Photo Essay of Barentsburg

Our first landing in Svalbard is very different from every other site that we visit.  Barentsburg is an active coal mining community with about 450 people from Russian and the Ukraine living here year round. 

Every once in a while I do something a little different on the blog.  Today I would like to tell the story of our visit to Barentsburg with photographs instead of words.  I hope you like them.

Manuel Marin admiring old telephone.

260 stairs to climb!

Old church in Barentsburg

Statue of Lenon in the central square

Detail of large mural on the school.

Reflection of the mural.

A Perfect Day to End Our Arctic Adventure

As we entered Tryghamna harbour the sun was shining through a high layer of scattered clouds. A mild breeze of ten knots imbued a slight chop to the sea.

We started landing procedures at 08:30. The Expedition Team set up a perimeter of Polar Bear guards. Once it was determined that weren’t any bears in the immediate area, we were given a lot of freedom to wander about on our own. But all around us and perched above, we could see the Expedition Team keeping a watchful lookout for bears.

As we walked up the grassy and moss covered slopes to the base of the bird cliffs we could see many Reindeer grazing peacefully. They did not seem at all bothered by our presence. In fact the Reindeer often approached to within a few metres of us. Many people got excellent opportunities to photograph the Svalbard Reindeer.

High above us was the pyramid shaped cliff of Alkhornet which was named for its horn-like shape and for the Little Auks that nest by the thousands in the area. The sun-lit cliff face was beautiful against the clear blue sky. August 17th and it is already getting late in the summer season in Svalbard. The little Little Auks had mostly fledged but there were still thousands of Black-legged Kittiwakes flying high above us. At times hundreds of the young birds would take off for their very first flights. A great swirling mass of birds would then head on out to sea. It was quite a sight. Large Glaucous Gulls and Great Skuas were swooping in and occasionally grabbing young Kittiwakes on the wing.

Near the end of the landing a couple of Arctic Foxes were seen roaming around the base of the cliff. This was not surprising as the foxes are known to den in this area. Wall of the nesting birds there is an abundant food supply.

At 19:00 we arrived at the stunning cliffs of Skansebukta.  Huge vertical rock faces soared over the beach. The colourful crenelated cliffs resembled the battlements of a medieval castle.  Hundreds of Northern Fulmars were nesting on high ledges.  Puffins flapped madly along the rock face.  It was obvious they were nesting here too but it was extremely difficult to spot their nests from our beach vantage point.  According to the local folks in Longyearbyen this was the second warmest day in 36 years!  It was a balmy 20C

While we were enjoying the landing at Skansebukta the hotel department was busy preparing a delcious barbeque on deck 7. 

It was a spectacular way to end our grand voyage in Spitsbergen.

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Virgohamna and Gravneset

This morning at Virgohamna we had the option of going on a long hike or a shorter walk.  Both options were really great. The shorter walk had the possibility of a Polar Cirkel boat cruise at the end which seemed to attract a lot of people.  The long hike had a more exploratory nature with plenty of opportunities for scenic views and to great some great exercise and fresh air.  The groups were spit almost 50/50.  The long hike wound across the island to the top of a modest hill where we enjoyed a fantastic view of the old whaling station and the famous site where the Swedish Engineer, Salomon August Andrée launched his hot air balloon in 1897 in a tragic attempt to reach the north pole.  In the small bay and on the opposite shoreline we could see many Harbour Seals.  We cautiously worked our way closer, being very careful not to startle the animals.  We counted twenty seals lying on the rocks and on the shore and there were three or four more in the water.  With all of those seals lying about we couldn’t help wondering if there might be Polar Bears in the area.  While we were watching the seals, a Norwegian Armada of Polar Cirkel boats cruised onto the scene.  It was the people from the short walk on their 

Polar Cirkel boat cruise!  They were also able to get a view of the seals without disturbing them. We then continued in a big loop and eventually ended back at our starting point.  The hike took a little longer than two hours.

