Svalbard! The capital and a Russian mining settlement

My head is spinning with so many thoughts. You see I have not been to the Arctic for 14 years, but as a Canadian, the Arctic is always close to my heart. So here we are in Svalbard- so similar and yet so different from the Arctic in my home country. It is good to be back! Svalbard is a remote archipelago of islands 1000km north of the northern tip of Norway. They are a possession of Norway but have their own government and host some Russian mining settlements (more on this below).

Svalbard is a long way from Canada and I flew in, like our passengers, to Longyearbyen, the capital, yesterday. And like our passengers, I joined the ship today. For many on board though, they are home, as our cruise will take us to only one country, Norway and quite a few of our passengers and crew are Norwegian.

So, back to my thoughts about Svalbard so far. The level of development in Longyearbyen is incredible considering how far north it is. There are good hotels and fine dining to be had in the “city” (byen means city in Norwegian but to many the place is small enough to be a village, albeit with an international airport!). There’s a museum, a cultural centre, university, schools, shops, several hotels, good wifi and mobile phone coverage, and all the amenities you would expect in a modern centre, including paved roads! Remember, we are at 78° north and only a little over 700 nautical miles from the North Pole! However, the city still has a "wild" feel. One reason Longyearbyen can be so developed is that it is relatively accessible by sea and air from major centres in Europe. In Canada at almost 80° north, the sea frozen for many months of the year but around Svalbard it is open, thanks to the North Atlantic Drift bringing “warm” water from an area around eastern Florida, to northern Europe.

 The hills around the Longyearbyen were a beautiful gold brown this morning as we sailed out of Longyearbyen and on our way to the Russian coal mining settlement of Barentsburg. 

A light dusting of snow lay on some parts of the ground. The weather was unsettled with strong winds and snow squalls all day. Barentsburg is a “little Russia” amid this Norwegian Archipelago and our visit felt a bit like traveling back in time. 

An imposing bust of Lenin stood overlooking the settlement. 

Even here there was a hotel, bars, a restaurant or two and even a brewery- the most northerly in the world. Pretty well everything is “the most northerly in the world” in these parts. Some miners treated us to a great Russian folk show with singing and dancing, before we toured the settlement with a local guide. The wind was howling and the snow falling as we walked around. This “summer snow” gave us a true taste of the energetic weather so typical of the Arctic.

John Chardine, Expedition staff, Fram

18.09.14 Longyearbyen DAY 15 & DAY 1

So... Now it is time to say goodbye. 
Our last Greenland trip is over and we are now in Longyearbyen. 
Passengers left early this morning. Busses were ready to bring them to their next destination at 8.am.  
The expedition team stood on the pier and waved while the busses drove off. Goodbye is always a bit sad, but we had a really nice trip. 
Now we are getting new people onboard and new staff in the expedition team. 
New passengers are arriving at 11, that is in ten minutes. So, the next trip begin. 

17.09.14 Magdalenefjord / Ny-Ålesund DAY 14

Today we arrived in Svalbard. Here it has really become winter! We were in Magdalene fjord this morning and it was very windy, cold and snowing. It was a bit slipery as well on the landing site, so the landing was shorter than expected. Passengers went back onboard after a little time on shore.  

The second place today was Ny-Ålesund. Here we really had a snowblizzard. Even deck 5 and 7 were covered in snow. Passengers did go out again, but unfortunately most people came back a little cold and wet.

We did the captains farewell in the observation lounge during the evening and shortly after we had an auction for the charity foundation in Greenland ”The Greenlandic children”. 

We had the ships flag, signed by all the officers and expedition team, all the place names and a map over Greenland we had been using during this voyage, for sale. 

16.09.14 Second sea day DAY 13

Goodmorning everyone. Today was yet another day at sea. We had a bit of movement on the ship today, but this did not affect the passengers. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.  

We were sailing along the ice edge, hoping to spot wildlife. Unfortunately no polar bears again today. But the ice itself was nice to look at and a lot of passengers were standing out on deck taking pictures.

We also had a couple of lectures in the afternoon. 

The program for the day was changed a  bit because of the beautiful ice, but we managed and all lectures were given. We also held a few bridge visits where the passengers could come up and talk to the captain. 

We then had the captains dinner in the restaurant and everyone dressed up in their nicest clothes to meet and great the captain. 

15.09.14 First sea day DAY 12

Today was the first of our two sea days on the crossing to Svalbard. We started the day off with fog. That was a shame, because we were sailing along the ice edge and were really hoping to see polar bears. Unfortunately we did not see any, also when the fog lifted later that day.

So we were having lectures on board Fram today. 

