It’s Back to the Future as Aurora Expeditions names its newest expedition ship, the Douglas Mawson, in a sparkling ceremony at the Overseas Shipping Terminal in Sydney. Helen Hayes was there to get a first look at this state-of-the-art expedition ship.
The Douglas Mawson is blessed by explorer’s great-granddaughter
Under a brilliant blue sky, Emily McEwin, a great-granddaughter of Sir Douglas Mawson and godmother of this ship, swung a square of ice into the side of the Douglas Mawson, blessing her and ‘all who sail in her.’ The ship is Aurora Expeditions’ third expedition ship, following the Sylvia Earle and the Greg Mortimer.
Douglas Mawson features the revolutionary Ulstein X-BOW, with a stunning atrium and citizen science lounge tucked inside it. Her 86 cabins carry a maximum of 130 adventurers on Expeditions, and just 154 on Small Ship Cruises. The cabins are impressive with 10 different room types. There are two dining areas – The Hut and Cape Denison Restaurant –a gym, library, lecture theatre and several bars. The eight-deck ship also features some ground breaking sustainability features.
Douglas Mawson is well-equipped for exploration in comfort
When cruising to some of the world’s most beautiful places, guests aboard Douglas Mawson will be able to get out and explore. The Mud Room is very well set up with dry suits for kayaking and snorkelling, and the equipment room is stacked with brand new kayaks. Paddlers can get into the water through an easy access door when conditions permit, or from Zodiacs. This door is also where keen ‘Polar Plungers’ take on the challenge.
After off-ship excursions, there are several elegant observation lounges in which to relax and enjoy the scenery, or soak it up in the heated pool or hot tubs. Aurora Expeditions, certified B Corp, is celebrating its 35th year, with Greg Mortimer AOM, founder of the company, pointing out that the company’s first office was 200 metres away from where we were all standing. Other speakers were Michael Heath (CEO), and Sacha Buch (Sustainability Manager). Douglas Mawson set sail on her inaugural journey on 27 November, sailing from Sydney to Hobart.
