Fram Expedition Blog - Goes Missing for Days

[BORDER REIVER]

I love reading the Fram blog and when the ship is in Antarctica I like to mark her route and places visited (as near as possible) on Google Earth, so that I can work out the trip that will suit us best when we eventually go there. I'm beginning to wonder if there's some "Antarctic Triangle" down there because the blog just stops for days on end after a week or more of great daily reports and photos.

I was following the last expedition all the way from Ushuia on 4th Jan, right through to Petermann Island on 13th January, then there was nothing reported until 18th Jan when Fram was almost back to the Antarctic Peninsular.

It happened on an earlier expedition too, only that time, the missing days appeared in the blog some days later.

Has anyone any suggestion as to why this happens?

[SarniaLo]

Delayed posting are usually due to bad internet connexion (you can understand) but indeed they are posted later on when they find a better satellite connexion. They also now have a facebook page for the ship where they also post pictures (search "MS Fram"), and they have posted pictures during the period missing on the blog, so maybe the person in charge doesn't have time to do both?

Although looking more closely, the pictures posted on the FB page seems to have been taken before (pictures of the captain kayaking, which happened on the 13th). So yeah, maybe something unusual happened? You can enquire on the FB page maybe.

 

This being said, a cruise itinerary in Antarctica is heavily weather dependant so it is not possible to guarantee you will go to a particular place. Sometimes in the morning you are not sure where you will land in the afternoon, so you can only have broad views of the itinerary (X days in South Georgia and Y days on the Peninsula, for instance, the specifics are impossible to foresee).

 

Edit : I looked at the blog more closely. They arrived in Elephant Island on Jan 18th, after a Drake crossing both ways, which would actually cover the missing time since Jan 13th, so maybe they just had not much to say during the crossings. ;)

Edited January 20, 2015 by SarniaLo

[BORDER REIVER]

Cheers SarniaLo. They must have been too busy - it would concern me if so little happened in 5 days that there was nothing to comment on.

I do appreciate that info I'm gathering will only give me a very rough idea of the itinerary, but I've been doing this for a few years now and certain places do seem to be visited regularly (again, weather permitting). The trend now seems to be for fewer expeditions, but longer in time, which is good.

Weighing up all the routes and places visited, we are maybe looking towards an itinerary that visits South Georgia, rather than the Antarctic Circle. My wife just loves wildlife, especially penguins. It's probably going to be a few more years away yet, seeing as we've been to Norway 4 times in the last 5 years.

Neither of us have Facebook accounts, but maybe it's time to have a look in there to see what Fram is doing.

[SarniaLo]

I would definitely steer you towards a trip that goes to South Georgia. I have been twice to Antarctica with MS Fram, the first time was the Antarctic Circle trip and the second one the "Great Antarctic Expedition" trip (now "Ultimate Antarctica Experience") that went to Falklands and Sth Georgia. Both trips were equally extraordinary, but still my next trip will be with a stop in South Georgia as well, because it is so very special. And you get more wildlife than you can ever wish for! :)

I really hope you get to go one day, it is a magical experience.

 

I think you can view MS Fram Facebook page even without an account since it is a public page (I give the link so you can try, I hope it is allowed since it is not a FB page for a particular roll call).

[BORDER REIVER]

I think you can view MS Fram Facebook page even without an account since it is a public page (I give the link so you can try, I hope it is allowed since it is not a FB page for a particular roll call).

Thanks SarniaLo, I've got access to all info now - perfect.

[eggydreams]

Thanks all for this thread. I didn't realize there was a FB page for the Fram. It seems like it might be a better source than the blog on their website.

 

By the way, the ship was in Ushuaia doing its turn-around so maybe that is where you lost some contact. I was also wondering when the blog would get active again. So, Border Reiver, have you been on a cruise to Antarctica?

 

Also, does anyone know how to start a roll-call for Hurtigruten?

[SarniaLo]

Also, does anyone know how to start a roll-call for Hurtigruten?

 

You have to go to the "All Other Cruise Lines Roll Call" http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=72

(but I think you can mention it on the Antarctica board).

[BORDER REIVER]

So, Border Reiver, have you been on a cruise to Antarctica?

 

Not yet eggydreams, but we are finding the Fram blogs very useful in helping us to decide which trip will suit us best. Also, the posts on here from those that have been to Antarctica are invaluable in the planning stages and input will probably useful right up to the time we go. We'll just have to stop going North so that we can save to go South.

[digitl]

If you think you will only go once, you should take Fram's 'Ultimate Antarctica Experience' trip which includes the Falklands and South Georgia. We're doing it in 2016 and it gives an excellent overall experience of that very southern part of the planet with (almost!) wall-to-wall wildlife and amazing scenery. Our first Antarctic trip was that trip in reverse and ending in Buenos Aires rather than Ushuaia.

 

As for the blog, it does tend to stop and start, and is dependent on satellite access and a couple of spare fingers to write it.

[eggydreams]

Not yet eggydreams, but we are finding the Fram blogs very useful in helping us to decide which trip will suit us best. Also, the posts on here from those that have been to Antarctica are invaluable in the planning stages and input will probably useful right up to the time we go. We'll just have to stop going North so that we can save to go South.

