We got the opportunity this morning to vist the Bridge of the Fram where we were briefed by the Captain on the ship’s operations. Fascinating stuff. The functions are highly automated and only two people are required to be on the Bridge at any one time. For the most part the ship runs on automatic pilot, following the course inputted to the ship’s computer. The area is very high tech and I couldn’t help but wonder what some of the earliest seafarers to visit these waters would have made of it all. It is definitely the best view in the house.
Happily, the Captain was able to confirm that the internet difficulties we experienced earlier in the voyage did not impact at all on the ship’s essential communications functions. The Captain was also quite clear that newspaper reports from January this year that the Fram had to be rescued from the ice by a British naval ice-breaker (see this Blog) were wholly inaccurate. The operation had been entirely routine and had allowed the Fram to go to an area where it might not otherwise have been able to reach.