Blue Explorer Magazine

Issue №.1: November - December 2021 www.blueexplorermag.com

OCEAN EXPLORATION, ADVENTURES & EXPEDITION CRUISING MAGAZINE

We welcome all ocean lovers!

Inside: REV Ocean mission for change: REV Ocean is a totally unique, state of the art research and expedition vessel. It will be equipped with some of the most sophisticated facilities onboard for carrying out cutting edge ocean science.

Picture: Vard/Rosellinis Four-10. (2 May 2017)

Superyacht owner and Norwegian in 2017, vowing to give away more than 50% of his fortune to philanthropic causes. REV Ocean is one his initiative with one clear goal – to ensure a healthy ocean... Page3...

Exploring the Coral Triangle, the Amazon of the Ocean: As one of the most important reef systems in the world, the Coral Triangle, covers 132,636 km across six countries; Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste. It occupies just 1.5% of the world's total ocean area, but represents a full 30 percent of the world's coral and fishes in the world Page 4...

Amazing Alaska: If there is one place in the world where anyone can try an adventure cruise experience, it is Alaska. America’s 49th state is superbly equipped to provide a great range of outdoor activities and expeditions. The first thing you notice when you reach America’s 49th state is the magnificent snow-capped mountains lining the distance Page 8...

Bajau, - last of the Sea Nomads: The island nation of Fiji is made up of an archipelago of 322 breathtaking islands and over 500 small islets located in the heart of the South Pacific. Only about 100 of these islands are populated, while the rest are designated nature reserves Page 20...

Dear Readers, We are thrilled to present the website and the first issue of Blue Explorer Magazine.

Our interest is piqued in polar latitudes and secrets of secluded tropical islands, the blue abyss behind the porthole of a private submarine or a breath of air from SCUBA on coral reef diving, ocean explorations and discoveries...

Expedition cruising is considered the next forefront for escapade traveling. Such cruises feature smaller, more intimate ships with fewer bells and whistles. You won’t find waterslides or magic shows, flashy nightclubs or noisy casinos. Instead, you’ll enjoy fascinating seminars, lively discussions and breath-taking journeys with experts, your expedition team and other adventurers. And you are here, checking out Blue Explorer Magazine, definitely because you are one of those adventurers, one of us!

So, welcome to an exciting voyage through the pages of the magazine! We hope the journey will not only be a source of valuable and essential information about ocean, discoveries, marine expeditions points and adventure cruising, but also, will unite people with common interests and views, and most importantly, with a desire for selfdevelopment within the framework of the knowledge of our blue planet, which would be more accurate to call it the planet Ocean…

Team of Blue Explorer Magazine

Blue Explorer Magazine

1

CONTENTS

COVER STORY:

3

REV Ocean—mission for change

BLUE PLANET

46 20

DESTINATIONS

8 Amazing Alaska 12

Raja Ampat, a unspoiled biodiversity sanctuary

27 Magellan Straits,

cruising over the edge of the world

31 “When you've seen

the world, there's al ways Greenland”

The lost continent of Lemuria

Bajau, Last of the Sea Nomads

LIVING OCEAN

4

Exploring the Coral Triangle, the Amazon of the Ocean

HISTORY OF OCEAN EXPLORATIONS

16

The Kon-Tiki voyage

35 Franklin’s lost exedi -

tion, one great mystery of exploration

WELCOME ON BOARD

24 49

”Fram”, new level of expedition cruise

Antarctic explorations of the “Pourquol pas?”

39 42

Captain Joshua Slocum, a maritime legend

Finding North-West pas sage, the last voage of Henry Hudson

ADVERTISING / EDITORIAL OFFICE: Blue Explorer Pte. Ltd., 111 North Bridge Road, Peninsula Plaza, Singapore 179098 info@blueexplorermag.com Blue Explorer Magazine

2

REV Ocean is a global not-for-profit organisation still being fully established after its launch in 2017

by Norwegian businessman and philanthropist Kjell Inge Røkke and marine biologist Nina Jensen. The initiative will launch the world’s largest, most advanced research and expedition ship. The vessel, which is scheduled to begin operation in late 2022 or early 2023, will be equipped with a full suite of sensors for mapping the seafloor and biological communities in the water column as well as profilers and start-of-theart processing software. The ship will carry researchers and ocean enthusiasts from the business community, political circles and research institutions. Its objective will be to find concrete, scalable and commercially viable solutions for improving ocean health. It will focus on three primary areas where action is need-

ed – plastic pollution; climate change and ocean acidification; and overfishing and the environmental impacts of fishing.

Blue Explorer Magazine

3

Exploring the Coral Triangle, the Amazon of the Ocean As one of the most important reef systems in the world, the Coral Triangle, covers 132,636 km across six countries; Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste. It occupies just 1.5% of the world's total ocean area, but represents a full 30 percent of the world's coral and fishes in the world. In fact, when it comes to biodiversity, it is like nowhere else in the world. More than 75 percent of the world’s coral species–over 600 species– which is ten times the number in the Caribbean Sea, live in the Triangle, fifteen of are endemic to the region, means they are not found anywhere else. But the coral is only the start of the diversity in this living system. Of the 6,000 currently known species of reef fish, 37 percent of the world’s coral reef fish live in parts of the Triangle. Two hundred and thirty-five of those species are found nowhere else. It is also a home to six out of the world’s seven marine turtles. So do aquatic mammals like blue whales, sperm whales and dolphins and endangered species like dugongs. If coral reefs are the rainforests of the seas, then the Coral Triangle is the underwater equivalent of the Amazon. Just as the Amazon is the figurehead of the world’s rainforests – the so-called lungs of the earth – the Coral Triangle is developing iconic status as a marine treasure –

the wellspring of the world’s oceans. That’s why the bioregion is quickly gaining a global profile as one of the planet’s most valuable natural assets, comparable to the Amazon. But, like most coral reefs around the world, the Coral Triangle is under threat. The reef is coming under pressure from multiple angles. Ille-

Blue Explorer Magazine

4

gal, unreported, and unregulated fishing is a major threat to its fish stocks, marine ecosystems and overall fisheries sustainability of the area. Localized threats like cyanide fishing damages fish communities and the surrounding environment.

Also,

the

continuing

growth of mass tou-rism, while generating economic wealth to a developing region, is currently often at the expense of its natural assets. Another huge threat,

like

anthropogenic

climate

change, which is warming the seas as they become more acidic, resulting in conditions where many species of coral can’t live. On top of that, coral bleaching and white syndrome are immediate threats to many species of coral that dominate the Triangle–the Acropora corals. But there’s hope that parts of the Coral Triangle may be refuges for marine life. “High levels of biodiversity, coupled with fast rates of growth and recovery, put many Coral Triangle ecosystems in a favorable position to survive climate change,” writes the World Wildlife Fund. And with the growing awareness of the crisis facing the world’s oceans – and more specifi-

cally coral reef ecosystems – the need to highlight the impacts of overfishing, pollution and climate change has never been keener.

The Triangle region has high potential to use tourism to help support conservation. With its numerous natural attributes, mix of marine based cultures and globally significant status as a fishery, the Coral Triangle makes for fascinating subject matter. There are sharks that walk the ocean bed, marine nomads who spend their lives at sea, constant new species discoveries and incredible destinations waiting to be uncovered. The reef and coastal areas are major draws for the tourism industry and represent a significant economic resource for the region’s countries. The marine and coastal region offers exotic locales with a great diversity of unique and colorful cultures, and the environment provides wildlife viewing delights in

terms of whale watching, turtle nesting, as well as bird and fish spotting. Not surprisingly the coral region is a haven for SCUBA divers and snorkelers, and an increasing number of specialist groups are catered for with charter vessels and dive packages.

Coastal tourism has begun to mature and diversify in the western market with increasing emphasis on special interest aspects such as nature-based adventure tourism, ecotourism and wildlife watching and cultural tourism. Tourist spending on coastal and marine- based eco-tourism in the Coral Triangle is increasing each year, suggesting that the economic extent of habitat- and wildlife conservation is progressively more important for the national and local economies of the member countries. In order to have exciting wildlife encounters with flagship marine species, an increasing number of tourists are visiting Marine

Protected Areas (MPA's) to participate in SCUBA diving and snorkeling activities. This growth can impose additional challenges on local governments that are already stretched for resources. Local governments often struggle to ensure that developments for visitors are built and operated sustainably; they have to manage increased productions of waste, provide sufficient water and energy supplies. Some Coral TrianBlue Explorer Magazine

5

gle governments have introduced measures to counter these adverse consequences of tourism development by setting daily visitor quotas for marine parks or investing in essential support infrastructure. Various non-profit organizations have been developing tools to help the nature-based tourism industry operate in a more sustainable way, for example by providing guidelines and support for non-intrusive interaction with wildlife, sustainable food and beverage, garbage disposal solutions and reducing energy consumption.

The following is a small cross-section of some current Nature-based Tourism operations in each of the Coral Triangle countries. They are not intended to be representative of the offerings in each country, but rather to highlight some examples of varying scales and with a range of different characteristics.

Timor-Leste: Dive Timor Lorosae, Dili Based in Dili, Dive Timor Lorosae (DTL) was one of the first dive shops established in Timor-Leste just over 10 years ago and is the country's only PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre. DTL offer a full range of professional PADI dive courses and daily diving trips. They have their own Hotel/Apartment, Guest House and Backpacker accommodation in Central Dili. They work with local organizations to organize regular beach clean ups to raise awareness about marine debris, and to mark World Oceans Day and Coral Triangle Day. They also work with organisations to undertake underwater scientific expeditions & biodiversity monitoring.

Solomon Islands: Oravae Cottage Oravae Cottage is a collection of 3 small guesthouses located on a private island overlooking a lagoon just off the mainland near Gizo. The company has helped establish a locally managed marine area around their premises and relies on solar power and tank water to ensure a low environmental impact. They have also established coral and clam farming projects and work with local schools to raise awareness on the importance of marine conservation.

Papua New Guinea: Madang Resort Hotel, Madang The Madang Resort Hotel is a more mainstream resort based at the entrance to Madang Harbor, facing onto Dallman Passage and Yamilon Lagoon. Niugini Diving Adventures, a dive shop and PADI Dive training facility, is part of the resort complex. The company promotes sustainable management of marine and forest resources by the local communities to foster community tourism as part of its sustainable development agenda. The town and province of Madang is described as ‘a place where travelers can experience a diverse range of cultural and natural attractions.

Philippines: Lagen Island Resort Set in a cove surrounded by primary forest, Lagen

Island Resort promotes itself as a showcase of El Nido’s flora and fauna, with opportunities for wildlife sightings. El Nido Resorts (which includes Lagen Island) have been involved in preventing illegal fishBlue Explorer Magazine

6

ing, rehabilitating watersheds and environmental education programs. In 2011, El Nido Resorts was selected to take part in the European Union-sponsored ‘Zero Carbon Resorts’ program, which aims to reduce the tourism industry’s carbon footprint. El Nido was also the recipient of the ‘Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Award 2009’ and was a finalist for the ‘Tourism for Tomorrow Awards 2007’.

Indonesia: Misool Eco Resort, Papua Located on a private island off West Papua, Misool Eco Resort is a collection of 9 luxury cottages, with the resort structured financially to also provide a direct contribution to local marine conservation activities. Misool Eco Resort has gone to great lengths to reduce both the impact of its own operations, whilst also extending its environmental responsibility to the area surrounding the resort.