We had both english and german lectures. One lecture from our two Greenlandic ladies about culture. A lecture about hunting by one of our Sirius guys Martin and a lecture about ice by one of our geologists Steffen. This turned out to be a fine way of spending the day.

After the seated dinners were over, the trainees onboard Fram had prepared a quiz for all the passengers. 

This was held in the observation lounge and people were divided into boatgroups. They had to answer around 20 different questions. One particular hard one was ”How to spell Scoresbysund in Eastgreenlandic?” Now that the quiz is over i will give you the answer to that one: ITTOQQORTOORMIIT. 

14.09.14 Hvalrossodden / Danmarkshavn DAY 11

This morning we had a landing in Hvalrossodden. This place is a former Danish trapper station built in 1920. And it was used for this purpose until the 1960’s. Today it is being maintained by the Sirius Patrol.

Again we had snow and ice all over the place. 

This time it was a sandy beach though, not rocky like yesterday. The water was freezing and us standing at the landing site ended up with frozen pants as well, but while all passengers were walking around enjoying the weather and their walk, we were drinking hot chocolate and dancing on the beach! During the afternoon we arrived in Danmarkshavn. This was our last stop in Greenland and we had beautiful weather! The sun was shining and even though it was a bit windy. 

No one complained. Again we had snow all over and we were greated by the six residents on the station and their three dogs as well. This was a nice welcome.

This evening we had MV Frams famous crew show! Crew were singing and dancing and the passengers had a small surprise when they saw to familiar faces from the expedition team during the ballroom dance. Tessa and i (Majken) was dancing as well. So all in all, this was a very nice last day in Greenland. We are now ending the Greenland season and are about to cross over to Svalbard.      

13.09.14 Aalborghus DAY 10

Today we had a landing in Aalborghus. A former Danish trappers’ station at Gefion Havn on the south side of Godfred Hansen Ø. The first building erected on the site was a trappers hut built in 1933. But when a trapper team of two arrived in august 1938 they build a hut in three days. The name Aalborghus was given as the house was built with funds raised in Aalborg and Nørresund, by a company called Nanok. 

The station was then manned in from 1938-41 and 1945-52, were also a shed was built.

We had snow on the landing site. Winter has arrived in Northeast Greenland! It was windy and cold, but that did not stop the passengers in going out. A few people were sliding around on the icy areas on the site, but most people seemed to enjoy themselves and even though kayaking was cancelled, hiking and ice cruising was still on and that was a succes!   

During the evening the crew did karaoke in the observation lounge and with a little persuasion from Aka (one of the Greenlanders on board) a few passengers decided to sing and dance! Well well, let us say goodnight, and see you again tomorrow.

12.09.14 Dødmannsbukta / Daneborg DAY 9

In Dødemandsbugten at Clavering Ø we made a landing in the morning. Back in 1943 a station was built for the North-East Sledge Patrol (Sirius Patrol). In 1950 the station was moved to Daneborg. There is only one modernised cabin left in the former station. Just behind the cabin we saw old inuit-ruins and graves. Last time the Inuit were seen alive in North-East Greenland was back in the 1820th by Clavering

In the late afternoon the Fram anchored up in front of Daneborg, which is the headquarter of the Danish Sirius Patrol.

12 people, 6 dogsledges and 90 dogs patrolling 2000 km in one of the worlds most remote areas. The young men in the Patrol must be built out of something special. Imagine to be in these remote areas for two years only with one visit on Iceland for six days to see the dentist.

The members of the Sirius Patrol guided us through the station area. Told us about being a part of the Sirius Patrol. We met their big, but friendly dogs and the sweet puppies running around among the passengers. 

 
 

11.09.14 Myggbukta DAY 8

During the night the Fram took us through Nordfjorden and anchored up in front of the amazing Walterhausen Glacier. The glacier is connected to the Inland ice. The front is 12 kilometer wide and is up to 20 meter high. We had breakfast and left in the morning heading for the former Norwegian weatherstation Myggbukta.

Myggbukta was the first station to send wireless weatherforecasts from Greenland to the world outside.

Myggbukta is now used as cabin for the Danish Siriuspatrol.

Again we were met by several muskoxen. The expeditionteam went ashore, made a landing on the beach and opened the cabin. A hike group went up-hill and did a medium hike in the area.

Those passengers that went up-hill saw muskoxen and polar hares in the hills just behind the cabin. 

10.09.14 Ella Ø / Blomsterbukta DAY 7

In the most beautiful weather we arrived the station at Ella Ø early in the morning.

We were met by a muskox standing on the bridge between the red bulidings.

