The first
landing of two today on the island Ytre Norskøya was beautiful. Perfectly calm weather made
landing easy, and a “red carpet” aided everyone over the rocks, green with
slick algae. A walk along the coast towards the lookout point took people past
several old graves that, through a process of freezing and thawing of the ground,
have pushed the coffins to the surface. Nesting Arctic Terns, protective of
their eggs, flew down and nipped at guest’s heads while walking past sites that
whalers in the mid 1600’s used to boil down blubber for oil. Clambering up the
rocks, the ornithologist on board was eagerly pointing out nesting Guillemots,
Little Auks, and Glaucous Gulls. Down on the water an old whaler lookout offered
splendid views of the surrounding fjords.
This
afternoons landing on Magdalena Fjord was beautiful as well, the large glacier
rose up into the mountains, whose tops hid in the fog and clouds. This area was
an important whaling station, in fact, the first place where whaling was
carried out on a large scale. The sites at which large copper pots were set up
to cook blubber are still visible on the beach. On the hill behind the cooking
sites is another cemetery, with the only chain in Svalbard surrounding it! The
hikers were taken on a nice walk to Gullybreen. The landing ended with the
opportunity to go swimming in arctic waters which several people capitalized on
including several crewmembers, all earning an arctic swimming certificate.
The day
ended with the crew show, and as always, the dancing was superb.
