One Ocean Expeditions Offers Unique Angle for Expedition Cruising Through Onboard Art and Ornithology Programme
Summer 2019 will welcome internationally renowned professional artists, ornithologists and polar specialists onboard One Ocean Expeditions (OOE) Spitsbergen Encounter voyage (28 June – 7 July 2019).
Artist and field naturalist, Bruce Pearson; ornithology specialist Dick Filby and polar conservationist Denise Landau, will share their unique expertise with guests on board the small ship cruise, enabling passengers to learn more about the extraordinary Spitsbergen archipelago, the region’s birdlife and how better to capture their travel memories through art.
Combining art, wildlife and stunning landscapes, the 9-night Spitsbergen Encounter voyage offers an opportunity for guests to benefit from our special guests’ excellent knowledge of polar birdlife and the ecosystems they inhabit.
Ornithologist and avid birder Dick Filby has led wildlife watching tours across the globe, including to the Arctic and Antarctica, since 1989 and, after founding the UK based Rare Bird Alert in 1991, is regarded as a prominent bird expert – the world’s birders have him on ‘speed dial’. Dick’s dedication and extensive knowledge of international birdlife is contagious making his on board and on shore conversations a trip highlight for many.
Powered by her passion for the Polar Regions, Denise Landau has worked in ‘polar’ for over 25 years, gaining an incredible knowledge of birds, marine mammals, geopolitics and conservation. Joining OOE as guide and naturalist, passengers will relish the opportunity to discuss the day’s events with Denise. How many people worldwide have a glacier named after them? Denise has! In recognition of her many years working to implement conservation policies worldwide, she was awarded a glacier named in her honour by the US Government, the ‘Landau-Glacier’ located in the Antarctic Peninsula.
Bruce Pearson has worked for almost 40 years as an artist on a range of subjects and themes, including the Arctic, Antarctica, the Caribbean and South America. His paintings and prints have been widely exhibited in the UK and overseas in many group and solo exhibitions; he has won awards for his work and has illustrated and authored a number of fascinating wildlife and art-focused books. Whilst sailing around the impressive glaciers and stunning fjords of the remote Svalbard archipelago, Bruce will share his great passion for art and the Polar Regions through onboard workshops, field drawing and presentations, as well as personal guidance.
Past OOE guests have commented on the extraordinary value of having artists of Bruce’s calibre onboard their expedition: “We thoroughly enjoyed our artistic experience in the Arctic. The knowledge of the artist-in-residence onboard really changed our perspective and we received a great deal of advice and tips. We were on nature’s time, with no plans and we were able to take in as much as possible. It was a very transformative experience.” – Rupert & Elaine D., Baffin Island – Jewel of the High Arctic 2017.
Bruce Pearson, Dick Filby and Denise Landau will join OOE’s 9-night Spitsbergen Encounter voyage, 28 June – 7 July 2019, starting and ending in Longyearbyen. Celebrated as a breeding ground for many seabirds, along with marine mammals and polar bears, the Svalbard archipelago offers tremendous wildlife encounters as well as a fascinating lesson in geography.
Onboard expedition vessel, Akademik Sergey Vavilov, fewer than 100 passengers will explore the narrow sound of Bourbonhamna, frequently visited by the elusive beluga whale; the Lilliehook Glacier, stretching an incredible 7 kilometers and reaching heights of 80 meters, and Phippsoya, just 540 nautical miles from the North Pole, an island renowned for spectacular polar bear encounters. With a range of activities available on board passengers can zodiac cruise, hike, sea-kayak and paint their way through this remote region of the world on this spectacular summer expedition.
Prices for OOE’s 9-night Spitsbergen Encounter begin at US$7,395 per person sharing a Semi-Private cabin and US$8,495 in a Twin cabin. Bookings made before 31 May 2019 benefit from a fantastic travel credit of US$1000 per person.
