Capt_Fred_FL

I was aboard the inaugural Antarctic cruise of the Polaris and can attest that safety was the absolute main priority. In addition to expediton staff, navigation officers were always present during every launch and retrieval of both the Zodiacs and Special Operations Boats. There were instances where wet landings were cut short in order to allow for safe return to the ship when in cases where it was evident that approaching weather would result in deteriorating sea conditions for Zodiac operations. The windows are well designed and actually move slightly inboard to assure a watertight seal as they reach their full up travel. Additionally, there are sensors on each side of the window which will halt the travel if the beam gets broken. There is a large compartment in the bow of the Milpro Zodiac which houses the battery, fuel tank and some miscellaneous vessel equipment. We encountered significant brush ice during most wet landings, some Zodiac tours. The Zodiacs handled the ice well, (much better than the outboard's props did) however you could clearly feel the large ice chunks fight back against the inflatable. For those who have sailed the Drake, you know that the seas can be treacherous and unwelcoming. What has occurred recently on Polaris is an extremely unfortunate event. Based on my experience, Viking took no "cost cutting" measures when it came to construction of this vessel.