We didn't do as many shore landings as originally planned as bears kept being spotted by the expedition scouts who thoroughly scanned the area by zodiac before any planned landing. Polar bears can be dangerous animals at the best of times but especially in summer when there is reduced sea ice for hunting seals and they are hungry. Any sign of a bear immediately scuppered any landing plans. When we did land, all the expedition guides carried guns and flares to keep us safe should a bear suddenly appear.
In total, we did 5 landings including two hikes and an amazing walk on a glacier. It was lovely to stretch our legs on terra firma after being on the ship and yet another wonderful way to get up close and personal with the Arctic landscape and wildlife.
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| Ulyana, expedition guide and ice scientist, keeping an eye out for polar bears! |
Shore landing 1: Exploring Skansbukta
Our first landing was Skansbukta, on the side of Isfiord, just north of Longyearben. Skansbukta is located in a bay which is nicely protected from the wind. Under the impressive cliffs of Skansen, there is a narrow beach terrace with a weather-beaten cabin. North of the cabin are remains of a gypsum mine that once was active here. The mine was worked from 1918 but only for one season. It was reopened in 1930, but closed shortly after when it was determined that the area is dominated by anhydrite and not gypsum. We got to explore the area for a couple of hours and the more energetic amongst us climbed the hill for panoramic views of the bay and our ship in the distance. We also got our first sighting of reindeer, lazing on the grass nearby.
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| Our first view of the impressive cliffs of Skansbukta |
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| Our first landing onto land by zodiac |
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| The cabin on the beach |
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| An abandoned boat. So photogenic! |
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| Twisted railway tracks, part of the abandoned gypsum mine |
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| Tanya enjoying our first landing |
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| My first sighting of reindeer. It wasn't very energetic! |
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| Flowers on the slope |
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| Climbing the hill... |
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| ...for views of the bay and ship |
Shore landing 2: Hike at Kap Lee
Due to bears, we weren't able to do our first hike until day 7 so being the keen hikers we are, we were very excited when the opportunity arose. Being hardcore, we opted to join the "long hike" group led by Howard, our expedition leader who was the filmmaker that accompanied Greg Mortimer on his ascent of Mount Everest.
After coming ashore at Kap Lee, Ben, the historian on our expedition, told us some of the history of the Pomor people who had occupied the site and then we went to a small lookout to see the walruses hauled out on the adjacent beach. There were around 50-70 big animals near the water's edge, not far from the old huts on the wide sandy beach. We then ventured further up and inland past a group of Svalbard Reindeer who were grazing on the green tundra quite close to where we were passing, followed by an enjoyable and brisk hike up a steep slope for awesome views over the ocean. So lovely to stretch our legs and get the heart pumping again! Tanya got a bit pooped on the way up but Gavin helped pull her up. What else are boyfriends for!
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| The beach at Kap Lee |
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| Huts on the shore |
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| Walrus on the beach with our ship behind |
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| Our hardcore hiking group! |
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| A lovely sighting of Svalbard Reindeer |
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| Walking and talking with one of my heroes, Peter Eastway, Australia's most renowned landscape photographer. How wonderful to have on the expedition! |
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| Gavin giving Tanya a pull up. The pace up the slope was pretty brisk! |
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| Climbing up and down the steep slope |
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| Hardy local flora growing amongst the slate |
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| A valley running down the side of the slope |
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| This rock that looks like a stack of plates has been cracked multiple times by frost. |
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| Slate at the top of the slope |
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| Tanya very happy to be back down! |
Tanya getting stuck!
Shore landing 3: Glacier walk
In the afternoon after the hike above, we headed west across Storfjorden to the main island of Spitsbergen to find a location for our afternoon's activity. In the end we settled on a small bay where the Arnesen and Bereznikov glaciers come together and spill into the waters. It was going to be a zodiac cruise until Howard, our intrepid expedition leader, managed to scout around and find a very small bay at the edge of the glacier where we could land and take a short walk up onto the margins of the glacier itself. Surrounded by a very different landscape, with hummocks of dark moraine left by the retreating ice, and driving through coffee-coloured water laden with silt and mud, it was a very memorable expedition. One of the my favourite experiences of the entire trip in fact. Gavin made use of the unusual location to do a lesson with Ulyana, the expedition's ice scientist and glacier expert. How many teachers can say they have conducted a lesson from a glacier!
