On the way to our ship, M/V Polar Quest, lodging 50 persons.
Zodiak cruise to Hjorthamn (on the other side of Adventfjorden), where we spent some hours looking at buildings etc.
Hjorthamn.
Along Isfjorden into Forlandsundet.
A lot of timber at Poolepynten (Prins Karls Forland).
Small lake at Poolepynten.
Old wood.
Around 30 walruses at Poolepynten.
Walruses
The walrus bird.
Walrus
A closer look of the charming walrus.
Leaving Poolepynten, Oscar II land in background.
Glaciers at Oscar II land, south of Sandlangen.
Glaciers.
Glacier
Arriving at Ny Ålesund in the evening.
The small harbour at Ny Ålesund.
Ny Ålesund, town for a lot of research.
The mast where Amundsen and Nobile left with the airship Norge in 1926 and Nobile with the airship Italia in 1928. The first trip succesful, crossing the North Pole, the second trip a catastrophe.
Midnight after having left Ny Ålesund.
Danskön (Danish Island) where the Andrée expedtion started in 1897 (unfortunately the ice prevented us for visit the final, fatal destination Vitön (White Island).
Andrée monument on Danskön (Danish Island)
Sulphuric acid containers (used together with scrap iron to produce hydrogen gas).
Scrap iron.
Small iron scrap, used together with sulphuric acid to produce hydrogen gas.
Smeerenburg, Amsterdam island (just opposite Danskön), settlement for whalers in the 1600's
Smeerenburg glacier
Glacier ice.
Polar bear on the stony slope.
Zodiac stop on an ice floe north of Lågöya (around N 80 29 degrees)
Glacier ice, blue due to lack of oxygene.
Mats and Camilla.
Mats and Camilla on an ice floe.
Passing through the ice in mist.
Alkefjellet
Thick-billed murre.
Thick-billed murre (Spetsbergsgrissla) on Alkefjellet, even late in the season.
Curious walrus in water.
Cute walrus.
Bråsvellbreen, facing the water for around 200 km, 30-50 meter high.
Bråsvellbreen
Lof of waterfalls.
The pack ice starts here (no way to Vitön)
Waterfall
Bråsvellbreen at sunset.
Polar bear on ice floe.
Polar bear.
Polar bear
Angry or yawning?
Polar bear profile.
Evening light.
Going slowly through the ice, polar bear ahead.
Polar bear territory.
Watching for polar bears at midnight.
Leaving for zodiac cruise.
Polar bear having fun (or itching)?
Polar bear, safe water barrier between us.
Walking polar bear.
Curious polar bear.
The white Baloo bear?
The water is freezing when going back to Quest.
Stones at Edgeöya.
Stones.
Edgeöya at Freemansundet.
Enjoying the landscape from the ship.
Vassilievbreen at Isbukta, Sörkapp land.
Zodiac cruise along the glacier at Isbukta.
Glacier front.
Ice falls into the water with a heavy sound.
A nice dinner is also part of the trip.
Two whales (many at the southern end at Sörkapp).
Whale.
Whale
Whale at midnight.
Sunset (or low sun) at 0115 at the south end of Sörkapp.
Mats
Gnålberget mountain with birds in Hornsund.
Hut, well closed.
Polar bear protection.
Nice bay (perfect kayaking night place).
View across Burgerbukta.
Camilla and armed guide on the slope.
Mendeleevbreen at the inner part of Hornsund (the water here was covered with a glacier 100 years ago).
Cruising in Hornsund.
Mühlbackerbreen in Vintervika, in the bottom of Burgerbukta.
Hornsundtind, 1453 m.
Austre Burgerbukta with nice mirroring.
Our ship in Austre Burgerbukta.
View from the lounge.
Austre Burgerbukta.
Hornsundtind
Hornsundtind and Cebysevfjellet.
Författarskaret and Gnålberget in evening light, with water starting to freeze.
Baremtsburg, Russian coal town, under restauration.
Barentsburg. Russian.
Quest at the quay.
Cleaning up.
The orthodox church.
Alkhornet, at the entrance of Isfjjorden.
Our Zodiacs well aligned.
Polar fox.
Svalbard reindeers.
Svalbard fat reindeer.
Tundra landscape.
Blue whale blowing at the mouth of Adventfjorden, just before we reach our final destination Longyearbyen.
Blue whale.
Diving
Fluke
Almost finished.
Going down.
Gone, the magic moment is over and a perfect end of this 10 day trip.