Ella Ø is placed in some of the North-Eastgreenlands most magnificent and breathtaking surroundings. The islands landmark ”Bastionen” is a vertical cliff that raises 1367 meters above the Kong Oscar Fiord.

After landing at the beach we visited the mainbuilding and continued hiking trough the station area (the muskox had left) and followed the ridges around the lake  - just above the station. At the westside of the lake four muskoxen showed up. A great opportunity to take good photoshots. In the lake the red-throated divers did not seem to be disturbed by the visitors.

 

In the afternoon we continued to Blomsterbugten at Ymer Ø. A hut ”Varghytten” was placed here back in 1929. ”Varg” means wolf in Scandinavian.  We sended a large group of hikers ahead. Just like at Ella Ø several muskoxen showed up, but the expedition team guided us through the area safe.

The kayakers went out padling along the shore.

In the night the Northern light gave us a show with its beautiful curtains.

09.09.14 Mestersvig / Alpefjord DAY 6

Today we visited two places, Alpefjord and Mestersvig. Mestersvig/Nyhavn is an airfield and a old mining town from the 1950s’ and 60’. This was more or less a ”normal landing” with kajakking haking and just enjoying the landscape and wildlife. 

Some were lucky and spotted musk oxen and some saw the snow hare and most of us saw tracks of a BIG polar bear. There has been two resent visits from polar bear in Mestersvik.

In the afternoon we sailed in to Alpefjord, a narrow fjord sorrounded by mountains over 2000 meters high. In the end two gaciers meet and goes all the way down to the water. Its not easy to go on land, so we go out in the ”polar circle boats” and cruice for a while. We went close to the icebergs, drove along  the 20 meter high wall of ice and we even saw some bearded seals relaxing on a piece of glacer ice.

When we woke up the weather not god, it was foggy, rainy and cold. Just as we set foot in Mestervig we saw the sun, and after that it just got better. 

08.09.14 Ittoqqortoormiit (Scoresbysund) DAY 5

Finally we came to Greenland, and the crossing could not be smoother, and we were met by icebergs, sun and the biggest fjord in the world. 

In north east Greenland there is no harbors, which means we have to do “wet landings.” 

Scoresbysund is also a settlement, the second biggest in east Greenland and the Greenlandic name is Ittoqqortoormiit. 

This is the village where Martin on the expedition team lived for 9 years, working as a professional hunter. 

Now there is about 450 people living there. They were expecting us and had prepared an “open town” for us. We could visit the church, museum, local grocery store, buy souvenirs and meet some of the local dogs. 

It was very interesting to 

see how people live this far north, isolated from the rest of the world. 

The sun was shining from a blue sky, almost no wind, but nothing to ruin our day! A Great first day in Greenland!

07.09 Ísafjörður DAY 4

After spending the night in the harbor of Ísafjörður, with the first northern lights of the season we had a day packed with activities. 

Today we could choose between horseback riding, hiking to the famous troll’s throne and a guided bus trip to a nearby fishing village.

I was on the excursion to Suðureyri (fishing village.) They claim to be the most sustainable fishery in Iceland and also have a lot of interesting history. The trip is called savour the flavour, so it involved tasting of different fish dishes. The most interesting was maybe the “hard-fish,” dried in the wind for 6 weeks and nothing else. You need a hammer to soften in up to make it eatable and also surprisingly tasty, and believed to be the reason for the high life expectancy in the area of 95-107 years.  

    

We left Iceland at 16.00. and started a 24 hour crossing over the notorious Denmark-strait to Greenland and Scoresbysund. The rest of the day was spent on the ship, with lectures and the spectacular fashion show performed by the expedition team. 

Flateyri 06.09 DAY 3

For the first time in a while we actually had some sun! We started our day in the small town Flateyri, close to Ísafjörður. It was windy… But for some reason it was only really windy at the pier next to Fram. About an hour after we arrived we got to see the sun. This meant no rain and no fog! So you could also see the mountains. Amazing scenery.

 

We started an excursion going to see the fjords and flowers. A bus ride with several small stops around the area. The guests got to see the Botanical Garden and really enjoyed themselves Other than that, we also had a hike where guests did not have to sign up. This was also a success. Walking around in the beautiful nature… I mean, how bad can that be? And then in sunshine as well!

We left Flateyri in the afternoon and went on to a small Island called Vigur. Here we were going to look for Eider Ducks… But instead we got to see whales! The entire front of the ship was filled with blue jackets, cameras all pointed the same way and we just enjoyed it while the whales were playing around in front of Fram.

In the evening we arrived in Ísafjörður and some guests went out exploring the city by night. Because now it actually gets dark again, this is nice… Fram doesn’t get to see a lot of darkness during this season, because of the midnight sun.