Gunilla started her guide career when her love for remote and pristine places of the polar regions became too strong - she wanted a lifelong passionate career as a polar guide. Gunilla has been working as a full time expedition guide since 2013 in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. In-between her expeditions she is nowdays based at the PolarQuest office, where she works with operations and expedition logistics.

How was the first day on board M/S Stockholm?

The first day on board was completely bursting with energy, anticipation and joy. After a more than two years long break, followed by intensive preparations the recent months, it was nothing but pure joy and happiness to finally be able to embark and go on an adventure again. The huge relief and enthusiasm to once again be able to work with what we love the most and together with our incredible colleagues, could not go unnoticed. Also the joy to finally spend long-awaited moments with our lovely guests on board. Guests who have been so loyal and patient throughout the pandemic and now very excited to finally go on an expedition again. Together, we all created an atmosphere on board of great anticipation and adventure.

What is the best thing with M/S Stockholm?

M/S Stockholm is a genuine and beautiful ship, and since being so small she can take us almost everywhere. But after all a ship is just a ship. It is the phenomenal crew on board that forms the heart of M/S Stockholm and makes me fall totally in love with her. On board, I never get the feeling that we are divided as guides, guests and crew. The atmosphere on board is incredible and you feel more like a group of friends and family. The charismatic Magnus Reteikes has now taken over as captain of M/S Stockholm and like her former captain, legendary Per Engwall, Magnus continues to sail M/S Stockholm with the same genuine expedition spirit. He has really succeeded in creating a homely atmosphere on board together with “the M/S Stockholm family”. A lovely atmosphere that makes us guides and guests want to return year after year.

What is your greatest memory from this first expedition?

The early mornings on the bridge, the moment before the rest of the world wakes up. The feeling of just being here and now, being one with nature. Sometimes the guests are also on the bridge for the same reason and it is fantastic just to be there together in silence and experience the strong and calm connection to the sea and nature around us. I can often feel that we as humans "chase after experiences" and sometimes we miss out on what can be the greatest experience of all, to just stop and enjoy. There was an obvious peacefulness throughout our entire trip. I clearly noted how our time spent on board was just as important as the excursions we did every day.

What is it like to combine guide life with working ashore at the PolarQuest office?

It is very fun and rewarding! For a long time I have been searching for a balance to be able to create a base at home, without in any way having to give up what I love the most, to guide on expeditions. Now I have finally found the perfect balance and can continue to work full seasons as a guide. To have the opportunity to work both at the PolarQuest office in Gothenburg and in the field gives a versatile understanding of how we all work together for a common goal. Extra fun is that in the office I get to work a lot with our expeditions in Greenland that will start in 2023. Greenland is a place where I used to live and guide for a long period and a place that is very  close to my heart.

Which expedition are you guiding on next?

On Tuesday 26 April I will go to Tromsø in Northern Norway to start up the season for one of our other expedition ships, M/S Quest. I will be guiding on her first expedition from Lofoten to Svalbard via Bear Island and will then continue to guide on expeditions throughout the whole season in Svalbard. In September, I will go to Vancouver in Canada to guide on PolarQuest's trip through British Columbia.

What are you looking forward to the most in the season 2022?

I really look forward to all the wonderful encounters with people from all over the world. All guests, crew and of course all my old and new guide colleagues. Of course, I am extremely excited to see all the wild animals again, I feel so incredibly privileged to have the chance to experience so many fabulous animal encounters.

Gothenburg to Bergen with M/S Stockholm

Our expedition from Gothenburg to Bergen was very successful with happy smiles when everybody disembarked in Bergen. After M/S Stockholm left Gothenburg, she first set course to the island of Donsö in the Gothenburg archipelago to spend the first night. The next day, the journey continued up the west coast to Marstrand and to Mollösund. She then passed Norway's southern tip and continued to Farsund for a visit, before entering the deep Hardangerfjord. M/S Stockholm made a few more stops for example in Rosendal, Eidfjord and Kinsarvik before setting course to Bergen, her final destination on this expedition.

On Monday, April 19, new guests and guides boarded the ship and embarked on the next exciting expedition from Bergen to Svalbard via Bear Island.

Photos: Gunilla Lindh

On Saturday 9 April, our small expedition ship, M/S Stockholm left Gothenburg and set course towards the Norwegian town of Bergen. This marks the start of our first expedition in two years and we couldn't be happier. We made it! Joining this first journey are a group of very excited travelers from both Sweden and Australia.

"We feel relieved and grateful to get started after two long years of COVID-19 pandemic. Now we enjoy being able to do what we love the most – to offer five-star nature experiences in some of the world’s most remote and magnificent destinations. For PolarQuest and our travellers it will be an unforgettable reunion with Svalbard’s stunning nature." – Marie Lannborn Barker, Managing Director at PolarQuest.

At PolarQuest, we have supported each other and our partners to get through the pandemic. We really want to thank all of our travelers and partners for all the support and encouragement. When it was time for M/S Stockholm to launch in Gothenburg and set off on her first expedition, PolarQuest was there to join the celebration. Under a clear blue sky and radiant sunshine, we watched captain Magnus Reteike and the crew, guides and guests, weighed anchor and set course towards Norway. A big day for PolarQuest!

The first expedition is from Gothenburg to Bergen and then the ship sets course for Tromsø in Northern Norway and then on to Svalbard. During this first expedition the guests will explore some of Norway’s most magnificent sites. They will visit picturesque fishing villages and interesting museums, enjoy scenic hikes and explore the beautiful Hardangerfjord. 

”It feels great to be guiding on this first expedition on M/S Stockholm. We had a windy start in Gothenburg with a flexible with our schedule, but that is what makes an expeditions. We are having an incredible time and it is so wonderful to see everyone's enthusiasm and to be out at sea again. A real highlight was when we entered the Hardangerfjord.” – Nilla Lindh, guide at PolarQuest

This first trip to Bergen will be followed by 57 unique polar expeditions with four different ships along the Norwegian coast and in Svalbard before the season ends in November 2022.

Do you also want to go on an expedition with M/S Stockholm this year? All expeditions to Svalbard 2022 with M/S Stockholm are fully booked, but there are a few berths left on our trips in Northern Norway in October and November 2022. Read more about the trips here! We have also released our Svalbard trips for 2023 and you can find them all here!

Because of the pandemic and two cancelled seasons we have not been able to host a seminar since spring 2019. Until now, the first weekned in April we finally got together again!

We had a joyful meetup on board our expedition ship M/S Stockholm at Gotenius shipyard in Gothenburg, where we got to see both old and new faces. We then shared two sunny days together, both busy and instructive. We started off with zodiac training, practicing different scenarios such as “man overboard”, followed by CPR training and shooting practice. A lot of practical exercises to become even better at collaborating in the field. The weekend was completed with a wonderful evening event together with all staff as well as some crew from M/S Stockholm at the Vega Brewery in Gotenius shipyard.

Read more about PolarQuest's knowledgeable guides here!

Click here to read the article on BBCnews

On 11th January 2022, Ken and Tom finally reached the southernmost point on earth – where all 360 lines of longitude meet. Beneath their feet the ice was almost 9200 feet (2800 m) thick. Words cannot describe how glad we are to have been able to follow them on their adventure. We must also mention, that back in 1999, PolarQuest's very first travellers went to the North Pole, and now after a two-season halt, our first travellers visited the South Pole.