Spitsbergen Island, Norway
National Geographic Explorer came to anchor between two islands, Fuglesongen (“The bird song”) and Kloviningin (so named for the cleft that cuts though the island), just south of eighty degrees north latitude. With blue skies and a gentle breeze, conditions were perfect for Zodiac explorations.
The islands, with their ruggedly steep topography, beds of green moss set against snowfields, waterfalls and cascades, provided a striking background. Our hope was to spot birds, especially Atlantic puffins and dovekies (little auks). Both were seen in strong numbers, flying, on land and resting on the water. Puffins, with their colorful beaks, seemed to be the real stars. Common eiders, barnacle geese, great black-backed gulls, black-legged kittiwakes, arctic terns and snow buntings were among the other sightings. Reindeer climbing almost impossibly steep snowfields caught our attention. One group of seven included a very young calf and an adult with an impressive rack.
The afternoon started with a shock for the dozens (!) of people who braved the ice-cold Arctic waters in front of Svitjodbreen Glacier, in Nordvest-Spitsbergen National Park, to take the Polar Plunge. Most of us looked on with awe and a bit of wonder. There was plenty of good cheer and some warm cocoa for the swimmers as they came back on board.
The final afternoon of our voyage was spent at sea, with a nonstop view of spectacular landscapes. There was more to come. Sighting distant blows, we changed course and headed out to investigate. We came upon more than we expected. Fin whales and humpbacks were actively feeding. More than twenty whales accompanied by hundreds of sea birds were harvesting the abundance of the ocean. What a magical way to end our expedition!
Thanks to the exceptional capabilities of our ship and especially the masterful seamanship of Captain Skog navigating through the pack ice, we completed our circumnavigation of Spitsbergen Island and headed back towards Longyearbyen.
