What, in your opinion, makes for the ideal expedition yacht? How does Nansen fit into this category for you and what sets her apart from other expedition yachts on the water today?

The ideal expedition yacht is a yacht that’s tailored for the role she needs to fill. Nansen Explorer is tailored to fulfill multiple roles in the expedition world. We can charter in all the polar regions of the world, but we can also act as a perfect support vessel for other yachts that don’t have all the capabilities needed for a specific voyage. We can even serve in a research role, which we have done. One of the things that sets Nansen Explorer apart is her speed in launching operations. When cruising along we can be ready within minutes if we find something special. But the most important thing an expedition vessel needs is a relaxed atmosphere on board; clients need to feel they can relax and enjoy their time on the ship and their time out in the field and we certainly foster that.

Nansen is well suited for expedition operations in both polar regions, so you have seen the entire spectrum of conditions and challenges at sea. What were some of your most challenging conditions?

Have there been any particular expeditions that stand out among all the others?
Nansen Explorer is a very capable ship and can handle any situation. Some of the most challenging conditions we had were while working with NOAA at Cape Shirreff in the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica. We were working to unload parts for the construction of a research new base so that scientists could study the krill populations of the Southern Ocean. Conditions were very rough and difficult but we were still able to transfer forty zodiac loads of construction materials to the island! Another stands out as well — our 3-ship flotilla in the Northwest Passage. This was a very special once-in-a-lifetime experience in one of the most navigationally challenging waterways there is.