Spitsbergen Odyssey by Emma Savage

Spitsbergen Odyssey

BOB HEIL

MAUREEN GILBERT

11â&#x20AC;&#x201C;21 July 2011

Polar Pioneer Cruising to the heart of nature

Day 1

Longyearbyen Monday, 11 July 2011 Lat. 78° 08'N, Long. 12° 53'E

Course

262°

Speed

10 knots

Barometer

1037 hPa & steady

Wind

10 knots from the SW

Air temperature

5°C

Sea temperature

4.9°C

IAN NELSON

Position 2120 hours

Lifeboat drill

By Sue Werner My goodness, it’s a long way to Longyearbyen! The excitement itched at our inner emotions as we flew over Svalbard. The last plane eventually put everyone in town. What surprises will this Arctic frontier hold for us?

the requisite high-fashion garments we will be using each day from now on! The evening was majestic as we cruised down Isfjorden, eventually turning northwards along the western

flank of Prins Karls Forland escorted by gliding fulmars. We have now entered the land of the midnight sun, no more darkness for quite some time!

The Polar Pioneer peacefully sat alongside the wharf as we anxiously waited to come on board. It was the start of our expedition. Our expedition leader, Ted, greeted us at the gangway welcoming us to our new home for the next 10 days. Everyone quickly settled into cabins, stowing clothing, navigating through the convoluted stairways, finding their way to the bar, dining rooms, and preparing for the adventure ahead. We lifted the lines and eased way from the wharf into Adventfjorden and then turned left into the beautiful Isfjorden. Ted and the gang started the ball rolling by giving us all a warm welcome in the bar. In a flurry of activity the lifeboat drill was on; orange life jackets clutched by all; into the lifeboats we went. ”What an experiences it was”! Al gave his kayakers a briefing, fitting them all out in their waterproof attire.

DAG NEVESTAD

Dinner was a fine feast from our wonderful chefs, Gray and Tim, served by our lovely Russian stewardesses, Elena, Elvira and Anastasia. The great gumboot affair took place in the lecture room, as we tried and tested An early map of Svalbard

Spitsbergen Odyssey, 11–21 July 2011

Day 2

Signehamna; Lilliehöökbreen Position 2100 hours

Lat. 79° 19'N, Long. 11° 37'E

Course

193°

Speed

10.2 knots

Barometer

1009 hPa & steady

Wind

4 knots from the SW

Air temperature

7°C

Sea temperature

5°C

IAN NELSON & TANYA VANDYK

Tuesday, 12 July 2011

Bearded seal

By Sue Werner and John Kirkwood

The tundra was carpeted with exquisite lichens, mosses and wildflowers.

DICKIE DUCKETT

There was a lot to remember for our first Arctic excursion: dressing, gumboots, then the lifejacket, backpack, cameras, oh, and don’t forget to turn your tag. The kayakers gathered together on the stern deck to prepare for their

IAN NELSON & TANYA VANDYK

Overnight we sailed north with the Gulf Stream along the western edge of Spitsbergen. Ted’s dulcet tones echoed over the speakers this morning, and if we were not already out ogling the scenery, it didn’t take long. We cruised deep into Krossfjorden to an anchorage at Signehamna, a small bay below a very impressive bird cliff. To prepare us for the adventures ahead, Ted, John and Henrik briefed us on Zodiac operations, how to avoid being eaten by a polar bear, and how to enjoy our interaction with the Arctic flora and fauna whilst causing minimum disturbance.

Kittiwake

DEBBIE JACKSON

PATRICK ENDRES

Northern Fulmar

Groups of kittiwakes bathed in the fresh water and snow buntings danced upon the rocks. This was also the site of a secret German weather station built in 1941 and then destroyed in 1943 by Norwegian commandos. All that remains is a pile of historic debris! Henrik led a walk over the boulders and undulating terrain and circumnavigated the lake called Hajeren. On the way back to the ship we cruised under the bird cliffs with lots of kittiwakes circling above us. Beneath the cliffs were hanging gardens of mountain sorrel, Arctic mouse-ear chickweed and scurvy-grass draped over the proterozoic phyllite rock at the waters edge. After lunch Captain Yury piloted Polar Pioneer up Lilliehöökfjorden. Our plan was to make another landing in the afternoon, but plans change. The 4

HENRIK LØVENDAHL

first paddle. The rest of us took to our Zodiacs and headed to our landing site. It was an interesting spot to walk and enjoy the surrounding scenery. The tundra was carpeted with the most exquisite mosses, lichens and petite wildflowers as well as the fascinating patterned ground called polygons – natural phenomena created from the freezing and thawing of the permafrost over hundreds of years.

Lilliehöökbreen

sea conditions looked so inviting, and the shattered ice front of the chaotic Lilliehöökbreen (Lilliehöök glacier) provided such a spectacular backdrop of blue and white, that we decided on a Zodiac cruise instead. We boarded our small vessels and dispersed along the glacier front to watch the regular ice calving. Lilliehöökbreen creaked and cracked with the occasional loud bang and splash alerting us to new calvings of ice. We then made our way along the glacier front, where we encountered large flocks of kittiwakes and Brünnich’s guillemots as well as smaller numbers of black guillemots, fulmars, glaucous gulls, Arctic terns and even a flock of barnacle geese conducting a synchronised flying drill over our heads. Tiny ringed seals and

moustachioed bearded seals watched from the water, occasionally coming closer to inspect us. One bearded seal was trying to relax on a small berg but was rudely dumped into the sea when a nearby glacier calving generated some large waves. Finally, the thought of warm showers and a tasty dinner lured us back to the ship. While we were out enjoying ourselves, Anna, Gray and Tim had prepared some yummy punches and canapés for captain’s drinks: our official welcome aboard Polar Pioneer from Captain Yury Gorodnik. Our drinks waiter, Olav, offered punch to everybody as they arrived, and Ted impressed us all with his knowledge of Russian as he proposed a toast to the ship and its crew.

Spitsbergen Odyssey, 11–21 July 2011

Day 3

Reinsdyrflyn; Woodfjord; Monacobreen; Andøyane Position 2200 hours

Lat. 80° 00'N, Long. 14° 21'E

Course

12°

Speed

10.2 knots

Barometer

1006 hPa & steady

Wind

8 knots from the NW

Air temperature

4°C

Sea temperature

5°C

By Sue Werner What a day! It began with several polar bear sightings on Reinsdyrflya (Reindeer Flats) in the immense Woodfjorden.

