Summer in Svalbard: Circumnavigating Spitsbergen

This post is part of my Summer in Svalbard series. The first two are Svalbard: 10 Things You May Not Know and Longyearbyen, Svalbard: Summer in the High Arctic.

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I’m not going to lie.

No matter how much I tell myself that there is more to Svalbard than seeing polar bears and that sighting is not guaranteed so “please keep it real!”, I still went to Svalbard with the hope (read: aim) of seeing polar bears.

So I chose the summer months to make the trip to the high Arctic. This would increase our chances of circumnavigating Spitsbergen. Through my readings on Svalbard, I found out many polar bears roam on the pack ice in search of food. Best to take the cruise! Cruises only operate in the summer though.

Whilst I normally rule out cruise trips, sometimes, there need to be exceptions to the rule. This was one. Faz and I joined GAdventures on board MS Expedition in August where we circumnavigated Spitsbergen island.

Day 1: Friday, 11 August

We were brought to Adventfjord pier at 16:00 where we were transferred to our cruise ship, MS Expedition via zodiacs. Once onboard, we were each given an ID card, we “swiped in” and made our way to our assigned cabins. Faz and I were in Cabin 210, a quadruple, sharing with Gabby and Jenny.

After just a few minutes, there was an announcement requesting all passengers to assemble in the Discover Lounge. Alex, our expedition leader gave a warm welcome and introduced himself and his team. This was followed by safety briefings and lifeboat drills. We listened attentively but at the same time prayed we never had to apply what we just learned.

Allesandra, our hotel manager gave an introduction and a glimpse into the rules and routines on our new floating home.

At 19:00, dinner was served. We were well fed whilst on board MS Expedition. Breakfast and lunch were buffet style but dinner was normally served. I found this great as it gave us the opportunity to mingle with our fellow shipmates.

After dinner, we went to collect our red expedition parkas. Whilst I opted to head back to our cabin to unpack and rest, some made their way to the Polar Bear Bar, some went to check out the gym whereas some chose to get out on the deck to feel the wind in their faces and kept an eye for wildlife.

Day 2: Saturday, 12 August

The first morning of our expedition found the ship cruising south through fairly calm seas. Despite that, I felt sick so I swallowed down a motion sickness pill even before breakfast. It helped me throughout the day.

At 09:15 we had a mandatory AECO and zodiac briefing in the Discovery Lounge. Alex explained what was expected of us on shore and in the zodiacs.

After our briefing, it was off to partake in a bio-security check in order to make sure that we weren’t carrying any invasive plant species into this delicate environment. With the steady warming of the environment, the Artic landscape becomes more and more susceptible to such invaders.

Next on our to-do list was acquiring our muck boots i.e. wellies.  The terrain in Svalbard can be varied and many times boggy and wet. These wellies, while no where near as fashionable as the Choo’s, were essential to our daily apparel in helping keep our feet dry. Function over fashion!

After lunch, everyone was so excited. We were supposed to have our first landing. However, as we motored into Hornsund (Svalbard’s southernmost fjord), the winds began to pick up and upon arrival at Gnålodden where we planned to land, the winds were gusting up to 55 knots. Severe winds like this make it nearly impossible to run an operation safely. Time for plan B.

With the winds coming out of the north, our options became limited. Luckily Alex knew of a great little bay with a spectacular glacier that was partially sheltered from the wind.

First, a few house rules. Every time we go on a zodiac ride, we would be called by walking groups: Walrus, Arctic reindeer, Beluga and Arctic fox. This was to avoid over crowding in the mud room. Both Faz and I were in Walrus. Before we step out of the ship, we will need to step in and out of a tray of disinfectant and swipe out our ID card. When we return, we will need to do the same thing: step in and out of disinfectant and swipe in.

This is what the mud room looks like.

Plan B consisted of a split landing. Half of us would go ashore while the other half would cruise the glacier, Hansbreen, then we would switch.

The bay was filled with icebergs of all different shapes and sizes. One such ‘berg had a perfectly smooth top that we learned was once the bottom of the glacier. You could see grooves that ran in one direction along it where the earth and stone had left their mark.

Despite the cold and windy condition, we were all happy to be outdoor.

Day 3: Sunday, 13 August

At breakfast, everyone was talking about how rough the sea was the night before. Mario, one of the expedition crew told how he woke up to having everything scattered on the floor. Both Faz and I were clueless. We slept through the night like a log and did not feel a thing! A blessing I think. Gabby and Jenny were like us too! Apparently, during the night MS Expedition was buffeted by high winds and short, steep seas. People recounted how the waves made the portholes look like high powered washing machines!

