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Day 1 Arrival Longyearbyen
Arrive in Longyearbyen, the administrative capital of the Spitsbergen archipelago of which West Spitsbergen is the largest island. Before embarking there is an opportunity to stroll around this former mining town, whose parish church and Polar Museum are well worth visiting, while in the surrounds of Longyearbyen, more than 100 species of plant have been recorded. In the early evening the ship will sail out of Isfjorden.
Day 2 Krossfjorden - Ny Ålesund
Heading north along the west coast, we arrive by morning in
Krossfjorden, where we take to the Zodiacs for an
exhilarating cruise along the sculpted front of the 14th of
July Glacier. On the surprisingly fertile slopes near the
glacier, a colorful variety of flowers bloom, while large
numbers of Kittiwakes and Brünnich’s Guillemots nest on the
nearby cliffs. There is also a good chance of spotting
opportunistic Arctic Foxes, patrolling the base of the
cliffs in case a hapless chick falls from its nest, and
Bearded Seals, who cruise this scenic fjord. In the
afternoon we sail to Ny Ålesund, the world’s most northerly
settlement. Once a mining village - served by the world’s
most northerly railway, which can still be seen - Ny Ålesund
is now a research centre. Close to the village is a breeding
ground for Barnacle Geese, Pink-footed Geese and Arctic
Terns. Visitors interested in the history of Arctic
exploration will want to walk to the anchoring mast used by
Amundsen and Nobile in the airship Norge in 1926 and Nobile
in the airship Italia in 1928 before their flights to the
North Pole.
Day 3 Smeerenburg - Amsterdamøya - Moffen Island
At Smeerenburg on Amsterdamøya, we visit the remains of a
17th century Dutch whaling station, the blubber pots now
surrounded by hundreds of tree trunks washed ashore after
drifting over from Siberia. The principal quarry of the
whalers was the Greenland or Bowhead Whale, which was hunted
to the brink of extinction. Often called the Right Whale, it
was the right one to pursue, being a slow-moving animal
which could be approached closely. In the afternoon we visit
the Little Auk colony of Fuglesangen, then sail past the
80th parallel to Moffen Island on which Walrus haul out.
Day 4 Liefdefjorden - Monaco Glacier
Depending on the weather we may now sail to the mouth of
Liefdefjorden and go ashore for a walk on the tundra island
of Andøya. Many Common Eiders and Pink-footed Geese nest
here, and the rarer King Eider may also be seen. We hope to
sail into Liefdefjorden, cruising near the 5km long face of
the impressive Monaco glacier. The waters of the glacier
front are a favorite feeding spot for thousands of
Kittiwakes and on previous voyages Polar Bears have been
seen on the glacier, providing wonderful opportunities for
photography.
Day 5 Hinlopen Strait - Lomfjordshalvøya - Alkefjellet
Before turning south into Hinlopen Strait (if the pack-ice
allows us) we will have reached our most northerly position.
On and around the ice at the entrance to the strait, which
divides West Spitsbergen from ice-clad Nordaustlandet, there
is a good chance of seeing Bearded and Ringed Seals, Polar
Bears and Ivory Gulls. On the eastern side of
Lomfjordshalvøya we take a Zodiac cruise through the ice
floes to the bird cliffs of Alkefjellet, where thousands of
Brünnich’s Guillemots nest in a spectacular setting. The
basalt pillars, rising hundreds of meters, and the
overhanging ice cap with its waterfall are an awe-inspiring
sight. Finally, on the eastern side of Hinlopen Strait we
intend to make an evening landing in Augustabukta on the
island of Nordaustlandet, the most northerly of the major
Spitsbergen islands. Spitsbergen Reindeer graze the sparse
vegetation of this largely ice-covered island, where
Pink-footed Geese, Walrus and a rare Ivory Gull colony are
also found.
Day 6 Raudfjord - Ytre Norskøya
Retracing our route westwards, we visit Raudfjord on the north coast of West Spitsbergen, a beautiful fjord dominated by spectacular glaciers and favored by Ringed and Bearded Seals. The cliffs and shoreline of the fjord also support thriving seabird colonies and a surprisingly rich vegetation, which flourishes in sheltered spots. On the offshore island of Ytre Norskøya, we visit a 17th century Dutch whaling site, whose large graveyard is a poignant reminder of the hardships and dangers of life here at the time. The island’s bird life is prolific, with colonies of Little Auks, Black Guillemots, Brünnich’s Guillemots, Puffins and Arctic Skuas accessible to visitors.
Day 7 Alkhornet - Borebukta - Longyearbyen
We land at the northern tip of Prins Karls Forland near
Fuglehuken, where Barentsz probably set foot on Spitsbergen
for the first time. Seabirds nest on the cliffs and along
the coast we see Harbor Seals the only population in
Spitsbergen. Further we also will observe the remains of the
Polar Bear hunting era, with demolished set guns and bear
traps. At the opposite site of Forlandsundet at Sarstangen
is a haul out place for Walruses. Alternatively we sail
south to the mouth of Isfjorden and land at Alkhornet.
Seabirds nest on its cliffs and Arctic Foxes search the
cliff base for fallen eggs and chicks, while Spitsbergen
Reindeer graze the relatively luxuriant vegetation. The
reindeer may seem unbothered by human presence, but this is
not really the case. The animals must survive the harsh
winter, when temperatures plummet and food is hard to find,
so they preserve what energy they can, fleeing only when it
is absolutely necessary. In the afternoon we cruise through
beautiful Borebukta, following a glacier front before
continuing to Longyearbyen.
Day 8 Hornsund
Return to Longyearbyen and disembark for the transfer to the airport and the flight to Oslo and home.
GMK05, GMK06, GMK07, will also offer a program for about 20
experienced dry-suit scuba divers. We will dive in the kelp
beds of north Spitsbergen, the kelp offering some protection
to sea-bottom life such as sea anemones, sea stars, sea
cucumbers, shrimps and fish. We shall also be able to
observe wing snails, many species of jellyfish, and diving
seals and seabirds near the sea ice.
OCN
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