Photographing the bear family

her slumber and followed the same route along the foreshore, when suddenly Dag spotted another bear (No. 7) coming from the direction that the mother with the two cubs had gone. This bear was making great speed across the tundra, smelling the air with his nose held high; he then spotted the mother and her cub, standing up on his back legs to take a good look at her. She changed her direction and they avoided each other. Our cameras bulging with unforgettable images, it was an amazing morning. Back on board we headed deeper into Woodfjord, seeing big whale blows on the horizon. It was a couple of fin whales; these monstrous beauties are the second-biggest whale, ranging from 25 to 27 metres in length and weighing nearly 100 tonnes. We also saw a few minke whales,

BOB HEIL

From the ship we could see a mother with a cub and another bear following in her footsteps. Earlier a mother bear and two cubs were also seen heading inland. It was way too exciting to be sitting on board the vessel viewing these bears through binoculars. Ted made the call, and straight after breakfast we found ourselves in the Zodiacs, heading across to get a closer glimpse. We approached cautiously and quietly downwind from the mother with the two cubs as they walked along the beach looking for anything appetising to chew on. It was so thrilling to be in their presence as they ambled along ignoring us. Meanwhile the other mother with the single cub rose from

PETER STANSFELD

Wednesday, 13 July 2011

Baby bear

DEBBIE JACKSON

DANA SCHMIDT

Monacobreen

The trio

which are much smaller, weighing up to 30 tons. We left the whales and cruised into the western arm of Woodfjord, called Leifdefjorden. After a delicious pasta lunch we were back on deck to take in the majestic scenery of Liefdefjorden. At the end of the fjord was Monacobreen, with towering, blue ice cliffs backed by jagged icy peaks. We did a ship’s cruise along the glacier; there were hundreds of foraging kittiwakes, glaucous gulls, Arctic terns, and ivory gulls added spice to the experience.

he had wandered up from the beach and sat for a little while before heading towards the sleeping bear. The sleeper awoke, and we all watched as the two bears approached each other. However, they seemed intent on keeping their distance from each other and ourselves, so after a bit more searching and some bird photography, we headed back to the warmth and conviviality of Polar Pioneer. After dinner we navigated north to Moffen Island, passing some minke whales on our way to see the walruses at 80° 00’N.

AL BAKKER

As Polar Pioneer eased away from Monacobreen and squeezed through the narrow channels around Andøyane

(Duck Islands) there was still much to see. We spotted another bear on one of these small islands so launched our Zodiacs and kayaks to go take a look. The bear we had seen from the ship was no longer on his little island, so some of the Zodiacs went to look at a sleeping bear on another island. Sue saw a swimming bear approaching that island (perhaps the bear we had seen from the ship?) so hung around to see what he would do. The people on Sue’s Zodiac were treated to a close-up look at the swimming bear and watched as he left the water and exhibited himself on the beach. By the time the other Zodiacs arrived

Monacobreen

Spitsbergen Odyssey, 11–21 July 2011

Day 4

In the ice Position 2030 hours

Lat. 80° 32'N, Long. 18° 37'E

Course

187°

Speed

10.3 knots

Barometer

1001 hPa & steady

Wind

24 knots from the NW

Air temperature

2°C

Sea temperature

2°C

TANYA VANDYK

Thursday, 14 July 2011

Kittiwake

By Sue Werner

The ship headed north into the polar pack ice, which was fairly loose at first. As we meandered our way through the floes, we saw a few bearded seals. Eventually, we reached thicker pack ice that stopped Polar Pioneer in its tracks. We had reached our most northerly position at 81° 10’N 20° 04’E, about 540 nautical miles from the north pole. Ted decided to stay put for a while to see if any large white furry visitors would appear. A large number of people braved the cold out on the bow and up on the flying bridge, scanning the horizon through binoculars and hoping to claim the promised bottle of champagne for being the first to spot a polar bear. As no bears were forthcoming, Ted offered to deliver his lecture ‘A primer to the wildlife of Svalbard’. This proved to be a very informative talk, featuring excellent photos and a broad coverage of the birds and mammals of this wonderful place. We only had time for a couple of questions after the talk before Henrik interrupted with the welcome news that

DEBBIE JACKSON

It was a calm, overcast morning as we headed northwards into the ice to see what we could find. Large groups of harp seals splashed and frolicked between the ice floes. The harp seal is the most abundant pinniped in the northern hemisphere. Its common name refers to the distinctive, horseshoe-shaped saddle on the backs of adults, which resembles a lyre or a harp.

In the ice

the people who had missed the lecture and remained on the bridge had been rewarded with the sighting of a polar bear in the distance. At last a polar bear on the ice! The lecture theatre emptied in record time as everybody raced for their favourite bear-watching vantage point. We had a grandstand view of the bear as he slowly wandered closer, sniffing the air as he inspected the ship. His yellowish coat stood out clearly against the white ice. This happened right at lunchtime, so lunch was a little spread out, as people chose their moment to leave the bear and go downstairs to eat. We left the bear as he wandered further away into the ice as it was time for us to head back south. After lunch, Anna opened the ship’s shop for a bit of retail therapy, and Patrick gave an interesting talk on the use of Lightroom for logging and filing photographs, which proved very helpful to all who attended. In the late afternoon there was time to relax, read, check the hundreds of photo’s taken over the last couple of days and to catch up on some zzzzzs. Anna’s ‘Northern Exposure’ cocktails went down well before we set off to the dinning rooms for a delicious Indian chicken curry.

IAN NELSON

“Good night, good people”.

Polar bear on the ice

Day 5

Faksevågen; Wahlenbergfjorden Position 2100 hours

Lat. 79° 39'N, Long. 19° 50'E

Course

parked in ice

Speed

0 knots

Barometer

1004 hPa and steady

Wind

5 knots from the S

Air temperature

6°C

Sea temperature

0°C

IAN NELSON

Friday, 15 July 2011

Purple saxifrage

By Anne Oyasaeter and Robyn Wootton OMG!!! What a day, and just when you thought day three couldn’t be surpassed … Ted’s wakeup call of “Good morning shipmates” came at 0700 followed by our usual hearty breakfast at 0730. Today’s special was boiled eggs and chocolate Danish pastries.

Our Zodiac drivers safely returned all to the ship in time for a delicious lunch of vegetarian nachos with

PETER STANSFELD

Our first activity for the day was a Zodiac landing at Faksevågen, a sheltered western arm off the Lomfjorden. There we split into three groups, depending on interest and desire to exercise. Henrik made it clear that the first group was doing a brisk walk and, while there would be opportunities to take photos; anyone who wished to stop and take many photos should join the second group. Henrik and Ted set off with 18 walkers, heading in the

direction of the mountains from where they climbed to the top of the hill and viewed the Gullfakse Glacier. All enjoyed some chocolate that Henrik had removed from the bar, unbeknown to Anna, who found out as she was part of the mountain-climbing group! Sue, John and Patrick took the second group for an often interrupted stroll along the lower levels of the slopes. Photographers on their knees or with behinds in the air took many hundreds of photos of the beautiful flora from purple saxifrage and moss campion to yellow Arctic whitlow-grass and hairy lousewort. A few others stayed close to the Zodiacs with Dr John where they also admired the wildflowers.