The ship rounded Sørkapp, the southern tip of Spitsbergen and headed back north to the top of Storfjorden. A zodiac cruise along the face of Negribreen was the operation for this morning. This is one of the largest glaciers on the island of Spitsbergen. It resembles an ice shelf but actually rests on the island which is below sea level in places due to the weight of the ice. The wind was cool and the waves choppy so we wove our way downwind to get lost in this exciting world of ice. Icebergs created by this glacier were particularly blue and each one was sculpted into an original work of art.

We warmed up again back on board as the MS Expedition headed to the northwest point of Edgeøya to a place called Kapp Lee or Doloritneset.

After lunch, four groups of walkers headed out to see the tundra.

Yellow marsh saxifrage was in flower adding some splashes of colour to the area.

We sighted a few reindeers but they were far away for us to really appreciate them. These reindeers were munching their way across the slopes, getting nice and fat over this short summer season.

A few Arctic foxes also put on a show. But again, they were far far away that we could only see them clearly through our camera zoom lenses or telescopes.

Kapp Lee is actually famous for walrus haul-out but luck was not on our side. Heidi told that a polar bear with blood stain down its front was sighted here a few weeks ago. They think that  polar bear might have had a walrus feast and scared all the other walruses away.

It was no secret that many of us went back to the ship feeling a bit let down.

The call we had all been hoping for was made after dinner. A polar bear had been sighted!

Me, Faz, Joy and Mike left our dinning table and rushed on deck.

Where? Where? Where? Where is the POLAR BEAR?????

WHERE?????

It probably took me five minutes to scan the area before I spotted a tiny white dot that was said to be the polar bear.

While the polar bear was on the beach, we were all on MS Expedition, not in the zodiacs. The was a huge distance between us…. You see the picture below? That was taken using my 300mm zoom lens and further cropped when editing.

I went to sleep that night praying that we’ll have better luck the next day. During the daily recap we were told that we’re heading to the ICE!

Day 4: Monday, 14 August

The minute I woke up, I peeped through the porthole. In my head I’d this image of pack ice everywhere. Er… no ice!

It was a grey morning but upon closer look, a thin line of white began to emerge on the horizon. Ice was ahead, just perceptible under a low shroud of stratus clouds.

The morning went on as usual. We had breakfast and later since ice was still up ahead, Gerard gave a lecture on ice and how the Arctic people take ice rather than land or water as their norm. Part way through, we entered a thick bank of sea ice. Gerard sensed that everyone was too excited to pay anymore attention to the lecture, so we were dismissed. We all took the opportunity to get on deck to marvel at the thick plates of multi-year ice, sometimes richly stained with algae, rubbed up against the hull of the ship, slushing their way along. For me, it was a sight like none other I’ve seen before. Silently, I said my thanks, blessed to be experiencing this moment.

It was apparent that a lot of the ice were broken and this made the journey forward a little difficult. It was decided to abandon further attempt to reach the pack ice. There was not much to be gained since polar bears don’t normally roam on broken ice.

After lunch Heidi and Tobias gave lectures on polar bears. I stayed in my cabin and napped. There was too much motion and I was getting sick so I tried to sleep it off.

When I awoke later, it was still drizzling outside. Despite a steady drizzle, some of us chose to stay on deck for the afternoon to observe Bräsvellbreen, part of the largest ice front in the northern hemisphere. On and on we sailed past ice cliffs thirty meters high. Waterfalls poured from the face sometimes gushing through holes at the base of the shelf.

After dinner we entertained each other with our favourite travelers’ tales, some funny, some sad and some prosaic.

Day 5: Tuesday, 15 August

The planned visit to Torellneset was called off due to sea ice so we headed for another suspected walrus haul-out at Ardneset on the island of Wahlbergoya in the Hinlopen Strait. Ashore there was the chance to explore the bleak landscape and the raised beaches. There were lots of plants, including tufted saxifrage, and a few bones of bowhead whales. During the ice age, Svalbard was under an ice sheet that pressed the land below sea level. Today, the bedrock is still springing back up. The bowhead remains we saw were from dead whales washed ashore thousands of years ago!

This time, we hit jack-pot with the walruses. When we got to the walrus haul-out, there were two groups of all males. Others were in the sea, relaxing and even swimming close to check us out.

Can you believe it that my dslr and iPhone failed me at this moment? My batteries died on me! With no gadgets to take photos on, I simply sat there and watched the walruses, trying to capture the moment and store those memories. The walruses are a funny lot!

