• Home
  • Blog
  • 2019 Highlights: 40 Photos from a Prime Polar Year

2019 Highlights: 40 Photos from a Prime Polar Year

by Oceanwide Expeditions Blog

If you overhear someone say, "It's been a good year," they're probably a farmer or financier or maybe even a wine producer. But we think polar tour operator should be added to that list, because 2019 was one of Oceanwide's best years for many reasons.

2019: A year of polar adventures photos

If you overhear someone say, "It's been a good year," they're probably a farmer or financier or maybe even a wine producer.

But we think polar tour operator should be added to that list, because 2019 was one of Oceanwide's best years for many reasons: Our new ship Hondius set out on its first polar voyage, and for the third year in a row we flew passengers to the rarely visited emperor penguin colony on Snow Hill Island.

Not a bad vintage, if we do say so ourselves.

So we decided to throw together a few photos from the 2019 expedition calendar. Not every great photo taken that year could be included, of course, but we selected a balance of scenes we felt were representative of the last twelve months - one from every trip log.

We hope you enjoy them, and may you share many more with us in 2020.

1. Cuverville kayaking (OTL25-19)

0 photo

Image by Tanja Bayer

2. Curious orca, social seals (OTL26-19)

1 photo

Image by Werner Kruse

3. Spigot Peak scenery (OTL27-19)

2 photo

Image by Mal Haskins

4. Whale fluke on the Drake (PLA26-19)

3 photo

Image by Regis Perdriat

5. Domestic dispute (OTL30-19)

4 photo

6. Camping with a view (PLA27-19)

5 photo

7. Antarctic outing (PLA28-19)

6 photo

8. School of kings (OTL31-19)

7 photo

Image by Pippa Low

9. Taking the plunge (PLA29-19)

8 photo

10. Leopard in the limelight (OTL32-19)

9 photo

Image by Pippa Low

11. Neko Harbor vistas (PLA30-19)

10 photo

12. Iceberg peephole (OTL33-19)

11 photo

13. Visitor from below (PLA31-19)

12 photo

14. Kittiwakes over the icepack (PLA04-19)

13 photo

15. Polar bear on the prowl (PLA05-19)

14 photo

16. Positively glacial (PLA06-19)

15 photo

17. Puffin puffing up (HDS03-19)

16 photo

18. Zodiac among the bergs (HDS04-19)

17 photo

Image by Tobias Brehm

19. Can I help you? (PLA07-19)

18 photo

Image by Melissa Scott

20. Reticent reindeer (HDS05-19)

19 photo

Image by Meike Sjoer

21. Surfacing harp seals (HDS06-19)

20 photo

Image by Melissa Scott

22. The lay of Lilliehook (PLA 09-19)

21 photo

23. Clever like an Arctic fox (HDS07-19)

22 photo

24. Hot chocolate the polar way (HDS08-19)

23 photo

Image by Meike Sjoer

25. Dinner (HDS09-19)

24 photo

26. Dessert (PLA14-19)

25 photo

27. Scatters of Spitsbergen (HDS11-19)

26 photo

Image by Pippa Low

28. Scanning for seals (PLA15-19)

27 photo

29. Great peaks of Greenland (PLA16-19)

28 photo

30. Eyeing the ice formations (HDS15-19)

29 photo

Image by Sandra Petrowitz

31. Jabot Peak panorama (OTL-21-19)

30 photo

Image by Jonny Baird

32. Otherworldly Antarctica (PLA22-19)

31 photo

Image by Daniel Hoehne

33. One happy family (OTL22-19)

32 photo

Image by Pippa Low

34. Energetic Adélies (PLA23-19) 

33 photo

35. Quintessential Zodiac cruising (PLA24-19) 

34 photo

36. Band of blue-eyed shags (HDS23-19)

35 photo

37. Campsite scenery (OTL24-19)

36 photo

38. Huffing humpback (HDS24-19)

37 photo

Image by Neill Drake

39. Shipload of happiness (HDS25-19)

38 photo

Image by Neill Drake

40. En route to the polar regions (PLA25-19)

39 photo

Title image by Ian Rudkin

Related cruises

Falkland Islands - South Georgia - Elephant Island - Antarctica - Polar Circle
Up to $6800 OFF

Falkland Islands - South Georgia - Elephant Island - Antarctica - Polar Circle

16 Feb - 10 Mar, 2026

Tripcode: HDS29-26

  • EN
  • DE
  • LA

This Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Antarctic Peninsula cruise is an animal-lover’s dream come true. The expedition explores one of the last untamed areas on Earth – a land of ruggedly beautiful landscapes and amazingly varied wildlife.

Antarctica – Uncharted islands of the Deep South
Up to $4500 OFF

Antarctica – Uncharted islands of the Deep South

18 Feb - 4 Mar, 2026

Tripcode: OTL30a26

On this extraordinary journey, we navigate the unexplored waters around Lazarev Bay and the mysterious Glinka Islands, a region where old aerial photographs (1939–1941) serve as reference for existing charts. Ice and daylight permitting, we will be aiming...

Deep South Basecamp experience
Up to $4150 OFF

Deep South Basecamp experience

4 Mar - 17 Mar, 2026

Tripcode: OTL30b26

The Deep South Basecamp experience offers you a myriad of ways to explore and enjoy the Antarctic region. This expedition allows you to (long) hike, snowshoe, kayak, and even camp out under the Southern Polar skies.

Antarctica - Elephant Island - Weddell Sea - Polar Circle - Aurora Australis / Southern Lights
Up to $4150 OFF

Antarctica - Elephant Island - Weddell Sea - Polar Circle - Aurora Australis / Southern Lights

9 Mar - 23 Mar, 2026

Tripcode: PLA30-26

This expansive expedition takes you into the Antarctic Circle, combining the rich animal life of the Weddell Sea with the surreal shores and islands of the Antarctic Peninsula. Such key landing sites as the legendary Elephant Island and Crystal Sound...

Antarctica - Whale watching discovery and learning voyage - Aurora Australis / Southern Lights
Up to $3400 OFF

Antarctica - Whale watching discovery and learning voyage - Aurora Australis / Southern Lights

10 Mar - 20 Mar, 2026

Tripcode: HDS30-26

This Antarctic Peninsula cruise delivers you into a landscape of rugged rock, pure white snow, and a fantastic variety of wildlife. Come say hello to whales, seals, and penguins.

Loading