Ilze and I have not been able to add to DIPIDY’s overseas adventures since we returned from Iceland in 2019.

We had planned for an adventure up North America’s inside passage in 2020 on Hurtigrutens then brand new expidition ship, the Roald Amundsen. But covid happened and the ship got stuck returning from an Antarctic expedition with a ship load of Australian doctors who could not get home as borders throughout the worlds slammed shut. Fast forward to 2023 and Debbie and Ian chose to explore the wilds of Cape Horn, Drakes passage and Antarctic and sailed on the Roald Amundsen. “Not fair” we cried “thats our ship,we saw it first” and we had to suffer in miserable silence as they posted all those wonderful photos.

Now it is our turn, we are off on our final major adventure,again with Hurtigruten but this time they have added a extension around the Alluetian Islands and a visit to Kodiak for bear sightings and then on to the Inside passage. Our ship will be the Fridtjof Nansen the newer and identical sister ship to the Roald Amundsen. A small deisel/electric hybrid engined expedition ship to allow silent approaches close into narrow fjiords.

After a few days in Vancouver we fly to Nome Alaska (or as auto correct prefers, Gnome Alaska) to join the ship on the 1st of September to begin our journey back south. On the 3rd of Sptember we cross the international date line in the Bering sea for several hours before turning back. This has caused Ilze some problems as it is my birthday, that is, both 3rd of Septembers, are my birthday so that makes it two presents. Right? (Not much chance of winning that one. Yet.)

Not sure what sort of internet coverage we will have so the blogs may be far and few between so here are a few photos from previous expeditions and this is what we hope to see.

Pete.