Post by Grubb
After our boat passed the island, or large flat rock, that had the globe marking the arctic circle, passengers blinking away the icy rain were offered champagne. Later we were invited on deck for an arctic circle celebration. No sleety rain this time, but plenty of cold wind to remind us where we were. As I was waiting for arctic circle ceremony to begin and I was calculating how long I could stand on deck without my eyelids freezing shut, I noticed a man in shorts and T-shirt with a towel around his neck. I got the shivers just looking at him. But he calmly stood there as if he had just finished working out and was grabbing a breath of fresh air. I was witnessing Norwegian aplomb.
After a short introduction by one of our expedition leaders, a woman dressed as Ægir, god of the sea, swept around the deck shaking her antler horn at us before blowing into it a couple of times until the ship responded with a sustained blare.
Then passengers were offered a shot glass of aquavit if they sat on a deck chair and let Ægir pour ice down the back of their neck.
And who should be one of the first eager to get the ice treatment? Our man from the beach.
A chance for a shot of aquavit pulls a troll out of the crowd.