Faksevågen

Celebratory drinks to toast our ‘beary’ wonderful day were consumed in the bar, followed by another delectable dinner. The documentary, Masters of the Ice, was screened in our exclusive Cinema 1 while others retired to their rooms or the bar.

JOHN REEKIE

Our much awaited visitor

Polar bear posing on ice at the port bow

AL BAKKER

cheese and sour cream, miraculously prepared by Gray and Tim, who went on the mountain climb. A siesta time followed lunch until Henrik presented ‘The Bear Facts’, a very informative lecture on polar bears illustrated with magnificent close-up photos. Little did we know what the remainder of the day would bring. Towards the end of the lecture, Ted interrupted on the loudspeaker to announce that Polar Pioneer was entering a vast area of fast ice in Wahlenbergfjorden. Everyone crowded all vantage points on the outer decks and bridge after another announcement was made that, on the horizon, had appeared our much awaited visitor, a polar bear ambling towards Polar Pioneer. This was the fulfillment of a lifetime dream for most of us. As we watched, enthralled, our bear meandered towards us, in and out of sight as it went behind small icebergs. Walt Disney or MGM could not have scripted the scenario better! It was a perfect performance. Finally, to the joy of all, the bear approached the port bow and posed on an iceberg to the clicking of shutters, with over 10,000 photos taken by more photographers than required to film a movie. All faces lit up and smiles abounded. This day proved to be one for lost photographic equipment. In addition to the converter, these two intrepid authors dropped their cameras while ashore. All except one camera was retrieved with Al literally ‘walking on ice’ to recover the converter for a very relieved owner. The camera joins a pair of Ted’s binoculars that was lost on his previous trip to Nordaustlandet.

CHRIS PERRY

Spitsbergen Odyssey, 11–21 July 2011

Paddling in calm water

Day 6

Alkefjellet; Svarlberget Position 2300 hours

Lat. 79° 36'N; Long. 18° 29'E

Course

139°

Speed

5 knots

Barometer

1009 hPa and rising

Wind

nil

Air temperature

6°C

Sea temperature

0.5°C

BOB HEIL

Saturday, 16 July 2011

Glaucous gull looking for trouble

By Dickie Duckett As a wildlife photographer with a particular interest in birds, I was really looking forward to visiting Alkefjellet with its towering cliffs – the breeding place for hundreds of thousands of Brünnich’s guillemots (thick-billed murres). I was not disappointed! Although a technical problem with the ship’s crane prevented lowering of the Zodiacs, the ship steamed past the cliffs several times in smooth and sunny conditions, and there were plenty of opportunities to photograph the guillemots as they flew to and from the cliffs, often in large formations. Many were also sitting on the water and took off as the ship approached. To build up flying speed, they ran on the water for several metres before getting airborne, and the splashes added an extra dimension to the picture. Other birds simply dived under water and, looking down from the bow, one could see them swimming underwater where their short wings are very effective. It was hard to decide whether to stay on the lower deck to watch these birds or climb up to the top deck for a better view of those flying past. I climbed the stairways several times! Scenically, the majestic cliffs provided a spectacular backdrop, with their vertical columns of basalt topped with snow and with a glacier behind them.

mass (up to two tonnes) and long white tusks made an impressive sight. We then steamed the three-hour journey back to Alkefjellet, and after dinner set off on the Zodiacs for a closer view of the guillemots and their breeding cliffs. The water had by now become mirror calm, and the guillemots carried their reflections with them as they flew low over the water. Close in to the cliffs, we got a wonderful view

HENRIK LØVENDAHL

At about 10.30 it was decided to set off down the fjord to the south-east in search of walruses, while the ship’s crew fixed the hydraulics problem. Over lunch, we heard the good news that the engineer had managed to make a new part and we were to go for a landing. Until now we had only had distant sightings of walruses, and I looked forward eagerly to seeing them up close. We found a small group on a sand spit near Nordaustlandet. We approached them slowly in stages and found around 12 of them lying on the shingle. From a range of about 40 metres we were able to take photographs of them as they tossed and turned and occasionally got irritable with their neighbours. The creatures, with their pale-pinkish skin and small, rather bloodshot eyes, were certainly not beautiful, but their huge The bird cliffs at Alkefjellet

Spitsbergen Odyssey, 11–21 July 2011

of countless birds on their breeding ledges tiered one above the other rather like some enormous wedding cake.

EDMUND FELLOWS

There was continuous activity as the birds passed to and fro. One bird misjudged its downward flight path and bounced off the pontoon of one of the Zodiacs before continuing on its way. Not all was calm and beauty – here and there a glaucous gull was feeding on a dead guillemot. Whether the gull had killed it or had found it already dead was an open question. An Arctic fox was briefly sighted, and we also saw black guillemots on the cliff ledges as well as breeding glaucous gulls, one with a chick. For me, the most beautiful element was the birds on the water. They were curious and often approached right up to the Zodiac. There were also many small pieces of floating ice, and occasionally we came across one or more guillemots resting on them. These scenes provided wonderful photographic opportunities, both as close-ups with reflections, or as the focal point for a wider seascape.

Brünnich’s guillemots

PATRICK ENDRES

At around 10.30 p.m. we returned to the boat with the light helping to paint a magical scene. We had achieved a great deal in the day, and our experience with the walruses earlier in the day seemed a long time ago. Cruising beside the bird cliffs

LES SHARP

DANA SCHMIDT

The evening Zodiac cruise would, in itself, have made a memorable day but, together with our morning experience at Alkefjellet, and our time with the walruses made it a very special day – I only hope that my images can do it justice!

The walruses tossed and turned and occasionally got irritable with their neighbours.

Flying underwater

Day 7

Vibebukta; Torellneset Sunday, 17 July 2011 Lat. 79° 36'N; Long. 19° 08'E

Course

308°

Speed

6.6 knots

Barometer

1009 hPa and steady

Wind

10 knots from the NE

Air temperature

4°C

Sea temperature

0.1°C

BOB HEIL

Position 2200 hours

By Kevin and Lois Schneemilch

Svalbard poppy

Sue

EDMUND FELLOWS

We had an early Zodiac trip ashore at 9.00 a.m. to the plains of Vibebukta. Near where we landed were ice cliffs from the Austfona ice cap which is the biggest in Svalbard. The beach was of gravel of varying sizes with the usual big holes caused by icebergs blown onto the beach and now melted. Beyond the beach were

occurring. The jawbone in particular seemed immense, but then so did the vertebrae. Sue led a number of the group to look at the tiny and exquisite plants growing in such harsh and seemingly inhospitable terrain. The plants are

HENRIK LØVENDAHL

We started the day with a late breakfast, perhaps because it was Sunday but maybe because we had a late finish, night-viewing the beautiful bird cliffs. At breakfast my neighbour remarked that she was feeling tired; I said that I was too. The pace of some days on this tour has been tiring but also well worth the effort.

