Quark Expeditions’ Ocean Nova ran aground early Feb. 17 in Antarctica with 105 people onboard. The company said there was no imminent danger or threat to the 64 passengers and 41 crew members. Quark said no fuel appeared to be leaking and no environmental damage is anticipated. The ship ran aground in Marguerite Bay, west of Debenham Island and about two kilometers from the Argentine research station San Martin. Capt. Per Gravesen issued a distress signal, and the Spanish naval vessel Hespedrides responded. Gravesen tried to dislodge the vessel at 1 p.m. local time but was unsuccessful due to adverse weather conditions.

Another attempt was to be made at midnight, during high tide. At that time, the Hespedrides was expected to be alongside to assist if necessary. Also, Quark’s Clipper Adventurer was also steaming toward Ocean Nova. If Ocean Nova cannot dislodge at high tide, all passengers will be transferred to Clipper Adventurer to return to Ushuaia. Ocean Nova was built in 1992 with an ice-strengthened hull. It joined the Quark fleet in 2006. It has 37 outside cabins and is registered in the Bahamas. Gravesen, a former Danish naval officer and captain with Royal Greenland Trade Company, has almost a quarter-century of polar navigation experience. For more information, visit www.quarkexpeditions.com  or www.iaato.org.

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