Following Franklin in the Fram

Johnny Franklin and the lads left England in May 1845 looking to navigate the Northwest Passage across the top of Arctic Canada.

Although the Expedition failed, the Northwest Passage remains a romantic and adventurous destination and, more recently, an increasingly accessible place with commercial possibilities.

The cruise we have signed up for is loosely based on Franklins Expedition, but also encompasses an environmental and cultural aspect, as climate change alters the way people are living in this remote area and the effect that increasing traffic and temperatures are having on wildlife.

Naturally, we started off this eco trip by burning a bit of carbon as we took the Rolls Royce to Reykjavik where we would be joining the MS Fram

There was time to stroll around the City.

Mrs M insisted on taking in the Phallological Museum, but that was more than I could swallow so I visited the Museum of Photography instead.

Pep's Log : Phallological museum excellent!!!

An old camera

Our ship, the Fram (meaning "forward") had arrived in the early hours, and was being replenished with plant based alternatives for our voyage.

The original, wooden Fram, was constructed for the Norwegian explorer, Fridtjof Nansen in 1892 to a shallow and wide design that would allow the ship to rest on top of the ice rather than being trapped and squashed.

It had three masts and a steam engine of 220 hp.

The outboard engine on my rib boat is 250 hp....

Nansen planned to prove the theory of an east to west ocean current running underneath the Arctic ice sheet by allowing the Fram to be trapped in the ice and monitoring its position.

He succeeded.

Following a second expedition to map Northern Greenland, the Fram earned its place in history when it conveyed Roald Amundsen to the start of his winning race to the South Pole at the expense of Scott.