Quite relaxed

large flat areas that we were told were previously the sea floor and covered by glaciers, but since the glaciers had melted the sea floor had gradually risen. Here we found ancient whale bones from the period before whaling was

HENRIK LØVENDAHL

Overnight the Polar Pioneer had turned back due to the amount of pack ice in the southern end of Hinlopen Stretet. The revised plan was to head northeast towards Vibebukta.

Life is good

JACK BAYLES

Spitsbergen Odyssey, 11–21 July 2011

Is this my good side?

HENRIK LØVENDAHL

all in miniature form to withstand the freezing environment, but some of the animals, such as the whale and the walrus, use their size to enable them to cope with the cold. Dag was able to leave his pirate persona behind and assist those who wanted help in understanding the geology of the area and to identify some of the abundant fossils that could be easily found. We were able to identify fossils of shells, corals, small tube-like creatures and others. There was a family of geese living in a small lake there with about five little goslings. It was an interesting outing that was less physically demanding than some due, in part, to the balmy weather and lack of wind, and it was more relaxing because of it. People were discussing how we could be open to our senses and surroundings in such a setting but not in a place such as a

All lenses ready ... aim ... fire!

city. Others talked about how amazing it is to think about the changes to the earth that have occurred over long periods of time. After lunch we had time to relax for a while before again boarding the Zodiacs to go to shore at Torellneset. This time we were going to view about 200 walruses that were cuddled together on the beach. As with our previous visit to walruses, we marched in formation toward the animals; we were under the command of Sergeant Henrik, and the manoeuvre was completed in text-book fashion. There was a lot of heavy artillery in the shape of the paparazzi’s huge cameras. If digital photos could kill there would be no living thing within a radius of 100 kilometres. The walruses were quite relaxed about our close proximity to them. They gave us an occasional curious look when they could be bothered moving, but otherwise they continued to relax with determination. The walruses that were in the water were more interesting to watch. They were moving about in the water and initially were closer to the other walruses, and at times they appeared to be considering joining the resting group. After a while they seemed to become aware of the strange creatures further along the beach and came along to investigate. They started to swim up to the water’s edge and look at us. When people, led by Sue, sat close to the water’s edge the walruses were almost eyeballing them. It was exciting to see these wild creatures show no fear of us and to see them interact with people in such a natural way. The walrus that was most curious was a 13

DANA SCHMIDT

Fossils at Vibabukta

The Sunday theme continued over dinner with roast beef and great Yorkshire pudding followed by a very tasty tart. All seemed to be edging toward a quiet, restful night (for the passengers at least) when the call went out that whales had been sighted. A lot of people quickly appeared, filling the bridge and the edges of the bow with the usual array of big cameras. Two humpback whales were within 100 metres of the boat for a while. They moved away but continued to feed in our view for about 45 minutes in all. After this we were able to retire without disturbance as the ship continued on its course. The end of another busy, interesting and fun day in the Arctic.

TANYA VANDYK

young male whose playful behaviour with a bigger, older male was fun to watch, and it was interesting that he (the older walrus) seemed to show a high level of tolerance for the younger one. The older walrus seemed keen to have a relaxed day; he lay on his back in the shallows allowing the light wave action to sway his body. It was a comical sight to see. Although this was very interesting and offered great photo opportunities to those who had little resistance, it was very cold with a bitter wind blowing. Some of us left after judging that the main action was over. We returned to the warmth and comfort of Polar Pioneer for hot drinks and showers.

Barnacle geese

Say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cheeseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Spitsbergen Odyssey, 11–21 July 2011

Day 8

Fuglesongen; Svitjodbreen Monday, 18 July 2011 Lat. 79° 45'N, Long. 11° 29'E

Course

at anchor

Speed

0 knots

Barometer

1010 hPa & steady

Wind

nil

Air temperature

6°C

Sea temperature

3.2°C

DICKIE DUCKETT

Position 2145 hours

Little auks at Fuglesongen

By John Kirkwood The sun was shining, the wildlife was out in force, and even the glacier turned on a show. We awoke to Ted’s announcement that we would be going ashore shortly after breakfast to look at the tiny little auks (or dovekies) at the aptly named island of Fuglesongen (bird song). Before landing, the requisite bear patrol went ahead to give the all clear. While just over half the group opted to land and watch the birds, a large contingent decided to take a Zodiac cruise around the island or off to Holmiabukta to have a look at the fin whale skeleton. A whale carcass had washed ashore there a few years ago and had attracted bears for a few seasons before it was eventually consumed. One lonely bear had showed up at the skeleton, and was snoozing nearby. A highlight of the Zodiac cruise for most people was the sighting of many puffins flying around Fuglesongen or resting on the water nearby. Meanwhile, the shore party

had made its way slowly along the rugged rocky shoreline to the edge of an enormous little auk colony. These delightful birds took to the skies in great squealing, wheeling flocks as we approached but soon returned to the rocks close to where their eggs lay. Little auks lay their eggs in deep crevices between the rocks that are so tiny that even the foxes can’t get at them.

In the afternoon little did we know how special our Zodiac cruise was to be when we boarded what was intended to be a 2-hour cruise to Svitjodbreen, the glacier at the top of Fuglefjorden. Our Zodiacs and kayaks spread out to see what we could find, when came the message from Ted that he had spotted a polar bear on a distant tiny island. Our Zodiac flotilla slowly approached the bear from downwind and watched a furry, but rather skinny, bear as he patrolled the island. Eventually he crossed to the

BOB HEIL

JOHN KIRKWOOD

We returned to the ship to the announcement that we would have to opportunity to take a polar plunge in the icy cold waters of Fuglefjorden. This is just one of those silly things that some people feel compelled to do. A surprisingly large number, including passengers, staff and crew, decided to take the plunge. Hardened

nutcases plunged into the water from either the bottom of the gangway, led by that intrepid polar explorer, Olav, or from the top following the trend set by the always-adventurous Anna.

Puffin

Expeditioners on a bergy bit

CHRIS PERRY

JACK BAYLES

Watch out, kayakers!

Posing for the paparazzi

other side of the island and swam to a nearby smaller islet, where he pounced on something hidden from view – probably some unfortunate bird or chicks that hadn’t been quick enough. BOB HEIL

We then headed up the fjord to the magnificent, and quite active, Svitjodbreen. This scenic glacier cracked and popped, then sent great masses of ice crashing to the water in a series of spectacular collapses.

Fuglefjorden

By Paul Corrigan A Conversation Between Two Bears, Overheard On July 18. Bear 1: Those humans make me laugh, they really do.

As if the day wasn’t full enough, we were treated to a magnificent BBQ dinner in one of this planet’s most spectacular settings. This was a great opportunity to relax, socialise, trade stories of the day and wave at a passing French yacht wearing our silly hats.

