August 29th, 2026
Anchorage
We made it! It was never a given that we would get here, we are the second ship to sail through the passage this year. In previous years expedition ships have had to turn back. But we are here.
It was a sunny day in Anchorage. No icebergs outside our window today, just a crane.
My first order of business was to go to the Square and get a new cruise card so I could actually leave the ship at the appointed time. There was no queue and I received my card right away. Phew!
When our time to disembark was called we grabbed our hand luggage and headed straight to the gangway. Again, no crowds or fuss and bother. As we had already done immigration and customs in the middle of the night while anchored in Port Clarence Bay, we could just walk off the ship straight to the coach. It was all too easy.
Captain Simon was at the bottom of the gangway saying goodbye to all of us. He has been totally amazing these past 3 weeks, he and ice captain Alex did a really great job getting us to Anchorage on time.
Our suitcases were waiting for us at the airport, check in was open, our bags were only slightly overweight, but we were able to rearrange things to avoid the fees, so there was nothing left to do but go through security and wait for our plane.
Once on the plane I had time to reflect on our trip.
At the end of the Napoleonic wars, John Barrow, the Second Secretary to the Admiralty announced that “The discovery of a north-west passage to India and China has always been considered as an object peculiarly British”, and with those words Britain embarked on an age of polar discovery in the 19th century. Some expeditions were successful, but there were plenty of failures. Many experienced explorers and adventurers failed to recognize the unforgiving nature of the arctic ice. They failed to pay heed to the warnings of the local people who had inhabited this region for centuries. Some men were too proud, some ill equipped, some too inexperienced, some just ran out of luck. Their ships were stuck in the ice for years while the sailors had to exist on ever diminishing supplies. Some never came home again.
One of the most moving parts of my experience was seeing the graves of fallen sailors on the barren shores of Beechy Island.
In the end it was not the British who managed to find a passage through the ice, but a Norwegian man, Roald Amundsen in the early 20th century on his ship Gjoya. He showed the world it could be done.
And here 120 years later it still presents a challenge. I am so grateful to those who went before us and enabled us to see this incredibly beautiful pristine part of the world. I do not feel I have just been on a cruise. This was so much more. It was journey into unspoiled frozen north where new experiences were around every corner, every minute in this beautiful place was to be savored. And I saw puffins and polar bears on the way.
I had the best time.
Thank you. I have enjoyed your posts every morning. The only way I will see this amazing part of the world. I envy you being able to experience such a wonderful journey.
Thank you for following along. I feel very lucky to have been able to go there 🙂
Thank you so much for taking us on this adventure with you. It’s the first thing I read each morning and I have loved every excursion and experience. Looking forward to the next one.
Thank you so much for following along – it was a great experience 🙂
Hi Safarigal,
After following your account of Seabourn Venture’s west-bound crossing the past three weeks, I decided to try to fill the same role on the current east-bound crossing. Thank you for your diligent daily blogging of your adventure, and I invite you or anyone else interested in the west-bound Seabourn Venture voyage to follow my live Northwest Passage blog at https://writerahoy.com.
Thanks again for blogging.
I saw that on CC. I am looking forward to following your cruise – I am very envious of you being on board 🙂
LEsley and Brian, Really a wonderful journey.. thanks for sharing it with us. Have loved the descriptions, photo views and your feelings to give me and the Safari Girls aka the followers, a really great vicarious adventure… …
Hope to chat soonish
Thanks! Chat to you soon!
We just got back from our Alaska cruise and I couldn’t wait to catch-up on your postings. It appears that your voyage was luxurious, adventurous and, I would add, historical. As usual, your writing and photos were excellent. There was much to be amazed about in all your activities but for me, probably none more than the Polar Plunge. BRAVO
I hope your Alaska cruise went well – there is so much to be said for watching the majesty of those glaciers – whether in Alaska or the Arctic Circle. They never fail to impress me 🙂 We are off to Africa tomorrow – exchanging polar bears for elephants!