In the afternoon we went to Gravneset which is in Trinity Harbour in Magdalena  Fjord.  It is one of the most visited sites in all of Spitsbergen.  It has it all.  There is the fascinating history of the whalers.  There is the grim graveyard on a hillock near the landing site.  There are the four try-pot ruins where the whalers rendered the blubber in to oil.  And, there is the fantastic scenery.  As we approached our anchorage site the officers on the bridge announced that there was a Polar Bear in the distance on the opposite shore from our landing site.  The bear appeared to be sleeping on a mossy embankment. The sleeping bear was at least four kilometres from our landing site and posed no threat to us.

Gravneset had been used by whalers for over 200 years.  Over that long period of time many whalers died and were buried on a small hill in the centre of the beach.  It was a somber reminder of the tough life they must have endured.

An hour was ample time to explore the area, stretch the legs and get a breath of some of freshest air on earth.  Some of the hardier souls braved the frigid water and went for a Polar Dip.  Br-r-r!

Texas Bar and Monacobreen

Just before we landed at Texas Bar at 08:30, a Polar Bear was spotted from the by the officers on the bridge.  It was at least 2 kilometres away.  The Expedition Team went ashore and established a perimeter of spotters to keep an eye out for the bear.  The bear was far in the distance and seemed unconcerned with our presence. After about an hour the bear slowly moved away.  The lucky few first passengers ashore caught a glimpse of the bear with their binoculars.  

At this location we were free to hike around on our own within the boundaries set up by the Expedition Team.  There were several high vantages points where one could get an excellent view of the region.  There was an old trapper’s hut that we could peak into and if we wished, we could enter our names in a log book in the cabin.

The hotel department brought some snacks and hot beverages ashore which were much appreciated by everyone.

In the afternoon we went cruising in the Polar Cirkel boats in the brash ice around Monacobreen (Monaco glacier).  It was exciting to bump and crash our way through the ice in the small but very sturdy Norwegian boats.  We stopped often to photograph beautiful blue icebergs.  At one point our driver turned the engine off so we could hear the snap-crackle and pop of the ice as it melted.  The air bubbles trapped in glacial ice are under a lot of pressure.  When the ice melts the air is released with explosive force resulting in the snapping sounds we could hear.  It was really a wonderful experience to be right in the ice!   Our forty minutes on the water seemed to pass all too quickly before it was time to return to the ship.

The Best Landing So Far This Summer!

We have now been to Ny-Ålesund five times this summer.  Each time we come there are one or two Ivory Gulls on the beach close to the ship. Ivory Gulls are one of the most beautiful gulls in the world. As the name indicates they are ivory white. these beautiful birds are often found near feeding Polar Bears, waiting for there turn at the carcass.  The sky was still overcast but there were distinct patches of blue breaking through.  A definite  change in the weather was coming.

By 10:45 we had all been on a guided tour of the town.  Most of us had also walked out to the mast where Roald Amundsen and Umberto Nobile had tethered their Zeppelins in 1926 and 1928 in their quest to reach the North Pole by air.  Once everyone was back on board Fram, we did some slow scenic cruising around the fjord.  It was a gorgeous morning. The railings on deck 5 were crowded with happy people photographing and admiring the beautiful glaciers in Kongsfjorden.   

 

At 14:30 we dropped the anchor at our next destination: Fjortende Julibukta.  After a short Polar Cirkel boat ride to shore, we could hear hundreds of Black-legged Kittiwakes calling.  We had landed at the base of an amazing sea bird colony.  Looking up we could see hundreds of Kittiwakes wheeling above their nests.  Nesting in the cliffs were also Brunnich’s Mures, Common Mures and Atlantic Puffins. Glaucous Gulls, Great Skuas, Long-tailed Skuas and Arctic Skuas soared around the cliffs looking for a chance to steal a chick.