Bear 2: What now? Bear 1: They went up to Fuglesongen today, you know, where all the dovekies are? Bear 2: I remember Fuglesongen. We had dinner there the other night. Bear 1: And they didn’t get hold of one bird! They just sat there, watching and clicking, for hours. Their pouncing skills need serious work. Bear 2: It’s not their fault they aren’t as quick as us. They can’t run like us or swim like us … Bear 1: They tried to swim today though! They must have heard about my swimming abilities and wanted to imitate me – perhaps the little Auks told them how good I am in the water. Those little Auks are a bit awed by me. Bear 2: Uh huh. Going back to the humans … Bear 1: Oh yes! Quite a few of them plunged off their big floating rock and into the water! I thought they might at least swim ashore and hunt for seals but they just climbed straight back onto their rock, and they seemed to be shivering. A bit ordinary really. Bear 2: It does sound funny though. Did you take any pictures? Bear 1: No, but the kittiwakes did. They thought it was hilarious. I might ask them if we can get copies.

DICKIE DUCKETT

Bear 2: It sounds like you had a full morning while I was napping.

Barbecue on the aft deck

Bear 1: There’s more! I figured they might like to see me in action, knowing how awed they are by me. Bear 2: Are we talking humans or dovekies now? Bear 1: Everyone’s awed by me! So when the humans got off their big

Spitsbergen Odyssey, 11–21 July 2011

floating rock and into their buzzing rocks, I thought I’d make their day by demonstrating how paddling in the water should really look, and I did a few laps between the islets. Bear 2: And were they awed? Bear 1: Well, there wasn’t the applause I was expecting, or the compliments – they were totally silent. Except for the clicking – there’s always the clicking. So when their buzzing rocks started to move off, I saw a few more of them who were paddling in the water, and decided I would give them a personal performance. Bear 2: What did you do? Bear 1: I followed the paddlers down the fjord! Bear 2: Not again! How many times have we been through this? Just leave the humans alone! They’re probably looking for a good spot to hibernate. Bear 1: Good luck with that. It’s impossible to get any sleep around here with that Svitjodbreen Glacier cracking and collapsing everywhere. I’m actually surprised it didn’t wake you today. At one point, those gigantic cracking sounds, as loud as gunshots or thunder, were happening every half hour. Bear 2: Now that you mention it, I can hear noise – what is it? That’s not the glacier collapsing. Bear 1: I’ll peep over the ridge… it’s the humans! They’re standing on their big floating rock and there’s lots of noise and food and drinks… and they’re wearing funny party fur on their heads. I think … I think … Bear 2: You think what?

Bear 1: But I want to see their funny head fur! Bear 2: Don’t worry. The kittiwakes will take lots of pictures. They’ll get close-ups and everything. Bear 1: What if they don’t let us have copies? Bear 2: Shouldn’t be a problem… you like kittiwake kebabs, don’t you? The conversation between A. Bear and A. Nother-Bear was transcribed by Paul Corrigan.

Arctic Turkey The History Some Antarctic explorers of old found themselves isolated and with bourbon, Lifesavers and time on their hands. They stuffed Lifesavers down the neck of the bourbon bottle, allowed them to dissolve, and served the mixture over glacial ice chunks. Thus the Antarctic Old Fashioned was born. The Arctic, meanwhile, was missing a native drink … until now. Ingredients Wild Turkey bourbon Arctic mints Curacao White Gummi Bear to garnish.

Method 1. Insert mints into the neck of the bourbon bottle. Shake and allow to sit. 2. Place glacial ice chunks in a shot glass. 3. Pour the bourbon mixture over the ice. 4. Use a teaspoon or straw to carefully layer a small amount of Curacao over the bourbon. Note the formation of brash ice. 5. Garnish the shot glass with a white Gummi Bear. 6. Enjoy!

STEVE SCHWARTZBERG

Bear 1: I think they’re adding more fur to their heads to try to look like me! I should go and say hello!

Bear 2: You can’t. We have a seal joining us for dinner and we’re not going to keep him waiting.

“I should go and say ‘hello’.”

Kevin, Lois and Edmund

Jack and Ian

GINA BAYLES

IAN NELSON AND TANYA VANDYK

Anna plummeting

Don and Joan

Leslie and Dahlia

IAN NELSON & TANYA VANDYK

Patrick plunging

IAN NELSON & TANYA VANDYK

TANYA VANDYK

IAN NELSON & TANYA VANDYK

IAN NELSON AND TANYA VANDYK

AL BAKKER

STEVE SCHWARTZBERG

The Polar Plunge and Barbecue

Chris pointing

Kim, Tan and Ko

Dickie

Spitsbergen Odyssey, 11–21 July 2011

Day 9

Fuglehuken; Möllerfjorden Tuesday, 19 July 2011 Lat. 79° 03'N; Long. 11° 15'E

Course

236°

Speed

11.4 knots

Barometer

1007 hPa & dropping

Wind

6 knots from the NW

Air temperature

8°C

Sea temperature

7.1°C

JON HUNTER

Position 2050 hours

Puffin lift-off

By Sue Werner The weather gods have certainly been good to us. It was such a beautiful sunny day! There were a few sleepyeyed expeditioners this morning after the wonderful back deck BBQ in the midnight sun. Our planned morning outing at the 14th of July Glacier was thwarted by an unexpected ship that had already started their operation. Ted, being flexible, decided to come back later in the afternoon. Captain Yury changed our course towards the northern tip of Prince Karls Forland to a place called Fuglehuken (Bird Point). William Barents named this point after the bird colonies on the high cliffs of Barentsfjellet way back in 1596.

Al, who was kayaking with Chris, had stumbled upon a colony of harbour seals of at least 100 individuals, just off the beach. Harbour seals are quite shy, and they love resting on rocks. We approached quietly and got good views of them basking in the sunshine. Arctic skuas and snow buntings tagged along on our walk. After this walk, we headed back to the ship for a hamburger lunch. It was an interesting place with something for everyone! The 14th of July Glacier was to be our afternoon landing. Again, it was busy with another ship, so we continued up Krossfjorden to a place on the

PAUL CORRIGAN

We were escorted by puffins to our landing site on the cobbled, raised beach below the massive cliffs. We walked over a carpet of mosses and lichens with clumps of miniature wild flowers – in particular the tufted saxifrage, scurvy grass, Arctic mouse-eared chickweed and Arctic chickweed, just to name a few! Lots of driftwood lay on the raised beach along with bits of plastic rubbish, which we collected and filled Dr John’s orange bag. We visited sites of the whalers, Pomors and trappers who once used this point and its surrounding waters. Dag told us about the history of this site and the cultural remains that we saw brought

it all back to life. At the ruins of the old trapper’s hut Dag showed us the remains of an old, armed polar bear trap – a wooden box with bait and a short-barrelled rifle with a piece of trip-wire connected to the trigger. If a polar bear smelled the bait in the wooden box and placed its head in the box to bite the bait, it would shoot itself in the head as soon as it pulled on the bait. This method was devastating to the polar bear population. In 1973 all polar bear hunting and trapping was banned in Svalbard. A bit further up the beach we saw the whalers’ graveyard, with 38 graves all facing towards the east and the rising sun.

