Arctic Ocean, Northern Svalbard
In the search of the great white monster, the polar bear. Today, we reached the farthest north ever made by the National Geographic Explorer, N80o 47’, E016o10’.4, just 587 nautical miles from the North Pole, N90o.
Since 1596, many have aimed for the north and reaching the very top, the North Pole, almost became an obsession. In fact until today we still do not know who actually was first to reach this rugged iced point in the Arctic Ocean. It also laid to painful controversy not yet solved who was first.
As we were comfortably cruising between huge ice floes in our cozy enclosed ship, with our head waiter Gaylord announcing breakfast, lunch, and dinner, our special guest lecturer Borge Ousland really put a perspective on how to use the word “expedition”!
Borge gave us an insight on how he has single-handedly crossed the Arctic Ocean to the North Pole and even Antarctica using skis. To reach the North Pole using the ice, the window for any expedition is very narrow and it more or less has to be in April. Borge has pushed the edges and after he made this several times single-handedly, he went together with a companion and made the very first North Pole expedition in the winter.
His pictures and video clips really showed us what the sea ice in the Arctic Ocean is about. Enormous forces build up high pressure ridges, extreme storms, and polar bears that sneak up trying to get you or your provisions. Ice can rapidly move in the opposite direction that you want to head, creating a “treadmill” effect.
Borge is really following the standard set by two earlier and extremely skilled Norwegian explorers, Nansen and Amundsen. His next project he introduced to us today…an attempt to sail the Northwest and the Northeast Passages in one summer with a small sailboat. Here, speed will be the major concern.
We mainly spent the day in big floes of sea ice constantly looking for seals and white creatures. Our enemy, the fog, was on and off during the day. Here, on the edge of the Arctic Ocean, at the end of summer, with warm air from the south meeting cold air over the sea ice, an ideal condition for fog is produced.
We sighted harp seals, ringed seals, and even a bearded seal, but the desired white creature was not to be found…until we had only 5 minutes more to go on this day.
Just before midnight, our Expedition Leader made the delightful announcement, “Polar bear ahead of the ship.” The bridge officers slowly took us closer and a new day was to start with more adventures.