With the full cooperation of the local community, Misool established a 465km No-Take Zone, with local staff regularly patrolling the area to prevent fishing and shark fining. For its environmental efforts, Misool was highly commended by the ‘Virgin Responsible Tourism Awards’ in 2009, while it also received an ‘Ocean Award’ in 2011.

Malaysia: Kuala Sepetang Eco Tourism Kuala Sepetang Eco Tourism is a tour provider based in Kuala Sepetang, adjacent to the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve. Their focus is on promoting responsible tourism, environmental conservation and education, and providing tours that are both low impact and sustainable – and involve the local community. As well as general tours to the mangrove forest, they also offer Indo-Pacific Humpback and Irrawaddy River Dolphin viewing tours, Firefly viewing tours, and river tours including bird watching. The Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve is Peninsular Malaysia’s largest surviving spread of mangrove forest, most of which has been extensively cleared for development. The 40,000-hectare area was gazette as a Permanent Forest Reserve in 1906 and is recognized as one of the best-managed sustainable mangrove eco-

system in the world.

Blue Explorer Magazine

7

AMAZING ALASKA If there is one place in the world where anyone can try an adventure cruise experience, it is Alaska. America’s 49th state is superbly equipped to provide a great range of outdoor activities and expeditions. The first thing you notice when you reach America’s 49th state is the magnificent snow-capped mountains lining the distance. These rugged, majestic peaks are perfectly positioned to emphasize the dramatic landscape as they slope all the way down to jagged trims of Sitka Spruce trees, still dressed in their evergreen coniferous foliage. Tall and towering above the forest floors, these trees line the waterways and stretch across the great expanse of wilderness that is Alaska. Positioned starkly against these awe-inspiring structures are the elegant and slow-moving channels of water of the Alaskan archipelagos, which cut their way through the landscape as though intricately carved all the way to the ocean. These winding waterways of the Inside Passage will guide you between the mountains on your Alaska cruise, revealing remote towns and cities along the way. In simple terms, Alaska is the world’s great nature theme park. It is tailor-made for cruising in the south-east and it opens the door to a magnificent array of activities, from salmon fishing to sledge-dog rides and kayaking to glacier trekking.

Travelling by sea opens up a vast range of territory in what remains largely untouched wilderness and there are a lot cruise lines offering voyages in this region; Carnival, Norwegian or Royal Caribbean; Holland America, Celebrity or Princess; Oceania, Azamara or Windstar; and ultra-luxe lines Regent, Crystal, Silversea or Seabourn. There are also specialist small-ship companies such as National Geographic and UnCruise Adventures. It is a positive cornucopia of choice, but the bottom line remains all the ships visit largely the same areas, even though the two specialists get more off the beaten track. Cruise season in Alaska begins in May and ends in September. The schedule sometimes includes a few sail-

ings in late April or early October as well. There are only minor differences in weather by month. Temperatures are warmest in July and August, but even in May you can expect temperatures in the mid-50 and mid-60s. Anchorage is also much drier than other parts of Alaska, the wettest month, August,

Blue Explorer Magazine

8

Skiff expedition to Tracy Arm

only still only averages about 10 rainy days. You might also find a little extra elbow room and a few deals in May, early June and September. Late summer sailings have one other tantalizing prospect: by late August, the skies of Alaska are once again dark during the night. That means aurora viewing is a possibility.

ALASKA’S REGIONS ANCHORAGE CITY SCENE - Urban and wild aren’t opposites; they are Anchorage’s two defining ele-

ments. There’s no need to choose one or the other since they are both parts of life here. Anchorage lives under midnight sun and auroras. The city’s adventures may be beyond belief, but they aren’t beyond the boundaries.

INSIDE PASSAGE - Shaped by the staggering force of massive glaciers millions of years ago, Alaska’s Inside Passage boasts wildlife-filled fjords and lush island scenery — habitat for bald eagles, sea lions, porpoises and whales. Its mountains are carpeted with majestic forests.

SOUTH CENTRAL - Home to over half of Alaska’s population, South central is a playground of activities from world-class fishing to hiking and wildlife viewing. With mountains and lakes, South central offers the advantages of remote wilderness but is linked via roads.

SOUTHWEST – The region’s terrain ranges from a landscape of volcanoes in Katmai National Park created by the 1912 eruption of the Novarupta volcano, herds of caribou to the state bird, the willow ptarmigan.

Blue Explorer Magazine

9

to the windswept Aleutian Islands that make a 1,000-mile sweep toward Asia.

INTERIOR - In Alaska’s heartland, you’ll see the continent’s tallest peak, Denali, and wide expanses of tundra.

Royal Caribean Ship sailing Alaska’s glacier

ARCTIC COAST - Alaska’s Arctic is home to the Inupiat Eskimos, many who still live a subsistence lifestyle and still preserve their history verbally from generation to generation. The Arctic is filled with a rich history and natural wonders, from the gold rush days of yore to the Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve. This is one of Alaska’s most diverse regions, filled with cultural opportunities, wildlife and a landscape ranging from coastal plains to mountain ranges.

TOP ALASKAN PORTS OF CALL KETCHIKAN - Ketchikan is known for three things: Native Alaskan (Tlingit) totem poles, Misty Fjords National Monument and the city’s distinction as the “salmon capital of the world.” The main draws include opportunities to visit Saxman Native Village and learn about the totem poles in the area, or enjoy The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show. The show is staged within walking distance of the cruise port and it’s the place to see athletes wielding axes and saws in traditional lumbering activities. Kayak or cruise tours of Misty Fjords are incredibly popular and you can also sightsee by floatplane or city trolley, bear-watch, fish,

hike through a rainforest and try active adventures like a canoe safari, Zodiac expedition, zip-lining or join a Bering Sea crab fishermen’s tour.

Blue Explorer Magazine

10

JUNEAU - Alaska’s capital city is interesting because no road leads from here to the rest of the state.

It’s at the base of Mount Juneau and you can only get there via boat — even residents have to bring their cars to Juneau via ferry. Home to Mendenhall Glacier, this is a popular port for a variety of shore excursions. Look for kayak and bike adventures, a ride in the sky on the Mount Roberts Tramway (the pickup point is right at the cruise port), wildlife-viewing trips (whale, bears and more), fishing outings, glacier visits (Mendenhall, Taku and Tracy Arm Fjord) and even fun culinary trips such as an Alaska salmon bake or a craft beer tasting. You can go to a dogsled camp, pan for gold or take a helicopter and land on Mendenhall Glacier.

SKAGWAY - Alaska’s Gold Rush history, Skagway — 90 miles northwest of Juneau — is a port that

shouldn’t be missed. In fact, it’s the gateway to the Klondike and Dawson’s mining district in Canada’s Yukon Territory where prospectors searched for gold in the late 1890s. The historic district still has a Wild West feel though a bit commercialized for the modern era. This port can get crowded in the heat of summer when several ships can call on the same day. Tours include panning for gold, a snowshoeing expedition and rides on the White Pass Rail. Also a visit to a waterfall, hike the Chilkoot Trail, explore Glacier Point by ATV, and helicopter flight-see the area’s glaciers or rock climb and rappel.

SITKA - Sitka is a working town that has more going for it than just tourism. Commercial fishing is still a major player here. Another thing that sets Sitka apart from other Alaskan ports is its Russian heritage.

See St. Michael’s Orthodox Cathedral with its onion dome and the Russian Bishop’s House. Tours in-

clude a nature safari by 4×4 or sea kayak, visit the Alaska Raptor Center, go bird and bear-watching, dry-suit snorkel or book a “ghosts of Sitka” city walk. Guided fly fishing and a sea otter quest are also available, along with Tongass National Forest nature hikes, a bike and hike combo tour and local pub crawls.

Blue Explorer Magazine

11

Raja Ampat, an unspoiled biodiversity sanctuary Located off the northwest tip of Bird's Head Peninsula on the island of New Guinea, Raja Ampat is an archipelago comprising over 1,500 small isles, cays and shoals. It is a part of the newly named West Papua Province of Indonesia which was formerly Irian Jaya and is mostly the domain of liveaboards. Translated to mean “Four Kings”, Raja Ampat mesmerizes with the enigmatic beauty of its limestone island clusters, spawned out of legendary myth and continuing to bewilder and captivate explorers with dramatic landscapes that shelter secret lagoons, bays and beaches. The myth goes that each King reigns over one of four main islands, Misool, Salawati, Batanta, and Waigeo.

Raja Ampat’s world-class wildlife excursions are both on the ground and underwater. It is here that famous 19th-century naturalist Alfred Russell Wallace had stumbled upon species of the bird of

paradise that exist nowhere else but in this region on Earth. Catching sight of the otherworldly beauty of the Wilson’s bird of paradise and the Red bird of paradise and their mesmerizing behavior is arguably one of life’s most rewarding wildlife experiences. These winged wonders live alongside 350 other bird species, including forest kingfishers and king parrots. Meanwhile, Raja Ampat’s many beaches are often the nesting ground for turtle species including the Pacific leatherback, the largest of all living turtle species on Earth, while the world’s most extensive network of mangrove forests support populations of dugong and juvenile fish. Raja Ampat is also a designed a Marine Protected Area (MPA) by the Indonesian government. Aside from its endless fascinating natural attractions, Raja Ampat also offers the distinct hospitality of the Papuan. At the Arborek Tourism Village, you can stay at a number of Blue Explorer Magazine

12

homestays and mingle with the locals whilst observing their daily life and unique traditions. When a group

of tourists arrived, they usually perform a traditional welcome dance right at the dock and entertained the ‘guests’ with various Papuan folk songs.

As part of the Coral Triangle made up of Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and East Timor, the Raja Ampat Islands boast a tropical climate with constant mild

temperatures. Weather and water conditions in the area are generally good year round. However, you should always plan ahead, given that, in addition to the usual wet and dry seasons of Southeast Asia, Raja Ampat also has a windy season. Raja Ampat in October to April is the dry season, though there can be

some heavy rains in December and January. That said, these rains are usually brief and localized. May to October in Raja Ampat bring the wet season, but again, the rains usually do not last more than a few hours and are less dramatic than in other parts of Southeast Asia. June and July in Raja Ampat is unofficially known as the windy season, when waters may be rougher. This should not affect snorkeling conditions but may mean that small boat cruises will be moderately less comfortable, especially for travelers prone to seasickness. There is no best time to see wildlife or enjoy the snorkeling in Raja Ampat because there is always something to see all year round.

Raja Ampat has many great liveaboard options, from basic and mid-range liveaboard boats to some of the luxurious boats in the world. The liveaboard operations in the area are renowned for their service

and hospitality. Most of the liveaboard vessels depart from the coastal city known as Sorong and Wasai, both located in the Indonesian Province of West Papua. To ensure maximum convenience for their guests, liveaboard operators usually offer transfer services from Sorong Airport and hotels directly to and from their boats or vessels.

Blue Explorer Magazine

13

Natives in Raja Ampat

Top Dive and Snorkel Spots Blue Magic - Possibly one of the most abundant cleaning stations you will ever encounter. Blue Magic lives up to its name; you will not know where to look first.

Cape Kri - Drift Cape Kri’s sloping wall to see pygmy seahorses in ornate fan corals as turtles and reef sharks pass by in the blue, and then enjoy the schooling sweet lips on your safety stop. Possibly for more adventurous snorkelers, Cape Kri has a strong current. But for those willing to fight it, you will be rewarded with black and white tip sharks, huge schooling groupers and lots of sweetlips.

Sardine Reef - Soft coral and black coral bushes populate the entire Sardine Reef area. While barracuda, jacks and giant trevallies swirl overhead, schools of fusiliers, butterfly fish and snappers follow you along

with the current.

