It’s the 7th of August today, and we feel compelled to share our report after a very special and exciting day. Icebreaker Yamal returned after its second cruise up to the North Pole, and cast anchor off Cape Flora. Thick fog prevented the helicopters from flying tourists for an onshore excursion. Instead, we were brought out to MS “Yamal”.
They came in a zodiac to pick us up, but the breakers prevented the RIB from getting too close to the shore. So Thomas and I donned our drysuits and swam to meet them. On board the vessel a wonder of wonders awaited us: a shower! You have no idea how great it feels to enjoy your first hot shower in more than three months. Especially when you can clean your pores with a good sweat in the sauna afterwards. The icebreaker even had a swimming pool on board, filled with nicely tempered seawater. We must have spent a half hour at least just in the shower, letting the hot water wash away months of grime, lathering repeatedly with soap and shampoo. An indescribable experience!
Nice and clean, we were escorted into their cinema, and showed our appreciation by holding a little lecture about our expedition, providing the background history of Fridtjof Nansen and Hjalmar Johansen’s strenuous Arctic expedition 110 years ago, and telling the passengers of our own adventures – from our start at the North Pole to Cape Flora, the southernmost reach of Franz Joseph Land.
The tourists on board had come from all over the world for their adventure, and they expressed great interest and voiced gratitude. Perhaps it’s not every day that meet savages like us, who just appear from out of the middle of nowhere, and who even insist on returning to their own tents to sleep as the evening approaches. After a few hours we were speeding away in the zodiac, donned our drysuits once again, and savoured the cool swim back to Cape Flora.
They did not allow us to return empty-handed, but gave us two bags filled to the brim with all sorts of goodies: biscuits and chocolate, spaghetti and bacon, and much more. We attached ourselves to the bags by rope, and pulled them along as we swam through the breakers and to the shore.
MS “Yamal” is gone now. We’re once again alone in our tent – but I notice we smell better. At the moment we are preparing a feast of spaghetti with bacon. Thomas and I can’t quite agree on what we’re having for dessert; there are just too many choices. They filled up our provisions.
Later this evening I’ll be sending you some photographs from an unexpectedly enjoyable day.
Viktor Boyarski and our Arctic explorers.
