PHOTO: BRENDA HARWOODThe incredible experience of travelling on an ice-strengthened vessel to the sub-Antarctic Islands has proven deeply inspiring for Dunedin artist Janet de Wagt. Operated by Ponant cruises, a French company operating a fleet of luxury expedition vessels, Le Soleal was built in 2013 specifically as an expedition ship for trips to the sub-Antarctic Islands. Janet de Wagt painting a seascape from the deck of the ice-strengthened ship Le Soleal, operated by Ponant cruises, offering 15-day expeditions to the sub-Antarctic Islands. ‘‘Given the sub-Antarctic Islands are mostly in the ‘Furious Fifties’ [50-60 degrees latitude in the Southern Ocean], the ocean could be pretty rough, which made those transfers tricky. ‘‘One thing is for sure, visiting the sub-Antarctic Islands really alters your way of thinking about the world and the environment.

Source: Otago Daily Times April 08, 2026 18:03 UTC