Sunday 13 May 2012

A sunny start, what can be nicer?

Stockholm welcomed us with blue sky and sunshine. After the check in procedure most guests went directly out to the open decks to enjoy the wonderful scenery of Stockholm. Some passengers used the last possibility to walk along the pier into the town before MV FRAM closed the gangway. Everybody was dressed already in the blue jackets we get on board. So during the next cruise days we will walk sometimes like a “long blue snake” through the streets of the Baltic Nations.
But before we could leave the harbor, all passengers had to join the mandatory rescue drill. It is good to know how to behave in an emergency situation before the cruise starts.
During dinnertime MV FRAM sailed slowly through the small islands in front of the Swedish coastline. It was the first test for our cameras to make nice pictures.

At nine o´clock our Captain Rune Andreassen invited us to a welcome cocktail in the observation lounge. Here he introduced his officers and the Expedition leader Anja Erdmann. Anja used than the opportunity to give us a first overview over the expedition team that will inform and teach us during the trip. 

A wonderful sunset let us hope for good weather conditions tomorrow. But on this evening most of us went to bed early. The arrival day is always a hard and long day and we want to be fit for our first day in Finland.