What a remote island! Storøya is a miniature version of Kvitøya. A large icecap covers most of the island apart from some rocks in the south and a small peninsula on the northern tip. But the landscape is magnificent, and the weather is perfect! The sea is calm and the slow, long swell from the south is the only thing that disturbs the flat surface.
White and blue icebergs that are broken off from the icecap surround us as we depart from Sjøveien in our Zodiacs. The black and brown beach and small strip of land are mostly gravel and rocks and some sea ice that is still attached to the land. Before we left Sjøveien we carefully scouted the beach and discovered a small yellow spot on a snowfield by the shoreline. Now, as we approach the area with the spot, the spot changes shape, and the white head of a polar bear turns towards us. The water off the beach is shallow and sprinkled with rocks so we stay at a safe 100 meters distance from the beach. But it is more than enough to have a great experience! The polar bear is a really big male bear that is resting on the snow. The bear is just lifting its head when he hears us but is determined to continue to sleep. We managed to get some great pictures of the bear before we returned to Sjøveien and continued our expedition.
7 July 2022
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.
