Callum Thomson
Callum and Jane have given in to a longtime urge to run away to sea. With years of zodiac and small boat experience acquired at the cottage and during archaeological expeditions, they parlayed their interest in native art, archaeology and culture to become lecturers and zodiac drivers on expedition cruises from Norway and the UK to the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland, the Canadian Arctic and eastern seaboard, and Siberia. Callum has also brought his knowledge of whaling and exploration history and experience as a zodiac driver on voyages to the Antarctic and Subantarctic islands, while Jane wangles her way onboard the Antarctic runs by working as a cruise director and zodiac driver. CallumThomson
Callum and Jane are Research Associates with the Arctic Institute of North America and can be reached through that office - see www.arctic.ucalgary.ca
Travel Blog Posts
February 14th 2008
We are just entering Neptune’s Bellows at Deception Island - the spot where the Norwegians hit the big rock last year - but I think our captain is smarter than that one…or has better charts. Least, I hope so. We had an amazing day yesterday. “Amazing” is the closest word I can find, but it’s so overused that it’s not nearly enough to describe yesterday. We were in Wilhelmina Bay, where we’ve had great whale encounters before, but yesterday was something beyond anything I’ve ever experienced. There were two humpbacks off in the distance as the ship positioned, and as soon as we launched the zodiacs, we were off to see if they’d welcome our approach. The last few times we’d found whales, they were either “logging” (sleeping), or they’d take off like a shot as ... read more
January 29th 2008
Jane sent the following entry today from the Akademik Sergey Vavilov, the sister ship of the Ioffe on which we sailed at this time last year. For reasons too long and painful to relate, Callum will not join Jane until Feb 6. After three more voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetlands and the Antarctic Circle, Jane and Callum will take a few days' break in the sun and sand on Uruguay and will be home March 15, just in time to do a laundry before setting off for the Azores, UK and Norway on the Polar Star (this time with Jane's sister Barb along as a guest on the UK trip!). As a prescript to Jane's entry below, her luggage has now showed up in Buenos Aires and should be in Ushuaia when the ship ... read more
End of second voyage, Falklands, S. Georgia and Peninsula
Published: December 9th 2007Antarctica » Antarctica
December 9th 2007
December 9, 2007 We are now about one hour away from the port of Ushuaia at the end of my second voyage on the Polar Star. The day is overcast, with a few light showers, but some patches of blue sky suggest that the weather for our day in port may improve. This has been another wonderful cruise in all respects, with decent weather for most of it, excellent wildlife, good landings and a fun group of passengers. The last two days at sea were a bit of a strain, with a cross wind of 30+ knots raising a big swell from the west and making the ship roll most uncomfortably; by late afternoon, though, we were in the lee of Cape Horn and passengers that we hadn’t seen for a couple of days started to ... read more
November 21st 2007
Nov. 20 ushuaia I'm in the cafe on the waterfront with a couple of cups of cafe con leche, fresh OJ and croissants, all the things we don't have on the ship. Lots of other staff here too, but I'm hiding away in the back with my cold - just caught myself dripping on the keyboard so I hope it doesn't go boom like the last one!). Orlova also in town, Susan EL, so I'll have to look her up on my way back. Last night was fun: had a couple of glasses of wine with Kim, Hannah and Sarah in the nice quiet crew mess while Richard got started with his final concert, then went up to be sociable and had a good time with my favourite pax and even danced a bit with my ... read more
November 3rd 2007
Nov 3 Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego I think I made a terrible mistake: when I left Nova Scotia it was fall, almost winter. When I came down here it should have been spring, almost summer. So why is it 0 degrees, snowing, 10 cm of snow on the ground and the mountains all around town completely white?! However, this morning there are a few blue patches, and the ship is in so it's not all bad. I'm getting picked up in a few minutes, so this'll be the last message until I get time to open an account on the ship. Nov 4 Winter came early for you and late for us, but we seem to have left it behind. It's 6 a.m., the sun is already climbing, the temperature is somewhere between 5 and 10 ... read more
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