Not hunted in Svalbard since 1950, they are now less wary than walrus in other parts of the Arctic. Towards the end of our stay, five curious walruses swam over to the edge of the water and, in a moment of role reversal, started observing us! I was sitting just along the waterfront so when the walruses started to come onshore, my reflex was to crawl back but we were told to stay put. At one point they were so close I felt if I were to reach out my hands, I could have patted them! It was a humbling wildlife encounter. The three youngest males followed us as we walked along the shore to the zodiacs.

That afternoon, we crossed Hinlopenstretet to a stunning location called Alkefjellet.

The mighty Alkefjellet is home to thousand of birds. The rugged dolerite cliffs are up to 100 metres high with deep fissures, steep gullies and stacks, covered in guano from thousands of birds.

Can you see those tiny birds on the cliffs?

We sailed the length of the cliff from the waterfall to the glacier then we launched the zodiacs to take a closer look. It was an amazing wildlife spectacle with thousands of flying and calling birds. It was already towards the end of the summer season so may have started to migrate but we still needed to watch out for bird poop!

We witnessed the first waves of guillemot chicks leaping down from the cliffs. They cannot fly and are called down by the parent, usually the male. Trying to avoid any predators, the chicks call with a high pitched squeak that is recognised by the parent. Over the next few weeks (if they survive), they will swim out to sea. The parent will feed and protect the chick until it can fly. This unique wildlife spectacle only lasts a few days and we were fortunate to be here at exactly the right time. In another week all the guillemots will have left the cliffs. Today was certainly a wildlife experience of a lifetime!

Day 6: Wednesday, 16 August

After a calm night at anchor, we set out in the zodiacs to see what we could find. My zodiac that day was driven by Kevin. He first took us to see kittiwakes.

I wonder what these two are hollering to the citizens below.

But the highlight of the day was yet to come.

Our expedition team has spotted what looked like small creamy white spots on the island of Lågøya! Could it be it? Yes! We were in luck. A polar bear! Wait, no. More than one? Two? No. Three polar bears lay close to one another: mama and her two cubs!

In near silence, we sat off shore and watched as the cubs gradually began to explore their surroundings with youthful curiosity. The happy me was sprawled low at the front of the zodiac, my finger busy clicking the shutter button on my camera. These bears are so adorable I felt like giving them a bear hug! Of course I was not allowed!

One of the cubs undertook his own expedition, looking to scavenge for tasty morsels across the top of the rocks. Hiding every now and again, he would pop up to look back towards his mother, then pause to look out to sea. Eventually, mama also wandered across to see what her cub had found, then had a sniff and sat down to clean her paws.

An hour or more passed without a word. Smiles radiated between zodiacs.

It was finally time for us to move on and we left the bears to their peace and solitude wondering whether or not mama bear would find enough food for her offsprings in the coming months.

After lunch, we went back out on another zodiac ride, this time to Phippsøya. We were split into  two groups: the hikers and the garbage pickers. As much as I wanted to help the environment, I wanted to hike more. We hadn’t gone far when it started to snow. Visibility worsened to a point where it was no longer safe as we could not see if any bears might be approaching. We were asked to turn around and head back to the beach. On our way back, as I was no longer a hiker, I turned myself into a garbage picker and started to pick up any garbage seen.

Whilst the hikers were off on our very short hike, the garbage pickers had done a great job.   Strewn across the beach were hundreds of shards of plastic and shredded fishing nets.

That day, we collected more than twenty sack-fulls of litters.

Below is a picture of one of the expedition crew keeping watch for polar bear danger. This is a common scene at every landing and each one of the crew carries a rifle.

As the snow fall became more heavy, Alex made a call to stop the operation. Safety’s first. We all headed back to MS Expedition.

Back on board the ship, Faz and I headed to the gym to check out the facilities – and hope to burn some fat.

After dinner, Chris entertained us all by hosting a round of Arctic bluff, a jolly night spent sitting in the warmth and comfort of our little ship as the snow fell silently all around.

Day 7: Thursday, 17 August

The captain and Alex decided that it was worth another attempt at the pack ice. So off we went that night. We sailed north. At one point, we were close to 81°N. The northernmost that I’ve ever been.

However, it may have not been the best decision. We’d all felt the ship pitching and rolling during the night. Upon rising, it looked like a wild world out there. At wakeup call, we were approaching the ice but a couple of things became immediately apparent. Firstly, the edge of the ice was being broken up by the winds and waves were coming out of the northwest. Secondly, the morning weather forecast showed a system passing through that looked as if it would be driving through the area all day. Alex and the captain decided there was nothing to be gained by staying so we set course for shelter along the north coast of Spitzbergen.

For me, the motion was just too much. I swallowed a pill and went to sleep. Miraculously, I woke up at lunch time!

