Crossing the Equator
Like her namesake, Endeavour is a well-traveled vessel. She delves deep into Antarctic pack ice, sails north of 80 degrees around Svalbard, and covers an impressive amount of territory in between. Among expedition vessels, this is known as the ‘yes’ ship. Can we visit a set of unknown islands in the Falklands with the enticing names of George and Barren? Yes. Can we land in the surf at the biggest King penguin colony at South Georgia? Yes. Call at Tristan da Cunha, the most remote, inaccessible inhabited island in the world, and then get ashore at Nightingale, one of the world’s most exotic and pristine seabird islands? Yes. Put divers in the water virtually anywhere to film the undersea world for our guests? Yes. Launch a ROV from the deck at night, providing live images from the deep straight into the Lounge? Yes. Land at Ascension Island in impossibly huge swell? Yes. Our guests are ready for anything, and that spirit is contagious.
Working in both polar regions each year, Endeavour crosses the Equator regularly. ‘Crossing the Line’ has always been an important event for seamen, and King Neptune usually makes an appearance, ensuring the loyalty of his blue-water subjects. Today we added a new twist to the traditional Equator- crossing ceremony. Anybody can cross in a ship. But what about a kayak? Or a Zodiac? Of course the answer is Yes. Just after lunch Captain Lampe stopped the ship a few hundred meters south of the Equator. There was a bit of a swell, but conditions were otherwise ideal, and we lowered the Zodiacs and kayaks. Our intrepid guests launched themselves into boats and at the King’s invitation, paddled or motored from the southern into the northern hemisphere.
If the question is “Can we do it?”, the answer on Endeavour is Yes.
Like her namesake, Endeavour is a well-traveled vessel. She delves deep into Antarctic pack ice, sails north of 80 degrees around Svalbard, and covers an impressive amount of territory in between. Among expedition vessels, this is known as the ‘yes’ ship. Can we visit a set of unknown islands in the Falklands with the enticing names of George and Barren? Yes. Can we land in the surf at the biggest King penguin colony at South Georgia? Yes. Call at Tristan da Cunha, the most remote, inaccessible inhabited island in the world, and then get ashore at Nightingale, one of the world’s most exotic and pristine seabird islands? Yes. Put divers in the water virtually anywhere to film the undersea world for our guests? Yes. Launch a ROV from the deck at night, providing live images from the deep straight into the Lounge? Yes. Land at Ascension Island in impossibly huge swell? Yes. Our guests are ready for anything, and that spirit is contagious.
Working in both polar regions each year, Endeavour crosses the Equator regularly. ‘Crossing the Line’ has always been an important event for seamen, and King Neptune usually makes an appearance, ensuring the loyalty of his blue-water subjects. Today we added a new twist to the traditional Equator- crossing ceremony. Anybody can cross in a ship. But what about a kayak? Or a Zodiac? Of course the answer is Yes. Just after lunch Captain Lampe stopped the ship a few hundred meters south of the Equator. There was a bit of a swell, but conditions were otherwise ideal, and we lowered the Zodiacs and kayaks. Our intrepid guests launched themselves into boats and at the King’s invitation, paddled or motored from the southern into the northern hemisphere.
If the question is “Can we do it?”, the answer on Endeavour is Yes.
