Doug Allan: Filming the Frozen Planet

We’re very excited to see cameraman Doug Allan about to embark on a series of talks about his ‘life behind the lens’. Responsible for bringing the incredible sights of the polar regions into our homes, Allan is the man behind a number of ground-breaking wildlife sequences filmed for the BBC including series such as Blue Planet, Planet Earth and Frozen Planet.

Allan will be sharing a wealth of stories based on his many years of filming, photography and unique wildlife encounters, with a ‘behind the scenes’ look at how his team were able to capture rare footage such as this fantastic clip from Antarctica for Frozen Planet:

The 'Life Behind the Lens' talks kick off in Henley on 19th February, and continue around the UK throughout February and March.  Tickets start from £15 and the complete list of venues and dates can be found here

Antarctica in Pictures: The Heart of the Great Alone

Having blogged about it on more than one occasion last year, last weekend I finally made it to the excellent Heart of the Great Alone photography exhibition at the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace. If like me you’ve been procrastinating, click here and book your ticket today! Although many of the images are already very familiar, having seen countless reproductions in various books, brochures and magazine articles, it is an altogether different experience to see them together as a complete collection, providing a full visual narrative of what were arguably among two of the greatest journeys ever undertaken by man.

First is Ponting’s stunning record of the British Antarctic Expedition 1910-13, which details the daily lives of Scott’s men as they prepared for the race to the South Pole. The final poignant images were taken by Bowers and Wilson, having been trained by Ponting to ensure the arrival at the South Pole was captured on film. These images show Scott and his dejected men at the Pole, an amazing achievement in itself yet undermined by the presence of Amundsen’s own tent and the Norwegian flag which were waiting to greet them. The pictures taken here clearly show the five men were beaten physically, mentally and emotionally, and the tragic end to their journey seems almost inevitable from that point.

Shackleton’s Endurance expedition of 1914-16 was photographed by Frank Hurley. Whereas Ponting wanted to create artistic images to show the scale and grandeur of the Great White Continent, Hurley’s aim was to record a more practical documentary-style collection that would give the world an insight into life in the Antarctic. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t take some equally spectacular images – it would be hard not to when surrounded by such breathtaking icy landscapes. Again, to see all these photos in sequence, to watch bit by bit the destruction and final sinking of the Endurance as it was crushed by pack ice, and the deterioration of the men as they made their way to Elephant Island, really brings this incredible story to life. Sadly Hurley had to destroy a vast number of his images as the men could only carry limited equipment with them after the ship was lost; the fact that any of these incredible pictures survived at all is a miracle and a testament to the sheer determination of these men who refused to give up hope despite the bleak situation in which they found themselves.

The exhibition ends in a very fitting manner, with Scott’s last words spoken against a backdrop of the Union Jack that travelled to the South Pole and was found in the tent with the bodies of Scott, Wilson and Bowers. Overall the exhibition is a surprisingly moving experience, and one I can’t recommend enough – and especially now, during the Centenary of Scott’s journey to the South Pole.

'The Heart of the Great Alone' exhibition at the Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, runs until 15 April 2012. Tickets from £7.50 per adult.

Antarctica Day: 01 December

Next Thursday, 1st December marks 52 years since the signing of the Antarctic Treaty – created "with the interests of science, and the progress of all  mankind." Antarctica is not owned by any country and the Treaty is a testimony to international cooperation for the benefit of all. The Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) in conjunction with the Foundation for the Good Governance of International Spaces have therefore designated 1st December ‘Antarctica Day’ and will be holding an interactive webinar to celebrate this important anniversary.

With the Centenary of the first man to set foot at the South Pole fast approaching, and our very own Nikki Rickett about to head south yet again for another austral summer (this time on board the luxury vessel Orion), the Antarctic season is now well and truly upon us! Take advantage of some late availability offers and book your own polar adventure now!