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| The muddy water at the base of the glacier where it meets the fjord. The mud is glacial sediment. |
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| The mud made for some wonderful patterns |
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| Someone said it looked a bit like brain tissue ! |
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| Here you can see where we landed onto the glacier by zodiac |
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| A stream of melt-water trickling down the glacier |
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| Walking up the glacier in single file as a safety measure |
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| You can see the glacier is not pristine white but full of sediment: a sign of an old glacier |
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| Here you can see just how full of sediment the glacier is |
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| Gavin and Ulyana do a lesson on the glacier, filmed by Richard |
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| Exhilarated to be in such a unique landscape |
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| Back down at the base of the glacier |
Shore landing 4: Exploring the bird cliffs of Gnälodden
The lovely glen of Gnälodden welcomed us on a clear, sunny day. The kittiwakes were calling stridently from the cliffs and wildflowers ran rampant on the slopes. It felt good to be alive.
Ben, our historian, invited us to explore the historic hut where female trapper Wanny Wolstead spent several winters in the 1930’s. Her story is immortalised by the book "Cold Coast" by Robyn Mundy, an author who has spent time as an expedition guide for Aurora. The description of the book on Amazon is as follows:
"In 1932, Wanny Woldstad, a young widow, travels to Svalbard, daring to enter the Norwegian trappers’ fiercely guarded male domain. She must prove to Anders Sæterdal, her trapping partner who makes no secret of his disdain, that a woman is fit for the task. Over the course of a Svalbard winter, Wanny and Sæterdal will confront polar bears, traverse glaciers, withstand blizzards and the dangers of sea ice, and hike miles to trap Arctic fox, all in the frigid darkness of the four-month polar night. For Wanny, the darkness hides her own deceptions that, if exposed, speak to the untenable sacrifice of a 1930s woman longing to fulfil a dream."
Sounds amazing. I've added it to my book list.
The sunny, mild conditions continued through the afternoon, inspiring us to climb the steep slopes and get closer to the cacophony of the bird cliffs. When I reached the base of the cliff, Peter Eastway was already there and we lay together on our backs and attempted to photograph the flying birds. It was uncomfortable and very challenging but a real thrill to be in such esteemed company.
On the way down, I spent more time admiring the flowers. A plethora of insects went about their business visiting the flowers and even mating - all part of life's frantic activity during the short Arctic summer.
We certainly have been been lucky with abundant bear sightings during our voyage but it felt like we were in luck that the big furry animals were elsewhere this afternoon, allowing us a special few hours ashore in such a special place.
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| How is this for a beautiful setting! |
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| The historic hut where female trapper Wanny Wolstead spent several winters. Brrrr! Not exactly luxury accomodation. |
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| Abundant flowers on the slope embracing the short summer. So beautiful. |
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Walking up the steep slope to the base of the bird cliff
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| Looking back as I climbed, I was greeted by this view. |
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| Here is Peter Eastway photographing birds circling the bird cliffs. I promptly joined him! |
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| Birds flying to and from their nests on the cliff |
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| Nesting birds |
Thousands of birds flying to and from the bird cliff
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Me with my wonderful lens, courtesy of dear Michael's generosity.
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| The view from the base of the bird cliff. So beautiful! |
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| After filming a lesson on insects and pollination in the Arctic, Gavin and Richard came to join me |
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| You could see our ship in the distance |
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| Walking back down the hill but not really wanting to leave. |
Shore landing 5: Hike at Stynpeinten
On the final day of our expedition, we did a landing at Stynpeinten where we did our 2nd and final hike of the expedition Once again, we opted to join the more hardcore group with expedition leader, Howard. The terrain was rather barren and featureless: a vast expanse of Arctic tundra. In winter, the tundra freezes and some remains frozen all year which is one of the reason you don't find any trees in the Arctic.
