Nordkapp Runs Aground in Antarctica

[UbiDubi]

OSLO (Reuters) - A cruise vessel owned by Norwegian Hurtigruten Group with 370 people on board briefly ran aground near Deception Island in Antarctica on Tuesday, the company said.

 

Hurtigruten said in a statement on Wednesday that the MS Nordkapp quickly refloated herself after the incident, during which none of the 294 passengers or 76 crew was injured.

 

 

"No spillage from the ship has been discovered," it said, but added it had laid out oil spill protection equipment as safety routines demand.

The MS Nordkapp has people from 19 nationalities on board, including 117 U.S. citizens.

 

 

Hurtigruten said it was too early to estimate the direct economic consequence of the incident but the company assumed the MS Nordkapp's last three sailings planned for this season in Antarctica would be canceled.

The 123-metre-long vessel, built in 1996, is now anchored at Whalers Bay just off Deception Island and will now continue toward Ushuaia in Argentina in the company of another ship, Hurtigruten said.

 

 

It said sister vessel MS Nordnorge would arrive before noon on Wednesday, January 31, to transport all passengers to Argentina.

 

 

"The situation is under control and the passengers fully informed of the situation," it said.

[UbiDubi]

OSLO, Norway - Nearly 300 passengers, including 119 Americans, were awaiting rescue Wednesday from a Norwegian cruise ship that ran aground off a remote Antarctic island, damaging its hull.

 

The M/S Nordkapp got off the rocks under its own steam and sought shelter in a nearby harbor, where it was awaiting the arrival later Wednesday of another Norwegian Coastal Voyage ship, the M/S Nordnorge, the cruise operator said.

 

 

The company said no one was hurt in Tuesday's mishap in the Southern Ocean and the Nordkapp was not in danger.

 

 

"The ship is now at anchor in Walker Bay, and is being met by M/S Nordnorge," said Hanne K. Kristiansen, a spokeswoman for Norwegian Coastal Voyage.

 

 

The 294 passengers were to be transferred to the sister ship using tenders from the two ships, small boats usually reserved for excursions. The Nordnorge would then take the passengers on to Argentina.

Kristiansen said she did not know how long it would take because they were waiting for strong winds to ease up late in the day.

"For the passengers' comfort, we will wait," Kristiansen said. She said all the passengers had signed up for an expedition, rather than a standard cruise, and frequently used boats for landings and foot treks.

"We are having a fine time. In fact, it is very nice," Norwegian passenger Terje Johansen told The Associated Press from the Nordkapp.

He said passengers initially were nervous when the ship ran aground, but quickly understood that there was no danger.

 

 

"There is a little bit of waves, so they are waiting with the transfer. Right now, I'm in my cabin trying to get a little sleep," he said by ship's telephone.

 

 

The 404-foot Nordkapp, built in 1996, and the virtually identical Nordnorge cruise the Antarctic during the southern hemisphere summer. They sail off the coast of Norway during the European summer.

 

 

The company said the ship was on its way back to Argentina when it ran aground near Deception Island, which is part of the South Shetland archipelago.

 

 

The statement said a British warship was also meeting the Nordkapp, and would send down divers to inspect the damage to its hull and then escort the ship to port in Argentina.

 

 

As soon as the tourists are aboard the Nordnorge, it will depart for Ushuaia, Argentina, a roughly 40-hour trip.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

The two ships with a helicopter from the British Navy.

 

 

They will be getting a bit nervous with Grand Princess heading down that way.At least these ships have ice hulls.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

More pics on the companys website........

 

http://www.hurtigruten.com/no/default.aspx?sak=2030&side_id=2

[UbiDubi]

By JAIME ESPANTALEON

Associated Press Writer

OSLO, Norway (AP) - A Norwegian cruise ship that ran aground on

a remote Antarctic island leaked 130 to 200 gallons of diesel oil

in the fragile environment, the Norwegian Polar Institute said

Friday.

 

The 404-foot M/S Nordkapp ran aground Tuesday at Deception

Island, which is part of the Antarctic archipelago's South Shetland

Islands. It pulled off the rocks under its own power, but the 294

passengers were transferred to a sister ship.

While the crew was transferring diesel oil from damaged fuel

tanks to other tanks, some of the oil leaked into the water, the

Polar Institute said, citing reports from the cruise operator

Norwegian Coastal Voyage.

 

"A spill of such limited extent would normally not pose a

threat to the environment," the institute said in a statement.

"But the spill happened at Deception Island which has a special

ecosystem because of its volcanic origin."

Norwegian Coastal Voyage said it would track the situation

together with the cruise operator and scientists from Argentina and

Spain.

 

It said a Spanish research station on Deception Island had

issued an alert about the oil spill. The company said the oil was a

light blend that should break up easily in sea water.