Chicken Reef - You will not see any chickens, but we can guarantee a lot of sharks. White tip reef sharks are a common sight here. There is marine life in all shapes and sizes; you will see anything from pygmy seahorses to turtles to schools of bumpheads chomping their way through the reef.

Mioskun - It is a good reef for beginners, as the currents here are relatively light in comparison to other sites. Expect abundant yellow snappers, wobbegong sharks, octopus, morays, and walls of schooling fusiliers.

Tamaku Reef - It is a picture perfect coral reef hidden in the heart of the Manyaifun.

Sauwandarek Village - Jump in at the jetty and see schools of friendly angelfish, and the resident Napoleon Wrasse. A reef runs the length of the beach and is full of life. You could snorkel away a day here easily.

Friwen Wall - It is an alien underwater world. The overhang is home to all kinds of critters, bizarre and brightly colored corals, fans and fishes. It is like nothing you have seen before.

Arborek - Famed for its jetty, which is undoubtedly good. But swim 100m past it and you will find the sweet spot. There is fish frenzy just before sunset.

Blue Explorer Magazine

14

Four main islands Misool - The archipelago includes the main island of Misool along with dozens of karst islets. The base of these tiny islands has been eroded by water and time, giving them the appearance of giant stone mushrooms sprouting from the turquoise waters. At Tomolol Bay, visitors on Raja Ampat cruises can swim within the island’s fascinating cathedral-like cave, an unforgettable experience. To play Indiana Jones, drift among the islets in search of prehistoric cave paintings and undersea graveyards.

Batanta - Small boat cruises to Batanta take visitors into its lush jungle interior. Local guides from the coastal village of Arefi lead travelers through mangrove forests to a series of spectacular waterfalls. The more adventurous will hike deep into the jungle and see still taller and bigger falls, but all visitors will be given the opportunity to swim and relax in natural pools surrounded by mangrove trees and the sounds of island birds.

Waigeo - The archipelago’s largest island, is nearly bisected by the massive, fjord-like Mayalibit Bay. Here, visitors explore the island’s awesome caves, led by a guide from Lopinol village. Visitors will also trek to Sapoken village where they will not only enjoy a close look into local life on the island but may also learn about conservation and community-building efforts in the region. The village of Sapoken is also one of the best spots to see the Red Bird of Paradise and Wilson’s Bird of Paradise.

Salawati - The 3rd largest island in Raja Ampat, Salawati is a serene destination for those looking to unwind and relax. Dive sites are mostly shallow and in small bays or beaches and offer good muck diving

and relaxed snorkeling.

Blue Explorer Magazine

15

The Kon-Tiki voyage Thor Heyerdahl, (born October 6, 1914, Larvik, Norway—died April 18, 2002, Colla Micheri, Italy) was a Norwegian ethnologist and adventurer who organized and led the famous Kon-Tiki and Ra transoceanic scientific expeditions. Both expeditions were intended to prove the possibility of ancient transoceanic contacts between distant civilizations and cultures. For the most part, Heyerdahl’s theories have not been accepted by anthropologists. The Kon-Tiki voyage led by Norwegian explorer was a huge success and proved beyond doubt that Polynesia could have been settled from South America. It did, however, do nothing to prove that it was. More recent advances in genetic testing and radiocarbon dating have shown that, whilst some South American origins are present in the Polynesian DNA pool, the vast majority is distinct. There’s no conclusive proof of origin, and how and why the Moai on Rapa Nui got into place is still unknown. But thanks to Thor Heyerdahl, a South American influence is one possible explanation.

One of the great mysteries of anthropology is how Polynesia – a vast pseudo-country in the Pacif-

ic spread triangularly between Rapa Nui, Hawaii and New Zealand – came to be inhabited by people with similar customs, cultures and, notably, languages. One theory, advanced in the 1930s is that the Islands were populated step-by-step from South-East Asia. But many remained unconvinced, including a Norwegian Explorer and Ethnographer by the name of Thor Heyerdahl. Thor’s theory was that the islands making up Polynesia were settled from the West by natives of South America using ‘drift voyaging’ – basically building a raft with a sail and letting the ocean take you. His primary evidence was the Moai statues on Rapa Nui (known in the West as Easter Island) which, he claimed, owed more to South American than Asian culture. There was also the legend of Kon-Tiki Viracocha, a native chief who is said to have set sail from Peru into the sunset on a balsawood raft. When making these claims, Heyer-

dahl was dismissed by most anthropologists with one, Herbert Spinden, exclaiming ‘Sure, see how far you get yourself sailing from Peru to the South Pacific on a balsa Raft!’ Not one to turn down such a challenge, even though it wasn’t necessarily serious, Thor Heyerdahl decided to do just that. Heyerdahl

Blue Explorer Magazine

16

was determined to build his raft only using the materials that were available to Peruvians in the preColumbian era (before 1492). Design-wise, they went off illustrations of ancient Indigenous Peruvian ships, as recorded by the Spanish conquistadors. The materials available back then were balsa wood, hemp, bamboo and banana leaves. There were no nails, bolts or fiberglass – the crew literally lashed tree trunks together with hemp ropes and built a bamboo cabin with a thatched banana leaf roof. The result was Kon-Tiki: a floating bamboo hut on balsawood logs. It had a large sail and a single cabin, which must have been tight for the crew of six men and their pet parrot.

The crew Thor set about assembling a crew, each of which could bring a useful skill to the voyage. All had to be hardy and courageous – this was to be a long and treacherous voyage – and it wasn’t long before he’d found his team. In total, the six-man crew consisted of five Norwegians and one Swede.

Heyerdahl and crew at sea

Herman Watzinger was a thermodynamics engineer. He was in the US studying cooling technology when he met Thor Heyerdahl by chance. He asked if he could join the voyage and Thor agreed instantly, making him second in command. Throughout the voyage he gathered vast amounts of data, providing insights into this largely unstudied area of the ocean at the time.

Erik Hesselberg was a childhood friend of Thor’s who had, as a trained sailor, spent several years in the merchant navy. Thor made him the navigator on the voyage and, thanks to his arts education, was also the one who created the iconic Kon-Tiki image that adorned the raft’s sails.

Blue Explorer Magazine

17

Knut Haugland was a telegraph operator who, during World War II had participated in the Norwegian heavy water sabotage in 1943, one of the most successful acts of sabotage in the war, preventing the Germans from obtaining heavy water to use in nuclear weapons.

Torstein Raaby was also a wartime telegrapher who had successfully provided the Allies with information on German warships through tapping the German’s communications.

Bengt Danielsson was a Swedish Sociologist specializing in Human Migration Theory. Bengt served as steward, in charge of rations, as well as translator, being the only crew member who spoke Spanish.

Though remaining on dry land, Gerd Vold Hurum was the seventh, and perhaps most vital, member of the team. A code specialist from the Norwegian Embassy in Washington, she was the secretary of the expedition. Her role was to coordinate communications between Washington and the raft, which she could then pass on to Norway. At the end of the voyage she arranged for their repatriation and for the voyagers to meet with President Truman in the White House.

The voyage The team travelled to Ecuador to secure a supply of balsa wood and then on to Peru where they built the raft. The raft carried around 1000 liters of drinking water in both ancient and modern containers – to prove that ancient storage was up to the task – and foods such as sweet potatoes and coconuts that would have been available to the ancient voyagers. Thor also secured radio equipment and field rations from contacts in the US military. They also had a radio for emergency contact, a hand-cranked generator to power it and a sextant for navigation. According to Hey-

erdahl, these items were not crucial to proving or disproving that such a trip would have been possible back in pre-Columbian times, rather, they were precautionary items to help ensure the crew’s survival.

All told, Heyerdahl and co. kept things fairly traditional. One of the most absurd parts of the whole story is that Kon-Tiki was designed so that it was impossible to steer. This was because, according to Heyerdahl’s theory, South Americans had drifted on the currents and the winds that consistently blew from East to West across the Pacific during certain months of the year.

The team set sail on April 28th 1947, initially being towed by the Peruvian navy to avoid traffic close to the coast. They then rode the Humboldt Current and the trade winds, roughly due west. On July 30th the team caught first sight of land – the atoll of Puka-Puka. 5 days later, after 97 days at sea, they reached

the Angatau atoll where they made contact with the inhabitants but were unable to safely land the craft.

Two days later, on August 7th, the raft struck a reef and eventually beached on an uninhabited islet off the coast of Raroia atoll. After a few days, washed up flotsam from the raft alerted villagers nearby who then Blue Explorer Magazine

18

A colored black and white photograph of Kon-Tiki

arrived on canoes to rescue the voyagers. They were taken to the nearby island and welcomed with traditional feasts and dances. Shortly afterwards, they were taken to Tahiti by a French schooner, with the raft towed behind. Their arrival in Polynesia three and a half months later demonstrated the possibility that the Polynesians may have originated in South America. The story of the voyage was related in Heyerdahl’s book Kon-Tiki (1950) and in a documentary motion picture of the same name.

The Kon-Tiki museum - Located in Oslo, the museum is a record of everything related to the expedition. You can read the whole story and see photos of the crew along the way. The Oscar-winning documentary of the voyage plays throughout the day. The crowning glory of the museum, however, is the original raft, which takes pride of place in the museum’s collection.

Blue Explorer Magazine

19

Bajau, last of the Sea Nomads The ocean covers an amazing 71 percent of the Earth’s surface, overwhelming numerous commu-

nities the world is unaware to. Living within the seas between Borneo and the Philippines, are communities who may live more intimately with the sea than any other culture on Earth. With a completely seaborne way of life, these indigenous ethnic groups of individuals are known as the Bajau. Building their lives in the middle of the ocean, often many kilometers from land, and the ocean may have a significant impact on each aspect of their presence. The Bajau is by far the biggest group of sea nomads in Southeast Asia and is spread over large parts of the so called coral triangle, the most diverse marine environment in the world. While originally today only a small number of boat-dwelling Bajau have remained. The larger part of Bajau people of Maritime Southeast Asia live within the Philippines and surrounding islands of Malaysia and Borneo. The Bajau, who live on houses on stilts or house boats, have nearly separated

their ties with the land. They indeed measure the time by the rhythm of the tides instead of customary minutes and hours. They go visiting the land very rarely; each part of this interesting community contains a near relationship with the sea instead.

Blue Explorer Magazine

20

About 200 years ago, Bajau people lived on land, especially in Malaysia’s eastern state, Sabah. They started making their living from fishing and nowadays, they have adjusted their way of life between nomadic and sedentary, housed in villages on the water. Bajau people live as a near tribe community, with ordinarily six to twelve houses in a tribal group. The Bajau will only visit land to get firewood and drinking water, trade for rice and fuel or to repair their boats. As the sea may give nearly everything they require, they live a really substance and interesting way of life. They eat a bewildering variety of seafood that has been hunted by individuals of the community; regularly free-diving using only goggles and handcrafted spears. The Bajau are famous for their remarkable abilities in free-diving, with physical adjustments in sight and breath. In search of a single fish, Bajau’s best free-divers may be able to dive to the depths of over 20 meters and remain there for several minutes on a single breath. In fact, they have evolved to live on and under the water in ways that make them scientifically distinct from other human beings. Research published in the journal Cell in 2018 found that the Bajau people have spleens 50 percent

larger than the average human of neighboring areas. Because they spend so much of their time diving, many of the Bajau people wind up with ruptured eardrums thanks to the pressure underwater, and some will purposefully perforate their eardrums to make diving easier. Furthermore, some Bajau may even intentionally rupture their eardrums at an early age in order to facilitate diving and hunting at sea. Some of the children also adapt to an aquatic way of life from a very young age. The sea and the boat is the playground for the Bajau children. With most being born at sea and spending so much of their time under the sea, many of their eyes adjust to focus better underwater. Children are taught all aspects of seaborne living: how to hunt, cook, fish, wash and build.

