Monday 19 July 2010

The Rewards of Relaxation

I love sea days, especially when travelling on Fram.  Especially on perfect days like today. The sun has been shining for most of the day.  The motion of the ship is gentle.  Extremely relaxing.
Fram is designed for comfort. She is perhaps a little wider than what you might expect for her overall length.  Because of the shorter, wider design a little speed is sacrificed but stability, by virtue of less rolling and therefore more comfort is gained. Her active stabilizers further reduce rolling.  
It is a very bright ship with extremely large picture windows in all public areas. The public areas are spacious and plentiful.  There is never a feeling of being crowded.  If quiet introspective moments are what you need or perhaps a place to sit quietly in the sun, Fram is the vessel for you.  It is easy to find solitude.  There are plenty of spots both inside and on deck, where you can have a quiet moment to watch the ocean roll by.

Sea days are both a time to catch up on your rest and a time to broaden your understanding of the regions we visit.  We have an Expedition Team that is dedicated to that end. I don't mean that they are dedicated to catching up on rest (although we try to do that too!) but is devoted to enhancing your experience on board by broadening your understanding of the history, politics, geology, geography and wildlife of the regions we visit.  Lectures were scheduled throughout the day on a broad spectrum of topics in French, English, German and Scandinavian, reflecting the needs of the international mix on board.  
It can also be a time to get to know your fellow passengers.  It would be unfortunate if you didn't. The Fram experience can be a cultural experience unto itself.  Where else will you find so many people from such disparate and interesting locales sharing a common interest?

Cetaceans were spotted severals times throughout the day;  humpbacks and unidentified species of dolphins.  Although the observations were often fleeting they were but one of the many rewards of relaxing by a window or out on deck.