expedition leader and she treats everyone not only as her client but also as her best friend. She even organized a "surprise" birthday party for me on the ship at 79.5 North Latitude, which will be certainly difficult, if not impossible, to be topped in the future.
I have enjoyed this trip so much that I have already booked three other tours with Aqua-Firma, i.e.Whale Shark Research & Conservation in Seychelles in October, 2008, and Antarctic Diving, Photography & Wildlife Expedition and Galapagos Diving in February, 2009
Thank you again, Charlotte and Aqua-Firma, for turning my Arctic adventure into a wonderful life-time memory!!! "
Dr Shaowen Lin (diver), Arctic Photography & Diving Voyage Trip 2008
"It was probably the best trip I have ever done (the whale sharks - with Aqua-Firma in the Seychelles are up there too!). It wasn't just the most beautiful scenery, the total peace and quiet, the fantastic opportunity to see the wildlife up close and personal but also the human aspect of the trip; the wonderful staff on the ship that couldn't do enough for you, and especially the friends we have made (all 41 of the passengers and the crew) who made the trip so memorable. I haven't stopped smiling since I have been back. All I have to do is to drift back to the Arctic and all those wonderful memories! "
Debbie Segal (non-diver), Arctic Photography & Diving Voyage
"After being part of Aqua-Firma's diving and photography expedition to Antarctica this March I didn't think I could have another experience of a life time. But Aqua-Firma's Arctic diving and Photography expedition that I have just returned from has surpassed all my expectations. Not only did we have three great amazing wildlife photographers (Paul Nicklen, Franco Banfi and Rick Price) on board but we saw Polar Bears, Walrus, Minke whales, Beluga whales, ring seals, fur seals, arctic fox, reindeer, arctic flowers, puffins, little auks, arctic terns and many more beautiful birds. Some of our animal encounters were up close and personal and some a little more in the distance.
The diving was a makro fest and I got to see lots of cliones, which is something I have longed to do since I heard about them. As the pack ice was fast moving we had to change our course a few times and to take part in expedition diving, in sites that where unknown, is just amazing. The dive guides couldn't do more to ensure we enjoyed our diving and ensured our safety at all times, especially during a pack ice dive.
I did enjoy the landings that I chose to join, the land expedition crew where amazing in their knowledge and couldn't do more to ensure we enjoyed ourselves but were kept safe.
All the staff did anything and everything to ensure we all had an amazing experience, divers and photographers, and having Charlotte there from Aqua- Firma as our personal guide, ensured we were all extra special expeditioners.
The ice breaking afternoon, the midnight sun, the walrus colony, the clione, the amazing group of people I met, and of course the polar bears where my highlights in yet another experience of a lifetime. I am going with Aqua-Firma to the Seychelles this October for a Whale Shark Conservation, I am sure it will be the third experience of a lifetime and all in the same year. Thank you so much to Charlotte and everyone at Aqua-Firma. "
Stacy Valentine RN BA (Hons) PGD. (Diver), Arctic Photography & Diving Voyage
"One of the best trips I'd ever done to date was the Whale-shark experience with Aqua-Firma in the Seychelles...
So when I found out that Aqua-Firma explore the Polar Regions I knew that it would be well organised and an adventure but also that we and the wildlife would be well looked after. Now I am back from the Arctic I have to say that I'm running out of superlatives to describe the experience. My friends are already bored of me talking about "amazing this" and "incredible that." I need more words! It was wonderful to have the wildlife encounters that we did - a beachful of walrus and a completely non-camera shy ringed seal (seemingly after a modelling contract!) were highlights as well as the much hoped for glimpse of polar bears on the last day. Another memorable moment for me was when the ship broke through ice - a really unique and extremely exciting experience! But it is probably the stunningly beautiful scenery (often best at around midnight) that will stay imprinted in my mind the longest. The effect of the sun shining on the water and ice is incredible, and the sheer vastness of these scenes is awesome and very humbling. Our cameras have in no way captured the true beauty and calmness of this place. Along with all of this I have been privileged to meet a fabulous group of people, several of whom I can now count as friends. I haven't laughed as much and had such fun in a very long time. And again I have Charlotte to thank for creating and being part of all this. I can't think of much to improve the trip other than just a little more time in this amazing place with these lovely people! All that's left to do is start saving up for Antarctica!"
Tanya Page (non-diver), Arctic Photography & Diving Voyage
"Often after a holiday you miss the place you visited less and less as time passes, but funnily enough I am missing it more and more - that crystal water, blue ice, dramatic and desolate landscape had a really unworldly quality about it and I really hope that I will go back again someday. In the meantime I must strongly resist the temptation to take up diving ... Instead; I will content myself for the time being by revisiting your fabulous photographs of what you saw below the surface!"
Jonathan Sinclair (non-diver), Arctic Photography & Diving Voyage
"The boat and the crew were fantastic and we had a great time. We saw a lot of fabulous wildlife including spending a lot of time spotting glaciers, seals and walrus from land and the ship."
Samantha Ross, Sailing Around Spitsbergen
"It was a magical adventure overall. Excellent food, brilliant crew & guide, Great companionship (after 2 weeks in such an enclosed space together you do build up a great camaraderie) and a wonderful location aboard a most glorious vessel. It was 10/10 and I would recommend it to anyone."
Keith Brignell, Sailing Around Spitsbergen
"It was a fantastic trip which we all enjoyed immensely - a great group, I think we all got on rather well!"
Richard Escott, Sailing Around Spitsbergen
"The area was truly another world. The ship was fine and more or less what we expected having done a different sailing ship trip before. The Crew were excellent."
John Goodspeed, Sailing Around Spitsbergen, |
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