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00:00Redefining elegance on the high seas.
00:03Tonight we have a little cappuccino for lobster,
00:06and after that, wild boar with a pinot reduction.
00:09In one of the harshest places on earth, Antarctica.
00:13Our concept is to go where the other one can go.
00:16But massive waves and ferocious weather
00:19threaten the maiden voyage of luxury expedition ship Le Boreal.
00:24This is not your average pleasure cruise.
00:27Quickly, we need to evacuate the flag.
00:30Only one rule counts on the white continent.
00:34Bring them back alive.
00:43Le Boreal is in a class of her own.
00:46142 metres long, she's as sleek and nimble as a yacht,
00:51but outfitted like a luxury cruise ship.
00:57She's also tough, custom-crafted to take on
01:00some of the most dangerous seas in the world.
01:03And she sits high enough in the water to enable her
01:06to sail closer to the shores of Antarctica
01:09than any other ship of her size.
01:12Specs like these are why her captain,
01:15Jean-Philippe Lemaire, is undaunted.
01:19We will face strong wind, strong sea.
01:23I am confident that this ship is a new expedition ship
01:27in the new era of this kind of business.
01:31Le Boreal is a $160 million boutique hotel on water.
01:37Captain Lemaire watched over her construction from the beginning.
01:41After the building of the ship in a shipyard,
01:44it's nice to see your baby to do the first walk.
01:48085.
01:50Today, Le Boreal is heading from the Mediterranean to Buenos Aires
01:54to pick up passengers for her maiden voyage to Antarctica.
02:04From Buenos Aires, it's 2,700 kilometres to South Georgia Island.
02:09And from there, a punishing journey through the sea.
02:14From the Southern Ocean to Antarctica.
02:17Then back across the infamous Drake Passage to Argentina.
02:21In all, it's a 5,600-kilometre odyssey.
02:25And there are just 15 days in which to do it.
02:30It's 3pm, boarding time in Buenos Aires.
02:33The schedule is tight.
02:35They have just three and a half hours to get 170 passengers on board.
02:40The immediate goal is to make everyone feel welcome
02:43and it's a long journey to get here.
02:50Le Boreal carries almost one crew member for every passenger on board.
02:59Captain Lemaire is also on the pier to welcome the guests.
03:03But he's already thinking of the challenges that'll face him once they set sail.
03:07Welcome aboard. Welcome on Le Boreal.
03:10The more you have experience, the more you take care.
03:13You need to keep your concentration all the time and all along the season.
03:18But if you feel too much comfortable, one day you get in big trouble.
03:21I'm your captain. Nice to meet you.
03:23Welcome aboard. We just need your passport.
03:28The passengers are paid up to US$15,000 each
03:31to travel in high style to the bottom of the globe.
03:41Just two hours before departure, they're only now beginning to trickle in.
03:46OK, I think we have more passengers coming there.
03:49Keeping count is hotel chief Philippe Tuati.
03:53We have to think about everything.
03:55If you lost your toothpaste or your boots or a pullover or something like that,
04:02we need to anticipate that.
04:04Civilisation will be Ushuaia,
04:08so in 15 days.
04:15With one hour to go, boarding is behind schedule.
04:18Nearly a third of the passengers still haven't arrived.
04:21Most of them are already there, so we're expecting now about 50 passengers more.
04:26And Philippe has another problem.
04:28A VIP who's nowhere to be found.
04:31Try to reach our VIP, but he should be on the way.
04:35We have one VIP coming.
04:37Five minutes, but he's on the way, so no answer.
04:40Former French Prime Minister Michel Rocard is booked on this first Antarctic voyage.
04:45He's very high profile, and he's also very late.
04:57Down on deck one, the crew loads last-minute supplies.
05:02Inventory manager Christian Becourt has the critical job of provisioning La Borea.
05:10There won't be an opportunity to resupply until they return.
05:14For 15 days, we have no port, no possibility of loadings.
05:18We have to load everything.
05:21And by everything, I mean really everything.
05:23850 kilograms of rice, 2,000 bottles of water, and 1,000 bottles of fine French wine.
05:31Enough haute cuisine to satisfy the most discerning palate.
05:36Back on the dock, the Prime Minister finally arrives.
05:40Here we are.
05:54How are you?
05:56But there's still one more passenger missing,
05:59and waiting for him is pushing La Boreal officially behind schedule.