In the vast Southeast Asian oceans, there are many sub-groups of Bajau people, named after the place or island they have lived in. Although they are all called Bajau, each sub-group has their own unique language, cultures and tradition. Some subgroups are able to understand the languages of other sub-groups; with the general native language is Bahasa Bajau or Sinama. However with approximately ten sub-groups, such as Sama and Tabawan, it is quite uncommon for communities to ever encounter each other.

Blue Explorer Magazine

21

A Bajau native catching an octopus © James Morgan

According to ethnographic and historical data, the Bajau form their identity by characterizing themselves, their language, and their way of life. In Malay, “Sama” means “us,” and is used by the Bajau to call themselves “Jomo Sama” (the Sama people). Bajau, on the other hand, is a term that outsiders called them rather than a term they call themselves. One opinion about the origin of the term Bajau is that it comes from the Malay word ‘berjauhan’, which stands for the ‘distant state of eternality’. According to another hypothesis, the name comes from “bujak laut,” which is a tool used to catch marine life such as fish and sea cucumbers. Although they live on the sea, they often still partake in a common faith, adorning their sea-

borne lifestyle with religious celebrations, worships and offerings. With remnants of traditional pre-Islamic beliefs, the Bajau often sail ‘spirit boats’ into the open seas to cast unwanted spirits away from their community and regularly give offerings of thanks to their God of the Sea- Omboh Dilaut. Although some Islamic Bajau communities have built mosques on stilts, other communities must rely on the shore-based ones.

From old to young, the Bajau are regarded as colorful, festive and musical people. Being seaborne, in their opinion, enhances and improves all aspects of living. The Bajau are undoubtedly extraordinary people and they are the ultimate living proof of how far people might be able to push their bodies to an aquatic life, and the ideal example of how relationships with the sea may be so beneficial.

Today, more and more Bajau people are being made to live on land. For several reasons, it's possible that the current generation could be the last able to sustain themselves off the water. For one, the global fish trade has disrupted the fishing traditions and ecosystems of the Bajau people. Higher competition in terms of fishing has compelled the Bajau to start utilizing more commercial tactics to catch fish, inBlue Explorer Magazine

22

cluding the use of cyanide and dynamite. The Bajau have also switched to using a heavier wood to

make their boats because the lighter wood they used to use came from a tree that's currently endangered. The new boats require engines, which mean money for fuel. The stigma associated with being nomadic has also forced many to give up their lifestyle. Being accepted by surrounding cultures gives them access to government programs that provide aid and benefits they wouldn't otherwise receive. But for the Bajau people, fishing isn't just a trade and the water isn't just a resource. At the heart of their identity is their relationship with the ocean and its inhabitants. So when it comes to conservation, it's not just about conserving the marine life, but their culture as well and the waters they've called home for centuries. As they belong to no official state and possess no official nationality, they find the move from sea to land a challenge. Because of their nomadic lifestyle, the Bajau are at a disadvantage with no schooling, healthcare or access to government-provided social services. In the process of adapting to a land-based life, their unique skills in free-diving, along with their in-depth knowledge and understanding of the ocean, become much less relevant. The younger generations have forgotten their ability to dive to the bottom of the reef and walk on the bottom of the ocean. Many Bajau communities on land live in squalid settlements. Some Bajau, however, have managed to maintain a sea-faring life and preserve their traditions in the solitude and liberty of living freely and independently on the sea, away from the rules and restrictions that bind those who live on land.

Blue Explorer Magazine

23

“Fram”, new level of expedition cruise After a decade of exploring some of the most spectacular waters on our planet, Hurtigruten’s MS Fram will receive a total makeover and reemerge as a brand-new expedition ship. Hurtigruten, the world’s largest expedition cruise company, is a traditional Norwegian cruise line. Since 1893 it is active in the mailboat service along the Norwegian fjord coast. They always focus on sustainability, that's why the ships all sail with sustainable fuel and they don't want to pollute the environment in which they sail. Rubbish collecting is only one of the interesting shore excursions. Another great thing about a Hurtigruten cruise is the opportunity to explore and learn about the chosen sailing in depth and as Hurtigruten themselves claims ‘Mother Nature provides the entertainment’.

A contract was signed on 9 September 2005 between the Hurtigruten Group and former OVDS ASA and the Fincantieri shipyard to build the ship. Construction started in March 2006, with the keel laying completed in August 2006. The MS Fram was floated for the first time in November 2006, followed by test sailings in February 2007.

MS Fram was designed with one mission in mind, to bring her guests closer to wildlife, nature and unforgettable experiences. Named to honor one of the most popular explorer ships in the history of expedition cruising, sailing from 1893 to 1912, items of the original Fram are also be displayed throughout the vessel, linking the present MS Fram with the rich history of its illustrious past. The great explorers Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen were pioneers in Arctic- and Antarctic expeditions and contributed to the conception of a vessel cruising oceans under extreme conditions. The name Fram means ‘forward’, lifting expectations of the voyage at hand. The new Fram brings on the heritage of the original Fram, using the most advanced technology to make her exceptionally well suited for expedition voyages in Polar Regions. Its interior has been inspired by Greenland and the Arctic region. She remains true to the original spirit of this great sailing legend. MS Fram is a purpose-built 11,600- ton vessel that incorporates all the best of both practical and traditional design. With a total capacity of only 378 guests, the ship has the perfect size to reach unique and

distant destinations which are rarely accessible for most ships. It is an expedition vessel with a higher iceclass, chart drawing tools, ship depth sounding database, extractable forward sounding sonar, iceberg

Blue Explorer Magazine

24

search lights, autonomous tracking system, oversized oil retention system for self-sufficiency, and a full ‘expedition tools-deck’ equivalent to a car-deck that holds 25 vehicles.

The ship is a comfortable expedition base-camp. It combines all oceans capabilities with safety, flexibility and environmental friendliness. The observation lounge, with comfortable sitting areas at the top of the ship and large panoramic windows, gives the passengers incredible views of nature. A pair of binoculars is installed for spotting wildlife and details of the ever changing landscape. Her 127 cabins carry passengers to the most remote locations on Earth in comfort and style. Because the ship is slightly larger than other expedition ships, it offers more in the way of on-board facilities and comfort. Facilities include a main reception area, a glass-enclosed observation salon and excellent leisure facilities, including gym, sauna and heated outdoor Jacuzzis. There is a range of cabins from comfortable standard cabins to luxury expensive suites with their own lounge areas; the suites are named after Norwegian polar heroes. Whilst sailing longer distances, educational activities are available to join to stay entertained, such as lectures, documentary screenings and story-telling. Where dining is concerned, there is one main restaurant onboard called ‘Imaq’ and blessed with some truly glorious views courtesy of the large, well-positioned windows, it boasts a wonderful atmosphere during meal times. Breakfast and lunch are both self-service buffet affairs with choices ranging from cold meats and cheeses to fresh breads, pastries, pastas and assorted salads and fruits. Each exciting Antarctic expedition is complemented by a group of experts to accompany landings, wildlife spotting and answer questions. Every adventure is an educational one. There is also an on-board photographer to document each expedition and help passengers capture those perfect wildlife and landscape photos. Expedition staff on the MS Fram is experienced and helpful and the atmosphere on board is decidedly social so it’s an excellent choice for those who want an immersive experience

with a friendly atmosphere.

MS Fram embarked on its first voyage in May 2007. During the summer months it will continue to operate around Greenland and the arctic. In the winter it will cruise Antarctic waters. The programs on board the MS Fram feature unforgettable experiences in a region that is largely undiscovered by tourists. In Antarctica, guests will explore this fantastic continent's unique landscape and wildlife. The ship’s fleet of PolarCirkel boats brings guests up-close and personal to flora and fauna during the voyage. And whether it’s a day at sea or an evening after a day of sightseeing, the time aboard will be an intensely educational experience

Other Facilities & Services Science Center - A brand-new signature Science Center will be packed with state-of-the-art technology and high-tech gadgets such as touch screens, science equipment and other interactive features. The Blue Explorer Magazine

25

“edutainment” area will be the place guests and staffs meet, mingle and create a deeper understanding of the destinations MS Fram explores.

Environment and green navigation - MS Fram takes pride in route planning that minimizes the load of the engines and reduces emissions. All waste is stored on board until it is deposited for treatment ashore. They respect the saying. “Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but pictures and kill nothing but time”.

Medical facilities - There is always an English-speaking physician and nurse on board. The ship has a small medical facility with the necessary equipment and drugs to handle small emergencies. In the event of a serious emergency, the nearest hospital will be contacted. Illness on board can lead to quarantine and orders from the ship’s physician and captain, must be followed.

Disabled cabins / Mobility - The MS Fram is suitable for wheelchair-users. Persons in need of special assistance must travel with a companion. The gangway is used to wheelchairs-users to embark or disembark. In ports where tidal conditions or other circumstances require use of a portable gangway, or during landings with tender boats, it is not possible to use or take wheelchairs.

Safety on board - The ships comply with all safety requirements and the vessels travelling in icy waters are suitable for this. Upon arrival on board, all passengers will be instructed in safety procedures and the use and location of the safety equipment. Special safety regulations will apply on landings with tender boats. A mandatory briefing regarding the safety guidelines will also be given.

Shore excursions - A selection of excursions can be pre-booked with only remaining places sold on board.

The registration is binding and once on board the Expedition Team will advise to book deadlines for excursions still available. All expedition shore landings and small boat cruising during call in Antarctica are included the program. The Expedition Team also arranges a variety of activities during the voyage. These will depend on location and season, but may include hiking, small boat cruising, kayaking, snowshoeing or camping. A limited amount of kayaking is available for booking prior to select voyages, but all other activities are booked on board and subject to availability.

Small boat landings - The sturdy boats enable both water-based exploration and safe landings in otherwise inaccessible areas. .

Blue Explorer Magazine

26

Magellan Straits: cruising over the edge of the world

Portuguese Navigator Ferdinand Magellan was serving the Spanish when he set off with 5 ships to reach the Spice Islands of Indonesia via South America. The expedition voyage started in Valladolid Spain on March 22, 1518. The 5 ships sail and departed from Sanlúcar de Barrameda on Sept 20,

1519. The vessels were named La Trinidad, La San Antonio, La Concepción, La Victoria and La Santiago. The ships entered the strait on Nov 1, 1520. The strait was originally named Estrecho de Todos los Santos (Strait of All Saints). Other alternative names were Patagonian Strait and Victoria Strait. Since 1527, it was called Estrecho de Magallanes.

Magellan discovered the tortuous channel but he died later in the voyage and only one ship, La Victoria, survived the journey back home with 18 of the original 270 crew via the Cape of Good Hope to Spain. Occurred in 1520, it was the first European led expedition to circumnavigate the globe.

This cinematic channel, earned the nickname Dragon’s Tail among sailors for its tortuous path, linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and cuts between the mainland tip of South America and Tierra del Fuego Island. All 560 kilometers in length and up to 32 kilometers in width, it was the passage of choice for seafaring transport between these two oceans until the Panama Canal shortened the distance by 8 thousand miles in 1914.

The Strait, in it whole length, belongs to the Republic of Chile and it is part of the XII Region of Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica (Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena). Its eastern access is surrounded by Argentinean waters. The strait's northwest part is similar to the Alaska's Inside Passage. The strait's western part goes northwest from Magdalena Channel's northern end to the Pacific Ocean.

