Gazing at vast expanses of sea ice is addictive and even soothing. The sun never sets in the Arctic summer and yet the light transforms constantly, reflecting off the pale-white ice sheet. Sometimes the weather is cold, moody and dull, with a thick fog. Other days there is a velvety sheen to the light, flushed with pink or lavender tones. The frozen ocean is often delicately shrouded in a flowing palette of shades of white. It doesn't matter whether you are out on deck or gazing through a porthole in the warm belly of the ship to this ever-changing panorama. After a couple of days sailing, when the North Pole is finally reached, excitement ripples through the ship. Some passengers describe it as a feeling of recalibration, a new beginning.