06:07There's nothing the crew can do now but move ahead with orientation.
06:14The man responsible for welcoming passengers is Cruise Director Jérôme Pierre.
06:24For Jérôme, La Boreal's mission is simple,
06:28giving her passengers the trip of a lifetime to Earth's final frontier, Antarctica,
06:33then bringing them safely home again.
06:36At the end of the cruise, the idea is to see that it may be the voyage, I'd say, of their life.
06:43That's the goal, to make them realize that it's not a trip like any other trip they've taken.
06:49It's something very special.
06:51Welcome. Welcome aboard.
06:54The tardy passenger finally arrives.
06:57But during the lifeboat drill, Philippe has realized that another guest is missing.
07:08The crew conducts an emergency search.
07:12It takes a while, but the missing passenger is found in her cabin.
07:16She's fallen and may need to be taken off the ship.
07:19It's really hard, actually, because some people have saved all their lives.
07:23Yeah, it's not easy, because you kill a dream in some way,
07:26because they're here for, they don't think about all these things can happen to you,
07:30and it has nothing to do with the age or anything, anything can happen to you any time.
07:34It looks like one guest's voyage may be over before it's even begun.
07:39We'd rather have everybody going and coming back happy
07:42than having to disembark someone who was so close to getting to the white continent
07:48and having to get off now. Yeah, definitely.
07:51It's a tough decision for Captain Le Maire,
07:54but it's for the safety of the injured passenger and to keep the crews on schedule.
07:59One lady fell in this cabin, and it's safer to do that now
08:05instead of doing that in the middle of nowhere.
08:09The captain has the responsibility to disembark the passengers for the safety.
08:13Safety really goes first,
08:15even though it may go against the passengers' will.
08:18We have to decide that it's not safe enough to go there.
08:22But the Argentinian authorities are refusing to cooperate.
08:26They won't let the injured guest off the ship until the crew has booked her into a hospital.
08:32It's better it happens now, because imagine it happens tomorrow.
08:35We'll have to come back.
08:39The captain isn't happy.
08:41Le Boreal hasn't even left port, and she's already five hours behind schedule.
08:46With just 15 days to complete the journey to Antarctica,
08:49the delay will be difficult to make up.
08:53As midnight approaches, Jerome is still negotiating with the Argentinians,
08:58still trying to find a hospital bed for the injured passenger.
09:03Finally, a deal is struck, and the passenger is wheeled to a waiting ambulance.
09:09Le Boreal is ready to leave.
09:11On the way to the White Continent.
09:15On the flying bridge, Captain Lemaire gives the order to cast off,
09:19and begins to carefully maneuver the ship out of port.
09:35Le Boreal's bridge goes dark.
09:37And the captain guides his ship down the Rio de la Plata, heading for the Atlantic Ocean.
09:47Six hours late. The voyage is finally underway.
10:00Now Captain Lemaire needs to push hard to get to South Georgia Island on time.
10:05The success of the first leg hangs in the balance.
10:08It's day two of Le Boreal's maiden voyage to Antarctica,
10:12and she's already behind schedule.
10:15Her captain, Jean-Philippe Lemaire, is pushing hard for South Georgia Island.
10:21Down on deck one, Chief Engineer Oug De Camus keeps a close eye on the engines.
10:36Le Boreal is powered by four massive diesels that pump out 8,600 horsepower,
10:42driving her at speeds of up to 16 knots, or 30 kilometers per hour.
10:47She's also designed to be the cleanest ship on the high seas,
10:51sensitive to the pristine Antarctic ecosystem.
10:54I have no exhaust gas. So far, all the systems are working well.
11:04At 11,000 gross tons, Le Boreal has a double-walled hull to protect against icebergs,
11:10and a system of state-of-the-art stabilizing wings to minimize roll.
11:17At her stern is a custom-built marina for 12 zodiacs,
11:21tough enough to handle almost any conditions.
11:26This is what sets Le Boreal apart —
11:28her ability to launch expeditions anywhere, anytime.
11:35Up on the top deck, the expedition team meets for the first time.
11:39Taking passengers ashore is the lifeblood of Le Boreal.
11:43But it's also a highly dangerous operation.
11:52The man in charge is Nicolas de Broglieu.
11:55He knows that with rough seas and water temperatures cold enough to kill,
11:59every expedition must be planned with military precision.
