There were many early risers today, to enjoy our arrival at Ny-Ålesund, the world’s northernmost international research facility. Twelve nations have stations here, including four Asians and numerous European, and we had the opportunity to walk between their buildings and visit the store and the postoffice, and a famous historic site.

This place was given its name by visitors from the town of Ålesund in western Norway. More than a hundred years ago they picked coal from the ground for use in the ship engines. The Kings Bay Coal Company started mining for the coal in 1917, and the same company today provides the support services for the research stations.
In May 1926 both Richard E. Byrd and Roald Amundsen flew towards the North Pole. Byrd with pilot Floyd Bennett made the world think he made it, while we today know he probably failed. Amundsen started out three days later with the airship Norge, constructed by Umberto Nobile and financed by Lincoln Ellsworth. It was flown from Italy to Ny-Ålesund, and tied up at a mast just outside the settlement, which we could visit today. From here they flew successfully to Alaska, making Roald Amundsen to for sure be the first man both at the South Pole, and above the North Pole.

Walking around we also experienced the Arctic tern, which ferociously protects its nest lying on the ground. The terns fly between Antarctica and Svalbard twice a year, in this way getting two summers annually. We met them again at Gravneset in the evening when we went ashore to look at the remnants of whale hunting nearly 400 years ago. Here they boiled whale blubber to make lamp oil for the wealthy. It was the first oil boom of the Arctic, an industry dominated by the Dutch, who caught perhaps 60 000 whales in a period of more than 100 years. About 1000 died in the process – most from scurvy. 130 of these were buried at Gravneset.

Longyearbyen

It was quite a foggy morning with a bit of a soft rain.  Our guess scientists that we pick up in Jan Mayen gave a talk on their research on the local seabirds that nest on the island.  We arrived to Longyearbyen at about 5 pm and stay until 9 pm.  At our arrival to port a bus was waiting for us and drove us into town, although some preferred to walk.  In town some went shopping, others to the Svalbard museum and at the Radisson Blue Hotel it was offer a lecture on Longyearbyen and climate.  On the way out we had a wonderful view of the town and our expedition leader pointed out the position of the airport and the location of the World Seed Vault that is very likely that many of us will go to see at our return in a few days from now.

When we managed to land at very isolated Jan Mayen yesterday we were all highly pleased. So back on board, we though the day had had its fill of great experiences. But there was more to come!
First we sailed northwards along the east coast in mist that was gradually clearing, so in the evening we got a good look at the site of the 1970 eruption where lava flowed into the sea forming 4 km² of new land.

 Then midnight approached with new highlights: First the chef announced that he was serving freshly caught cod outside on the upper deck. Three of the ship’s crew had gone fishing while the rest of us went ashore, and they had caught 400 kilograms (900 lbs) of cod, the largest weighing 7 kilos!

And as we stood there enjoying the hot fish, the mist cleared further, and we were warmed by our first midnight sun. The lifting clouds also revealed the Beerenberg volcano rising majestically 2277 m up from sea level. It was immensely beautiful, with glaciers running all the way down from the still active crater to the sea. We felt blessed, given Jan Mayen’s foggy statistics .

The midnight cod dinner and the views meant that many dropped breakfast, but there was good attendance at the numerous lectures that took place all day today. This has been another calm day at sea – we are moving at 14 knots towards Spitsbergen on an ocean with only a small swell, and very light winds.

JAN MAYEN

 Last night after a fog bank it cleared with wonderful sunlight and pieces of ice showed at sea.  Soon we discovered that we were passing at the edge of the ice pack.  The ice edge is always with much bird life due to the large quantity of sea plankton life and small fish that birds love to eat.

The afternoon was a bit foggy on the early part and when approached to the island of Jan Mayen we were received with soft rain but then surprise did clear nicely.  Historically the first documented discovery of this island was about on the early 1600 by Dutch and English whalers.  The island was declared part of Norway by early 1930, and after the second war a meteorological and a coastal radio station was set up. The radio station is on a constant watch for possible distress signals in the area and over the years has been of great importance. More recently they build a new radio navigation system

On our landing we had the opportunity to visit the weather station, heard a little bit about geology, some of the local breeding birds and look a bit around the general landscape.