If you belong to a country that vastly contributes in domestic and international trade via the seas, you need to keep that machine well oiled. A frozen ocean is not exactly the kind of lubricant you would hope for. :) As it is said, necessity is the mother of invention. And thus, out of the requisite of continuity of international commerce, the idea of an ice breaker cruise came to fruition.
Sampo, one such ice breaker, was de-commissioned after 25 years of distinguished service. Kemi, Finland's tourism board bought the ship in 1987 and created this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
First things first. This post is a part of a series regarding Finnish Lapland. You may get a bird's eye view of our itinerary
here.
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| The Ice-Breaking Cruise named Sampo, and its beloved, frozen Arctic Ocean! ;) |
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| Sampo, cruising along, and breaking ice on the way! |
Having access to all the decks of the ship, once onboard, you are transported to the ship's golden operational era. Sit in and socialize in the Captain's lounge area, have a look at the cozy crew's quarters, marvel at the original radio equipment and log book, indulge in the cacophony of generators and pistons, read few among gazillions of measurements on various dials or have a technical conversation with engineers and technicians of the vessel.
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| The original radio equipment used back when the ship was in commercial operation. |
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| Control Room |
If this is not interesting enough, hop into a abandonment suit and take a dip into the Arctic Ocean! Abandonment suits are basically specialized wet suits used by the crew in an emergency situation where a ship needs to be abandoned. Wear the suit, glide into the ice-cold water emerged from the just-broken ice and swim on your back, if you want to.
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| At peace... in the Arctic Ocean. |
The science of ice breaking and the mechanics of the ship is as adventurous and intriguing as the dip in the Arctic Ocean. If you are not into science or adventure, just the sight of emerging cracks on the floor of ice, coupled with its crackling sound, accompanying us throughout the journey, is a mesmerizing setup, which cannot be forgotten easily.
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| The vast white expanse of the frozen Arctic! |
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| The ice just broken! |
Where on earth would you witness this?
Good to know:
+ Cruises, 4-hr long, run morning and afternoon, with one meal included.
+ The cruise ship has amazing staff. I sneaked into the control room to have a conversation with the engineers and they patiently answered all my questions. The captain was just as friendly, with whom I discussed how life is in the Arctic. The helpers, guides were also very informative and patient.
Stay tuned, the Finland Diary is not yet complete!
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