12:08Every time they head to shore, the lives of Le Boreal's 170 passengers rest in his hands.
12:15We need to be very, very, very careful with the people.
12:19We bring them on a very wild country with the water at 2 degrees.
12:24So we need to be very, very careful with these people.
12:27They are not skilled for that. They are not trained for that.
12:30So we need to take care of them a lot.
12:35Already 1,300 kilometers from Buenos Aires,
12:38there are still two days and another 1,400 kilometers to go
12:43before Le Boreal reaches her first landing at South Georgia Island.
12:49The weather is good and Captain Le Maire is making up for lost time.
12:54Meanwhile, his passengers are enjoying the luxuries of a first-class French hotel
12:59in the middle of the frigid South Atlantic Ocean.
13:03For veteran polar adventurer Neil Hamilton,
13:05this expedition is unlike anything he's ever experienced.
13:09It's extraordinary to come on a boat like this.
13:12I normally travel light and rough, and this is quite different for me.
13:16But I'm very excited.
13:18While it's champagne and canapés on the upper decks,
13:21down below, chef Eric Teralba and his team are sweating.
13:25In the oven already?
13:27Let's get one or two and we'll try it.
13:31Tonight we have a little cappuccino of lobster.
13:35And after that, one more with a pinot reduction.
13:40For chef Eric, this is a 15-day marathon,
13:44producing haute cuisine for 170 from the galley of the ship.
13:48First you need to be passionate about the job,
13:51otherwise you won't make it.
13:53But then you have to be very organised.
13:55Watch out, watch out, watch out.
13:57Pass, pass, pass.
14:01Maître D, Stéphane Jacquinot, is also under pressure.
14:04Tonight, he and his team are coordinating a special captain's dinner.
14:09We are ready for action.
14:11It's only at the end of the meal
14:13that I'm going to make sure that everything happens very well.
14:16But with my team, we are here to make sure that everything goes well.
14:20And we have to do it.
14:22We have to do it.
14:24Very good.
14:25There's no room for error on this first Antarctic voyage.
14:29Hungry and particular,
14:31but Boréal's guests descend on the dining room.
14:34Anything less than an unforgettable meal will be a failure.
14:39In the galley, Chef Eric prepares a four-course meal.
14:43620 individual plates, with just two hours to serve them.
14:47OK, guys, move, move.
14:50Fish, fish, fish.
14:52One fish, no sauce, one fish, no crust.
14:55Very good. Watch your fingerprints, OK?
14:57Take it easy with the sauce, OK?
14:59A little bit less sauce.
15:02Allez, allez, allez.
15:07Despite the controlled chaos in the kitchen,
15:10the dinner goes smoothly.
15:12Stéphane is happy.
15:14For now.
15:15We did it.
15:16So now let's go back for tomorrow to work
15:19and to do exactly the same, the same performance and everything.
15:26Today is a big one.
15:29First landfall at South Georgia Island is only hours away.
15:34This morning, everyone's outfitted with high-tech waterproof parkas,
15:38protection against freezing spray and sub-zero Antarctic temperatures.
15:44Then there's vacuuming to be done.
15:46South Georgia is environmentally sensitive
15:49and nothing from the ship can migrate to shore,
15:52not even the tiniest particle.
15:54So, sand in pockets and even dust from clothing
15:57is removed before the passengers disembark the ship.
16:02The preparations are fastidious.
16:15Finally, South Georgia Island appears on the horizon.
16:19After four days at sea,
16:21L'Oréal arrives at her first destination.
16:24Right on time.
16:30Now it's up to Nicolas.
16:32He's taking passengers to view a colony of king penguins
16:36and, so far, the weather's cooperating.
16:39Everything's looking good, very good.
16:41We don't expect to have such good weather for the first day.
16:45It's a miracle.
16:52The captain inches the ship into a shallow anchorage,
16:56even closer to shore than Nicolas was hoping.
16:59I don't expect with this boat that it can go so close, so easily.
17:04For me, it's a piece of cake now. I hope so.
17:10Now it's time to get the Zodiacs wet.
17:13The first task for Nicolas and his guides
17:16is to scout a sheltered landing spot.
17:18With no time to waste, they head for the beach.
17:36But as Nicolas closes in on the shore, he spots a problem.
17:40The beach is lined with fur seals.
