Hardwear Sessions

By Jon Bowermaster

It was one year ago today - November 23, 2007 - that I watched the veteran Antarctic tourist ship Explorer sink below the surface of the cold Southern Ocean. It was a day I've thought about everyday since, both surreal and eye opening. Surreal because of the quiet of the scene - 154 passengers and crew afloat in lifeboats when we arrived to help - which could have been far more chaotic and disastrous. Eye opening because it was a very real reminder that accidents happen, even to the best of us, and that in Antarctica sometimes only the lucky survive.

The Explorer, sinking off the Antarctic coast. Photo by Fiona Stewart.

Our successful kayak expedition of last season has been documented recently in the pages of National Geographic Adventure and we are nearly finished with a big, beautiful film shot along the Peninsula last season; come for sneak peeks at both!

And I return to Antarctica in a few days, for seven weeks, and will soon be sending new Dispatches from the Seventh Continent.