Along with the Beagle Channel, it was one of two protected channels for sailing between the oceans.

The third alternative was the notoriously turbulent open ocean Drake Passage beyond Cape Horn. All the shipping traffic between mainland Chile and Argentina runs through the Magellan Strait. Under the 1984's Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Argentina and Chile, marine vessels including cruise

Blue Explorer Magazine

27

ships of other nations are allowed to navigate these waters from and to the eastern mouth at any time and circumstances.

Today approximately 1,500 ships pass through the Strait of Magellan each year and around 50 Magellan tour cruise ships arrive each summer. When sailing into the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica Region of South America on a cruise ship, it is hard to contemplate how it all must have seemed to the early explorers who crossed the Atlantic to reach the distant continent, but thankfully, much of the landscape remains virtually unchanged. From remote Cape Horn to Wulaia Bay, a cruise is almost the only way to see this area of breathtaking beauty. One of the absolute highlights is landing at Cape Horn, where at its southernmost tip Antarctica lies just 600 miles away.

The starting point for those wanting to experience a Strait of Magellan cruise is the town of Punta

Arenas. Situated in southern Chile, it is an unlikely mixture of faded European gilded-age splendor, wildwestern U.S. Frontier town, immigrant melting pot, and modern-day adventure expedition kick-off point.

The town was once a mandatory stop-off point for ships traveling to and from the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, ships docked to load and unload cargo and passengers, and the town prospered. It is Chile’s southernmost city and is the largest settlement along the Strait of Magellan. Even nowadays, it serves as the center for tourism and cruises in the region.

The fjords and channels throughout the Strait of Magellan are known for their natural beauty and calm waters. Along the route, high glaciers flow to the sea from steep snow-capped peaks. Protected bays are populated with elephant seals, Humpback whales, and Magellanic penguins. It also boasts a wide va-

riety of wildlife including penguins, whales, seals, dolphins and abundance of birdlife that still remains off the main tourist track.

There are 41 listed lighthouses in this waterway, some of which are over 100 years old and declared national monuments. Among those are County of Peebles, an iron-hulled rig ship, now used as a breakwater for the Punta Arenas' harbor, San Isidro museum and Evangelistas at the strait's western mouth.

Around the strait are located several Chilean national parks and monuments, including Los Pinguinos National Monument and a sanctuary for protecting humpback whales. Southern right whales are also known to frequent the strait’s waters. There also several other park areas that are protected such as; Cabo Possession, Cabo Espíritu Santo, San Gregorio, Estepa Humeda, San Juan, Río Condor, Timaukel, Dawson

Island, Cabo Froward, Munoz Gamero peninsula, Carlos III Island, and Rupert Island.

Many lines including Seabourn, Silversea Expeditions, National Geographic and Lindblad call in at Ushuaia, capital of Tierra del Fuego, either on a South America cruise or more often en route to

Antarctica. But there is just one that operates expedition cruises also known as Chilean fjord cruises in this region: Australis. This ChileBlue Explorer Magazine

28

based line has two ships specially designed to navigate the narrow fjords and shallow bays in this region.

Australis offers in-depth explorations of the region, with highly knowledgeable guides on every cruise. The ships all carry Zodiacs to get up close and personal to wildlife and glaciers, and allowing passengers to board at the tiny ports.

The best time to cruise the Strait of Magellan throughout the Chilean fjords is September through April; the rest of the time the area is un-navigable, due to weather and sea conditions. However, the weather varies at any time of year and it is advisable to take cold weather clothes at any time. In January/ February, the height of summer, the weather is most clement and seas are calmest. Being so far south, the phrase "height of summer" might be slightly misleading, temperatures rarely go above the high 60s (low 20s centigrade) at any time of year.

Cruise Ports: Punta Arenas: The southernmost town in Chile is a dusty, wind-swept place that seems bleached out and abandoned. It has a real frontier feel to it. Most passengers fly here from Santiago in the morning and board the ship in the afternoon.

Ainsworth Bay: This is a beautiful, unspoiled island, which houses a pristine, sub-polar forest: one of the few places in the

world with this type of habitat. It's a bit like stepping back in time: The trees are covered in moss and the wooden path past streams, peat bogs and waterfalls, expect a brachiosaurus to come lumbering past at any moment. The island is home to large number birds and also a colony of Southern elephant seals. The

Blue Explorer Magazine

29

most striking sight is the Marinelli Glacier in the distance, which acts as a backdrop, shimmering in the

distance.

Tuckers Islets: These islands are home to 4,000 small Magellan penguins, reached via Zodiac boat ride, but it’s not allowed off to explore. Other marine birds including a cormorant colony, geese, skuas and gulls are also easy to spot on here.

Pia Glacier: This is a wonderful cruise highlight, if the time is right, passengers will be able to catch the glacier calving (chunks falling off). The best time to come to watch this is high summer, when it's warmest and the glaciers are melting. There is a chance to take a walk or a hike along a path through forests and brush to a vantage point that allows to uninterrupted views of the whole glacier.

Wulaia Bay: Another beautiful bay, most famous for an 1859 uprising led by an indigenous Yamana man, Jemmy Button, who was captured by Captain Robert FitzRoy of the Beagle, taken to England, "civilized" there and then returned. A museum in the old radio station has an extensive and detailed history of the Yamana.

Cape Horn: The southernmost inhabited point in South America. The highlights are a monument to the many people who have lost their lives in the Drake Passage, and the spot where the Atlantic and Pacific oceans meet. There is a permanent manned lighthouse, run by a senior officer in the Chilean naval fleet. Passengers can visit the lighthouse and the chapel and get a souvenir, however, the captain will make a decision based on how rough the sea is that day; landings are made on only about three-quarters of all voyages.

Ushuaia: Ushuaia, the final, or first, port stop depending on the itinerary, is Argentina's most southerly town and stands in stark contrast to Punta Arenas: bustling and prosperous, its set against a stunning background of mountains, and strung along the pristine waters of the Beagle Channel. This is a town that has grown rich on tourist dollars and is the main stopping-off point for cruises to Antarctica. It has a thriving main street, mainly consisting of expensive outdoor clothes and hiking boot specialists. Sites worth checking out include the former prison and a nearby penguin colony.

Blue Explorer Magazine

30

“When you've seen the world, there's always Greenland” Stretching approximately 2,800 kilometers (1,750 miles) from north to south and approximately 1,000 kilometers (625 miles) from east to west, Greenland is the world’s biggest island. In a land dominated by the Ice Cap and impossibly steep mountain ranges, 3,500 people have made it their home.

Their culture is born from myths and legends, often expressed in bone and rock carvings, but at the same time it is a globally connected culture with strong hunting roots and an everyday spirit of adventure.

Greenland is an autonomous Danish territory with its own parliament. The official language is West Greenlandic (Kalaallisut), though many also speak Danish and English. Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, located in West Greenland is an arctic metropolis with a small-town feel, shaped by nature and known for its cultural diversity. While Nuuk is the colorful heart of this nation, the smaller communities of Paamiut south of the capital and Kapisillit in the Nuuk Fjord, are places to kick back and spend time in the outdoors.

Greenland has the most spectacular Arctic landscape with its rich diversity. Stunning remote fjords, immense icebergs and huge calving glaciers but also mountains covered in wild flowers. One of the main reasons people visit Greenland is to witness the thousands of beautiful icebergs that can be seen floating along the fjords and coast. 80% of Greenland’s landmass is covered by an ice sheet which forms glaciers. As the glaciers retreat, huge pieces of ice calve off into the water and drift out to sea. Exploring Greenland’s beauty is best through sailing, and then goes up close with zodiacs, kayaking, diving or simply through the walks on land. Sailing is an essential part of the Greenlandic culture, as the sea route is the only way to get from A to B in most areas during summer.

Greenland’s coastline is more than 44,000 kilometers or longer than the 40,000 kilometers around the Equator. A cruise there is first and foremost a nature based experience, but on top of that it

Blue Explorer Magazine

31

is an intimate meeting with the culture, society, and history which adds a dimension not often seen in other Polar cruises. With the exception of the northernmost parts of Greenland, which are still hard to access because of sea ice, just about any inhabited place in Greenland can be reached in the peak season from June till October. For a great all round experience of Greenland, explorers can begin or end their cruise in Kangerlussuaq, at the bottom of a long, narrow fjord close to the Ice Cap which is an essential place to visit from Kangerlussuaq.

When they embark in Kangerlussuaq the cruise will almost certainly involve a trip north to the Disko Bay area, typically arriving in Ilulissat and cruising along the UNESCO World Heritage Site at the Ilulissat Icefjord, before heading south to Kangerlussuaq or across the Davis Strait to Canada or back towards Iceland with further Greenlandic destinations on the itinerary. Explorers might also be arriving on a larger cruise on their way across the Atlantic and in that case they normally only have one or two stops in Greenland unless they are traveling aboard a dedi-

cated expedition cruise ship or a schooner, both of which usually travel through fjords and explore nature and wildlife off the beaten path on fairly open itineraries. Regardless of the ship type and irrespectively of the choice of season, be it early in summer when whales are abundant or on the edge of autumn when the northern lights come out, a cruise in Greenland is the perfect way to experience the country.

Greenland is undoubtedly the most challenging cruising destination in the North Atlantic and every year a few cruises brave the elements to explore this wild and beautiful island during the all too short summer season. The deeply indented coasts offer an infinite variety of anchorages in the steep-sided fjords or among the myriad islands. By June, the west coast is clear of ice between 63°N and 69°N. It can be ap-

proached by passing well to seaward of Cape Farvel. Depending on conditions, one may have to pass as far as 160 kilometres (100 miles) offshore.

The weather is cold all year round and the winters are particularly harsh with some ports being icebound until well into the summer. Temperatures are low even in the summer months. The prevailing winds in the southern part are S or SW, while easterly winds predominate further north. Winds are light and variable in summer. Depending on latitude, the midnight sun is visible from the end of May until the end of July. Some of the harbors are accessible all year round, but many are only accessible during the summer, and even then ice-strengthened vessels are recommended. There is ice booms placed across the harbor entrances at Jakobshavn, and one should confirm with port authorities that these booms are slackened off before entering.

Blue Explorer Magazine

32

Ports Nanortalik - Greenland’s most southerly town – is unlike any other town in the country. Sat on a small island at the end of a wonderful fjord and surrounded by vast snow-topped mountains, the ‘Place of Polar Bears’ is unique. The small woodlands and prairies against a spectacular backdrop make this is a nature lover’s paradise. Polar bears live and hunt on the sea ice close to the town and are often seen from the shores of Nanortalik, while seals and whales can also be spotted in the surrounding waters. In the winter months, visitors may be lucky enough to capture the Aurora Borealis, Mother Nature’s own spectacular display, with curtains of white, yellow and green flashes lighting up the sky. Beyond its natural wonders, the town has a well preserved historic quarter where there are cafés and an unusual wooden church. Brightly colored houses line the streets, while the Nanortalik Museum has some fasci-

nating exhibits including the oldest women’s boat ever found, which dates back to 1440 and was found by polar explorer and artist, Eigil Knuth.

Narsarsuaq - is a small settlement in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland, with a population of no more than 200 inhabitants. Around Narsarsuaq, the attractions include a great diversity of wildlife, gemstones, tours to blue ice glaciers, and an airfield museum. Just outside of Narsarsuaq is Signal Hill, offering panoramic views of the fjord and the icebergs which can occasionally be seen floating past. Inland is the stunning Narsarsuaq Glacier which grows out of the ice sheet of Greenland's interior. The stunning blue ice of the glacier is within walking distance and is reached via the picturesque Flower Valley. Based around its international airport, a former US Military Airbase, Narsarsuaq is one

of Greenland’s most popular tourist destinations.