17:42They're slow-moving creatures,
17:44but they're also territorial and can react violently.
17:49Just be very careful of the fur seals.
17:52You know, just have to make some noise and they will escape.
17:57After three days at sea, with the passengers desperate to get ashore,
18:01Nicolas must decide whether to continue on in spite of the seals
18:05or abort Laboriel's first expedition altogether.
18:10After four days of sailing,
18:12Laboriel is anchored off South Georgia Island.
18:15On shore, expedition leader Nicolas de Bréillet
18:18has a difficult decision to make,
18:20whether to abort the passengers' first landing
18:23because of unpredictable fur seals on the beach.
18:26Back on the ship, the crew awaits the green light.
18:31Superb, superb landing.
18:47The news is good.
18:49As the passengers prepare to board the Zodiacs,
18:52Nicolas savours the moment.
19:00It's a very special day,
19:02because this is the first time that Laboriel came to South Georgia.
19:07So it's like a girl's day.
19:17Cruise director Jérôme Pierre is in charge of loading.
19:22Despite the good weather, boarding is a dangerous operation.
19:26The water temperature is just above freezing,
19:28which means hypothermia is just one false step away.
19:42An accident wouldn't just ruin one passenger's trip,
19:45it could scuttle the voyage altogether.
19:48They don't know about the sea or about South Georgia,
19:51but just make sure that everything goes well without any accident,
19:55because if we have an accident here,
19:57it's not like you can disembark passengers and send them home.
20:00The nearest hospital is more than 1,300 kilometres away.
20:04Even a small mistake by the crew could lead to disaster.
20:09For just a second of not watching a little problem with the Zodiac away,
20:14we can jeopardise the whole operation.
20:16So that's why we're pretty stressed a little bit,
20:19especially at the beginning.
20:24We're pretty far from everywhere here,
20:26so it takes a while and basically cancels the cruise.
20:29If there's a problem like this,
20:31we can forget about the rest of the cruise.
20:34The passengers can forget about the cruise and we have to head back.
20:39With so much at stake, even Captain Le Maire is piloting a Zodiac.
20:44Our concept is to go where the other one can go,
20:47and we have a shallow draft and we have a good crew.
20:51We are very happy because in terms of expedition,
20:54everything works so well, Zodiac, marina,
20:57and the handling of the vessel is so smooth.
21:03This is one of the largest penguin colonies in the world,
21:07and Le Boreal has landed her guests right in the middle of it.
21:12Hundreds of thousands of king penguins crowd the beach.
21:17Fantastic.
21:19The rookery over there with, I don't know,
21:23100,000 penguins is just outrageous.
21:27It's everything and more. It's like being in your own little zoo.
21:30We tried to get people to come with us,
21:32but they looked at us like we were nuts.
21:35The former Prime Minister of France engages one of the locals.
21:40First of all, it's so astonishing, so beautiful,
21:44that it's a good cause to have this enthusiasm
21:48shared by as many people as possible.
21:52I am so happy for the passengers.
21:54It's a perfect condition, and they realise that we are not lying.
21:58It's true. Everybody looks happy,
22:01and you will see when we'll be back aboard,
22:03all the people will come back smiling.
22:09After three hours on shore,
22:11it's time for the passengers to return to the ship.
22:17Le Boreal has delivered,
22:19and she'll try to do it again in just two hours
22:22at another beach down the coast.
22:29For the crew, it's an enormous relief.
22:32But getting to the next landing point won't be easy.
22:37OK, Bong, you may start to heave the anchor.
22:41South Georgia Island is surrounded by shallow waters
22:44and narrow fjords,
22:46and Captain Le Maire has discovered a dangerous problem.
22:59Le Boreal's navigation system is among the best in the world,
23:03but her GPS coordinates aren't adding up.
23:06The captain has no choice but to chart his own course.
23:11First of all, the charts are not so accurate,
23:13and we need to come back in the past
23:15and to not trust too much all the computers and the digital charts,
23:19and especially GPS.
23:21GPS accuracy is 300 metres here,
23:23and 200 metres is a big deal.
23:27With only 200 metres clearance as she sails along the shoreline,
23:31a 300-metre mistake would run Le Boreal aground.
23:35The captain needs to constantly alter course.
23:39048.
23:42I am not here for fun.
23:44I have 200 passengers on my shoulder.
