In the year 1596 a very daring Dutch merchant by the name of Willem Barents arrived at a cragged coastline after a long voyage and named it Spitsbergen, the Pointy Mountains. One of the northernmost places people ever had set foot upon at the time.
Well, yes, it’s a little different today, coming in by plane from Oslo or Düsseldorf after only a few hours, but still we should not forget: Our trip begins at an incredible high latitude, 78 degrees North. Not so much left between us and the North Pole. No wonder everyone was excited, lots of smiles and happy faces during check-in, jacket reception and sign-up for the first excursions. 78 North...
And this is only where it starts: After a stop in the eccentric town of Barentsburg, where we get a Russian guided tour through remains of the Sowjet era and a veritable Balalaika dance show, we will set course further north and only stop when we reach the ice edge. Maybe 80 North, maybe even higher. Let’s find out!
It is a long day for all, but that doesn't seem to bother anyone. They are out here for adventure, traveled to the realm of the Polar Bear! Which - as usual - we cannot guarantee or promise. But we will try our best to find them.
That we can promise…
