North Spitsbergen
Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive in Longyearbyen, on Spitsbergen, the administrative capital of the Spitsbergen archipelago of which West Spitsbergen is the largest island. Before embarking there is an opportunity to visit this former mining village. The Parish Church and the Polar Museum are well worth visiting, while in the country around the village more than 100 species of plant have been recorded. In the early evening the ship will sail out of Isfjorden.
Day 2
In the morning we visit Krossfjorden, taking a Zodiac cruise along the 14th of July Glacier. On the green slopes near the glacier, a colourful variety of flowers bloom, while large numbers of Kittiwakes and Brünnich's Guillemots nest on the nearby cliffs. There is also a good chance to spotting Arctic Foxes below the cliffs and Bearded Seals in the fjord. In the afternoon we sail to Ny Ålesund, the world's most northerly settlement. Once a mining village - served by the world's most northerly railway, which can still be seen - Ny Ålesund is now a research centre. Close to the village is a breeding ground for Barnacle Geese, Pink-footed Geese and Arctic Terns. Visitors interested in the history of the exploration of the Arctic will want to walk to the anchoring mast used by Amundsen and Nobile in the airship Norge in 1926 and Nobile in the airship Italia in 1928 before their flights to the North Pole.
Day 3
At Smeerenburg on Amsterdamøya, we visit the remains of a 17th century Dutch whaling station, the blubber pots now surrounded by hundreds of tree trunks washed ashore after floating from Siberia. The chief prey of the whalers was the Greenland Whale, often called the Right Whale because it was the right one to pursue, being a slow-moving animal which could be approached closely. The whalers hunted the whale almost to extinction. In the afternoon we visit the Little Auk colony of Fuglesangen, then sail past the 80th parallel to Moffen island on which Walrus haul out.
Day 4
Depending on the weather we may now sail to the mouth of Liefdefjorden and go ashore for a walk on the tundra of Andøya. Many Common Eiders and Pink-footed Geese nest here, and the rarer King Eider may also be seen. We hope to sail into Liefdefjorden, cruising near the 5km long face of the impressive Monaco glacier. The waters of the glacier front are a favourite feeding spot for thousands of Kittiwakes and on previous voyages Polar Bears have been seen on the glacier.
Day 5
Before turning south into Hinlopenstrait (if the pack-ice allows us) we will have reached our most northerly position. On and around the ice at the entrance to the strait there is a good chance of seeing Bearded and Ringed Seals, Polar Bears and Ivory Gulls. On the eastern side of Lomfjordshalvøya we take a Zodiac cruise through the ice floes to the bird cliffs of Alkefjellet. The basalt pillars, rising to hundreds of meters, and the overhanging ice cap with its waterfall are amazing. The cliffs are the breeding ground for thousands of Brünnich’s Guillemots. Finally, on the eastern side of Hinlopenstrait we intend to make an evening landing in Augustabukta on the island of Nordaustlandet, the most northerly of the major Spitsbergen islands. Here we may see Spitsbergen Reindeer (which is smaller than its mainland cousin and forms much smaller herds), Pink-footed Geese and Walrus, and visit a cliff where the rare Ivory Gull breeds.
Day 6
Retracing our route westwards we visit Raudfjord on the north coast of West Spitsbergen, a beautiful fjord with spectacular glaciers. It is home to Ringed and Bearded Seals, seabird colonies and a surprisingly rich vegetation. At Ytre Norskøya we visit a 17th century Dutch whaling site which has a large graveyard. The island also has an accessible breeding ground of Little Auks, Black Guillemots, Brünnich’s Guillemots, Puffins and Arctic Skuas.
Day 7
We sail south to the mouth of Isfjorden where we land at Alkhornet where seabirds nest on the cliffs and Arctic Foxes search the cliff base for fallen eggs and chicks. Also at the base of the cliffs Spitsbergen Reindeer graze the relatively luxuriant vegetation. The reindeer seem unbothered by human presence, but this is not really the case. The animals must survive the harsh winter, when temperatures plummet and food is hard to find, so they preserve what energy they can, fleeing only when it is absolutely necessary. In the afternoon we cruise through the beautiful Borebukta, following a glacier front before continuing to Longyearbyen.
Day 8
Return to Longyearbyen and disembark for the transfer to the airport and the flight to Oslo and home.
