Astrolabe’s Big Trip

Astrolabe is old and tired. It’s time for the French icebreaking vessel to retire, after transporting equipment and research teams between Tasmania and a scientific research station in Antarctica since 1988. 

After thirty years of mad dashes through the raging waters and storms of the Antarctic Ocean, communicating with albatrosses and penguins, fighting sea ice, facing giant tabular icebergs, assisting oceanographers, tracking whales, and most importantly, helping, supporting and loving the courageous and passionate group of men that it carried from one port to another, Astrolabe deserves a good long rest. “So tonight, I will put pen to paper and tell you the long story of my life as an icebreaker. Step aboard and I’ll take you on an incredible journey!”

Beautiful poetic illustrations accompany this touching story of a ship who was always thought of as a living being by its crew.