The weather continued to improve.  The sun burst through the clouds lighting up the mountains and glaciers in the background.  It was the most beautiful evening we had experienced all summer in Spitsbergen.  At the landing site, most people walked down the boulder strewn beach towards the glacier front.  Lots of loud cracking and booming erupted from the glacier as large chunks of ice calved off.  This created moments of anxiety for the Expedition Team as they made sure their wards on the beach were safe from tsunamis, however the waves really never got high enough to be much of a threat.

Seven Svalbard Reindeer were seen high up the slopes just below the bird cliffs.

It was a spectacular landing site and a beautiful evening.  It was hard to leave the beach to go back to the ship but by 20:00 everyone was back on board.

Bamsebu in Bellsund

The bones from an estimated 550 Beluga Whales slaughtered
in the 1930s at Bamsebu in Bellsund

The landscape in Bellsund is dramatic and with today's grey cloud cover, quite forboding.  High, dark, snow-covered mountains surround the fjord.  A tundra plain stretches from the base of the landing site at Bamsebu to the foot of the imposing mountains. 

As we approached the beach in the Polar Cirkel boats we could see large piles of bleached white bones.  Beluga whales were slaughtered here in the hundreds during the 1930’s.  The bones were discarded in heaps along the shoreline.  An estimated 550 whales were slaughtered here.  It was a moving reminder of how our relationship with nature has changed with changes in education, wealth and technology.

Trapper's cabin, Bamsebu in Bellsund Svalbard.

We landed near some small huts that were built purely for the Beluga Whale hunt.  As we hiked around the tundra plain we spotted 5 Svalbard Reindeer one of which was a large male with an impressive rack of antlers.  There were also many birds to watch including Barnacle and Pink-footed Geese, Purple Sandpipers, Arctic Terns, Fulmars, Arctic Skuas and Black-guillemots.

Artifact in Bamsebu.

We were all back on the ship at about 13:00 when the Captain made an announcement that there was a Polar Bear on a small island very near our landing site!  Cool!  Everyone grabbed their binoculars and camera and then headed outside to see and photograph the Charismatic King of the North.  Or was it a Queen?  We couldn’t be entirely sure if it was a male or a female. As we watched, the bear slipped into the water and started swimming straight for the Fram!  It was astonishing to see how fast it could swim.  It took the bear about ten minutes to cover the 500 metres.  It seemed not at all bothered by the ship.  Indeed, it seemed curious.  When the bear got to about twenty metres from the ship it turned and continued on a course that would eventually take it straight across the fjord.

In the afternoon we attempted a landing at Vårsolbukta on the other side of Bellsund. The ship dropped anchor at about 15:00.  While the Expedition Team headed to shore to prepare the landing site, it was determined by the officers on the bridge that the sea conditions at the tender pit were too rough to permit the safe loading and unloading of the Polar Cirkel boats.  In the interests of passenger safety, the decision was made to cancel the landing.

To help fill the gap, the Expedition Team promptly scheduled two lectures; one on whales and one on the geology of Svalbard.

In the evening we had briefings about the plans for tomorrow and then later at 22:00 we were treated to a food and ice carving demonstration in the Observation Lounge.

Gåshamna

Artifacts and ruins of buildings left by
whalers and Scientists at Gåshamna

We had a busy morning.

This morning we had a mandatory safety drill at 09:30.  We were all checked on the manifest as we joined our muster stations on deck 5. The air was damp and cold as we watched the crew demonstrate how to put on a survival suit and life jacket.  Right after the drill we were invited to the Observation Lounge for the Captain’s Welcome and a glass of champagne to toast the start of our voyage.

At 10:30, on decks two and three, we were able to try on rubber boots which were available to rent for a small fee for the entire voyage.

At 11:00 we had two lectures.  There was a lecture in English on Seabirds and a German lecture entitled, Walfang entlang der Küste Svalbards – Das friesische Hinterland.

