Recherche Glacier and Van Mijenfjord, 5/3/2022, National Geographic Resolution
Aboard the
National Geographic Resolution
Arctic
On our last full day of the expedition, we awoke to rays of sun shining through the cloudy skies. National Geographic Resolution headed east into Bellsund in the very early morning, and then farther east to the southernmost of two fjords, called van Keulenfjord.
The temperature was minus 10°C or 14°F, and there was a slight wind of 8 knots from the west.
A scout team was sent ashore to establish a landing site among the big pieces of ice pushed against the shore by the wind. We walked along the scouted route to a moraine hill to get a nice look at the Recherche Glacier.
After a well needed lunch, we navigated past the narrow island of Akselöya into van Mijenfjord for a ship’s cruise. Even though it was a bit foggy, we spotted two polar bears on the ice close to the north shore. The bigger of the bears tried to stalk and chase some reindeer, a rare and unusual sight!
Henrik has been diving for almost 30 years and as a Rebreather Instructor Trainer he is teaching all levels of recreational and technical diving up to Advanced Trimix CCR. He is a keen wreck diver and has been involved in deep wreck expeditions all o...
Tak tak tak tak…yes, the weather forecast was right, and the magic atmosphere of last night’s sunshine has left in its place a grey and overcast sky. Pulled by gravity, the tiny raindrops reach the decks of National Geographic Resolution as she sails through the waters of Hornsund, the southernmost fjord in the island of Spitsbergen. Tak tak tak tak… Nevertheless, the mood onboard is one of intrepid polar explorers, and we enjoy views of ice on the mountain slopes. The 30 knot winds do not make it easy to stay out on deck, but for those brave enough to expose themselves to the Arctic conditions, this is a great opportunity. Tak tak tak tak… The first part of the morning passes with important briefings from expedition leader Stefano Pozzi about AECO guidelines for traveling in polar bear habitats. This is followed by the biosecurity process: we want to make sure we are not importing any seeds to the Svalbard environment. As we sail by the head of the fjord near a glacier known as Brepollen, our bridge team spots a majestic polar bear walking on fast ice. We are all excited by this amazing sight so early in our trip, and we enjoy watching this incredible animal in his natural habitat. Thanks to today’s weather, we can appreciate the tough conditions endured by the species who live here. Tak tak tak tak… After a lovely lunch, it’s time to prepare ourselves for the first landing of this voyage. We go for some beautiful hikes in a place known as Gnålodden. This is a cliff, home to thousands of nesting kittywakes. Gnålodden also has historical importance since we can visit a very well preserved trappers’ hut. Our sense of wonder is awakened by a few Arctic foxes that feel perfectly at ease in our presence as they hunt for eggs below the cliff. Watching them running and moving around is a real treat that few people are lucky enough to experience. We are so thrilled with the experience that we don’t even notice the rain has stopped: its sound is now replaced by the wind and the voices of thousands of birds: kittiwake, kittiwake, kittiwake… Upon returning to the ship, we enjoy a beautiful speech by Captain Martin followed by a welcome cocktail and a lovely dinner. As we sail out of the fjord, a few rays of sun start shining upon us and the wind drops down a bit. Maybe this is only our impression, but never mind. We are in Svalbard. The night won’t come.
As we sail through the channel between Spitsbergen and Prins Karls Forland, we experience a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment. We are on the last operational day of this memorable journey. As we slowly approach the walrus hauled out in Poolepynten, we recall the incredible moments we have experienced in the past 14 days. But it’s our turn to get in the Zodiac and head out for the last beautiful exploration of the journey. The air is almost still; as we round the headland, easily recognizable thanks to two big navigational marks, we sight the majestic walruses we have been expecting. We stop our Zodiacs just in front of the haul out. We are in the perfect position to experience everything the sight of these animals has to offer. They are very active, and it’s a pleasure to look at them. The gentle breeze carries their intense scent, bringing us even closer to them. We continue our Zodiac exploration along the shoreline of the island in an extremely cheerful atmosphere. When we return to the ship, naturalist Karl Erik Kilander gives a very interesting talk about the history of Norwegian polar explorers, Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen. After a good lunch and a lovely talk on polar bears by naturalist Kerstin Langenberger, we are already sailing towards Isfjord, the biggest fjord system in Svalbard. Here, we explore some of its northern branches while looking for wildlife on the fast ice that, at this time of the season, still surrounds most of the glacier fronts. We spot some nice walruses, ringed seals, and Svalbard reindeers in the distance. Before we even notice, it’s time for our Captain’s Farewell. We celebrate together the great success of the voyage, and we share the amazing memories of the past two weeks with one another. We then enjoy a wonderful slide show by our photographer Carlos Navarro, and we finish up this amazing day with a lovely dinner. As we sail towards Longyearbyen in the late hours of the evening, we experience our last bright polar night. We don’t want this to end.