23:47Fun is to get a zodiac and to go ashore and to see the king penguin.
23:52Here is not a place of fun.
23:55Thanks to Captain Le Maire's careful navigation,
23:58Le Boreal reaches her next anchorage safely.
24:04Ladies and gentlemen, last call for the blue and the green group.
24:07Last call for the blue and the green group.
24:15The weather has deteriorated, making a second landing treacherous.
24:19Thick fog is rolling in, the temperature is plummeting,
24:23and the seas are now choppy and unpredictable.
24:27Yeah, well, it's the normal South Georgia.
24:29That's what it's all about, being like this.
24:31Otherwise, we wouldn't be doing this.
24:33The weather could change. It was fine an hour ago. It was sunny.
24:39The crew moves slowly and carefully to load the passengers into the zodiacs.
24:45Safety first. We have to slow down the operation.
24:48Safety is something that we have to consider at all times.
24:53Ready.
24:54Fighting the undertow coming off the beach,
24:57Nicola's team brings the guests ashore.
24:59It takes a bit longer than the first landing, but it's worth the effort.
25:05In the company of thousands more penguins and seals,
25:08the time passes quickly.
25:15But after just an hour on the beach,
25:17they receive an ominous message from the ship.
25:21A storm is coming.
25:24The zodiacs are equipped with tents and equipment.
25:27The zodiacs are equipped with tents
25:29and enough food for an unplanned overnight on shore.
25:32But no-one wants to test the crew's emergency preparedness.
25:36Everyone hustles to get back to the ship.
25:42Jerome counts heads to make sure no-one's left behind.
25:53Alan, you have a count?
25:5515.
25:56OK. Getting there.
25:59The last boat arrives.
26:01As always, Nicola is the last one off the beach.
26:06Jerome is surprised by the guests' reaction to the nasty conditions.
26:15Their first taste of rough Atlantic seas is an unexpected success.
26:26It's going to be funny, boring, so let's keep it rough.
26:36It's an amazing day, amazing sunset.
26:40We are lucky, definitely lucky.
26:47As night falls, it's time for Le Boreal to head for Antarctica.
26:52This is the most daunting part of the trip so far.
26:56A voyage through 1,000 kilometres of vicious seas
26:59below 50 degrees south latitude,
27:02a region known to sailors as the Furious Fifties.
27:07Ladies and gentlemen, good evening.
27:09Some update information about our trip
27:12and on the way to the White Continent, especially about the weather.
27:16Right now, the wind speed is about...
27:19Le Boreal is sailing straight into a violent Antarctic storm.
27:23Waves have already reached six metres, with winds of 45 knots.
27:28And it's only going to get worse.
27:31During the night and tomorrow morning,
27:33we'll be vying to the north of the ship
27:36and it should be less comfortable with the pitching than with the rolling.
27:42Have a nice evening and a good rest.
27:44We will have a good and sharp lookout.
27:47Thank you so much for your listening.
27:51Reaching her cruising speed of 16 knots is impossible.
27:55Right now, Le Boreal is lucky to sail at even half of that.
28:03Waves as high as a four-storey building crash down on the ship's deck.
28:13To dampen the impact of the waves,
28:15Captain Le Maire relies on the ship's retractable five-metre stabiliser fins.
28:21These constantly adjust, tilting Le Boreal into the waves
28:25to counteract most of the rolling.
28:34But even the latest in stabiliser technology isn't helping some passengers.
28:40The weather is also wreaking havoc with the schedule.
28:43After 36 hours of gale-force winds and heavy seas,
28:47the captain predicts they'll arrive in Antarctica a full day late.
28:56It's bad news.
28:58Passengers have paid for shore landings
29:00and the storm means two opportunities have already been missed.
29:04The success of Le Boreal's first trip to Antarctica
29:07is in jeopardy.
29:09The crew has to come up with something fast.
29:13The radar shows a group of icebergs directly in Le Boreal's path.
29:17Captain Le Maire decides he can manoeuvre his ship
29:20close enough to give the passengers an unscheduled but spectacular view.
29:26Even better, the radar also shows ice flows in the area,
29:30floating sections of frozen seawater on which the passengers can walk.
29:34These could provide the unique landing experience
29:37Le Boreal so desperately needs to supply.
29:56All the captain needs now is a break in the storm
29:59that's lashed the ship for nearly two days.