Qaqortoq - Frequently isolated by winter sea ice, the ‘White Palace’, Qaqortoq, is southern Greenland’s largest town. Founded by Norwegian traders in 1775, Qaqortoq still retains some beautiful coloBlue Explorer Magazine

33

nial buildings from that time. The challenging landscape and harsh climate have ensured the preserva-

tion of Greenland’s traditional culture, and the many ancient Inuit skills of fishing, hunting and kayaking. Qaqortoq is very proud of its ancient fountain, for many years the only one in Greenland, which has carvings of whales spouting water out of their blowholes, and the names of all of the town burghers in brass letters around its base. The Stone and Man project is also fascinating, featuring natural rock that’s been carved by local artists into abstract shapes and figures. The charming Church of Our Savior, dating from 1832, is found in the town centre, and the two local museums are also worth seeing.

Tasiilaq - Lying between the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans, much of Greenland’s surface is covered in ice, with its sparse populace nestled on the ice free, fjord lined coast to the southwest. Situated

largely above the Arctic Circle, the island offers stunning landscapes and natural phenomena such as the Aurora Borealis and summer’s midnight sun. Greenland may be remote, but it's a natural masterpiece. Dramatic fjords, imposing mountains and majestic icebergs are a feature of the unspoiled landscapes here, providing a haven for an amazing array of wildlife such as whales, seabirds, seals and reindeer.

Nuuk - Greenland’s intriguing capital, the city of Nuuk offers a fascinating glimpse into Greenland’s history and future. A bustle of activity, the city at first glance offers a taste of Europe, with art galleries, cafes, and restaurants. A closer look to historic buildings from the whaling era and the excellent museum offers a deep dive into the fascinating history and culture of Greenland. The unique blend of Inuit

and Danish ancestry has produced a Greenlandic culture all of its own. The ancient and modern are seen in some surprising combinations, be that dog sledding with Carlsberg or kaffemiks. A cruise to Greenland is something special and time in each destination should be taken to unwind and witness some of this land’s most dazzling natural experiences.

Blue Explorer Magazine

34

FRANKLIN’S LOST EXPEDITION, ONE GREAT MYSTERY OF EXPLORATION A COMMANDER DESTINED FOR NAVAL SERVICE John Franklin was born in Spilsby, a village in the English county of Lincolnshire, in 1786. By marriage, he was a step-cousin of Royal Navy captain Matthew Flinders, who inspired Franklin to join its ranks when he was only 14. Franklin circumnavigated Australia with Flinders in 1802-1803, served in the Battle of Trafalgar during the Napoleonic Wars, and fought in the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812. His brave actions caught the eye of the Second Secretary of the Admiralty, Sir John Barrow, who had big plans for the young lieutenant. Franklin’s first Arctic expedition in spring 1818 was unsuccessful, his second overland exploration of subarctic Canada in 1819 was also much worse, during which his crew fell short on provisions, and had to stew up leather shoes, after which he was called the "man who ate his boots." He also explored Alaska and was Governor of Tasmania. Despite those failures on his assigned expeditions, Franklin was appointed to lead another historic attempt at the passage planned by the British admiralty. By this point, Franklin was a decorated naval officer and experienced explorer—but he was also 59 years old and out of shape. The mission was destined to be the validation of a final, triumphant voyage to crown his naval career.

THE LOST EXPEDITION The expedition, consisting of two ships and 134 men under the command of Sir John Franklin, was meant to be the final exploration of the Northwest Passage – the sea route linking Europe and

Asia through the Canadian Arctic. The two ships, HMS Erebus which stands for "place of darkness" in Latin, and HMS Terror had already been to the Arctic. They were originally designed for war - constructed

Blue Explorer Magazine

35

as bombing vessels with rotating mortars mounted at the bow which needed to be supported by a strong internal wooden structure. This made them ideal vessels for the mission; their robust construction provided them with the ability to withstand their long journey. However, the ships needed more in order to withstand punishing Arctic conditions. Coupled with their already vigorous framework, thick iron plates reinforced the bows of the Erebus and the Terror; inside walls were fortified with added beams to protect the hulls against run-ins with ice. Additionally, the ships were retrofitted with steam propulsion engines to provide enough power to pierce through the icy obstacles. They appeared to be ideal ships for Arctic exploration. Instead, the expedition ended in a disaster. HMS Erebus and Terror were lost with all hands. The clues to why this happened were few and mysterious. The expedition was well equipped for a long stay in the Arctic but it ended so badly.

The ships sailed from England in May 1845. They were last seen in Baffin Bay in July of the same year, when five expedition members were discharged and sent home with whalers. After this, there was only silence. Since the expedition was equipped with three years of provisions, the Admiralty in London did not send out rescue missions until 1848. By this time, most of the members of the Franklin expedition were already dead.

The Franklin ships had sailed from Beechey Island and south through Peel Sound in the summer of 1846. Both ships got stuck in the ice off King William Island in September and the second wintering took

place there. To the shock of the expedition members, the ice did not melt during the 1847 summer. The situation was made worse by the death of Franklin on June 11 1847, according to a note later found in a cairn on Victory Point, King William Island. This somber note was discovered in 1859, the message revealed that in late 1846, the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror had become imprisoned in ice and remained there for approximately one and a half years. After another wintering off King William Island, the men abandoned the ships in late April 1848. They simply could not wait another year in the hope that the ships would be released by the ice. The provisions would have run out by then and the men would have been in no state to trek south.

By April 1848, 9 officers and 15 seamen had died, according to the note mentioned above. The remaining crew tried to reach Back River and a Hudson Bay company outpost further south. They dragged along lifeboats on sleds with provisions and equipment. During this trek, the seamen encountered local Blue Explorer Magazine

36

Inuit. The Inuit later reported these meetings and their subsequent discovery of dead expedition members to the search parties. These reports also included information about cannibalism among the seamen. The expedition members did not make it, succumbing to hypothermia, scurvy, and starvation, leaving skeletons and artifacts scattered along the route on the western and southern coast of King William Island and on the northern coast of the mainland. The Intense searches in the 1850s shed light on the fate of the expedition. Search parties discovered many of these remains; the wintering quarters were found, including a small cemetery with the burials of three seamen who had died during the overwintering.

EREBUS AND TERROR WRECKS FOUND Multiple search efforts and scientific research projects tied to Franklin's last voyage continued in the late-19th and 20th centuries. They collected relics and bones, located graves, and partnered with Inuit communities to conduct long-term searches for more clues to the expedition's fate. Yet two significant artifacts remained missing for more than 165 years: the ships themselves. Many researchers believed that the Erebus and Terror could hold a trove of clues to the men's final activities, but the brutal climate and brief research season on King William Island stymied progress. Physical evidence of the ships was gone but not lost. Nearly 170 years after Franklin's ships left England, the Victoria Strait Expedition led by Parks Canada with funding from the Canadian government and new sonar technology, archaeologists and Inuit historians, including Franklin scholar Louie Kamookak, finally found the HMS Erebus in Victoria

Wreck of the HMS Terror

Strait. They discovered the wreck sitting in just 11 meters (36 feet) of water in September of 2014. Among the artifacts retrieved was the ship’s bell. Two years later, on September 18, 2016, the Arctic Research

Blue Explorer Magazine

37

Foundation with a report from an Inuit hunter, Sammy Kogvik was also discovered the almost-pristine wreck of the HMS Terror off the shores of King William Island in Nunavut in deeper water to its companion’s northwest. The immediate and ongoing hope was that the discovery of the wrecks would fill in the missing pieces and shine a light on what happened to the Franklin Expedition. But at first, it only deepened the mystery—the wrecks were in the wrong place. Terror was about 60 miles south of where the 1848 note said the ships had been abandoned, and Erebus was 30 miles farther south still. The shipwrecks may hold important evidence that could explain what happened during the final phase of the expedition. The geographical location of the wrecks could indicate that some members of the expedition returned to the ships and sailed south, before they finally succumbed to the High Arctic condi-

tions. That this may have happened is backed up by Inuit oral sources.

THE ARTIFACTS Books, tools, boots, buttons, spoons, combs, pocket watches, food tins, Crozier and Fitzjames's note, and even a piece of canned meat from Franklin's last expedition are stored in the collection of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London. Artifacts retrieved from the Erebus and Terror, including the ships' bells and other relics are part of the critically acclaimed exhibit, Death in the Ice, currently on display in the Canadian Museum of History through September 30, 2018.

Blue Explorer Magazine

38

Captain Joshua Slocum, a maritime legend Over a century ago in Fairhaven, Joshua Slocum set sail for the first time from the American city of Boston, Massachusetts, and succeeded in what many before and after him dreamed of, sailing around the world.

Slocum was born in February 20 1844 in Annapolis County to a loving mother and a father whose toughness may have verged on cruelty. He was a “Bluenose” Nova Scotian, a race whose self-reliance, hardiness and versatility are legendary.

Sharing a humble existence with his 10 siblings, Slocum dreamed of leaving home for a life on the water. He came from a long line of sailors, yet somehow his father and mother preferred land. Slocum never felt quite right about it. He knew exactly what he wanted out of life by the time he was 12 years old.

That was the first time he ran away to crew on a ship as a cabin boy and kitchen hand. Against his hope, that first time at sea delivered him right back to his home in Nova Scotia, on the Bay of Fundy. But life on land didn’t last long. In 1860, he ran away once again to the ocean. This time, it was for good. At 16, he was old enough to be hired as a full-time seaman on a mer-

chant ship. In two short years, he sailed to Ireland, England, China, Jakarta, the Maluka Islands, Manila, Hong Kong, and Singapore. He rounded Cape Horn twice in that short yet eventful era and eventually landed in San Francisco. After securing a solid, recurring gig on a Britain-San Francisco cargo route at 18 years old, he passed his second mate exam, a critical step to taking on more leadership and responsibility aboard ship. Soon thereafter, he was promoted to first mate on the route. Very little is written about this time in Slocum’s life, so it’s tempting to assume that he was living a young sailor’s dream of a girl in every port. He may have been. But his quick ascension through the ranks also indicates that he was driven and focused on learning about seamanship and boats. Before he was twenty-seven he was captain of The Washington, a magnificent square- rigged ship, in which he sailed to Sydney, Australia,

where he met and married his wife Virginia. Together they sailed the seven seas and enjoyed many years of adventure, he as a master of some of the finest vessels afloat, until sail began to be replaced by steam and Slocum found himself redundant; as he said, cast up on the beach.

In 1892, at loose ends, Slocum pondered seeking a new command, which were few and far between, or working at the shipyard, which required a steep association fee. An old acquaintance solved his dilemma by offering him a boat, which wanted repairing. The boat was an old sloop, only 12 m long, called the Spray. People were amazed that Slocum was rebuilding it. His work on the boat was punctuated by the pithy observations and dire warnings of many a seasoned sailor. Slocum ignored the Spray's detractors. He had found a new love in the decrepit craft.