At 14:30 we started our landing at Gåshamna in Hornsund.  It was a cold, damp, grey day but it wasn’t enough to dampen our spirit of adventure.  We were led on a hike around the artifacts left behind by whalers and in later years by Polish researchers.  There was a large flock of Black-legged Kittiwakes that would periodically take off in unison.  Arctic Terns were in abundance but at this site there didn't appear to be any chicks.  There were also six Arctic Skuas.  Two of them were keeping a watchful, protective eye on a very large chick.  At times the beautiful Skuas seemed more curious than protective.

It is not yet mid August but fresh snow was covering all of the mountain tops.  The last of the summer flowers were struggling in the cold.  Soon they will be buried in snow.

The First Day

The first day of a sea voyage can be a bit hectic.  Most passengers arrive in Spitsbergen after a very long journey the night before Fram departs.  That means checking into a hotel for a night and then checking out again the following morning. Sometimes there is a certain amount of anxiety and uncertainty with the check-in and check-out process.  When does my baggage have to be ready?  What colour of ribbon must I put on my bags?  Is the luggage room really secure?  Should I pack my tooth brush, or put it in my hand bag?  What if my bags don’t arrive?  When is check-out time?  What is the information session and where is it and what time will it be?  What about lunch?  Is it included?  What time is the bus to the ship?  The tour bus... is that the same bus as the bus to the ship?  Crikey! It was snowing today.  Did I bring warm enough clothes?

And then, finally you arrive at the harbour and board Fram.  You have to admit, she is a nice looking vessel and quite impressive when you first see her.  Perhaps in the beginning there was once again a little unease as you tried to figure out where things were and how things worked. We try to make the entire check-in process as painless as possible but once that is done you can relax.  Unpack... or not. Go to the bar, or the sauna, or the jacuzzi, or the gym.  Have a nap.  Go out on deck and enjoy the magnificent scenery and the splendid fresh air. This is a new, strange environment for most people but hopefully it is a little bit exciting too. After all, you are about to start on an Arctic adventure.  You’re on a ship!  You’re on vacation!  Relax.

Once everyone was on board we stowed the gangway, cast off the lines and headed for the Russian coal-mining community of Barentsburg. We arrived shortly after 20:00.  While we were waiting for everyone to gather on the dock we spotted a large group of Beluga Whales about 500 metres away and close to the shoreline.  What an amazing welcoming committee!   After everyone was assembled in language groups we were escorted to the theater where we enjoyed a brilliant show of Russian folk dance and music.  Once the show was finished we went on a short guided tour of Barentsburg.  We even had time to spend our money in their excellent gift shops or to wander about what is truly a unique community. 

As we sailed away from Barentsburg we caught up with the Beluga whales.  We were able to cruise slowly with them for about twenty minutes.  The snow-white whales continued to hug the coastline.  With such an exciting introduction to Spitsbergen we all went to bed dreaming of our Arctic adventures yet to come.

Gravneset & Ny-Ålesund

View on the hike in Gravneset

This morning at 08:00 we landed at Gravneset in Trinity Bay at the head of Magdalenafjord. At one time Bowhead Whales and other species of whales were very numerous in this area.  Two centuries of intensive whaling depleted the whale stock to the point where whaling was no longer practical. The landing site at Gravneset (grave headland) is beside a large ancient cemetery where 130 whalers from that epoch are buried. I wonder if the whalers that came here two or three hundred years ago appreciated the beauty of the region, or were they more intent on their arduous tasks and staying alive?  From archeological evidence and historical records it seems  the most common cause of death was disease and scurvy. Now, in the age of the computer when an interval of five years produces miraculous changes in technology it is difficult to contemplate what a whaler’s day-to-day life might have been like.

Death and discomfort were not strangers to them.