The Nordkapp was anchored at a Chilean scientific station in

Maxwell Bay, off King George's Island, where British divers were

examining damage to the hull.

 

 

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

 

[linda47]

Having returned from a phenomenal trip to South Georgia and Antarctica just last week, it breaks my heart to learn of the oil spill, however 'minor' it may be. I do hope that no environmental damage has been done. And I hope that an investigation will be conducted to find out how this happened.

 

The wildlife and beauty is too wonderful to be destroyed.

[cboyle]

They will be getting a bit nervous with Grand Princess heading down that way.At least these ships have ice hulls.

 

HAH! They are happy we were here! FYI, today the Golden Princess picked up the nonessential crew from the Nordkapp and is transporting them to Ushuaia.

 

Also, the Golden may not be an icebreaker, but it IS mid-summer down here and the ice has not been much of a problem. In any case, we have an "ice master" (former captain of the US Coast Guard icebreaker "Polar Star") aboard to advise the Golden's captain and help keep us out of trouble.

[linda47]

Also, the Golden may not be an icebreaker, but it IS mid-summer down here and the ice has not been much of a problem.

 

I guess that all depends on where you are! We were not able to sail thru the beautiful Lemaire Channel due to ice. We were, however, able to do a zodiac tour of the channel which is absolutely spectacular.

 

Are you able to go on shore from your huge ship???? I see no point in 'going to Antarctica' if you're just sailing by 'seeing' the penguins and seals thru binoculars. If your ship got gounded and oil leaked it would be a monumental catastrophy.

[minke]

HAH! They are happy we were here! FYI, today the Golden Princess picked up the nonessential crew from the Nordkapp and is transporting them to Ushuaia.

 

Also, the Golden may not be an icebreaker, but it IS mid-summer down here and the ice has not been much of a problem. In any case, we have an "ice master" (former captain of the US Coast Guard icebreaker "Polar Star") aboard to advise the Golden's captain and help keep us out of trouble.

 

cboyle, you do not have a clue as to how the ice moves! Not much of a problem, because your ice master has not let you near it. Golden might be a nice ship to cruise on but if ever there is a mistake by someone, I dread to think of the concequences. I was there 50 years ago & we were trapped in ice for a short time. This time on Nordkapp in december we went through ice that no ship with the warm water construction of Golden shouls ever be let near! The is no comparison between a cruise by & a proper Antarctic cruise.

[sailorval]

Hey Minke - were you on my trip?? We departed mid-December, and arrived home on Dec 24th. There was a group of Brits with whom I made friends and I can't help but wonder if you are one of them. You can e-mail me at valmuse 'at symbol' ufl.edu.

 

For others, I agree with Minke. The Nordkapp is more an expedition ship than a cruise ship. The only true way to see Antarctica is to climb onto a small boat with seven other adventurous souls, be ferried through waves and freezing spray, then spend an hour or so on a volcanic beach watching penguins parade past (with no feeling in your toes!). The Nordkapp and other ships in the Hurtigruten line are perfect for this. I fell in love with the ship and hope to travel on her some day in Norway. The captain and crew impressed me as extremely capable - those Norwegians have been sailing for thousands of years. The captain had been on boats since he was a small child and had a career on fishing boats before he moved to the Hurtigruten line. He had made something like 180 crossings to/from Antarctica, with a stellar record. I do know that there were actually 2 captains aboard - he was in the process of training his replacement, and I am guessing that was how the incident occurred.

 

Through the University where I teach I am thinking of offering an academic cruise to Antarctica next year - I can't get enough of the beautiful scenery and absolute rawness of the southern continent.

[minke]

Sailorval, that was me the guy who did the afterdinner talk one night about my experience 50 years ago. See the thread on South America board for links to my photos on webshots. Will try to email you. Happy cruising.

[Zouave]

Nice video clip of the repair work done by HMS Endurance during the grounding:

 

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=3e65a46f44

 

Zouave

[cboyle]

cboyle, you do not have a clue as to how the ice moves! Not much of a problem, because your ice master has not let you near it. Golden might be a nice ship to cruise on but if ever there is a mistake by someone, I dread to think of the concequences. I was there 50 years ago & we were trapped in ice for a short time. This time on Nordkapp in december we went through ice that no ship with the warm water construction of Golden shouls ever be let near! The is no comparison between a cruise by & a proper Antarctic cruise.

 

That is the whole point; the ice master is SUPPOSED to keep us out of trouble by advising the Captain on areas that are or are not safe. Princss knows that the Golden cannot go into areas such as the interior bay of Deception Island, so it doesn't even try and the passengers are made well aware of this and why. You might also notice that the Golden did the Antarctic cruise cruise (the ONLY one it is doing this year) the first week in February, not December. So we did not encounter the kind of ice conditions that were present a month or two earlier.

