Welcome Aboard the National Geographic Explorer

Click here to learn more about the National Geographic Explorer

Location: Longyearbyen, Norway (the world's most northern settlement)
Toronto → Iceland → Oslo → ​ Longyearbyen
​Highlights of the Day:

• The plane landing in Longyearbyen in Svalbard
• Getting on the zodiac and seeing the National Geographic Explorer waiting for us
• Seeing the Grosvenor Teacher Fellow bio's on the Staff Board on the ship (how amazing to be among this crowd!)

Welcome aboard the National Geographic Explorer!

Today was our first day aboard the National Geographic Explorer! We flew from Oslo to Longyearbyen and brought to zodiac to the ship. (Note: Never call it a boat- it is a ship!) We found our room, which is among the staff headquarters and toured the boat- I mean ship. Fact: SOLAS stands for Safety Of Life At Sea. After a drill, we had a buffet dinner and we went to bed, but the boat- I mean ship- rocked like a cradle all night, just laying in bed moving to the motion of the ocean. As nauseous as I felt, there is nowhere else I would rather be- I am on the National Geographic Explorer on the Arctic Ocean! I am humbled and honoured to be here.

There are 24 hours of daylight here, so no sunset or sunrise, so we have to close the pothole at night to sleep. 

Welcome aboard- the adventure is just beginning!

Facts about the MS National Geographic Explorer

• Built in 1982
• Can hold 148 passengers
• It can hold 425,000 L of fuel and 33 gallons of fresh water
• It is 112m in length

Facts about Longyearbyen, Norway

• Administrative centre for Svalbard, Norway
• Population is 2,144
• Located on the island of Spitsbergen in Svalbard (which is actually made up of many islands, but Spitsbergen is the largest)
• Most northern settlement of any kind with more than 1000 permanent residents