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Cruise navigates world's most dangerous route

Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Serenity has successfully completed its controversial voyage through the treacherous Northwest Passage, a route inaccessible 100 years ago. The Northwest Passage is a sea route connecting the northern Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, via waterways that extend through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The route has traditionally been blocked by ice, but global warming has changed this and many sections of the water which were previously too tricky to cross can now be navigated. For 32 days the 1,000 passengers and 600 crew aboard the Crystal Serenity witnessed sights few others have seen over the 7,000 natural miles of remote Arctic waterways and as the ship arrived in New York the voyage was hailed as a success. Captain Birger J. Vorland told Cruise Critic, “The voyage was very successful, and there were no surprises. There was actually less ice than we anticipated… I never felt the enthusiasm wane. Everything clicked. I never experienced an atmosphere like this before in my 38 years at sea.” So what’s next for cruising in this part of the world? Well, the Crystal Serenity is set to sail the Northwest Passage again in the summer of 2017, and other lines have signalled their intent to try their hand at this itinerary. But not everybody’s happy. Bernie MacIsaac of Nunavut's Department of Economic Development, the region most hit by the influx of cruise passengers, contends clear restrictions must be in place. MacIsaac said, “The [territory] is considering new marine tourism regulations that would mitigate some of the impacts of larger ships like the Crystal Serenity. A size limit and a number should be included. We cannot do a 1,000-passenger ship for three days in a row. There just aren't that many people here. We're not going to fly in drum dancers.” Daniel Skjeldam, head of the Norway-based Hurtigruten cruise, also called for size limits, so ships no bigger than 500 passengers could visit. Skjeldam said, “This has to do with safety — search and rescue – but also to do with the small communities that you come in to. “We are concerned about the impact they have on these villages.” Crystal Cruises spokeswoman Molly Morgan contended enough had been done to consult the locals when the company began planning the historic voyage three years ago. Morgan said, “Crystal team members made multiple trips to the region to collaborate with the local communities and ensure that, as a company, we were well educated on the culture, history and ecosystem that makes up this delicate region.” What’s your take? Do you think it’s wrong to be sending massive cruise liners through that sensitive part of the world? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Image: YouTube / Crystal Cruises

Cruising

Secret doorway from 17th century unearthed in parliament

A secret doorway dating back more than 350 years has been discovered in the House of Commons in the UK. The entrance, once used regularly, is believed to have been one diarist Samuel Pepys and Robert Walpole, the first de facto prime minister used as a means to get in and out of parliament. The hidden walkway was found as part of the ongoing AU$7.8 billion restoration project in parliament and was originally created for Charles II's coronation in 1660, so guests could go to the new king's celebratory banquet. Later, MPs used it to access the Commons, which was originally held in the medieval Palace of Westminster before a fire broke out in the 19th century and ripped apart a good amount of the structure. Westminster Hall was the only part to survive, and it would be where those at the helm of restoring a once well-used part of parliament would discover the secret doorway. For the last 70 years, it has sat stagnant and forgotten about, hidden behind wooden panelling in a cloister that was formerly used as offices by the Labour Party. Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said: "To think that this walkway has been used by so many important people over the centuries is incredible. "I am so proud of our staff for making this discovery and I really hope this space is celebrated for what it is - a part of our parliamentary history." Graffiti written by bricklayers who helped architect Sir Charles Barry restore the palace in the wake of the 1834 fire was also found in the room. One sentence, dated 1851, reads: "This room was enclosed by Tom Porter who was very fond of Ould Ale." Scroll through the gallery to see the hidden walkway found in parliament. Images: UK Parliament

International Travel

68-year-old’s poem reflecting on the passage of time

Anne Marr, 68, is a registered hairdresser, whose hobbies include writing, gardening, caring for wild life and learning. She’s also studied health, journalism and pain management. Time If a wish could be granted for me it would be for more time to see All the wonders of earth and more time in this space my soul has chosen to grow; Please time go slow. There’s so much to learn and so much to do it’s hard each day to see it all through, And I sometime feel that my time is not real but just in my mind as each day I leave behind; With always a wish there was more time to fit it all in and where to begin. How do I choose which is right for me when there is so much my heart wants to see. I wonder if time will stretch for me with spreading arms that grow like a tree. And I must remember it all should be fun even the days when I’m on the run, And then I remind myself, just love, breath, pause, and feel the sun. For if love comes first in all that we do then there’ll be enough time to see us all through to the next timeless step of our soul as we leave this place in search of our goal. If have you have a story to share, please head over to the <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/community/contributor/community-contributor/">“Share your Story” page.</a> Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/mind/2016/09/crying-can-be-good-for-you/">Having a big cry can actually be good for you</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/mind/2016/09/10-steps-to-build-your-confidence/">10 steps to build your confidence</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/mind/2016/09/5-scientific-ways-to-make-your-brain-happy/">5 scientific ways to make your brain happy</a>

Mind

Coast guards prepare for dangerous cruise

In August, the Crystal Serenity, a 250-metre cruise ship that can pack in 1,000 passengers, will begin a 32-day journey through the long-mythologised Northwest Passage. And coast guards are already preparing for the worst. Warming temperatures and shrinking ice pack has opened up this notoriously treacherous region for shipping and large-scale cruise ships. The Norwest Passage is famous for being part of one of the most remote, least-mapped regions in the world. Crystal Cruises is the first of the major cruise lines to attempt the passage, expecting to take 1,000 passengers and 600 crew through the dangerous waters which will see the ship pass dangerously out of reach of Canada’s search and rescue helicopters. Richard Beneville, mayor of the coastal town of Nome, expressed his concern about the cruise’s projected route to The Guardian, “If something were to go wrong it would be very, very bad. Most cruise ships that get here have passenger manifests of 100, maybe 150. This is a very different ship.” Communications in the Arctic region are challenging, with minimal roads, patchy phone reception and many of the towns along the Crystal Serenity’s route are tiny and ill-equipped to take care of a problem, should something go wrong. “We all have to be very proactive in trying to game out what we do in an emergency situation,” Lt Commander Jason Boyle, the coast guard’s prevention officer for the Alaska region, told The Guardian in a telephone interview. In addition to having to cater for potential emergencies, locals are afraid of oil spills, pollution and waste coming about as a result of any spike in shipping traffic. From that perspective it may seem a little difficult to comprehend why Crystal is attempting such a potentially dangerous route, but as is often the case the numbers present a different story. This year’s cruise has already sold out, with prices for the journey aboard the 14-deck luxury liner starting at $22,000 and rising to almost $120,000 for a deluxe stateroom. To assuage the risk of this voyage, Coast Guards in Canada and the US are running a serious of worst-case scenario drills, to prepare for the event of a disaster. U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Dan Abel said, "As a coast guardsman, I don't want a repeat of the Titanic… We need to make sure we think this through and get it done correctly.” Related links: <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/02/travel-tips-for-a-winter-cruise/">8 travel tips for a winter cruise</a> <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/03/how-to-make-cruise-ship-towel-animals/">How to make cruise ship towel animals</a> <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/03/inside-worlds-biggest-cruise-ship/">Inside one of the world’s biggest cruise ships</a>

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Cruise navigates world's most dangerous route

Secret doorway from 17th century unearthed in parliament

68-year-old’s poem reflecting on the passage of time

Coast guards prepare for dangerous cruise