At Sea to Hornsund, Spitsbergen
Through the sun-filled hours of the night we made our way southward from Isfjord along the western side of Spitsbergen Island. We were blessed with continued clear skies and calm seas that aided our search for marine mammals in the deeper waters offshore. During breakfast several groups of white-beaked dolphins were sighted as they surfaced again and again near the bow. Soon thereafter, whales were encountered and the captain made a slow approach so we could enjoy closer views. These were fin whales surfacing quite peacefully on this lazy summer Sunday. With gentle maneuvers we eventually had one whale rising from the depths into view right beside the ship. Without any riffle of wind on the water’s surface we gazed in awe at the entire length and slenderness of this magnificent whale surfacing to breathe.
We then angled our course back eastward toward the island, making our way into a region of fjords known as Hornsund. The beaming sun now glistened off snow fields rimming the high peaks all around. In addition to its scenic beauty, Hornsund is also a favorite haunt of polar bears, and it was not long before the first bear was sighted on a broad expanse of shore fast ice in an arm of Hornsund known as Brepollen. Ice floes cluttered our path, and they ground against the ship’s hull as we slowly pushed our way closer to the bear. Initially there were two bears meeting on the ice, but they soon parted ways as our approach continued.
We paused briefly to admire a very trusting bearded seal that lay on the edge of a floe directly in our path. We backed off, and steered around the seal, continuing into the fjord for closer views of one of the bears. This was an adult female bear sporting a satellite tracking collar placed on her by the Norwegian Polar Institute whose researchers are studying the movement patterns and habitat requirements of these far ranging creatures.
After the bear wandered well away along the ice edge, we set out to explore this icy landscape by kayak and Zodiac. The mirrored surface of the fjord created perfect reflections of the ice forms and the surrounding peaks and glaciers. Black guillemots paddled among the floes, and an occasional bearded seal surfaced to peer at us with curiosity.
As the sun continued its great circle around us, we gathered in the ship’s lounge for the Captain’s Welcome Aboard Party where our host, Captain Oliver Kruess, entertained all with his delightful wit and charm.