Statue of Roald Amundsen

We had the option of going on a long hike or a shorter walk.   It was a cool morning with overcast skies.  Excellent weather for a hike.  We passed by the hillock of graves and four poorly preserved try-works where the whalers rendered the blubber into oil.  We continued on over a ridge of moraine and hiked along the water’s edge until we came to the edge of a glacier at the head of the fjord.  The scenery here was really special with several glaciers tumbling down to the sea.  En route we spotted a Ringed Seal close to shore.  The little fellow seemed quite curious and followed us for a short distance as we walked along the shoreline. The long hike took a little longer than planned, but after about two and a half hours we were back at the landing site.

In the afternoon at 16:30 we visited Ny-Ålesund.  The wind had picked up considerably.  There was a noticeable drop in temperature, especially when you factored in the wind chill.  We strolled through town in four language groups; German, Scandinavian, French and English.  The Expedition Team informed us of the fascinating history of Ny-Ålesund including the heroic and tragic attempts by Roald Amundsen and Umberto Nobile to reach the north pole by hot air ships.  On the outskirts of town still stands the tall mast where Amundsen and Nobile tethered their hot air balloons.  It seems a monument to the end of the heroic age of Polar Exploration and the race to the poles.

The mast for tethering Amundsen's and Nobile's
airships in 1926 and 1928.

Monacobreen, Moffen Island and 80˚North

Iceberg at Monaco Glacier

We had a quiet, lazy morning cruising towards Monaco Glacier.  On Fram there are many places with large windows where you can sit quietly and enjoy the scenery. Today was a hazy grey day, perfect for reading, relaxing and maybe even learning about our surroundings. We didn’t arrive at Monacobreen (Monaco Glacier) until 12:30 which meant there was time in the morning to attend a couple of lectures.

Polar Cirkel boat cruising in Liefdefjorden

The character of Monacobreen and Liefdefjorden changes on a daily basis.  Sometimes it seems to change on an even tighter timeline.  The last time we were here (3 days ago) we thought there was a lot of ice.  Ha!  Today there was at least double that amount.  For Polar Cirkel boat cruising in the ice it was fantastic.  The ice conditions meant that we could not go as close to the glacier.  It would just take us too long to make our way through the dense brash iced to allow for it.  However, that was not a big loss.  There was ice everywhere.  A beautiful assortment of blue icebergs and lots of bergy bits to plow through.  Many of us also found a lone, young Bearded Seal hauled out on an ice floe.

At times the low cloud cover dropped down to sea level creating a light fog and mist.  At those times the Polar Cirkel boats went in a convoy, sticking close together for safety. 

As usual, the air deep in the fjord was full of sea birds.  The bird of the day would be the Black-legged Kittiwake as it was very abundant.  We could also enjoy watching them from the ship as they fished in the clear water created by Fram’s bow and stern thrusters.

By 18:30 the last happy group had returned from their cruise in the ice.  We lifted the anchor and set a course for 80˚ and Moffen Island.

Moffen was superb.  There were more than 60 walruses.  There were three groups hauled out on the sandy shore and many walruses hanging out in the water near the shore line.  As we watched the walruses we listened to a narration of the natural history of the walrus over the ship’s P.A. system.

It was almost time to go when the Chief Officer spotted a Polar Bear about two hundred metres behind the walruses.  The bear appeared to be sound asleep and was lying amongst some drift wood.  Well spotted Chief! 

To celebrate the most northernly point on our journey the hotel staff served a cocktail to everyone on the bow deck. At 22:35 we turned to the south.  Tomorrow’s destinations: Magdalena Fjord and Ny-Ålesund. 

Longyearbyen and Barentsburg

Abandoned buildings in Barentsburg

Our morning started with an important information session in the hotel. We met a member of the Expedition Team from Fram who provided us with key information about life on the ship and safety and proper conduct during landing operations. 

Mural in Barentsburg

At 11:45 a motor coach picked us up ast the hotel and brought us down to the small harbour in Advent Fjord.  Fram lay at anchor about three hundred meters off shore which meant that we had our first experience in the Polar Cirkel boats.  Once on board the ship we were checked in, issued I.D. cards and then escorted to our cabins.  A sumptuous buffet lunch was ready for us in the dining room. 

