Bellsund, 6/14/2023, National Geographic Endurance
Aboard the
National Geographic Endurance
Arctic
Our final day of activities unfolded in Bellsund, a large fjord on the island of Spitsbergen that faces the productive west coast. Near the mouth of the fjord on the southern shore is an area known as Bamsebu (little bear house). Bears were not present when we visited, but the historical remains of whaling on Svalbard certainly were. There are bone piles from hundreds of beluga whales that were netted in the fjord and flensed on the beach. A grim reminder of the whaling era when the need for oil drove people into the Arctic to harvest it.
After hiking on shore, sighting distant reindeer, watching the birdlife, marveling at the flora of the tundra, and even discovering the carcass of a long-dead polar bear, we returned to National Geographic Endurance. Those who dared were offered a polar plunge. Nearly a third of the guests participated and even the expedition leader took to the frigid waters for a reviving dip. A fantastic way to end a beautiful trip in the Arctic.
James is a home-grown, free-range Pacific Northwest outdoorsmen. Born in Seattle and reared nearby on Vashon Island, he grew up in and surrounded by the Salish Sea. James has saltwater in his veins, but would be quick to point out we all do, echoing ...
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We arrived at the Southern Cape of Spitsbergen this morning. Hopes were high for kayaking, which was cancelled at Mushamna a few days ago due to the arrival of two polar bears! Initially, winds around 10 knots were ‘borderline’ for kayak operations, so expedition leader Stef explained that we would wait to see if conditions improved. Thankfully, they did, and kayaking and Zodiac cruising commenced! The sky above us was grey, but that didn’t dampen our spirits; it was amazing to have the freedom to paddle around Isbukta (Ice Bay). Under the watchful gaze of the safety boats, we explored this beautiful area with the stunning Vasil’evbreen and Sørkappfonna glaciers. Small bergy bits drifted by, and we were in awe at the different shapes, textures, and colours. It was a quiet morning for wildlife, except for a large group of eider ducks, including the common and king species. After everyone had the opportunity to kayak and go on a Zodiac cruise, one important activity remained for those feeling brave: the polar plunge! After a quick Arctic dip, plungers were welcomed back on board with a hot drink and an iron-on patch as a reward. The afternoon was spent on board as National Geographic Endurance continued underway towards Longyearbyen. We enjoyed two lectures, a highly entertaining and informative talk by naturalist guide Erlend about his time spent living and working in Svalbard and an insightful talk by National Geographic photographer Erika about her time living with a family of Samí reindeer herders. The wonderful end to the final full day of our expedition was the guest slideshow compiled by photography guide Carlos. This was followed by a delicious Filipino buffet dinner celebrating the friendly, hardworking Filipino crew who we have come to know and appreciate during our voyage.
After an overcast day, we awoke this morning to clear skies. As we rounded Kapp Lee, the beaches of Dolerittneset appeared. A Norwegian hunting cabin built in the early 1900s was just up the beach. In front of the hut, a popular walrus haul-out was found on the beach. We spent the morning Zodiac cruising along the beach and watching walruses at the haul-out. With immense difficulty, they lumbered in and out of the water and swam around our Zodiacs as they hunted for mollusks on the sandy bottom. The pile of blubber on shore was quiet except for an occasional outburst. These massive creatures were a joy to watch, and we are lucky, for they were nearly extirpated by hunters in Svalbard before they were protected. In the afternoon, we moved farther south on Edgeøya Island to Russebukta, a large bay formed by a low, flat plain. With the sun shining, we set out for walks on the spongy tundra of the plain. The tiny life around our feet was bursting with color as the plants of the tundra take advantage of the short summer to bloom. Purple saxifrage, moss campion, tufted saxifrage, arctic willow, arctic chickweed, and innumerable mosses carpeted the plain. Along the low plains, Svalbard reindeer grazed on plant life, snow buntings flitted from rock to rock, and red-throated divers floated over the shallow lakes. It was a tranquil setting and the perfect place to observe the tundra awakening for summer. As we walked, we basked in the sunlight, explored the area, and learned about the lives of the flora and fauna of the tundra. What a perfect afternoon in Svalbard.
Today was for the birds. Tens of thousands to be specific. Under typical northern Svalbard summer conditions (i.e., below freezing temperatures, overcast, windy, in-and-out fog), we Zodiac cruised the incredible bird cliffs of Alkefjellet. Here, up to 100,000 Brünnich's guillemots nest on the soaring, majestic cliffs, which collectively resemble scenes from a Lord of the Rings film. Females produce one egg, each with a distinct color and pattern to facilitate recognition and designed by nature to spin, rather than roll, which reduces the probability of rolling off the cliff. Eggs are usually laid directly on the cliff rather than in a prepared nest of vegetation. Most guillemot pairs were incubating an egg, evidenced by occasional thievery by ever vigilant and stealthy gulls. Foxes constantly patrol the base of some cliffs for eggs that roll from the nests above or an unwary adult. At least one fox was observed running away with a guillemot in its mouth. Air traffic was intense. Arriving and departing birds resembled a swarm of mosquitoes when viewed from afar and often glided close to our heads when departing or arriving. Before returning to the ship for lunch, we cruised past Vegafonna, a truly beautiful glacier that was also viewed by a single walrus. All in all, it was a spectacular morning! After lunch, we sailed to Torellneset for hikes. Torellneset is located on Nordaustlandet, home of the fourth largest glacier in Europe. It is a bleak landscape: a wide and mostly flat beach composed of grape-sized pebbles, some of which were frozen in ice and some forming small, circular cones. Mostly, however, it was like walking on a vast sand beach made of pebbles instead of sand. No vegetation was present on this highly unstable substrate. Swimming walruses greeted us, and we were able to walk several hundred meters to a small haul-out of 30-35 animals. It was mesmerizing to watch the enormous animals sleeping, squabbling, scratching, and shifting position by pushing aside or simply crawling over their neighbors. The immensity of their bodies simply must be experienced in person to fully appreciate it. After dinner, we sailed south for tomorrow’s adventures.