Great Scott! - Antarctica in Black & White

As the Scott Centenary celebrations draw to a climax over the next few months, the Heart of the Great Alone exhibition finally arrives in London this week.  Whilst the Queen is busy gallivanting around Australia, Buckingham Palace welcomes this incredible collection of photographs taken during historic Antarctic expeditions led by the legendary Scott and Shackleton.  This unique insight into the experiences of our polar explorers includes images from Scott’s Terra Nova expedition of 1910–13 and Shackleton’s Endurance expedition of 1914–16. 
 
We certainly don't want to miss this rare opportunity to view such a personal account of their journeys both physical and emotional through the world's harshest landscapes, but if you're not able to get to Buckingham Palace before the exhibition ends in April then perhaps have a quiet word with Santa instead - if you're lucky, you'll find a copy of the accompanying book in your stocking on Christmas morning!  
 
And if you've been really good this year, Santa might also treat you to another great new book, hot off the press this week:  the excellent 'The Lost Photographs of Captain Scott' features Scott's own photographs, taken during his final Antarctic expedition 100 years ago. A truly fascinating record of an epic journey and an inspirational man.
 
'The Heart of the Great Alone' exhibition at the Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, runs from 21 October 2011 – 15 April 2012.   Tickets from £7.50 per adult. 
 
The accompanying book, 'The Heart of the Great Alone: Scott, Shackleton and Antarctic Photography' by David Hempleman-Adams, Sophie Gordon and Emma Stuart (Royal Collection Publications), is available in hardback at £29.95.
 
And finally, 'The Lost Photographs of Captain Scott' by David M Wilson, published by Little, Brown, is on sale now for £30.  Enjoy!

Insights into our Frozen Planet

Here in the DTW office we’re getting very excited about the latest Sir David Attenborough series, Frozen Planet, coming to a tv near you soon! 

This much-anticipated series on BBC1 will provide an in-depth exploration of all things polar, following the struggle for survival in both the Arctic and Antarctic throughout the four seasons. From the North Pole to the South Pole, via ice camps and the historic huts of legendary polar explorers, Attenborough brings his usual enthusiasm to some incredible footage of arguably some of the world’s most appealing creatures including the mighty polar bear and endlessly entertaining penguins.

Other highlights of the 7-part series will include a look at the fascination the polar regions hold for human visitors, and our impact on these fragile environments. You can find out more and whet your appetite with some preview clips from the series here.

Wild and Shackleton Reunited at Last!

We've just received the exciting news that our polar partners One Ocean are going to be joined by some very special guests on their next 'Peninsula, Falkands and South Georgia' voyage, departing on 20 November 2011.

The last wish of legendary polar explorer Frank Wild was that his ashes be buried alongside his former boss and good friend, Sir Ernest Shackleton. Sadly the outbreak of WWII meant this was not possible, and it is not until now, 90 years after their final expedition together, that Wild's ashes will finally be taken to South Georgia to join Shackleton in the whaler's graveyard at Grytviken.

This very special voyage will be accompanied by Shackleton's grand-daughter and several members of Frank Wild's own family, as well as guest speaker Angie Butler who tracked down Wild's ashes in South Africa. You can join them on this momentous occasion and be part of polar history - contact our team for full details and book your place today!

Arctic Artworks

A 175-year old painting has just been re-discovered by the artists' own descendents as part of a collection to be auctioned. Royal Navy artist-turned-Admiral George Back captained the renowned expedition ship HMS Terror in 1836, during a difficult voyage to Canada's Hudson Bay. The watercolour depicts the HMS Terror with one of its rowboats, in the shadow of a towering iceberg which is believed to have been painted just south of Baffin Island.

Parks Canada are now commencing a new search to try and find the HMS Terror, which was lost along with its sister ship, HMS Erebus, during the ill-fated Franklin Expedition in search of the Northwest Passage in the 1840s. Both ships were sunk after becoming trapped in pack ice. Previous searches have found nothing but Parks Canada now believe they have narrowed down the area to a likely location near Nunavut's King William Island.

Back's collection of work provides an important visual record of the Age of Arctic Exploration and this newly discovered watercolour is expected to fetch up to CA$25,000 at a maritime art sale in September.