30:07In just three days' time, he'll have to turn the ship back towards Argentina.
30:12They're all in a race against time.
30:17The captain is ready.
30:19But luck is on Le Boreal's side.
30:22The next day, the storm lifts and the captain's years of experience pay off.
30:27Just off the port bow is a massive iceberg.
30:33The captain is ready.
30:35He's ready to go.
30:37He's ready to go.
30:39He's ready to go.
30:41He's ready to go.
30:43He's ready to go.
30:45He's ready to go.
30:47He's ready to go.
30:49He's ready to go.
30:52Getting close isn't easy.
30:54The iceberg is guarded by a flotilla of ice chunks,
30:58each capable of punishing a hole in Le Boreal's hull.
31:01We have a good radar, you know,
31:03but we need always to think in advance what is going on, you know,
31:06because maybe further we have a big tribe and we have to stop the ship.
31:10We never know.
31:12Navigating through icebergs requires concentrated attention.
31:16Up to 85% of each iceberg is hidden below the water.
31:20What seems like a safe distance could actually lead to disaster.
31:27But for Nicolas, the icebergs are a welcome sight.
31:31I'm happy, because since two days I'm waiting for the icebergs,
31:35and nothing, and now we are just at the gate of the White Continent,
31:40and we have all this tabular iceberg.
31:47You've always been optimistic about the size.
31:54Size does not matter.
31:58Out on the ship's deck, the passengers are also getting
32:01their first breathtaking glimpse of Antarctica.
32:04Nice. It's amazing.
32:08And... but very cold. Very cold.
32:13After two days of stormy weather, Nicolas is back in his Zodiac.
32:18And he may have some good news.
32:20He spots an inviting ice flow.
32:23We are going in the middle of the Weddell Sea,
32:26and we try to land some people on the ice floe.
32:31It looks perfect. Large enough for two Zodiacs,
32:34and close enough to the ship.
32:36The only question is, will we be able to land on the ice floe?
32:40We'll have to wait and see.
32:42We'll have to wait and see.
32:44We'll have to wait and see.
32:46We'll have to wait and see.
32:48We'll have to wait and see.
32:50The only question is, whether it's safe for the guests to climb onto.
33:20But this perfect adventure is about to turn to panic.
33:25Quickly, we need to evacuate the plaque.
33:38After ten days at sea, the luxury expedition ship La Boreal is finally in Antarctica.
33:44Her guests are revelling in an unscheduled trip to a nearby ice floe.
33:48It's been very interesting.
33:50It's spectacular. It's a really spectacular trip.
33:53I'm surprised at how adventurous you have to be to go on a cruise like this.
33:58Because getting on and off the Zodiac is quite a challenge.
34:01After two days of bad weather, expedition leader Nicolas Dubrayer is delivering in spades.
34:07That will be the experience of the year for them. I hope so.
34:11But he's also keeping a close watch.
34:14But he's also keeping a close watch.
34:16But he's also keeping a close watch.
34:18The risk is that the ice is no good, the floe is no good.
34:23But it seems to be very, very good, very thick.
34:26And the big risk is also that we are surrounded by big, big icebergs.
34:31So if any icebergs collapse and break, it can just take us completely out.
34:39Back on the ship, Captain Jean-Philippe Lemaire decides not to drop anchor.
34:46Instead, he holds Le Boreal in a controlled drift.
34:50High winds and strong currents keep the icebergs in motion, making them a constant threat.
34:56To avoid a collision, the captain must keep Le Boreal moving.
35:00This is where his eight years of polar experience pay off.
35:04I play with a big baby surrounded by ice. It's not a Zodiac.
35:09It looks easy when you have experience, but in fact it's not easy.
35:13Back on the floe, Nicolas feels the wind rising and spots a deadly problem.
35:19A massive iceberg is bearing down on them, so large it could destroy their ice floe.
35:25The problem with this iceberg is that it comes very, very close.
35:28If it touches us, it can break the ice floe and we sink.
35:33So we need to evacuate immediately.
35:35We need to evacuate the emergency flag.
35:37Please, quickly we need to evacuate the flag.
35:46Nicolas and the expedition team scramble to get everyone to safety.
35:53Minutes later, the ice floe is crushed.
35:57But everyone has escaped unscathed.
