Top of the World

We arrived into Longyearbyen, Svalbard’s capital at 7am. Unfortunately there was no time for sightseeing, just a quick breakfast and many goodbyes said to and our fellow explorers the expedition team and the crew. In fact I can never remember getting a big hug from a maitre’D—ess before when leaving a restaurant. The coach picked us up and our guide introduced himself…we were about to get the shortest and most northerly bus commentary in the world because the airport was less than 5 minutes away. He also said that the weather today (more sunshine, no wind and a positive heatwave at 12C) was the best they had had in Longyearbyen in three months. We wondered if he was joking but upon reflection thought probably not. The flight to Oslo was three hours. There were a few wonderful views taking off but unfortunately no photos as I didn’t have a window seat. Similarly, we had great views    over the Lofoten Islands to which we had traveled to before with Hurtigruten. Back on the grou...

Yes, there has been radio silence for 24 hours or so, not because I’ve had a touch of writers block but because MS Spitsbergen has to follow protocols in the settlement of Ny Alesund, the most northerly continually, inhabited settlement in the world. Or so it says in all the tourism blurb, and it was today’s first stop. This is because in Ny Alesund all radios, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity have to be switched off as it is primarily a science research base and any radio connectivity could interfere with with delicate research activity (he says, looking out of the window at the various aerials, radar domes and satellite tracking dishes dotting the shoreline). But before I get to today’s activities, a quick note about yesterday evening. After the usual roundup and briefing, the MS Spitsbergen cabaret troupe took to the stage. And very good they were too….all Philippino crew members. First was one of the receptionists who was very much in touch with his feminine side who sang a few sta...

First of all I’m pleased to report that the seas overnight were flat calm and I, along with everyone else we have spoken to, managed to get at least 10 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Anyway, we have two landings in Svalbard today, the first being Bamsebu on Ingebrigtsenbukta Bay. This settlement, if you can call one remaining little shack a settlement, used to be a small whaling stop. It’s a fascinating piece of history but also a sad reflection on the times as the bones of hundreds of beluga whales are piled up on the shoreline. We were able to look in through the window of the shack (it was habitable and used a few years ago by a couple of arctic journalists), and could walk along the entire length of the little sand and shingle spit. Bird life was abundant and we saw eider, purple sandpiper, arctic skua and snow buntings, to name just a few. There were also reindeer tracks and droppings and a very pretty purple arctic flower growing very close to the ground. At one point we were chat...

As we neared Hornsund fjord and our first scheduled stop at Burgerbutka the waves, and then the wind died down considerably, much to everyone’s relief. We dropped anchor just after lunch and then the decision was made that we could go ashore using the zodiacs. Under the Association of Arctic Cruise Ship Operators (AECO) rules, no more than 100 explorers should be ashore at any one time and as we narwhals had been first ashore in Jan Mayen, we were in group last ashore here.  We stepped off the zodiac on a small beach of dark sand. Several glaciers stretched to the sea nearby and, not surprisingly, we could only take a short walk along the beach and up through the snow to get a better view of the fjord. Our expedition team had already gone ahead to mark out safe routes and check for any other potential dangers, ie polar bears. None were sighted although we did come across some polar bear tracks. Slightly less benign but potentially just as deadly were icebergs floating in the fjord ...

Before I get on to Svalbard I am writing this post at breakfast time. Now I know I have mentioned the weather a few times before but the last 36 hours since leaving Jan Mayen have been awful in terms of wind and sea conditions and indeed, the last 12 hours have been horrendous.  The captain had warned that it wasn’t going to be a good crossing but the strength of the winds have surpassed his expectations. Overnight, we were facing them head on and it was like one continuous car crash….a small acceleration, a sudden stop, an almighty bang, loose objects in the cabin going everywhere and even us in bed were being tossed to and fro and back and forth. The noise sounded like we were being continually shelled (not the best analogy I know but I can’t think of any other way to describe it). Sleeping was impossible, even trying to rest was extremely fitful at best. As I write, we are approaching the coast and the conditions have eased a bit, but there is still a way to go. The strongest wi...

After leaving Jan Mayen island the weather quickly deteriorated. The sea became rather rough and the wind increased dramatically and the captain has announced that if anything conditions will deteriorate a little further right up until the time we reach Svalbard and thereafter. Thus we will not know until much later this evening, or even tomorrow morning, what the plans will be when we make landfall around lunchtime tomorrow. Watch this space! In the meantime today is a sea day and the usual presentations and activities continue throughout the day. We’ve done a “Lost at sea” survival exercise ( it’s ok, we knew enough to get rescued even though we might have been hungry and dehydrated), and attended a Q&A session with the senior officers. There is a talk about fulmars later….these white gulls have been following us, swooping and diving, ever since we left Fairlie a week ago.  The guests on board are a diverse bunch. We’ve chatted to people from Germany, Madrid, Pennsylvania, Wa...