Waking up, we looked outside the window and got blinded by a shiny sparkling ocean, reflecting the sun. Finally, calm winds and blue skies! M/S Sjøveien felt tiny, only the vast sea north of Nordaustlandet surrounding her, but with one exception: the small rugged island, Karl XII øya, waiting to be explored.
Karl XII island is one of the smallest and most northern in Svalbard, you could easily walk from one side to another in a minute or so. And perhaps also therefore it was extra surprising when we discovered our first polar bear around the corner. Even the captain came to have a look for himself. The polar bear, most likely an older male, was resting with its nose against the warmth of the sun.
Our journey continued and all of a sudden Storøya appeared on the horizon, with its huge icecap. The sea was still like oil when we took to our boats again in the evening to explore our most eastern destination. Along the coast some eider ducks and northern fulmars floating around. A group of lazy walrus lifted their heads to look at who we were, before going back to sleep. A few of them swam passed us in the distance and we could hear them breathing out when coming up to the surface. When we turned off our engines, a great wonderful silence. A successful day in the north and excitement when we continued our journey into the polar night, with the eternal sun in front of us.
The destination for the afternoon was Lilliehöökbreen, one of the largest active glaciers in Svalbard today. Already an hour after arrival, the fjord started to clog up; the glacier had been active and calved huge amounts of glacier ice.
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.