36:08Early the next morning, the close call with the iceberg is forgotten,
36:12as Le Boreal finally arrives at her ultimate destination — the Antarctic Peninsula.
36:27It's an amazing sight.
36:30But with dangerous icebergs floating everywhere, it's also a minefield.
36:35Communication between the captain and his crew is critical.
36:39We can't do any mistake.
36:42As we give an order per 10 seconds, we need to pay attention.
36:51But if I say, turn to starboard, and if you understand, turn to port, bang.
36:58Port 20.
37:00Port 20.
37:01Port 20 now.
37:04The icebergs are stunning.
37:07But Nicolas is hoping to spot another famous Antarctic attraction.
37:12It's not the best period for the whales now,
37:15but I'm pretty sure that today we will cross some whales, maybe later.
37:20And we hope so. Knock on wood.
37:25Luck is on their side.
37:27Two humpback whales emerge alongside Le Boreal.
37:50The whales are a bonus.
37:53But the mission of this voyage is to set foot on the Antarctic Peninsula.
37:58The key now is the weather.
38:04Once again, Nicolas sets off to scout a landing spot.
38:09And so we plan to land and to bring people on the top of the hill.
38:13But everything is very snowy now.
38:16So we will check on the beach if it's not too difficult to walk.
38:19To walk.
38:25Minutes later, Nicolas gives the green light to bring the passengers ashore.
38:41After almost two weeks at sea, 3,700 kilometers of sailing and a massive storm,
38:46the passengers of Le Boreal have arrived on a continent few people will ever visit.
38:53What they discover is nature at her awe-inspiring best.
39:10Some of the passengers just can't resist imitating the locals.
39:17I think it's something that we never expected.
39:21And the nature of this scale is outrageous.
39:25Something that we could not even imagine in our best dreams.
39:31Le Boreal has delivered on her promise to land passengers on the White Continent.
39:37But Antarctica is not only one of the most beautiful places on Earth,
39:41it's also one of the deadliest.
39:43The weather here can change in an instant.
39:46And Le Boreal has just three days to get back to Argentina.
39:53To get to her final destination, she must cross one of the most infamous stretches of ocean in the world.
39:59The Drake Passage.
40:02Now we have to prepare the ship for the Drake Passage.
40:05Some secure everything.
40:08Because you never know in a Drake Passage.
40:10You need to prepare the ship, you need time, no rush.
40:14I need to do that before. Like that I am confident.
40:18It's confidence the captain will need.
40:21Another Antarctic storm is forming and spinning directly into his path.
40:27The crew gets to work.
40:29Everything that can move is lashed down.
40:32And watertight compartments in the engine room are sealed in case an iceberg punctures the ship's hull.
40:38They are tightening everything. They are tightening the panel.
40:43Even the dining room windows are covered with heavy-gauge aluminium to stop them from shattering.
40:52It's safety glasses, so it has been tested before, before the ship was launched.
40:58So we are confident, no problem.
41:01But it's an additional safety, always.
41:03Especially when we are in the Drake.
41:05The famous Drake Passage.
41:34For the next eight hours, the Drake lives up to its reputation as one of the most savage places on Earth.
41:42Once again, the captain has to fight to maintain a decent speed,
41:46as La Boreal pounds through huge seas and punishing winds.
41:55The next morning, the last day of the voyage, the weather breaks.
42:00And Captain Le Maire has a final surprise.
42:03Instead of heading to Argentina, La Boreal sails to a location known as the end of the world,
42:09just off Cape Horn, where the Pacific meets the Atlantic.
42:16On the bridge, the captain toasts his ship and her crew.
42:21Just to celebrate the end of the first expedition cruise of La Boreal,
42:27it was sometimes tricky, sometimes a little bit difficult.
42:31And at the end of the story, even if it was rough and windy, we had also fun.
42:39And that is so, so important.
42:42Captain Le Maire and his crew have passed their first test with flying colours.
42:47We take two photos!
42:58La Boreal has also given her guests an adventure few will ever experience.
43:04Of course the cruise is over for the passengers,
43:07but I hope that they still keep inside, in their heart and in their soul,
43:12all the memory and all their feelings.
43:14And when they come back home, back to the reality,
43:18maybe they keep something more than just a picture and a camera.
43:24For the crew, it's back to port and off to Antarctica again.
43:29For La Boreal, the adventure has just begun.
43:43To be continued