Svalbard Cruise Day 1: Boarding, Biosecurity, and Survival Gear
The first day we were on ship we were fitted with complimentary wet weather jackets (these were then kept by us) and heavy rubber boots (burrowed for duration of cruise) that were to be worn on all landings. Biosecurity was important to not transfer seeds or debris between different areas or from the boat to land so they were always cleaned on our return. There was also a safety drill, as to be expected however we were shown how to wear survival suits. The cold, deep waters means the suits are needed to buy us more time if we found ourselves in the water for any reason.
Embracing the Unknown: The Svalbard Circumnavigation Route
Expedition cruises are different in that there is a broad plan and our case it was with the aim of a complete Svalbard circumnavigation cruise around the archipelago. Now this is not always possible as it depends on sea ice melting and the weather. I am a normally an avid planner but on this occasion I made a conscious decision to embrace the unknown and go with the flow. It is nature, doing what it does best, I was there along for the ride, just delighted to be involved without any pre conceived expectations. I truly think that’s probably a good approach. Humans seem to really be wired up to feel a loss much harder than something we gain. Just accepting that the weather and our environment would dictate what happened really helped and I was never disappointed.
Svalbard Cruise Day 2: Sailing Kongsfjorden and Visiting Ny-Ålesund
On our second day we sailed into Kongsfjorden with huge icebergs and some stunning glaciers. I hadn’t seen a glacier before and their size is hard to get your head around. It is also a constantly changing structure. In the afternoon, we visited Ny-Ålesund, which features the world’s northernmost post office—we sent a postcard from there, which is an absolute must-do. This is the worlds most northern settlement at 79 degrees North and its main function is as a research settlement.
Midnight Sun and a Magical Polar Bear Sighting in Krossfjorden
The summer in the high Arctic has midnight sun which can play havoc with your body clock. I stayed up later scanning a piece of land we were sailing past on the hunt for a polar bear. Thirty minutes after going to bed we heard an announcement that a polar bear had been spotted. We both rushed out of bed and dressed rapidly. We captured an incredible Svalbard polar bear sighting as a female was seen wandering along the shoreline at Krossfjorden. She was beautiful and a bit more cream coloured than I expected. She knew we were there (minimum legal distances vary from 300- 500 metres depending on season) and was scenting the air before looking straight at us through my binoculars. The feeling was hard to describe and both husband and I were without words though with seemingly slightly damp eyes.