In pictures: To the Ross Ice Shelf on Le Commandant Charcot
These images were taken on the furthest voyage south ever sailed – on the world’s first purpose-built passenger icebreaker.
The French-flagged luxury cruise ship Le Commandant Charcot made navigation history this year on an audacious cruise of 7593 nautical miles down the west coast of Antarctica and back. Here is our pick of photos of the voyage. To read the story, go here or read it in print in Life & Leisure’s gloss Visionaries edition, in print this Friday or in the AFR Weekend.
A crabeater seal on the sea ice off Charcot Island. Morgan Monneret @Studio Ponant
Charcot Island was discovered in January 1910 by the French Antarctic Expedition under Jean-Baptiste Charcot, after whom Ponant’s icebreaker is also named. Morgane Monneret @Studio Ponant
An emperor penguin in the mist. Morgane Monneret @Studio Ponant
Nuna restaurant on deck five, with menus by Alaine Ducasse. Gilles Trillard ©Studio Ponant
A snow petrel rides Le Commandant Charcot’s updraft, one of the hundreds of sea birds that escorted the ship on its voyage. Morgane Monneret @Studio Ponant
A vast tabular iceberg off Peter I Island. Morgane Monneret @Studio Ponant
A greeting committee of emperor penguins at an ice landing off Siple Island. Morgane Monneret @Studio Ponant
Waiting to be rescued by the ship on an ice floe off Siple Island, under the watchful eye of an Adelie penguin. Charis Perkins
Back on board: The writer’s daughter, Julia Hemens, in the Panorama Lounge at cocktail hour. Yes, it’s still light, and no, cocktail dresses are not required. Charis Perkins
Le Commandant Charcot off the coast of Cape Colbeck. Morgane Monneret @Studio Ponant
A Zodiac cruise in perfect conditions off Cape Colbeck. Morgane Monneret @Studio Ponant
A pair of Adelie penguins off Cape Colbeck. Charis Perkins
Light streams in from the glass ceiling above the ship’s indoor pool. Charis Perkins
Fog on the water along the Ross Ice shelf. Morgane Monneret @Studio Ponant
The expedition team poses for photos at the furthest point south a ship has ever sailed: 78° 44′ 3″. Expedition leader John Frick is to the right of the banner, in blue-tinted sunglasses. Morgane Monneret @Studio Ponant
Proof that champagne doesn’t freeze: The writer at the furthest point south. Julia Hemens
Mount Terror, on Ross Island, bathed in the pink light of sunrise. Morgane Monneret @Studio Ponant
Steam rises from the live volcano of Mount Erebus on Ross Island. Camille Martin Juan @Studio Ponant
It’s so cold at the outdoor bar on deck nine the lamps have turned into ice sculptures. Charis Perkins
A scouting team on a Zodiac is winched back on board off Ross Island. Charis Perkins
Robert Falcon Scott’s hut at Cape Evans, set up in 1911 during the ill-fated Terra Nova expedition. Morgane Monneret @Studio Ponant
Ice antics on the promenade deck. Charis Perkins
A light-mantled albatross hunts the waters of the Amundsen Sea. Morgane Monneret @Studio Ponant
Ice landing a million miles from anywhere in the Amundsen Sea. Morgane Monneret. @Studio Ponant
A pink sky over the Amundsen Sea. Morgane Monneret @Studio Ponant
Captain Patrick Marchesseau goes all out in pirate’s costume for carnival night. Morgane Monneret @Ponant Studio
Back in still waters at Pleneau Bay on the Antarctic Peninsula. Morgane Monneret @Ponant Studio
A fur seal in Pleneau Bay. Morgane Monneret @Studio Ponant
Kayaking off the Antarctic Peninsula in Neko Harbour. Morgane Monneret @Studio Ponant
Crossing the Drake Passage back to civilisation, the writer poses on the helicopter deck with two blades like the ones that drive the ship’s propellers. Julia Hemens
NEED TO KNOW
For the story to go with these photographs, see Charis Perkins’ Life & Leisure feature Epic is the only word for this voyage to Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf.
The writer travelled as a guest of Ponant.
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