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Laura Thieme

Bizresearch President – 10 years - 2007

Fisher College of Business Lecturer on Search Marketing

OSU Russian Studies Grad – 1993

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23rd November 2007

Antarctica Cruise Ship Explorer G.A.P Expedition Sinks 2 replies

Less than Two Weeks from Today I Leave for Antarctica - and a Cruise Liner Hits an Iceberg in Antarctica Today

No Worries, Right?

I spent my Thanksgiving with friends, and then came home and had a restless night.  I was thinking about work, my trip to Antarctica and client projects between the hours of 2 and 5 a.m.  I sleep in, sort of, and then in between walks with Lucky and Cody, read Slicing the Silence the entire day, which is about Antarctica expeditions, failed and successful.  Meanwhile, the Explorer formerly owned by A&K, now owned by G.A.P. Expeditions, is running into an iceberg in the South Shetland Islands.  My girlfriend, Alicia, informs me tonight on the topic. I’ve personally enjoyed a day without news or CNN.    I go online, Google the topic, and immediately check my email and sure enough see an email from my mom about the topic.

News is sparse on the topic, relatively.   If you Google “shetland islands”, you’ll see more news on the topic than if you Google Explorer Antarctica.

The cruise liner, Explorer, run by G.A.P. Expeditions, was formerly owned by Abercrombie & Kent (A&K).  My friend Alicia notes that Explorer II of A&K is now the “Minerva”.  Coincidence, right?  I do try to keep my blogs pretty clean, but can I say “holy fuck?” I’m of course still determined to go, but here I am reading about ship expeditions that have not made it and others that have, and I’m now hearing about the earlier version of this ship going down.

Pictures tell more than words do.   You should see the Explorer on the ice sinking. My first reaction - well, shock.  Second reaction, okay I’m still going.  Third reaction, don’t ask.  Fourth reaction - sadness.   M/S Explorer has now sunk.  This is very sad.  She was quite famous.

There are numerous stories coming out on the details, with pictures and videos.  There is also a lot of criticism regarding tourism in the Antarctic region.   The Explorer originated in 1969, and had less than 100 passengers on board, which is hardly the Royal Caribbean of 1,000 passengers or more.  It is concerning, however, and yet miraculous that all made it out alive.  Weather conditions in this area are known to be quite bad, so it’s quite amazing that all made it out alive.  Apparently, most did not have wallets or passports with them.  Note to self: wear identification belt at all times.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071123/
Antarctic_waters_071123/20071123?hub=TopStories

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1294031,00.html

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=128079

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/
Tourists-rescued-as-ship-holed.3519897.jp

2 Responses to “Antarctica Cruise Ship Explorer G.A.P Expedition Sinks”

  1. Heather Spalton says:
    November 28th, 2007 at 2:56 am

    Laura I went to the antarctic on the explorer in 2005, it was the most fantastic experience of my life. I would return in a heart beat! I gutted that the little red ship has gone but would not be put off. Have the time of your life.

  2. Friend says:
    December 1st, 2007 at 4:16 pm

    Please go to this Lindblad Expeditions website - it will be helpful for you, I think. We went to Antarctica a couple of years ago and it was one of the best trips ever! Like airplanes, you have to think of all those that do get there, not the one that doesn’t.

    http://www.expeditions.com//Remembering_the_%91Lit382.asp

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