Old trappers hut, Fuglehuken

LES SHARP

corner of Mรถllerfjorden where we knew of a small puffin colony. It turned out to be a much better place for puffins than our intended spot. The puffins wheeled around us in the sky, sat on the water or perched on ledges. Their colourful beaks were striking in the intense evening light. It was amazing to get so close and to enjoy their comings and goings! It was a perfect afternoon: no wind, blue skies and amazing 360-degree views of mountain scenery. Some of the Zodiacs crossed Mรถllerfjorden and saw several groups of reindeer grazing on the hillside, including some large males with impressive antlers. We all made it back in time for our delicious duck dinner.

TANYA VANDYK

LARRY JACKSON

Harbour seals Fuglehuken

Puffin portrait

JACK BAYLES

Black guillemot

Mรถllerfjorden

Spitsbergen Odyssey, 11–21 July 2011

Day 10

Skansbukta; Gipsdalen Position 2150 hours

Lat. 78° 14'N; Long. 15° 36'E

Course

at anchor

Speed

0 knots

Barometer

1002 hPa & steady

Wind

18 knots from the E

Air temperature

7°C

Sea temperature

5°C

JOHN REEKIE

Wednesday, 20 July 2011

Olav’s special award

By Sue Werner bar. We then proceeded to our final mouth-watering dinner from Gray and Tim; what an amazing job they have done in keeping us well fed. After dinner we all gathered down in Cinema 1, where Patrick had prepared a superb slide show of our best images of the voyage. This proved to be a fantastic way to recap the voyage and remind us of all the fun times we have enjoyed, not to mention the amazing luck with which we have been blessed in terms of the astonishing wildlife encounters and benign weather.

When we got back a hot shower was on the agenda before our captain’s farewell drinks in the bar. Captain Yury and Ted bid us all a fond farewell; then Ted and Al handed out certificates to the Polar Plungers and kayakers, respectively. Olav Ramage received a special award as honorary staff member of both Aurora Expeditions and Cheesemans’ Ecology Safaris for his willing work in the galley and the

Expedition staff Dag, Sue, John, Al and Anna

JOHN REEKIE

During lunch we repositioned to the spectacular Tempelfjord for a ship cruise. The mighty mountain, Tempelfjellet, had eroded into long scree slopes leaving spectacular protruding towers backed by glaciers at the head of the fjord. It was time for some of us to go for a bit of a walk at Gipsdalen. This pretty valley consisted of a long series of raised beaches and was well-vegetated, providing food for grazing reindeer. One male decided to come and investigate us, while the does and calves continued to feed on a well-vegetated hillside. The views were stunning, with wonderful vistas of the surrounding mountains. It was a wet and wild ride back to the ship, and a fantastic way to end our incredible voyage.

JOHN REEKIE

During the night we entered Isfjorden, Spitsbergen’s largest fjord system and home of Longyearbyen. After nine days out exploring Svalbard, our voyage was nearing its end. The barometer had fallen overnight, but despite that we had lovely weather in the morning. We had a leisurely morning landing at the beautiful Skansbukta, the site of an old gypsum mine. This mine operated from 1920 to 1930 but never really took off. The old remains gave us a good insight into the mining activities of that period. We spread out in small groups to explore this amazing place, with its wonderful flora and interesting history. Dag informed us of the history, Sue conducted a flora walk and Patrick gave a landscape photography workshop. The exquisite Boreal Jacob’s Ladder was blooming in all its glory; patches of purple mingled amongst the stony scree. We headed back to Polar Pioneer for lunch and to finalise our shipboard accounts, consigning our bar sins to our credit cards.

Captain’s farewell

JOHN REEKIE

Dag and Henrik, Skansbukta

JOHN REEKIE

The Captain’s Farewell

Don, Joan, Joey and Mimi

JOHN REEKIE

Debbie and Larry

Tom, Patty and Paul

Wendy, Peter, Anne, Angela and Tony

Spitsbergen Odyssey, 11–21 July 2011

Day 11

Longyearbyen Thursday, 21 July 2011

Pirates of the Polar Pioneer

Position 0800 hours

Lat. 78° 09'N; Long. 12° 12'E

by Dag Nevestad

Course

at anchor

Speed

0 knots

Barometer

1005 hPa & steady

Wind

5 knots from the W

Air temperature

6°C

Sea temperature

3°C

By Sue Werner

For walrus and whales, – there is a certain feeBlow high, blow low, and so sailed we! But there are some chances; –That they will come to thee, All along the coast of the Arctic Sea Ted looked up to windward, Henrik looked to lee! Blow high, blow low, and so sailed we! Then Henrik cries out: “Walrus! For all of us to see!” All along the coast of the Arctic Sea!

PATRICK ENDRES

Our journey was drawing towards its end as we anchored off Longyearbyen. We had travelled 1131 nautical miles and had seen 16 polar bears. We all came together from near and far and banded together, so now were about to leave as one. We had all enjoyed amazing experiences in so many different ways, and will hold all the memories close to our hearts. We’d like to say a very special thank you to you all and our excellent crew for an absolutely wonderful voyage.

There was a gallant ship, The Polar Pioneer Blow high, blow low, and so sailed we! A-looking for the creatures, – wherever they might be All along the coast of the Arctic Sea

The group

ANGELA & TONY ROBERTSON

Sea Kayaking Summary by Al Bakker

Day 1– 5.0 km

Day 7

Day 2 – 8.0 km

Vibebukta – no paddle. Anchored 1.6 miles out and had short outing ashore. Torellneset – no paddle. Fantastic walrus experience. Two groups, perhaps a hundred walrus and for more than an hour with several in the water who played foot tag with people sitting on the beach.

Longyearbyen – No landings Morning: Signehamna. Flat calm, overcast. Used Zodiac to beach and went over paddle strokes and rudder check. Followed coast under bird cliffs, looped into bay and back to ship. Afternoon: Lillyhook Glacier. Glassy, overcast. Paddled along ice front. Very active. Short walk up on glacier. . Some medium sized calvings.

Day 3 – 6.7 km Morning: entrance to Woodfjorden. Six or seven bears, two mums with cubs. Zodiac cruise, no paddle. Fin whales and minke. Ship cruise Monaco Glacier. Afternoon: Andoyane I. Two bears on island, short paddle with bear views but not close up.

Day 4 Morning: Ice Exploration. No paddle due to wind and few open leads. Afternoon: Bear spotting in ice at 82 degrees north. One bear. Arrived Lagoya; some walruses but 20-knot onshore winds, so no paddle.

Day 5 – 5 km Faksevagen. Short paddle to mouth of bay up small creek to beach. Walked up ridge for reindeer views and tide went out, A short tow through mud. Ship’s cruise into Wahlenbergfjorden, Fantastic bear encounter as bear on fast ice walked right up to ship. No paddle.

