BOLSCHEØYA AND EASTERN EDGEØYA
The small island of Bolscheøya appears out of the fog surrounded by a glassy swell. Dovekies fly in insect like swarms and puffins launch themselves from their cliff verandas.
We make our way around the southeast corner and find an adult polar bear lying on the raised beach looking down at us through the morning fog. As we return towards the ship several herd of walruses come to investigate our boats. We stop and spend some time with these blubbery beasts of the Arctic Ocean. Fog again closes the door to these memorable encounters, but we have returned to our safe haven.
In the afternoon, we find the pack ice as we travel north along the east coast of Edgeøya. The sun lights up the scene and helps us find a large male polar bear resting on a small floe of first year sea ice. We leave him as he resumes his aquatic travels and make a landing on Edgeøya and cruise with Zodiacs among the ice floes.
The late evening light illuminates the ice dotted ocean and leads us to two other polar bears, one feeding on a recently secured seal. We leave them to their meal as we continue to journey north.