 

Hi Border Reiver,

So how can I get you to join us on Nov. 30, 2015? Take a look at the itinerary. It is exactly what you are looking for. We researched lots of companies and zeroed in on Hurtigruten. They seem to have a great reputation though there is always one in every crowd who had sour grapes about it. They are also the best value.

 

I will give you my cruise agent's contact and he will be able to offer you a perk or two. One example is that the trip insurance he offers is much less expensive than what is offered by the cruise company.

 

You can send me a note at adriennebeth at g mail, and then I can share what I know.

 

Let me know! I started a roll-call thread for that trip. You can see what it is called.

Adrienne

[BORDER REIVER]

Hi Border Reiver,

So how can I get you to join us on Nov. 30, 2015? Take a look at the itinerary. It is exactly what you are looking for. We researched lots of companies and zeroed in on Hurtigruten. They seem to have a great reputation though there is always one in every crowd who had sour grapes about it. They are also the best value.

 

I will give you my cruise agent's contact and he will be able to offer you a perk or two. One example is that the trip insurance he offers is much less expensive than what is offered by the cruise company.

 

You can send me a note at adriennebeth at g mail, and then I can share what I know.

 

Let me know! I started a roll-call thread for that trip. You can see what it is called.

Adrienne

Sorry, but it'll probably not happen for two or three years now. We were going to go in 2013, but my wife and her sister really wanted to see Norway, so we had a 2 week cruise then and had enough left for the two of us to sail with Hurtigruten last February to see the Northern Lights. That was invaluable in that we got to know the Hurtigruten product and confirmed what digitl and SarniaLo had been saying, that Hurtigruten is the way to reach Antarctica. We WILL sail with Hurtigruten, but it won't be this year. I'm pretty well convinced that one of the trips that include the Falklands and South Georgia will be ideal, but not either of the ones at the beginning and end of the Antarctic season.

Thanks for the offer though, I'll bear it in mind when final plans are being made.

[eggydreams]

thanks for writing back, Border Reiver. Sorry we won't get to meet you on our trip.

 

curious, is our trip at the beginning of the season? Is there a problem with our chosen dates? I thought the season began at the end of October.

 

What time of year did you go to see the Northern Lights?

[BORDER REIVER]

thanks for writing back, Border Reiver. Sorry we won't get to meet you on our trip.

 

curious, is our trip at the beginning of the season? Is there a problem with our chosen dates? I thought the season began at the end of October.

 

What time of year did you go to see the Northern Lights?

I'm not certain which trip you are on, but I'd prefer one that starts and finishes in Ushauia. I think I read that early in the Antarctic season, there can be more ice along the West of the peninsular and late in the season, the penguin rookeries can be very messy, with fewer "cute" chicks around. I believe there's a one in late November that covers all the same areas, but doesn't start or end in Buenos Aries - that's probably the one you are on. And there's the Christmas one as well.

 

We sailed on 27th Feb for our Hurtigruten Northern Lights trip, returning on 10th March. Friends of ours who sailed in January saw the on Aurora 5 nights out of their 6 night trip. I think the time of year doesn't matter too much so long as the skies are dark. There were brilliant Aurora displays in Scotland and North East England in August of 2013, so I would imagine that dispalys could be seen in Norway any time from August to early April.

[eggydreams]

We start in Ushuaia and end in Ushuaia. Last day of November to Dec. 18. Hopefully we'll get to see a good selection of everything then.

 

I'll have to research the Aurora trip later if/when we plan one. Thanks! Have a good night!

[SarniaLo]

We start in Ushuaia and end in Ushuaia. Last day of November to Dec. 18. Hopefully we'll get to see a good selection of everything then.

This is the trip I was on in 2013 (and that I have booked again for 2016 ;)). It was absolutely amazing. You can check my trip report on my blog (starting here). We hesitated between this trip and the Chrismas one mentionned by Border Reiver, but I think the Christmas trip is a day or two shorter but more expensive.

We didn't get to go to the Orkneys Islands due to ice conditions (and neither did they go last year) but we had an extra day around the Peninsula instead.

[eggydreams]

This is the trip I was on in 2013 (and that I have booked again for 2016 ;)). It was absolutely amazing. You can check my trip report on my blog (starting here). We hesitated between this trip and the Chrismas one mentionned by Border Reiver, but I think the Christmas trip is a day or two shorter but more expensive.

We didn't get to go to the Orkneys Islands due to ice conditions (and neither did they go last year) but we had an extra day around the Peninsula instead.

 

I enjoyed your blog arriving in Ushuaia and about to depart. Is there more? I would love to read about the rest of the trip and see photos. It takes place at the same time of year as our upcoming trip.

 

Thanks!

[SarniaLo]

I enjoyed your blog arriving in Ushuaia and about to depart. Is there more? I would love to read about the rest of the trip and see photos. It takes place at the same time of year as our upcoming trip.

Yes there is more! ;) Sorry I didn't explain. At the bottom of the page (after the comments) click on "article plus récent" (="more recent article") to see the next day (and so on).

Edited January 23, 2015 by SarniaLo