Polar bears can be seen left and right. Photo / Nick Rains, Ponant
Polar bears can be seen left and right. Photo / Nick Rains, Ponant
What is it really like to embark on an Arctic cruise aboard Ponant’s luxury Icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot? Sarah Porter jumps aboard for a trip of a lifetime
There’s an Inuit proverb: ‘Only the ice and weather will decide’, and this could not have been more accurate than on my recent voyage to northeast Greenland, aboard Ponant’s luxury Icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot.
The captain quoted this when a change in course saw us encounter something rarely seen before – 68 polar bears feasting on a whale carcass. Only the ice and weather led us to this incredible encounter, which left both guests and crew mesmerised.
Le Commandant Charcot launched in 2021 and set a new standard for polar exploration, costing an estimated US$430 million ($709m) to build. I would not be exploring the ice-dense northeast coast of Greenland at this time of the year without the icebreaking capabilities of this incredible ship.
Witnessing her break through an 8m ice pressure ridge was truly spectacular, as was silently sneaking up on the 68 resting and feeding polar bears; unfazed by our presence.
As we left Iceland’s capital of Reykjavik, the fog rolled in, temperatures dropped, and ice began appearing on the horizon.
The tone was set with Captain Patrick Marchesseau’s initial talk, telling us he had some bad news: “The ship has three times more crew than passengers; and the weather did not look good, but rather excellent”.
Marchesseau’s humour became a highlight of most announcements.
It took close to two full days to cross the Denmark Strait, but the book I brought to read for such times remained untouched – the lectures from the expedition team, Explorer Club guests and scientists onboard, alongside the happenings in the bridge and everchanging landscape kept me entertained.
Our ultimate ‘Polar Bear Day’ occured after I had stepped on the ice for the first time and then jumped in the ship’s outdoor spa pool. One which uses recycled energy from the ship to heat. I was enjoying a talk on Arctic Ice when the captain announced he had spotted a polar bear … no hang on, there’s a few more than one.
As we approached, the expedition team pointed out that we’d come across a whale carcass with a total of 68 polar bears taking advantage of the feast. The first bears we spotted were a mum and her three cubs that, according to the expedition team, is a rarity.
The ship's crew and guests witnessed 68 polar bears feeding on a whale carcass, an incredibly rare sight. Photo / Lisa LaPointe
Whilst keeping a respectful distance so not to disturb the bears, the captain reassured us we could relax and enjoy this moment at ‘polar bear island’ for as long as needed because this is where we would be spending the night.
We enjoyed the close-up views from the outside wrap around deck and bridge, and guests and crew onboard set in for an ‘all-nighter’ under the Arctic’s midnight sun. A night that will be etched in my memory forever.
The bears became curious and approached the stationery vessel, sniffing the air and even giving the ship a lick to see how we matched up against the whale.
Never in my life did I ever think I’d hear the sound of polar bear footsteps and witness these incredible creatures so close. I checked several times through the night from my port side cabin, to see the bears in food comas sound asleep around me.
A polar bear up close. Photo / Nick Rains, Ponant
The two local Inuit guides who were onboard had only ever seen six polar bears at any place at any one time; and experienced expedition guide and photographer Lisa LaPointe said: “Something possibly never seen before, and something that cannot be overstated”.
“As most ships cannot access deep into the pack ice there’s a lot we haven’t seen until Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot.”
We stayed there another day before continuing north to explore more of the untouched coastline. At our furthermost point, we reached a staggering 72 degrees north.
We kayaked several times amongst the icebergs, gently paddling through the ice where the sound of silence was deafening, and it was more like a relaxation session than a workout.
Close encounters with polar bears. Photo / Lisa LaPointe
Every meal was outstanding, with menus designed by legendary French chef Alain Ducasse - one of the world’s most-awarded Michelin-Star chefs.
Sundays on board heralded a famous brunch that certainly lived up to the hype and we were fortunate to have the two Inuit hunters, Age (pronounced oogie as in boogie) and Scoresby, join us for this experience and share many stories.
Although their dialect of Greenlandic is very difficult to pronounce and understand, they had a great understanding of English, and we enjoyed chatting about their life in the settlement of Ittoqqortoormiit (I was taught to pronounce it as Eat-Duck-Cut-Door-Meat), one of the most remote settlements on Earth.
With a population of just 340, it is in complete darkness much of the year, and while there are no restaurants, everyone has Wi-Fi, streetlights and Age’s wife runs the only guest house in town.
Scoresby promises me a great Polar Bear steak when I do come and visit, as locals still hunt polar bears for sustenance via an annual quota of 35 bears (perhaps something I’ll politely turn down should I ever return!)
Age and Scoresby shared photos of their families, the first sunrise of the year, ice fishing, and kids swimming from their boats. As remote as we were, we learned that online shopping was done on Amazon, everyone had cellphones, and Age’s teenage son was planning to be a helicopter pilot.
Culture that is so different, yet so alike. As disappointed as I was that we were unable to visit their home, sharing a meal and insight into their lives was an absolute privilege.
Exactly halfway through our voyage, a bucket-list experience was announced over the ship’s PA, and under blue sky and a deck filled with spectators, a few of us brave (or somewhat irrational) guests jumped into the 0.5-degree water for the famous ‘polar plunge’.
I did this a second and third time during the trip, the two latter with the more dramatic scene of a hole cut in the ice, and a chillier -1.5-degrees. The captain and crew had apparently never had guests request more than one polar plunge, so they happily obliged.
The ‘plungers’ marched out onto the ice in their swimsuits, robes, muck boots and compulsory life jacket to the soundtrack of Rocky theme Eye of the Tiger; the feeling was invigorating, and my bucket-list was ticked (three times).
Guests had the opportunity to participate in the famous 'polar plunge', jumping into 0.5-degree water, an invigorating experience repeated by some guests multiple times. Photo / Supplied
Le Commandant Charcot exudes the chic French décor and design of the other vessels in the Ponant family; and then some – an indoor swimming pool, detox juice bar, snow room, cigar room, are all extra decadent touches that were fully used by the guests onboard.
Both the science of the ship, and the science onboard the ship, were as fascinating as our surroundings. The dual use of diesel and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas); the ice routing equipment sends information to universities to update global ice charts; and the clean ship status that Le Commandant Charcot holds reassured me we are not just doing things in an environmentally safe way but in fact positively contributing to something much bigger.
Science facilities include both wet and dry labs, a meteorological station on the top deck, even a sonar room; and space is dedicated on each voyage to host scientists who are selected by the independent Arctic Research Icebreaker Consortium based on submission. Guests also participate in this science by collecting snow samples and uploading photos of clouds and whales alike.
There's no cooler place to be than in the Arctic. Photo / Supplied
On the last morning, the captain announced over the PA that the ‘Charcot depression’ will likely start setting in for the passengers, knowing the end of the voyage was near.
Nothing will ever replace the sound of polar bear footsteps, but you just don’t know what you’ll experience when you embark on a voyage of exploration to the untouched polar regions … only the weather and ice will decide.
The writer flew Qatar Airlines from Auckland to Doha and on to Oslo. From Oslo, she flew Icelandair to Reykjavik. A 42-hour journey in total from home to hotel.