The weather was still wild outside. The wind built through the morning to nearly a force-nine gale. It felt like we were on a mini roller coaster. I watched the waves hit the windows outside – our dining room is on the fifth floor! The kittiwakes and fulmars almost seemed to be enjoying themselves in the tempest zipping gleefully past the windows. Their oiled, dense plumage shrugged off the biting, damp icy wind. For us humans, it was another story. A couple of minutes out on the bow were enough to experience first-hand, the biting chill of an Arctic late-summer afternoon.

The best shelter looked to be Sorgfjorden so we headed in. Alex hoped we could make a landing at Crozierpynten where there were the remains of the Arctic Meridian Expedition and some whalers’ graves. But as we turned into the bay it became apparent that the wind was, if anything, intensifying. So again, Captain Sergey and Alex conferred and decided that the best course of action was to head further west and into another fjord system.

Late in the afternoon we found ourselves deep inside Woodfjorden at the magnificent Bockfjord.

There was enough shelter to anchor and enjoy the deep red sandstones, snow-dusted by the storm. We settled in for the evening to let the last of the bad weather pass.

At dinner both Faz and I sat a table with a group of expedition crew: Jamie, Jeff, Kevin and Mario. When I told them how I slept through the day trying to keep my motion sickness at bay and how I wished there would be a bit more sunshine, Jamie said “I bet we’d see ice calving first before we get some sunny spells.”

Then Jeff joked “I bet we’d see a blue whale first.”

Wooo!!!!

Later, Faz and I went to the bridge. MS Expedition has an open bridge policy. Anyone can enter – all you needed to do is knock on the door.

After a hard day at the office, the captain was having his well deserved rest. So I volunteered to take over at the wheel…

…while Faz took on the ever so important duty of scouting for polar bears.

Day 8: Friday, 18 August

Calm air and even a bit of blue in the sky was a welcome start to the morning. While we slept, the magnificent scenery of Bockfjorden had really opened out for us. To the east were the red Devonian sandstone hills. To the west was our landing site for the morning, a rocky hill with hot springs. As we went ashore, a curious bearded seal came in to have a look. The springs themselves, just a short hike up the hill, painted the pale clay with greens and ochres. Beyond we followed the rocky slope upwards. What looked to be a rubble rock slope had a remarkable diversity of flowers, mosses and lichens, a bona fide tundra soil ecosystem. Most of us climbed up to the shoulder of the hill while the sun pushed through more and more, giving us fabulous views of the bay and the glaciers to our west.

During lunch we repositioned further around into the Monacobreen fjord system, deep into Spitzbergen. The skies continued to clear as we arrived at the massive Monacobreen. The bay was filled with small bergs and brash ice lit obliquely by the late summer sun. The hour and a half planned for the afternoon zodiac cruise slid very pleasantly towards two hours.

But eventually  it was time for us to head back to our floating home… a scene where the zodiacs were queuing to off load passengers…

The evening’s ‘Embrace the Bizarre’ festivities were put on hold when, on our way out of the bay, a blue whale was sighted! OMG!!! Remember the bet from last night?! We’ve had a sunny day today and now a blue whale!

Another ship was in attendance but they moved off as we approached.

We were afforded an excellent view of this magnificent animal. A gang of kittiwakes followed along as the whale pushed plankton to the surface. It was big even for a blue whale, the high blow followed by the grey back that went on and on, like a passing train, before the tiny dorsal fin finally appeared.

The day was rounded off with a full embracing of the bizarre. Guests and expedition staff dressed up in their weirdest and the contest for best costume was hosted by the irrepressible Kevin.

The revelries soon rolled up to the bar where the crew band, the ‘Monkey-Eating Eagles’, rocked us through the evening.

Day 9

On our morning hike in Blomstrondhamna, we encountered polar bear footprints embedded in the muddy ground. The prints weren’t fresh (we suspected they might be a few days old) and the bear has roamed miles away. As a security measure, before each landing, the expedition crew would scout the area for polar bears. Only when it has been declared safe were we allowed to land.

Hiking to one of the many high points in these lands allowed us to look further. And in looking further across this frozen planet, we dream more and longer in our endless research into ourselves.

Some of us thought that the best way to fulfill this research was to feel on our skins the freezing waters of Kongsfjorden. So we took off our clothes and dived into the sea!

Ignore those ice. Don’t worry. The water is just 4°C!

I was contemplating the entire hike whether to do the polar plunge or not. Crazy, yes. But when else will I ever do this?! So I took off my clothes and dived into the waters too! And let me let you a little secret. I’m glad I did it.