Day 6 – 18.5 km Morning: outing cancelled when crane broke. Afternoon: Near Augustobukta. Easy paddle along shoreline to walruses. Then paddled back to ice flow for ‘tea on ice’ before cruising back to ship in dead calm sea. 8km. Evening: Alkafjellet. Glassy conditions, no wind, paddled to glacier and along bird cliffs. Chef Gray and Anna came out for some company. The calmest conditions I have ever paddled here. 10.5. 24

Day 8 – 20.6 km Morning: Fuglesongen. Circumnavigated clockwise from the southern end. Little auks in their glory. Reindeer on shore but quite timid. Calm conditions with blue sky and a very scenic paddle. 10.6 km Afternoon: Fuglefjorden to Svitjodbreen. Gorgeous paddle in glassy conditions, lots of brash and a polar bear hunting on the islands. Bear was catching birds and allowed us to get within 10 metres of it. Then paddled up to left hand side of glacier for afternoon tea on a hill with expansive views. Cruised along ice face before heading to ship and BBQ. 10 km.

Day 9 – 16.8 km Morning: Fuglehuken. Nice easy paddle along convoluted shoreline until we found a group of over 70 harbour seals. They came out to play and entertained us for half an hour. Tea on the seaside. Blue sky and calm conditions until we paddled to the ship in a small chop. 9 km. Afternoon: Krossfjorden, Mollerfjorden. Left ship on drift and paddled towards a puffin colony, then continued in glassy conditions across Mollerfjorden for reindeer viewing and afternoon tea on the beach. 7.8 km.

Day 10 – 6 km Morning: Skansbukta. 10 knots picked up to 15 knots. Paddled out of the bay underneath lovely bird cliffs with puffins, guillemots and kittiwakes. Then back to end of bay for short walk. Three reindeer with one very old one with broken leg. Zodiacs did short outing but no kayaking. Cleaned gear.

Total of 11 paddles for 86.5 km

TOM WALTON

EDMUND FELLOWES

Spitsbergen Odyssey, 11–21 July 2011

30o E

20o E

10o E

ARCTIC

OCEAN

Sjuøyane Kvitøya Lagøya o

80 N

Moffen

dfjo

NORDAUSTLANDET 11 13

nlo

Wo o

6 5

rde

Vijdefjorden

Storøya

PRIN

S P I T S B E RGEN

ndet

R S FO

LAND

jo Isf

EDGE ø YA

Storf

jorde

Bellsund

Hornsund

Sørkappdya

Total Distance = 1131 nautical miles Total polar bear count = 16

SVALBARD 26

LAN

Abeløya Kongsøya

Svanskøya

24 1 Longyearbyen

ntfjord

G IN

S RL

BARENTS ø YA

n rde

ije Van M

77o N

Ny Alasund

ndsu

Fordla

RL S KA

St 12 ra 16 ta t

100 km

ord

fj juv

Spitsbergen Odyssey 11–21 July 2011 Sites Visited 1. Longyearbyen 2. Signehamna (walk) 3. Lilliehöökbreen (Zodiac cruise) 4. Reinsdyrfyla (7 polar bears) 5. Monacobreen (ship cruise) 6. Andøyane (3 polar bears) 7. Moffen (walrus) 8. Furthest north 81° 10.45’N 9. Faksevågen (walk) 10. Palanderbukta (polar bear) 11. Alkefjellet (ship cruise) 12. Augustabukta (walrus) 13. Alkefjellet (bird cliffs) 14. Ice edge 15. Vibebukta (fossils) 16. Torellneset (200 walruses) 17. Fuglesongen (little auks) 18. Fuglefjorden (polar bear) 19. Svitjodbreen (BBQ) 20. Fuglehuken (harbour seals) 21. Puffin cliffs (Zodiac cruise) 22. Skansbukta (gypsum mine ) 23. Gipsdalen (walk) 24. Longyearbyen

Spitsbergen Odyssey, 11–21 July 2011

Bird Sightings ‘Polar Pioneer’ 11–21 July 2011 Days This Species Seen |

July (ib)=irregular breeder Red-throated Diver Northern Fulmar Pink-footed Goose Barnacle Goose Brent Goose Common Eider King Eider Long-tailed Duck (Oldsquaw) Svalbard Ptarmigan Ringed Plover Dotterel (ib) Golden Plover (ib) Sanderling Dunlin Purple Sandpiper Turnstone Red-necked Phalarope Grey (Red) Phalarope Pomarine Skua (ib) Arctic Skua Long-tailed Skua (ib) Great Skua Sabine's Gull Herring Gull Glaucous Gull Iceland Gull Great Black-backed Gull Kittiwake Ross's Gull (ib) Ivory Gull Arctic Tern Common Guillemot Brunich's Guillemot Black Guillemot Razorbill (ib) Little Auk Atlantic Puffin Wheatear (ib) Redwing (ib) Starling (ib) Snow Bunting Number of Bird Species Each Day:

1 1

1 1 1

1 1

1 1 1

1 1

1 9

1 10

1 6

2 11 2 4 1 6 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 1 0 6 0 2 0 0 11 0 0 11 0 4 7 0 10 6 0 6 8 0 0 0 5

Mammal Sightings ‘Polar Pioneer’ 11–21 July 2011 2011

SHIP LOCATION

SPECIES

EST.

Minke whale Polar bear Polar bear Polar bear Reindeer Polar bear Fin whale Minke whale Polar bear Minke whale Walrus Harp seal Ringed seal Bearded seal Polar bear Ringed seal Fin whale Polar bear Ringed seal Walrus Reindeer Harp seal Harp seal Walrus Arctic fox Ringed seal Harp seal Polar bear Walrus Humpback whale Polar bear Polar bear Harbour seal Reindeer Reindeer

3 2 1 3 4 1 2 1 3 2 c.100 c.100 5 1 2 c.10 1 1 5 2 7 8 3 10 1 c.10 c.10 1 c.200 2 1 1 c.100 6 5

CONDITIONS

DATE TIME N. LAT. E. 10* LONG. OF MAMMAL # SEA ICE(tenths) COMMENTS _____________________________________________________________________ 79*24.19 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35

13.07.11 13.07.11 13.07.11 13.07.11 13.07.11 13.07.11 13.07.11 13.07.11 13.07.11 13.07.11 13.07.11 14.07.11 14.07.11 14.07.11 14.07.11 14.07.11 14.07.11 15.07.11 15.07.11 15.07.11 16.07.11 16.07.11 16.07.11 16.07.11 16.07.11 17.07.11 17.07.11 17.07.11 17.07.11 17.07.11 18.07.11 18.07.11 19.07.11 19.07.11 20.07.11

PATRICK ENDRES

SUMMARY:

8:00 8:00 8:00 8:00 8:30 9:30 11:30 12:35 17:50 21:40 22:30 7:00 10:00 11:00 12:45 13:30 13:40 14:30 14:40 19:20 11:00 12:00 12:26 16:00 22:00 4:00 4:20 5:30 8:00 9:30 11:00 13:30 11:00 16:00 10:00