Joshua Slocum's epic solo voyage around the world in 1895 at the age of 51, in the Spray stands as one of the greatest sea adventures of all time. It remains one of the major feats of singlehanded voyaging, and has since been the inspiration for the many that have gone to sea in small boats. Starting

Blue Explorer Magazine

39

from Boston in 1895, by the time he dropped anchor in Newport, Rhode Island over three years after his journey began, he had cruised some 46,000 miles entirely by sail and entirely alone. Slocum normally sailed the Spray without touching the helm. Due to the length of the sail plan relative to the hull, and the long keel, the Spray was capable of selfsteering (unlike faster modern craft), and he balanced it stably on any course relative to

Capt. Joshua Slocum Monument

the wind by adjusting or reefing the sails and by lashing the helm fast. He sailed 2,000 miles (3,200 km) west across the Pacific without once touching the helm”. He navigated without a chronometer, instead relying on the traditional method of dead reckoning for longitude, which required only a cheap tin clock for approximate time, and noon-sun sights for latitude. On one long passage in the Pacific, Slocum also famously shot a lunar distance obser-

vation, decades after these observations had ceased to be commonly employed, which allowed him to check his longitude independently. However, Slocum’s primary method for finding longitude was still dead reckoning; he recorded only one lunar observation during the entire circumnavigation. During the course of his journey, Slocum was chased by pirates and accosted by hostile natives, buffeted by giant waves and blown about by fearsome gales and blinding rain and snow. He also visited with a King and dined on a Pacific island with the widow of famed Scottish novelist Robert Louis Stevenson.

More than three years later, on June 27, 1898, he arrived in Newport, having circumnavigated the world, a distance of more than 46,000 miles. Slocum’s return went almost unnoticed. The Spanish– American War, which had begun two months earlier, dominated the headlines. After the end of major hos-

tilities, many American newspapers published articles describing Slocum’s amazing adventure.

Joshua Slocum loved adventure. He was a free spirit, a risk-taker, a dreamer. He was also a builder.

He designed, constructed, sailed, bought, and sold ships. He was a wealth-creator and a trader and enjoyed every minute of it. He was a “celebrated sailor and adventurer” whose fame came first following the publication of a book Voyage of the Liberdade. The book told of the shipwreck of Slocum’s ship Aquidneck and his building of the 35-foot Liberdade, in which he and his family sailed from Brazil back to America.

Following the publication of the book, Slocum toured with the Liberdade, visiting Harris’ boat stage near the foot of Washington Street in Fairhaven in August of 1890. It was at this time that Slocum met Capt.

Eben Pierce, a retired seaman who resided at Poverty Point. Capt. Pierce was an uncle of Slocum’s friend

Capt. John Drew, a marine writer who may have inspired Slocum to publish the stories of his own voyages. In 1900, two years after his return, he published a best-selling book.

Blue Explorer Magazine

40

The completely rebuilt oyster boat, Spray, piloted by Slocum and which sailed around the world

Titled “Sailing Alone Around the World”, it chronicled his world-famous expedition. It is regarded more than a century later as an enduring classic of travel literature, acclaimed as an unequalled masterpiece of vital yet disciplined prose.

Joshua Slocum’s worldwide fame soared after Sailing was published. He earned a comfortable living through speaking and writing and showing up at public events. In 1901, he even hauled the Spray through the Erie Canal to Buffalo for the Pan-American Exposition. He bought a small farm on Martha’s Vineyard but never grew accustomed to living on the land. On November 14, 1909, restless at the age of 65, he and his beloved Spray embarked on yet another voyage. He set sail for the West Indies on one of his usual winter voyages. He had also expressed interest in starting his next adventure, exploring the Orinoco, Rio Negro and Amazon Rivers. Slocum was never heard from again. In July 1910, his wife informed the newspapers that she believed he was lost at sea. In 1924, Joshua Slocum was declared legally dead.

A monument to Slocum exists on Brier Island, Nova Scotia, not far from his family's boot shop.

Slocum is commemorated in museum exhibits at the New Bedford Whaling Museum in Massachusetts, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and the Mount Hanley Schoolhouse Museum near his birthplace. Several biographies about Slocum are also published.

Blue Explorer Magazine

41

Finding North-West passage, the last voyage of Henry Hudson It has been 400 years since English explorer Henry Hudson mapped the northeast coast of North America, contributing significantly to our understanding of the northeastern waterways geography. In his honor, several bodies of water that he navigated now bear his name: Hudson Bay, the Hudson River, and Hudson Strait, yet what happened to the famed explorer remains a mystery.

Not much is known about Henry Hudson’s early life prior to his first significant voyage in 1607. Most

historians believe he was born around 1565 in England, and lived for some time in London. Most scholars also believe that Hudson’s grandfather was one of the founders of the Muscovy Company. This was a very important trading company of this time, and would be the reason Hudson would go on his voyages. It is very likely that Henry worked on ships from a young age, probably as a cabin boy. He would have learned how to cook, handle sails, care for a ship, and keep a ship’s log. He would also have learned navigational skills as well. It is not exactly known when, but at some point, Hudson married a woman named Katherine and they had three sons – Oliver, John, and Richard.

Henry Hudson made four voyages in search of a water route to the Far East. His first two voyages were through Arctic waters and proved to be unsuccessful due to ice. His third and fourth voyages were to North America; his discoveries influenced other explorers and laid the foundation for future colonization and trading.

Blue Explorer Magazine

42

First Three Voyages In 1607, a time when countries and companies competed with each other to find the best ways to reach important trade destinations, especially Asia and India, the Muscovy Company, entrusted Hudson to find a northern route to Asia. They provided a ship called the Hopewell for the expedition Hudson brought his son John with him on this trip, as well as Robert Juet. Juet went on several of Hudson's voyages and recorded these trips in his journals. Despite a spring departure, Hudson found himself and his crew battling icy conditions. They had a chance to explore some of the islands near Greenland before turning back. But the trip was not a total loss, as Hudson reported numerous whales in the region, which opened up a new hunting territory.

The following year, Hudson once again set sail in search of the fabled Northeast Passage. The route he sought proved elusive, however. Hudson made it to Novaya Zemlya, an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean to the north of Russia. But he could not travel further, blocked by thick ice. Hudson returned to England without achieving his goal.

In 1609, Hudson joined the Dutch East India Company as a commander. He took charge of the Half Moon with the objective of discovering a northern route to Asia by heading north of Russia. Again, ice put an end to his travels, but this time he did not head for home. Hudson decided to sail west to seek western passage to the Orient. According to some historians, he had heard of a way to the Pacific Ocean from North America from English explorer John Smith.

Crossing the Atlantic Ocean, Hudson and his crew reached land that July, coming ashore at what is now Nova Scotia. They encountered some of the local Native Americans there and were able to make

some trades with them. Traveling down the North American coast, Hudson went as far south as the Chesapeake Bay. He then turned around and decided to explore New York Harbor, an area first thought to have been discovered by Giovanni da Verrazzano in 1524. Around this time, Hudson and his crew clashed with some local Native Americans. A crew member named John Colman died after being shot in the neck with an arrow and two others on board were injured. After burying Colman, Hudson and his crew traveled up the river that would later carry his name. He explored the Hudson River up as far as what later became Albany. Along the way, Hudson noticed that the lush lands that lined the river contained abundant wildlife. He and his crew also met with some of the Native Americans living on the river's banks. Hudson understood what it took to complete a journey. The single most expensive item on a voyage of exploration was the ship itself, and every vessel that Hudson commanded returned safely.

On the way back to the Netherlands, Hudson was stopped in the English port of Dartmouth. The English authorities seized the ship and the Englishmen among the crew. Upset that he had been exploring for another country, the English authorities forbade Hudson from working with the Dutch again.

Blue Explorer Magazine

43

He was, however, undeterred from trying to find the Northwest Passage. This time, Hudson found

English investors to fund his next journey, which would prove to be fatal.

Final Journey Life on the sea during Hudson's time was primitive, with terrible living conditions. Navigation was hard, with only a compass, an astrolabe, and a quadrant. The astrolabe helped to navigate from the North Star. The quadrant helped to determine latitude. The chronometer had not been invented yet, so an exact longitude is hardly known, and there is only an hourglass to keep time.

For his fourth voyage, Hudson was backed by a wealthy and influential group of men, including the Prince of Wales, and provided with the Discovery. The Discovery left London on 17 April 1610 with a

crew of 23, and again included his son John and Robert Juet, made their way across the Atlantic Ocean.

Before he had even reached the sea, Hudson brought aboard another man, Henry Greene, to serve as a spy on the crew.

After skirting the southern tip of Greenland, they entered what became known as the Hudson Strait. The exploration then reached another of his namesakes, the Hudson Bay. From Hudson Bay he probed still farther south, into James Bay, in which he sailed back and forth and discovered that he'd come to a dead end.

Hudson and his crew spent the winter in James Bay since they were unable to sail through the icy waters. By June 1611, the Discovery was free of ice and could continue on her journey. But by the end of winter, the crew had only grown more upset with their captain. Many of them felt that their trip was a

Blue Explorer Magazine

44

Map of Hudson Bay

waste of time. In June 1611, Robert Juet, after being demoted as mate, led a mutiny against Hudson.

Hudson, his son, and several sick crew members were sent adrift in a small boat. What became of the castaway men is still unknown today. No one is sure what happened to Henry Hudson, but he was never heard from again. It is likely that he quickly starved to death or froze to death in the harsh cold weather of the north.

On trial for Hudson's murder later that year, the remaining crew admitted to cutting the captain and a group of individuals still loyal to him loose on a small lifeboat, according to court documents. None of the men was convicted of the murder or even punished for the mutiny, and historians generally believe their claims too but Mancall. Peter C. Mancall, professor of History and Anthropology at University of Southern California, also director of the USC-Huntington Early Modern Studies Institute, and author of Fatal Journey: The Final Expedition of Henry Hudson (2009) believes that some physical evidence points to a more violent end for the captain. Mancall highlighted evidence that was found and documented after the ship docked in London: blood stains, most damningly, along with letters from another sailor mentioning the growing personal rift between captain and crew. A number of Hudson's possessions were also missing. While he never found his way to Asia, Hudson is still widely remembered as a determined early explorer. His efforts helped drive European interest in North America. Today his name can be found all around us on waterways, schools, bridges and even towns. His journeys generated invaluable information about the North Atlantic. Six accounts, including three purportedly written by Hudson, detailed the dangers posed by icebergs, the location of marine resources such as whales and seals, and expert advice about what it would take to survive in northern waters. His backers saw the merit in making these narratives widely available. In 1625 the minister Samuel Purchas published them for the

general benefit of the English reading public.

Blue Explorer Magazine

45

The lost continent of Lemuria Lemuria is the name of a mythical continent alleged to have been in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

The lost continent derives its name from the primate lemur belonging to the group prosimians. Lemurs now inhabit Madagascar Island, the surrounding smaller islands and Comoros Island. The term lemur

comes from the Latin word lemures, meaning spirits of the night, a reference to many species of lemur that are nocturnal and so have large reflective eyes. Their distribution once extended from Pakistan to Malaya.

Lemuria theories first became popular in 1864, when British lawyer and zoologist Philip Lutley Sclater wrote a paper titled “The Mammals of Madagascar” and had it published in The Quarterly Journal of Science. Sclater observed that there were many more species of lemur in Madagascar than there were in either Africa or India, thus claiming that Madagascar was the animal’s original homeland. His explanation for their geographical spread and their concentration in Madagascar was that at some era in the past there must have been a land bridge between Africa and India, which he called Lemuria. This bridge, he

suggested, was a now-lost landmass stretching across the southern Indian Ocean in a triangular shape.

