Below, please read another exciting excerpt from our trip with Sea Endurance - stories about sparkling pack ice, the vast silence and amazing wildlife!
27th May, 2017
Location: Sørkapp
Coordinates: 76˚35 'N, 17˚60' E
Weather: -2 ˚C, 1030 Bar, cloudy, wind from N, 4 Beaufort
In three directions, the pack ice broadens. On an ice floe two big seals pass by, a mother with her pup. We are surrounded by sparkling pack ice and can’t wait to get out. Soon we cross the ice edge, surrounded by many different kinds of ice: pack ice, ice floes, pressure ridges and icebergs. The silence is overwhelming. As the sky darkening in the horizon, we become aware of how small we actually are, and this feeling filling us with awe. Of course it is cold, but nothing but the beauty of the surroundings matter anymore.
28th May, 2017
Location: Akseløya, Gåsbenodden
Coordinates: 77˚40 'N, 14˚45' E
Weather: -0 ˚C, 1032 Bar, clear sky, wind from NE, 3 Beaufort
After breakfast in the Van Keulenfjord we visited Ahlstrandodden. A landing in Bamsebybukten offered, among other things, 200 million years old fossils, mountain peaks, ptarmigans, an Arctic fox and Svalbard reindeers. Back on board, Cecilia held a lecture on white-headed geese and their various challenges, but she was suddenly interrupt by a... polar bear! At the end of the Van Mijenfjord, on the fast ice, we could see a polar bear with two cubs! We followed her hunt for seals and the interaction between the three for the rest of the evening, with a break for Ivory gull and belugas only. What else can we call what we experience here, other than just Arctic magic?
Please note: Depending on the lens used for a photo or video shot an animal may appear to be closer than it is. We always follow strict wildlife guidelines to ensure that we do not cause any disturbance.