ARCTIC CRUISE Various: June–August 2011 Leader: Oceanwide Expedition Leader

Spitsbergen (Svalbard) is a Norwegian Arctic archipelago about 650 kilometres (400 miles) north of the mainland. The archipelago ranges from Bear Island at 74° North to Rossøya at 81° North. It is by far the largest wilderness area in Europe, covering an area of about 62500 km², about the size of Ireland. About 60% of the land is glaciated. As well as stunning scenery, this cruise gives you the opportunity to see King Eider, Barnacle and Pink-footed Geese, Red Phalarope, Purple Sandpiper, Brünnich’s Guillemot, Little Auk, Ivory, Ross’s and Sabine’s Gulls and Snow Bunting all on their breeding grounds. Other wildlife will include Beluga, Walrus, Bearded and Ringed Seals, Reindeer and, of course, Polar Bears! All this with 24-hour daylight!

Day 1 Overnight flight from London to Longyearbyen via Oslo and Tromsø

Day 2 Arrival in Longyearbyen, the administrative capital of the Spitsbergen archipelago. Before embarking there we have an opportunity to stroll around this former mining town, whose parish church and Polar Museum are well worth visiting. In addition, around Longyearbyen more than 100 species of plant have been recorded and Snow Buntings are commonly found. In the early evening the ship will sail out of Isfjorden and we may see our first skuas (during the course of the cruise all four species can be seen: Arctic, Great, Long-tailed and Pomarine).

Day 3 Heading north along the west coast, by morning we will arrive in Krossfjorden, where we take to the Zodiacs for an exhilarating cruise along the sculpted front of the 14th of July Glacier. On the surprisingly green slopes near the glacier, a colourful variety of flowers bloom, while large numbers of Black-legged Kittiwakes and Brünnich’s Guillemots nest on the nearby cliffs. There is also a good chance of spotting opportunistic Arctic Foxes that patrol the base of the cliffs in case a hapless chick falls from its nest, and Bearded Seals that cruise this scenic 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 and Pink-footed Geese and Arctic Terns. Visitors interested in the history of Arctic exploration 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 4 Near the mouth of Liefdefjorden, we will go ashore for a walk on the tundra island of Andøya. Long-tailed Ducks, Common Eiders and Pink-footed Geese nest here in some numbers, and the much rarer King Eider may also be seen. Red (Grey) Phalaropes in their stunning breeding plumage can also be found here alongside Purple Sandpipers and Dunlins. Sailing into Liefdefjorden, we will cruise near the face of the impressive Monaco Glacier. The waters of the glacier front are a favourite feeding spot for thousands of Black-legged Kittiwakes, and occasionally Polar Bears are seen on the glacier.

Day 5 Today we will reach our northernmost point at Phippsøya in the Seven Islands north of Nordaustlandet. Here we will be at 81° North, just 540 miles from the geographic North Pole. Polar Bears inhabit this region, along with Ivory Gulls. We may sit for several hours in the pack ice, taking in our spectacular surroundings and maybe seeing Ross’s Gull, before we turn south again.

Day 6 We will visit Laagöya today, a low island with a big lagoon where a big herd of Walruses tends to congregate. Sabine’s Gulls nest on the island as well. At Sorg Fjord we may find another herd of Walruses not far from the graves of 17th century whalers. On a nature walk we may encounter families of Rock Ptarmigans.

Day 7 Today we will sail into Hinlopen Strait, home to Bearded and Ringed Seals, Polar Bears and Ivory Gulls. We’ll navigate the ice floes of Lomfjordshalvøya in our Zodiacs and explore the bird cliffs of Alkefjellet, which are home to thousands of Brünnich’s Guillemots. On the east side of Hinlopen Strait, we’ll attempt a landing at Palanderbukta on Nordaustlandet, home to Reindeer, Pink-footed Geese, breeding Ivory Gulls and Walruses.

Day 8 Near Torrelneset we will explore the polar desert of Nordaustlandet, next to the world’s third largest ice cap, which meets the sea nearby. We will walk along beautiful coastline covered in smooth rocks, sculpted by the surf over thousands of years. We may encounter Walruses along the way. Sailing south of Nordaustlandet we will have good chance of seeing Greenland (Bowhead) Whale.

Day 9 In Freemansundet we plan to land at Sundneset on the island of Barentsøya to visit an old trappers’ hut and then take a brisk walk across the tundra in search of Spitsbergen Reindeer and Barnacle Goose. Later we cruise south to Diskobukta on the west side of Edgeøya. After a Zodiac cruise through the shallow bay, we land on a beach littered with whale bones and tree trunks that have drifted here from Siberia. We can also climb to the rim of a narrow gully, which is inhabited by thousands of Black-legged Kitttiwakes together with Black Guillemots and piratical Glaucous Gulls. During the breeding season, the base of the cliffs is patrolled by Arctic Foxes and Polar Bears, especially females with young cubs, searching for young birds that have fallen from the nesting ledges.

Day 10 We start the day quietly cruising the side fjords of the spectacular Hornsund area of southern Spitsbergen, enjoying the scenery of towering mountain peaks. Hornsundtind rises to 1431m while Bautaen shows why early Dutch explorers gave the name ‘Spitsbergen’ – pointed mountains – to the island. There are also 14 magnificent glaciers in the area and very good chances of encounters with seals and Polar Bears. We may visit the Polish research station where the friendly staff will give us an insight into their research projects. Behind the station the mountains are home to thousands of pairs of nesting Little Auks.

Day 11 Today we land on Ahlstrandhalvøya at the mouth of Van Keulenfjorden. Here, piles of Beluga Whale skeletons, the remains of 19th century slaughter, are yet another reminder of the consequences of thoughtless exploitation. Fortunately, Belugas were not hunted to the edge of extinction and may still be seen locally. Indeed, there is a good chance that we will come across a pod. Cruising into Recherchefjorden during the afternoon we can explore an area of tundra at the head of the fjord where many Reindeer feed.

Day 12 Return to Longyearbyen and disembark for the transfer to the airport and the flight to London.

Based on experiences from 1992 until 2009, the chances that a full Spitsbergen circumnavigation can be completed are about 20% in the first half of July, 55% in the second half of July, 90% in the first half of August and 95% in the second half of August. In case we cannot complete a full circumnavigation we will mostly resort to a programme in Northeast or Southeast Spitsbergen. If ice conditions are very favourable, which is likely in the second half of August, we may sail around Nordaustlandet, passing another Nordkapp and visiting Kvitøya, the place where the Swedish Explorer Andree perished, instead of sailing through the Hinlopen Strait.

General Information Various levels of accommodation are available on the ship, ranging from a suite to twin berth with shared facilities. Because of the unpredictability of the weather, changes may have to be made to the itinerary at short notice, although every effort will be made to adhere to the itinerary described, within the limits of safety and time. There are no special medical requirements but you should be sufficiently active to be able to climb up and down gangplanks and board Zodiacs, sometimes in a swell. Warm and protective waterproof clothing is essential.

Group Size Maximum group size: 48 with expedition leaders.

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