This continent of “Lemuria,” Sclater suggested, touched India’s southern point, southern Africa, and Western Australia and eventually sunk to the ocean floor. This theory came at a time when the science of evolution was in its infancy, notions of continental drift weren’t widely accepted, and many prominent scientists were using land bridge theories to explain how various animals once migrated from one place to another (a theory similar to Sclater’s had even been proposed by French naturalist Étienne Geoffroy SaintHilaire two decades earlier). Thus, Sclater’s theory gained some traction. Although now universally debunked by Western-trained scientists, Sclater's theory about the lost land of Lemuria, originally published as a short essay in a relatively unknown scientific journal, was to find a new existence in the imagination and history of a long list of academics, occultists, colonial geologists, and nationalists. On this lost continent, some even thought, there once lived a race of now-extinct humans called Lemurians who had four arms and enormous, hermaphroditic bodies but nevertheless are the ancestors of modern-day humans (and perhaps also lemurs). The physical appearance of Lemurians has been debated for years. Some beBlue Explorer Magazine

46

lieve Lemurians looks like highly-evolved humans (like the description of Saint Germain) while others believe they have more animalistic qualities. Although it is a universally believed they are much taller beings than us surface dwellers. And as absurd as this all sounds, the idea flourished for a time both in popular culture and some corners of the scientific community. Of course, modern science has long since debunked the idea of Lemuria Lost Continent of Kumari Kandam

altogether.

Following this scientific discovery, the concept of

Lemuria began to appear in the works of other scholars. Ernst Haeckel, , a Darwin enthusiast often credited with promoting Darwin's ideas of natural selection in Germany, also came up with the idea of Lemuria.

He added his own spin on it, claiming that Lemurians were not just lemurs, but humans as well. The Lemurians migrated to India as their continent sank, Haeckel claimed, and became the Aryans. Haeckel looked for the “missing link” in this area, proposing that the fossils of the first humans sunk under the sea.

But some propose the lost land went somewhere else. Fast forward to 1899, Frederick Spencer Oliver published A Dweller on Two Planets, a book which claimed that survivors from a sunken continent called Lemuria were living in Mount Shasta. In the book, Lemurians lived in a series of complex tunnels beneath the mountain. Locals would sometimes see the creatures wandering outside the mountain in white robes.

Then in 1931, Harvey Spencer Lewis, using the pseudonym Wisar Spenle Cerve, wrote a book about the hidden Lemurians of Mount Shasta. This book is widely regarded as the reason for the popularity for the legends of Lemurians in Mt. Shasta.

The last Ice Age had a profound influence on the prehistory of humankind. So in prehistoric studies of coastal areas, it is crucial to understand the consequence of changes in the sea level. About 14,500 years ago, the sea level was lower by 100 meters. With subsequent global warming and melting of large mass-

es of ice, the level started rising, in stages. As the sea

The Lost Land of Mu and Lemurya

level rose, the low-lying lands in the coastal region and the exposed continental shelves were inundated. This phenomenon gave rise to the stories and legends of deluges that permeated the African, Amerindian and Australian aboriginal folklore and Greek, Roman and Hebrew legends, and the Indian puranas, which referred to pralayas. The coastal areas south of India that were submerged in ancient times evidently gave rise to the Tamil myth of the lost continent of Kumari, while myths of the lost continents of Atlantis and Lemuria were generated in the Western world. There is an old, persistent Tamil tradition about a land that existed south of India called Kumari Kandam (continent), this belief is linked to the myth of the lost land of

Lemuria, a figment of Western imagination. Accounts of the lost continent vary, but the common theme is that a large area went under the ocean as a result of geological cataclysms, a theory that geologists of today do not subscribe to.

Blue Explorer Magazine

47

The Lemuria theory disappeared completely from conventional scientific consideration after the

theories of plate tectonics and continental drift were accepted by the larger scientific community. According to the theory of plate tectonics, Madagascar and India were indeed once part of the same landmass, but plate movement caused India to break away millions of years ago, and move to its present location.

The original landmass, the supercontinent Gondwana, broke apart; it did not sink beneath sea level.

Gondwana broke up to become Antarctica, Africa, Australia, and South America. There are still some amazing remnants of the supercontinent that can be seen around the world, but much of its story has been covered over by other geological forces. However, geologists also have now discovered traces of a lost continent in the Indian Ocean. They found fragments of granite in the ocean south of India along a shelf that extends hundreds of miles south of the country towards Mauritius. On Mauritius, geologists found zircon despite the fact that the island only came into being 2 million years ago when, thanks to plate tectonics and volcanoes, it slowly rose out of the Indian Ocean as a small landmass. However, the zircon they found there dated to 3 billion years ago. What this meant, scientists theorized, was that the zircon had come from a much older landmass that long ago sunk into the Indian Ocean.

Sclater’s story about Lemuria was true — almost. Rather than call this discovery Lemuria, geologists named the proposed lost continent Mauritia. Based on plate tectonics and geological data, Mauritia disappeared into the Indian Ocean around 84 million years ago, when this region of Earth was still turning into the shape it holds today. And while this generally lines up with what Sclater had once claimed, the new evidence puts the notion of an ancient race of Lemurians that evolved into lemurs to rest. Mauritia disappeared 84 million years ago, but lemurs didn’t evolve on

Madagascar until about 54 million years ago when they swam to the island from mainland Africa (which was closer to Madagascar than it is now).

Nevertheless, Sclater and some of the other scientists of the mid-1800s were partially right about Lemuria despite their limited knowledge. A lost continent didn’t suddenly sink into the Indian Ocean and vanish without a trace. But, long ago, there was something there, something that is now gone forever.

Blue Explorer Magazine

48

ANTARCTIC EXPLORATIONS OFTHE “POURQUOI PAS?”

In the history of man’s conquest of Antarctica, Jean Baptise Charcot’s name should be numbered with those of Scott, Amundsen, and Shackleton. “No one has surpassed him and few have equaled him as a leader and as a scientific observer,” wrote Edwin Balch, the historian of Polar Expeditions (1913). With the support of the Academie des Sciences, the Musee d’Histoire Naturelle, and the Societe de Geographie (and the national subscription organized by the Parisian Newspaper Le Matin), Charcot sailed to Antarctica in August 1903 to chart the area between Graham Land and Alexander Island to collect the scientific data required by his sponsors. The findings of his first voyage were well received by the scientific community and he submitted a prospectus for a further voyage to

the French Academie de Sciences which was in turn well received.

Charcot began preparing for his second Antarctic expedition almost as soon as he arrived back from his first on a ship called the Francais in 1905. It was far from clear whether or not the Antarctic Peninsula, a large portion the west coast of which had been surveyed by Charcot on his first voyage was indeed a part of the Antarctic Continent or simply a collection of islands. Initially Charcot tried to re-purchase the Francais sold to the Argentinean government at the end of his first voyage, but it was being prepared for use by Argentina's own Antarctic program. The next thought was to purchase and convert a whaler or sealer from the Arctic fleet, but there was no suitable vessel. Eventually he turned once again to Pere Gautier of St.Malo who had so successfully built the Francais. The new vessel was

the fourth one that he had owned with the name Pourquoi Pas?. She was launched on May 18, 1908, a three-masted barque constructed to the highest standards. She was immensely strong, built with thicker ribs and more of them than normal ships of her size, the ribs were covered with a double layer

Blue Explorer Magazine

49

of thick planking, interior planking made an interior hull that was itself watertight. The ship was made entirely of oak other than the bilge of Elm and she was given a quality engine of 450 horsepower, which was installed as a result of Francais’s was having been so underpowered. The interior was provided with electric lighting and an effective heating system for the living areas. The Pourquoi Pas? was a fine ship much admired by those who fully appreciated her. The enigmatically named Pourquoi Pas? (why not?) came from an event in Charcot's childhood when he was said to have written the words on the side of a soapbox and then launched himself in it onto a miniature pool at Neuilly-sur-Seine (France) where he was born and brought up. The box sank and he got wet, but it was the first of many voyages.

The second French Antarctic Expedition aboard the Pourquoi Pas? sailed from Le Havre on the 15th of August 1908. She had twenty-two crew, of whom eight had been aboard the Francais (such was the loyalty that Charcot engendered) and including Charcot's wife Meg. She remained with the ship as far as Punta Arenas at the southernmost tip of Patagonia, before returning to France. The ship left Punta Arenas on December the 16th 1908. She headed first to the whaling station on Deception Island where Charcot was pleased to see the Norwegian and Chileans using the charts of the Northern Graham land Peninsula that he had made on his first voyage. On January the 1st a sheltered harbor was found at Peterson Island that was named Port Circumcision. The late summer season weather was unseasonably warm with melt streams in February and rain in late March. Early April brought lower temperatures, but the living areas of the ship were unheated until mid April to try and conserve coal causing chilblains in many of the men, these disappeared when these areas began to be heated. Hyacinths, onions and watercress were grown under the wardroom skylight as late as April while there was still enough light to do so.

The Pourquoi Pas? continued to sail south, crossing the Antarctic Circle at the end of January. Much

work was done in charting coast and islands, features were identified and named. In particular Adelaide Island previously said to be 8 miles long was shown to actually be 70 miles long - testament to the difficulties in gauging visual perception in polar regions where clarity of the air can mean that mountains 10's or a hundred miles distant can be seen easily. Progress was at once hampered by a proliferation of huge icebergs, but aided by many days of fine calm weather. Charcot discovered and named Marguerite Bay south of Adelaide Island after his wife and Jenny Island after Bongrain's wife, landings were made and a small party climbed to 1500 feet where the coast could be seen extending into the distance, this was named Fallieres Land (now the Fallieres coast) after the French President at the time.

By the 11th of January 1910 they were sailing towards the south of Alexander Island at about 70°S,

77'W when Charcot made his most important land discovery that he named Charcot Land after his father.

They tried to approach closer, but the ice precluded it and further damage to the ship could not be risked.

On the 22nd of January, the ship turned north and headed for South America arriving in Punta Arenas to Blue Explorer Magazine

50

congratulatory telegrams from all over the world on the 11th of February. She underwent extensive repairs in Montevideo (Uruguay), was scrubbed and painted in the Azores and was back in France on the

4th of June, reaching Rouen on the 5th.

The result of his second Antarctic expedition on Pourquoi Pas? (1908-1910) were equally impressive as his first one, mapping in the process some 2,000 kilometers of territory, so accurately that his maps were to be in use for the next 25 years. The scientific data filled 28 volumes, including some of the 3000 photographs taken during the expedition.

At the beginning of September 1936 the Pourquoi pas? was on its way from an expedition to Greenland and stopped in Reykjavík for repairs. On the afternoon of September 15th, the ship left Reykjavík, heading for France with a scheduled stop in Copenhagen. Shortly after they set sail a huge storm hit them, throwing the ship on a reef by Straumfjörður in Mýrar so violently that the ship sank. The Icelandic farmers of Straumfjörður rushed through the storm as soon as they saw what had happened, in order to rescue what and whom they could. A young man, Kristján Þórólfsson managed to get a sailor by the name of Eugene Gonidec out of the heavy seas, but he was the sole survivor of the 41-man crew.

Captain Charcot, the famed explorer, went down with his ship. A memorial was held in Reykjavík after the accident as the shipwreck had caused great sorrow in Iceland.

In the 1960s, the wreck of Pourquoi pas? was rediscovered by a diving team. A monument to Jean -Baptiste Charcot and his crew was later erected at the site of the shipwreck, in Straumfjörður. The district Borgarfjörður is regulary visited by Charcot´s grand-child madame Vallin-Charcot in the memory of her grandfather.

Blue Explorer Magazine

51

WE ARE WORKING ON THE NEXT ISSUE OF THE MAGAZINE:

* front page and magazine’s content can be changed without notice

Blue Explorer Magazine

52