Blog
Light in the Land of the Midnight Sun
The midnight sun, also known as the polar day, is a natural phenomenon seen within the Arctic and Antarctic circles. During the polar summer
15 Toothy Facts About the Atlantic Walrus
The walrus is one of the most recognizable animals on the planet, and for good reason. Try sneaking into a cinema with those tusks!
Birds of the North: 29 Arctic Birds and Seabirds
Arctic wildlife exists in a category unto itself, and for good reason. But often Arctic birds get undeservedly overlooked. Here are 22 all-t
The Doctor Is In: Interview with Lauke Bisschops
Forget choosing between sprawling city hospitals and small boutique clinics, subways compared to streets, ambulances versus Uber versus your
Under the Northern Lights of Greenland
Driving towards the port in Akureyri, I recognized Plancius from miles away. This was the ship that once took me to the end of the Earth, th
Polar Bear Primer: Eight Facts About the Arctic Wanderer
Polar bears are found throughout the Arctic region in 19 subpopulations, including Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia. In these a
16 Conversation-Starting Svalbard Facts
It might seem odd that an icy, snowy, bear-packed cluster of islands at the edge of the world could be such a hotspot (so to speak) of outdo
10 Tried-and-True Bird Photography Tips
It’s easy to understand our fascination with birds: They’re beautiful, graceful (usually), and most of them have the power of flight. But ho
10 Weather-Fueled Facts about Antarctica
Most of us have at least a vague notion of what makes the North and South Poles so brutally, bone-chillingly cold: They receive less sunligh
PLA17-17, trip log, Scoresby Sund, Aurora borealis
Most of us were already awake when we heard Katja’s wake up call. We had been rolling and pitching during the whole night but luckily our fl
Taking Chances: a New Lesson from the Arctic
Some days just don’t get off to a good start. Today was one of them. Our vessel, m/v Plancius, had spent the night sailing toward Phippsøya,
PLA16-17, trip log, Scoresbysund – Aurora Borealis
Last night, some auroras lightened the sky until very early morning so some of us did not have a long sleep, especially those who got up bef
10 Bountiful Blue Whale Facts
We could write a book filled with fun and fascinating facts about blue whales, but here we will select the 10 most interesting blue whale fa
PLA15-17, trip log, Spitsbergen – Northeast Greenland
While we approached our intended landing site in order to scout conditions there, we attended the mandatory briefings on zodiac operations a
A Guide’s Guide: Interview with Michael Ginzburg
For adventure lovers, a common reaction to meeting polar expedition guides is that they have the coolest job on the planet.
Puffins: Clown Birds of the Atlantic
Puffins belong to a family of 22 species of seabirds called Auks, pigeon-sized birds that live on a diet of small fish and crustaceans. Puff
OTL14-17, trip log, Around Spitsbergen and Kvitøya
The excitement of the day began really early for three passengers who stayed up on the foredeck in excel-lent weather until 2.30am… they wer
OTL13-17, trip log, Around Spitsbergen and Kvitøya
We split into four groups and set off in different directions in search of wildlife and wild flowers. We were not disappointed! Whilst on la
17 Reasons to Cruise the Falklands
You’ve seen the colossal penguin colonies of South Georgia. You’ve sailed among the plunging seals of the Antarctic Peninsula. You’ve watche
10 Popular Bird Watching Binoculars
Binoculars are so common a companion of outdoor enthusiasts that many pack them with hardly a second thought. They’re tossed into a backpack
PLA14-17, trip log, Around Spitsbergen & Kvitøya
As soon as we got off the ship we were welcomed by a juvenile arctic fox wearing its summer fur, it was a wonderful start. We walked around