79o49’ 79o49’ 79o49’ 79o49’ 79o49’ 79o49’ 79o40’ 79o39’ 79o41’ 79o56’ 80o01’ 80o53’ 81o00’ 81o10’ 81o09’ 81o09’ 81o10’ 79o39’ 79o39’ 79o39’ 79o33’ 79o23’ 79o25’ 79o26’ 79o36’ 79o13’ 79o13’ 79o18’ 79o21’ 79o39’ 79o49’ 79o49’ 78o54’ 79o12’ 78o25’ Arctic fox Bearded seal Fin whale Harbour seal Harp seal Humpback Minke whale Polar bear Reindeer Ringed seal Walrus

14o04’ o 14 04’ 14o04’ 14o04’ 14o04’ 14o04’ 13o54’ o 13 41’ 13o16’ o 14 18’ o 14 32’ o 20 00’ o 20 00’ o 20 09’ 20o00’ o 20 00’ o 19 53’ o 20 08’ o 20 05’ o 20 01’ o 17 37’ o 19 58’ o 20 07’ o 20 08’ 18o29’ 21o26’ o 21 27’ o 21 33’ o 20 45’ 18o52’ o 11 33’ o 11 48’ o 10 30’ 12o04’ 16o35’ 1 1 3 c.100 c.120 2 6 16 22 c.30 c.300

1 na na na na na 1 1 na 1 na 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 na 1 1 na na 0 0 0 na 0 na na 3 na na

0 na na na na na 0 0 na 0 na 4 8 8 9 9 9 10 10 9 na 0 0 na na 9 8 8 na 1 na na 0 na na

Woodfjord Reindyrsflya - mum & cub Reindyrsflya Reindyrsflya - mum & 2 cubs Reindyrsflya - 1M & 3F Reindyrsflya - came over hill possibly feeding passing ship Andoyane Islands en route to Moffen Island Moffen Island many groups amongst pack ice amongst pack ice on ice on ice on ice unconfirmed ID - amongst ice walked up to ship! on ice in water, amongst ice Faksevagen

on shore, west of Augustabukta Alkefjellet - steep snow gully on ice two groups amongst pack ice on ice two groups at Torrelnesset possibly feeding

along shore at Fugelhuken on shore, two groups one buck approached people

Spitsbergen Odyssey, Odyssey, 11–21 11–21 July July 2011 2011 Spitsbergen

Flower List ‘Polar Pioneer’ 11–21 July 2011 JULY: 11

FLOWER NAMES: Polar Willow Arctic Willow Mountain Sorrel Knotweed Alpine Sandwort Fringed Sandwort Chickweed Arctic Chickweed Arctic Mouse-Ear Chickweed Nodding Lychnis Arctic Lychnis Moss Campion Lapland Buttercup Arctic Buttercup Snow Buttercup Sulpher-Coloured Buttercup Pigmy Buttercup Lobed Buttercup Svalbard Poppy Polar Cress Scurvy-Grass Purplish Braya Arctic Whitlow-Grass Yellow Arctic Whitlow-Grass Lapland Whitlow-Grass Purple Saxifrage Hawkweed-Leaved Saxifrage Alpine Saxifrage Yellow Mountain Saxifrage Bog Saxifrage Drooping Saxifrage Brook Saxifrage Tufted Saxifrage Spider Plant Tufted Cinquefoil Bluff Cinquefoil Arctic Cinquefoil Mountain Avens Arctic Bell-Heather Boreal Jacob's-Ladder Oysterleaf Woolly Lousewort Hairy Lousewort Arctic Harebell Black Fleabane Lapland Butterbur Alpine Arnica Arctic Dandelion Polar Dandelion Arctic Cotton Grass Alpine Meadow-Grass Mushrooms

1 1

Total speices

1 1

1 1 1

1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1

1 1

1 1 1

1 1

Depart Longyearbyen - Isfjorden

Signehamna/Lilliehookbreen

Woodfjorded/Liefdefjorden

in pack ice

Faksevagen/Palanderbukta

Agustabukta/Alkefjellet

Vibabukta

1 1

# Days This Species Seen

Longyearbyen

1 1

Skaris

1 1

Fugelhuken

Fugelsongen/Fugelfjorden

6 0 6 1 0 2 1 1 7 1 0 3 0 0 3 1 2 0 3 1 5 1 2 4 0 5 1 2 0 0 5 2 5 1 1 1 0 3 2 3 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 5 3

29 29

Expedition Staff Expeditioners Diane Akers Kris Baehman Jim Baker Jack Bayles Gina Bayles Pieter Binnewijzend Gavin Blair Marjorie Blair Bill Brooks Ruth Brooks Paul Corrigan Dickie Duckett Don Felch Joan Felch Edmund Fellowes Bob Heil Rosie Heil Jon Hunter Larry Jackson Debbie Jackson Ko Ai Geok Kim Lay Lim Iain Linn Chris Linn Wendy McComas Joey Arbaugh Ian Nelson Chris Perry Karen Perry Angela Robertson Tony Robertson Gayle Sargeant Dana Schmidt Kevin Schneemilch Lois Schneemilch Steve Schwartzberg Mimi Seagears Les Sharp Dahlia Sharp Peter Stansfeld Anne Stansfeld Tan Lang Kui Sharon Thorp Tanya Vandyk Alan Veal Tom Walton Patty Walton Wayne Wathen Laura Wathen Robyn Wootton

Expedition Leader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ted Cheesman Assistant Expedition Leader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Henrik Løvendahl Naturalist & Lecturer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dag Nevestad Naturalist & Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sue Werner Naturalist & Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Kirkwood Photographer & Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patrick Endres Kayak Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Al Bakker Doctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Reekie Chef . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gray Kirkpatrick Second Chef . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tim Moore Hotel Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anna Taylor Aurora Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anne Oyasaeter New Expedition Staff Member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Olav Ramage

Polar Pioneer Crew Captain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yury Gorodnik Chief Mate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bogdan Shmalko 2nd Mate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Denis Abramovskiy 3rd Mate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roman Aleksakhin Radio Officer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Valery Artemenkov Boatswain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sergey Andronov AB Sailors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oleg Kaberegin, Artem Svetlichnyy, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nikolay Vechkanov Chief Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Petr Shpakovskiy 2nd Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alexey Petrov 3rd Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrey Letov Electrical Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sergey Dubinkin Motormen . . Vladimir Zhukov, Yuriy Horobets, Andrey Komissarov Head Stewardess . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elena Belozertseva Stewardesses . . . . . . . . . . . . Elena Aleksakhina, Natalia Alexeeva Waitresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elvira Zolotareva; Anastasia Veselova Russian Cook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Liubov Andronova

Ship’s log compiled by: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sue Werner Log production and design: . . . . . . . . . . . Carrots & David Colfelt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Windward Publications Pty Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Berry, New South Wales, 2535 Australia

SVAL27