At about 14:00 we lifted the anchor, turned our bow to the east and made way for Barentsburg, a Russian coal mining community in Isfjorden.

One of the murals on a school in Barentsburg

Large sign in Barentsburg

We arrived in Barentsburg at about 16:00.  We disembarked the ship in language groups where we met our local Barentsburg Russian guide.  The first stop on our tour was the Polar Star Theatre for a really superb live performance of Russian folk dancing and songs.   After the performance our guides told us about life in the an isolated coal mining town and showed us points of interest such as the hospital, the school and the hotel.

After the 35 minute tour we were free to roam about on our own.

One might think that a coal mining town high in the Arctic would be a dreary place but the opposite is true.  There are beautiful murals adorning many of the buildings. 
While it is true that many of the buildings are abandoned and in various states of  decay, the Russian architecture has a distinct warm charm and the abandoned buildings lend a special and unique atmosphere to the entire community

All aboard was at 19:45 and shortly after the last person set foot on the ship, Fram was underway.  At 21:00 we had a compulsory safety drill.  It was obvious watching the crew that they had rehearsed this many times before.

Now we are heading almost due north.  Tomorrow we hope to arrive at our northernmost destination.

The Luxury of Being At The Pier

At the pier in Ny-Ålesund

In Ny-Ålesund we have the luxury of being at the pier.  You can just walk on or off the ship as you wish.  Starting at 09:00 the Expedition Team guided small groups through the tiny community. We learned all about the history of Ny-Ålesund.  It is a fascinating story of tragedy, victory, commerce, exploration and science with real heroes, villains and victims.  Coal mining started here way back in 1917.  A legacy of terrible accidents eventually resulted in the closing of the mines in 1962. Subsequently a decision was made to establish a permanent Arctic research station here starting in 1964.  There are now ten different nations here with permanent facilities working cooperatively with the Norwegian Polar Institute. 

Atmospheric monitoring station high on Mount Zeppelin in Ny-Ålesund

It was from Ny-Ålesund that Admiral Byrd, Roald Amundsen and Umberto Umbile all flew to the north pole in separate attempts. The Expedition Team wove a tail

of mystery, intrigue and even possible murder in the conquest of the pole by air as they lead us through town.

The tour took about an hour which left enough time for a quick shopping excursion in the most northern boutique in the world..

Bird cliffs at Cadiopynten

In the afternoon we enjoyed some ship cruising along some really great bird colonies at Cadiopynten.  At times the sir seemed full of birds which included everyone’s favourite, Puffins!  There were also lots of Northern Fulmars, Little Auks (Dovekies), Kittiwakes and Black Guillemots.

Our lecture series continued throughout the afternoon with 5 different lectures on the wildlife, history and Geology of Svalbard.

In the evening we enjoyed films on some of the early explorers of the Arctic.

Monaco & Mushamna

Blue iceberg at Monacobreen

Trapper's cabin at Mushamna (photo ©Karsten Bidstrup)

Our stop at Monaco Glacier means cruising with the Polar Cirkel boats along a 5 km wall of ice.  Yippee!  At 09:00 we dropped the anchor and soon thereafter the Polar Cirkel boats were whisking people to the glacier.  Monaco is very active, calving huge chunks of ice on a regular basis.  As always on Fram, safety is our first priority.  Our precautionary rule for a minimum safe distance when approaching a glacier is about four times the glacier’s height.  This still allows for spectacular views of the glacial wall (terminus). The sea was crowded with icebergs and bergy bits.  We went from one iceberg to the next.  Each iceberg was completely unique.  We oh-ed, and ah-ed and photographed and admired the many shapes and the many saturated shades of translucent blue. There is nothing like cruising in ice in a small boat.  It is a lot of fun.

