By: William Gray12th Nov 2020 7:06PMLINDBLAD EXPLORER. Built in Finland in 1969, designed for cruising in Antartic and Artic conditions, she had several owners since being built in 1969, gross tonnage 2346, length 239ft x 46ft x13ft 9in, H.P. 3,800. The photograph captures her departure for Milford Sound on the 17th of December 1973, her visit had been planned back in August 1973, very hard to plan that far ahead here with the weather, river and bar conditions being a major factor. But it all went to plan. On the 11th of February 1972, she ran aground down in the Antartic, after all passengers had been rescued by the Chilean Navy she was refloated and towed to Argentina, then towed to Norway for repairs. Her end came on the 23rd of November 2007,when under the EXPLORER she struck heavy ice near the South Shetlands, the hull was breached which flooded the engineroom, and she lost power. All the Passengers and crew were rescued by other ships in the vicinity, and she capsized and sank in over 1,000 metres of water. Even though her stay here was only for eleven hours, she is the only cruise ship to berth here and no doubt the will be the one and only. LINDBLAD EXPLORER, renamed SOCIETY EXPLORER, in 1985. later renamed EXPLORER. LINDBLAD EXPLORER, Arrive Greymouth 6.0am 17th of December 1973, from Lord Howe Island, Departed 5.0pm 17th of December 1973 for Milford Sound. Photograph G. Ferguson.