 

As to whether this was a "real" Antarctic cruise, I could certainly have paid twice as much for a cruise half as long on one of the small ships. Considering the opportunities for shore excursions in Puerto Madryn, the Flaklands, Ushuaia, and Punta Arenas, we had PLENTY of opportunites to see wildlife up close as well as at a distance from the ship. The scenery along the Antarctic Peninsula, especialy in teh Neumayer Channel, was spectacular and I doubt that could be improved on by being on a smaller ship.

[2552phxcrzr]

I respect everyone's right to visit Antarctica the way they feel is right for them. However, I have to beg to differ with the statement "I doubt that could be improved on by being on a smaller ship."

 

We were on a 48-pax ship, made 25 landings in 20 days. The trip was full of highlights too numerous to list, including a fantastic trip through LeMaire Channel on an absolutely gorgeous blue sky/puffy white clouds day that added an extra dimension to the experience, but what stands out in my mind is the zodiac cruise of Pleneau Bay where we were within touching distance of some of the behemoths grounded there. To see the blue ice so close that you wonder how on earth it can be? To be within a pontoon's width to a leopard seal on a small ice flow and see almost all the way down its throat when it yawns. To look down into the crystal clear waters and actually see the krill swarming in such numbers that they were literally jumping out of the water. To be so entranced by chicks chasing adults for a drop of sustenance from their crops, that you could care less that the rock you're sitting on is covered in guano. (OK, so that last memory is not of Pleneau Bay, but it is one of the many things I just can't get out of my mind.)

 

I don't mean to take anything away from anyone's experience of Antarctica, as I cannot imagine not enjoying such a trip regardless of the size of the transportation. However, in this instance "closer is definitely better."

[glgolfer]

One of these days we will be on one of the "Nord" ships in Antarctica.

That is on our long list of things to do.

We did the 17 day Grand Norway on the Midnatsol in May of 2005 and were very impressed with the Hurtigruten line and the first class treatment by Norwegian Coastal Voyages.

If you haven't already cruised the fjords on one of their ship, we can highly recommend it.

The Midnatsol is a beautiful ship and I'm sure her sister ships the Trollfjord and Finnmarken are equally as beautiful.

[minke]

duplicate

[minke]

Well said h2so4, you have put it far better than I could. Personally I would love to have gone on a small ship, but could not justify the cost for a single out of the family budget as my wife would not go! Hurtigruten with Nordkapp was the next best thing. We saw a lot, did 9 landings & had a fantastic time. Yet I know for fact that my single on Nordkapp cost no more & probably less than a single on the drive by Golden Princess. IMHO it is wrong to take a big ship down there, ice is not the only problem. A mechanical breakdown in the steering gear with a gale forecast does not bear thinking about! There is no tug within 2500 miles capable of towing Golden Princess

[linda47]

I couldn't have said it better h2so4. Although I was on the Explorer II, which carries 199 passengers, we did 12 landings and 7 zodiac tours. It combined the best of luxury and expedition cruising. In exploring the many options for visiting Antarctica, my friend and I decided against the smallest ships mainly because most, if not all, in the less expensive categories, required bunk beds and shared bathrooms. If you didn't want that, the cost was about the same as the least expensive cabin on the Explorer II. I love luxury cruising, so we opted for that and I would do it again in a heartbeat, after I win the lottery. :D

 

The idea of mega ships in those pristine waters is truly frightening.

[cboyle]

I respect everyone's right to visit Antarctica the way they feel is right for them. However, I have to beg to differ with the statement "I doubt that could be improved on by being on a smaller ship."

<snip>

 

I don't mean to take anything away from anyone's experience of Antarctica, as I cannot imagine not enjoying such a trip regardless of the size of the transportation. However, in this instance "closer is definitely better."

 

I'm glad at least one person on this thread is willing to grant that I MIGHT have had an outstanding experience on my Antarctic cruise! For the rest of you, consider that looking at the Moon from the Earth is a completely different experience from standing on the Moon. Are you unable to appreciate the beauty of the Moon because you are not one of the 12 US Astronauts who actually walked on it?

 

Also, I think it is bogus to equate big ships with environmental disasters and small ships with being eco-friendly. ANY ship in Antarctic waters is a potential ecological disaster. However, risk can be managed; that is why IAATO has guidelines for Antarctic tour operators. And remember, it was the Nordkapp that ran aground and spilled oil, NOT the Golden Princess.

 

IMHO, none of the cruise operators wants to have a problem in Antarctic waters and kill a goose that is laying golden eggs for them. If you want to worry about ships in Antarctic waters, why don't you start with whaling vessels? They not only have the potential for oil spills and other pollution but they also kill off the wildlife.

http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/esperanza-ready-to-tow-nisshin

 

Anyway, IMHO, it is time for all of us to agree to disagree on the big ship/ small ship issue.

 

Carolyn