Old fox trap at Mushamna

In the afternoon we had a pleasant surprise.  Karin Strand, the Expedition Leader, announced an unscheduled landing at Mushamna deep in Woodfjorden!  We landed by a beautiful hunter’s cabin.  The landlord of the cabin is the Govenor of Svalbard.  The tenants vary from year to year.  Each occupant is only allowed to stay for one year with a possible option to extend for another year.  This year’s tenant’s had just vacated about three weeks ago. 

There was plenty of avian wildlife in the immediate area which included Eider Ducks, Bryants Geese, Arctic Terns, Purple Sandpipers, Red-throated Loons, Kittiwakes, Glaucous Gulls, Ivory Gulls, Parasitic Jaegers, Black Guillemots and Northern Fulmars.

Dwarf Birch at Mushamna already showing fall colour

August 6 and the wildflowers were already past their peek but here and there were bright splashes of pink Moss Campion and dashes of white Arctic Chickweed. The summer season is short and intense. The Dwarf Willow was changing colour from bright green to yellow, red and orange. It seemed like the fall was already approaching.

We also found two old fox traps.  One of them still had most of the parts.  It is a very simple device.  Heavy rocks are piled on a wooden platform which is propped up on a stick.  When a fox grabs the bait, the heavy platform falls, killing the fox and leaving the fir intact.

As we prepared to leave the beach at Mushamna, the low grey cloud cover began to drop even lower.  We lifted the anchor and sailed into the mist.  Our next stop, Ny-Ålesund. 

The Bear Necessities!

Terrain near Gravneset

Blue skies once again!  Yeehaw. When we landed at the old whaling station of Gravneset this morning the cloudy skies of yesterday had been replaced by mostly clear skies. What a difference a sunny day can make! 

Very old whaler's coffin at Ytre Norskeøya.

We started landing procedures at 09:00.  Once again we were divided into our various language groups.  Soon large groups of people were being guided across the isthmus of Gravneset.  We paused along the way to learn about some of the whaling history of the region.   This small site had been exposed to over 200 hundred years of whaling pressure. Artifacts of that period are still very much in evidence with several blubber ovens and over 130 graves of long gone whalers.

We continued on to a ridge of moraine where we had an excellent view of the surrounding landscape. Suddenly a bear was spotted in the water on the other side of the bay.  The Expedition Team paused to observe the bear.  It was soon discovered that the bear was headed directly towards our large group of people on shore.  Immediately the decision was made to head directly back to the landing site.

Perhaps the bear was curious, but for whatever reason it continued to make its way to the beach.  One of the Expedition Team fired off a loud “bang flare” to discourage the bear’s progress.  It took a second round to get the bear to change its mind and to change its course.  Meanwhile, everyone continued on back to the landing site.  We continued to keep an eye on the bear as it made its way to the north shore.  After about an hour the bear reached the distant shore.  It continued moving north and eventually vanished behind a ridge.

Phew!  What an exciting morning!

In the afternoon the weather was so good that the decision was made to attempt an unscheduled landing.  At 16:30 we headed to the beach at Ytre Norskeøya.  Another historic whaling site that had seen whaling activity for a couple of hundred years.  One of the first things we noticed was the large number of Arctic Terns in the air and on the ground.  The chicks were all off the nest and the protective parents were keeping a watchful eye on their offspring.  We kept our hike close to the water’s edge in order to disturb the Terns as little as possible.  Nevertheless, once in a while, people found the air above their heads alive with a chattering, screeching, angry, feathery parent!

Once we passed the nesting area the Terns settled down.  Further along the shoreline we found several very old whaler’s graves.  It was a strange feeling to peer into the exposed coffins and contemplate what the whaler’s life might have been like.  We could see bone fragments and in one coffin we could see a skull.  Eerie.

We continued up a ridge to a really nice vantage point where we could enjoy nearly a 360˚ view.  After about an hour we made our way back to the landing site.

It was already a very full day but it was not over yet.  We continued on to the most northerly point of our journey.  We arrived at 80˚ North and Moffen Island at 23:30.

Even though it was a late hour this was cause for a quiet celebration on the bow deck!