Sunday 21 July 2013

Norwegian Sea




We have another sea day on the way to Spitzbergen. Still a day with lots of activities.

Sea days offer possibilities for bridge visits. There were six groups today to meet the captain on the bridge. Two more will come tomorrow. The captain explains the principles of navigation and equipment of Fram as well. And of course our Chinese passengers love photo sessions and also stamps and signatures of the ship's officers.

A former head of Yellow River Station in Ny Alesund, our next destination, gave a lecture about the place and his work there. In addition to our briefing for the landing, the passengers are now best prepared for their visit to the science village Ny Alesund.

Another lecture dealt with the question: Who owns the Arctic. An overview of the present situation in the five nations that border the Arctic Ocean. Basis for all territorial questions is the "United Nations Convention on the law of the sea". Even though all these activities in the Arctic circle around economic profit there is a chance for a new dimension of international cooperation in the Arctic, due to the specific conditions in this area. Hopefully the rights and interests of the native people of the Arctic will be taken into account in an appropriate way. Cause in the end it is the home of these people, the bordering nations are longing for.

The afternoon was filled with a table tennis competition, a lecture for the children on board, and a lecture by the Taoist master for the others.

And of course, since it is Sunday, we had freshly prepared waffles in the observation lounge.

Even after dinner the program went on with the fashion show, presenting the season's new collection of clothing that is offered in the ship's shop. And finally this show was topped by another one with singing and dancing that our cheerful Chinese guests had prepared.

So, never think a sea day could be boring.