Sailing through the icy labyrinth we passed the town of Ny Alesund, where Amundsen launched his balloon and arrived in front of the majestic glacier of Kongsbreen.

On the way we saw a seal sunbathing.

We dropped our entire zodiac fleet for the last glacier cruise of the trip.

The picture below was taken just a few minutes before gigantic pieces of ice calved with roars that were audible across the whole fjord!

Another bet was won!

Our eyes were glued to the glacier front, mesmerised by the grandeur of these glaciers and the sight and sound of the ice calving. But at the same time, were also bitterly reminded of how fragile the Arctic environment is – and that global warming is NOT a myth!

Don’t be fooled by the optical illusion. The glaciers are huge, towering us like skyscrapers.

See?

Even here, we were never too close to the glaciers. There was a good, safe distance – at least a few hundred metres.

Sometimes, living large means feeling small. We are small, far too small, and at the mercy of a nature so powerful we are reminded that we are simple guests on this planet governed by forces much bigger than ours.

It’s time to get back to the ship. On the way we cruised along the many icebergs, each a piece of art.

A bearded seal followed our zodiac all the way back. If you look closer at the picture, you will notice that the left eye is small – we think that the seal is blind in one eye. We suspect the seal is a survivor of a polar bear attack!

Before dinner, Faz and I went to the sauna to warm ourselves up.

Day 10: Saturday, 19 August

Our last full day with GAdventures began with a hike at one of Svalbard’s more placid and lush destinations.

Alkhornet is a place of deep black turf, rolling tundra crowned with a stunning bird cliff. After a short zodiac ride to the cobble beach and a scramble up to the plain, we came face to face with one of Spitsbergen’s friendliest animals, the Svalbard reindeer.

By staying together in small groups and moving very slowly, we were able to come quite close to these gentle herbivores.

Further along the walk, we spied Arctic foxes running across the plain. These foxes are small, perhaps the size of a dog. The one in the picture below was so cute. It tip-toed its way to sneak up close to the reindeer. Looked left and right, and tip-toed closer!

I imagine the fox was dreaming of reindeer steak for dinner. The truth is, they are not strong enough to attack reindeers. These foxes mainly survive on birds.

Probably that’s why Mr Rudolph didn’t feel threatened at all. He continued to munch the grass, his only concern was getting as fat as he could in the short summer months.

This fox was having a mid-morning siesta.

After lunch we repositioned to Skansbukta. We were divided into two groups: one going to the abandoned mine first and the other, to search for puffins. Then, we would swap. My group visited the mine first.

As we got on shore, we could see the remains of the mine workings lay strewn about the beach and a foreboding horizontal shaft still beckoned. The gypsum here turned out to be worthless anhydrite making the mine another in a long list of failed Spitsbergen mining ventures. A shipwreck and hut reminded us of a time long ago when men toiled here hoping to make their fortune.

The cliffs in Skansbukta rise above Billefjord. Puffins are still nesting here. Our group was able to see them swimming in the water.

Aren’t they the cutest thing?

We returned to the ship for a cruise back to Adventfjord. Before dinner, we joined the Captain’s farewell cocktail. It has been an exhilarating journey with many challenges but just as many rewards. A slide show by our photographer Jackie brought cheers as we recounted our adventure. Musician Kevin Closs debuted a song about Svalbard to another round of applause.

Some of us chose to disembark at midnight to catch the 02:00 flight out of Longyerbyen. But before we say goodbye, we gathered one more time after dinner in the Polar Bear Bar for a sing-along. We took wefies and now that we’re back to “civilisation” and have internet connection, we could follow each other on FB and IGs.

The “night” sky was painted with splashes of red. We were still in the summer period and experiencing 24-hour day time.

This is the moment when the clock stuck midnight and the sun was still out – a phenomena called the “midnight sun”. As it was the end of summer, at midnight, the sun was just barely above the horizon. In a few days, the sun will have set for the first time in three months.

Day 11: Sunday, 20 August

I didn’t manage to get much sleep. At 06:30, Alex’s gave our last wake up call. With his ever so calm voice he said, “Good morning ladies and gentlemen, it’s 06:30 and the weather outside is…” I miss his wake up calls.

The rest happened in a blur. Showered and got ready. A quick breakfast and then it was time to say goodbyes.

We disembarked MS Expedition at 08:00.

What I learned from the expedition:

1.  The Arctic is a desert.
2. Various birds: Kittiwakes, fulmar, guillemot, ivory gull etc – we even learned how to imitate their sounds.
3. “Salamat” is thank you in Tagalog.
4. Sneaking out on deck at midnight in your PJ is a bad idea.
5. Always check the cabin number before you entre!