 

Antarctica's Underwater Volcanoes

Scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have recently discovered a chain of 12 volcanoes under the Atlantic Ocean, close to the South Sandwich Islands.  This is the first underwater group of volcanoes to be found in Antarctica, offering new possibilities for further research. The seven live volcanoes measure up to 3kms high, with craters from collapsed volcanoes measuring an incredible 5kms in diameter.

The chain of volcanoes was discovered with the aid of specialized sonar technology which was used to map the ocean floor during research voyages on board the RRS James Clark Ross. Volcanic activity under water can have dramatic effects resulting in natural phenomena such as tsunamis, whilst vents on the ocean floor create unique hot-water ecosystems that are home to marine species found nowhere else in the world. 
 
Above water the Antarctic's better-known active volcanoes include Deception Island, a volcanic caldera in the South Shetland Islands, and Mount Erebus on Ross Island - the southernmost historically active volcano on Earth!

Kapitan Khlebnikov: The End of an Era

With July fast approaching the End of an Era is about to commence for our favourite ice-breaker, the Kapitan Khlebnikov (otherwise known as the KK for those whose Russian pronunciation needs a bit of work!). This legendary vessel has sailed the Northwest Passage more times than any other passenger ship, and is about to embark on a final series of epic voyages before retiring from passenger duty after it's last Antarctic voyage departing this December.

On 10th July the KK will set off from Anadyr, in Russia's Far East, embarking on an impressive 66-day voyage of Arctic Circumnavigation.  For those that don't have 2 months to spare, the voyage is broken into 3 smaller itineraries, starting with a memorable cruise through the Northeast Passage. This section takes in Wrangel Island and Franz Josef Land, before stopping in Kirkenes, Norway to take on new passengers for part 2: Greenland's Final Frontier.  As an icebreaker, the KK can access remote bays that other ships can't reach, and this section of the expedition will explore Northeast Greenland National Park, a little visited area believed to be home to 40% of the world's muskoxen population! 

The third and final stage of the voyage, the Arctic Passage, will commence from Kangerlussuaq, taking in the Canadian Arctic and making one last transit of the legendary Northwest Passage. With special guest lecturers on board, a plethora of wildlife-viewing opportunities and a remarkable backdrop of Arctic scenery, this voyage promises to be truly memorable whether you join for a 21-day section or the entire 66-day expedition.  Places are now very limited so call now if you want to join us for this special End of an Era adventure! 

We are also offering 2 final voyages in Antarctica this November and December - this will be the very last chance to sail on board the Kapitan Khlebnikov, so don't miss out...!

Ross Sea Centennial Voyage departs 09 November
East Antarctica Farewell Voyage departs 06 December

 

South Georgia: a rich biodiversity revealed

The first comprehensive survey of the waters of South Georgia has just revealed a staggering 1,445 recorded species – despite its remote and often harsh location just over 370 miles from the Antarctic Peninsula. So incredible is this find that the island has been described as ‘more valuable to wildlife than the Galapagos Islands’.

The wildlife species found include a variety of fish, sea urchins, sea spiders and crustaceans, as well as those of a far larger scale such as the sperm whale, killer whale and even the mighty blue whale, the largest creature on our planet. South Georgia is also the breeding venue of choice for over half the world’s elephant seals, and is home to a vast number of eye-catching king penguins as well as a mere 5.4 million fur seals!

Oliver Hogg, a marine ecologist with the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), said: "It shows you don't have to be a tropical island or in a hot part of the world to support a lot of marine life. These lumps of rock may look inhospitable and cold but once you are under the surface of the water they can support a diverse eco-system.”

South Georgia’s unique position near currents of both cold and warm water, and its age as an island (separated from mainland South America and the Antarctic continent about 45 million years ago) both contribute to its rich wildlife, as does the lack of human interference with just a handful of scientists making up the local residents. More dives are planned later this year by the BAS team, part-funded by the South Georgia Heritage Trust and the Darwin Initiative. We eagerly await the results, which may even uncover previously unrecorded species! 

For a view of South Georgia from an 'above-water' perspective, read our Iceland Product Manager Nikki Rickett's personal account of her own recent visit to the island here.