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Svalbard
The islands were first used as a base by the whalers who sailed far north in the 17th and 18th centuries, after which they were abandoned. Coal mining started at the beginning of the 20th century, and several permanent communities were established. The Svalbard Treaty of 1920 recognizes Norwegian sovereignty, and the 1925 Svalbard Act made Svalbard a full part of the Kingdom of Norway. They also established Svalbard as a free economic zone and a demilitarized zone. The Norwegian Store Norske and the Russian Arktikugol remain the only mining companies in place. Research and tourism have become important supplementary industries, with the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault playing critical roles in the economy. Apart from Longyearbyen, other settlements include the Russian mining community of Barentsburg, the research station of Ny-Ålesund, and the mining outpost of Sveagruva. Other settlements are farther north, but are populated only by rotating groups of researchers. No roads connect the settlements; instead snowmobiles, aircraft and boats are used for inter-settlement transport. Svalbard Airport, Longyear serves as the main gateway.
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Disembarked at 8,30 for a walk around the ruined village of Gashamna: the first wet landing in cold waters; time to test the boots. No problems with a dead calm. Just wandered around a small area of beach with some remains from whalers. Moss was growing with wondrous, tiny, pink flowers Had a long talk to Liselle, who had kept in touch with Clare and Victoria, and also had her story of being trapped on the Explorer for 3 months from March 2020 due to Covid.
Click on any thumbnail photo and get a larger photo
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. Back for a lovely hot swim and then a very civilised lunch in the dining room. By this time the ship had repositioned next to the Hornsundkind Rock and we went ashore there ; saw the hut that Wanny Woldstad had lived in as a hunter/trapper in the 1930s. The old hut, built in 1907 or 1908, was a real eyecatcher. Until the 'protection' of polar bears in 1973, it was part of a classical polar bear hunting area. The bears came on the drift ice around the south cape, up the west coast and into Hornsund. In some years, hundreds of them migrated through the fjord and back to the east coast: rich hunting grounds for trappers, including the legendary Norwegian female hunter Wanny Woldstad, who was one of the first active lady hunters in Spitsbergen when she wintered several times in Hornsund. Then we walked up a hill with Joe as our polar bear guard, equipped with a .306 rifle. Saw some white specks- reindeer! .David saw the movement of an Arctic Fox, which the photographer, Javier, captured on his tripod mounted camera
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Back for afternoon tea and Trivia . 77degrees latitude. Went to thr boutique and spent all our onboard credit: a Norwegian sweater for David and trousers and a top for me.Then, only 1 hour later, Wayne told us there would be another wine tasting after all!!- I would have foregone one of my purchases had I known!. Dinner in the Terraza but afterwards the Panorama lounge was far too noisy for us!!
Saturday, June 18th .14 Julibukta . 79 degrees latitude . Lloyd's Hotel
During the night the ship had moved north of Barentsburg to the 14 July glacier, with its 3 k wide glacier front?, retreating all the time. We went ashore at 8.30 and stayed ashore for 100 minutes. Had long chats with Thomas, Joe and Chrysty: the only way to get to know the expedition staff these days. Were told about the structure of ice, a science in itself, and saw reindeer in the distance, and also a fox: well, some of us did with good eyes!!. Actually I could discern the specks of reindeer. Also Oscar´s hanging gardens of Babylon. Then had a swim before another restaurant lunch. After a siesta we went ashore at Pointe Docteur Reynard, Regnardeset, site of ´Lloyds hotel!. 79 degree latitude . Here we were able to see Lloyd´s Hotel: a cabin constructed over 100 years ago for overnight accommodation: visiting ships have added bits and bobs to its sparse interior in more recent years. Then we went on a 1k hike with Joe, he holding a rifle. Saw a sand piper´s nest with 4 eggs in it. Had to keep up with him due to the danger of bears!:there was also a perimeter guard. Then walked to the other extremity where Sarah was guarding a willow forest and a Svalbard poppy, and a rifle!.
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Got back to the ship, after a 15 minute wait at the side gate, in time to join Trivia somewhat late. A spirited Recap and Briefing in which several American ladies complained bitterly about the absence of polar bears and were obviously fed up with what they thought they had bought into with Silverseas!! This was followed by the Venetian Society reception. I took down Polar Bear to lend to Oscar,( in lieu of the missing real bears) and he was really pleased by this. Here we were presented with a 350 day certificate and had our photo taken with the captain, Kimberley and the Boyzz: Kimberley called for Polar Bear but Oscar appeared to have absconded with him!. But after a while Polaf Bear reappeared and another photo was taken.
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Dined in the restaurant and afterwards chatted with Neil, who had his own aircraft company, and Jane in the Panorama Lounge, with difficulty due to the deafening music which Martin seemed unable to adjust!
Spent over an hour sitting, well wrapped up at the back of Deck 8, drinking in the beauty of this glacier and its surrounds.
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Then went ashore at Texas Hut, a hut constructed by 2 researchers in the 1920s. Here we had a delightful surprise of hot chocolate with spiced rum before we set out on a circular, partly snowy, partly hilly, walk with some super views.
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Then a late German lunch on deck 8 again. Had a swim and then a polar bear was spotted outside. Woke David up and then spent an hour on deck, looking at a piece of land on which it had been seen. I eventually returned to the cabin and then David got a couple of photos of 2 separate bears with his telephoto lens.
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The afternoon landing was cancelled . Instead we then had an excellent lecture on polar bears, given by Virgile. This was followed by a Recap and Briefing. Ate in the Terraza. There was a pool party on deck as we went to bed: yet again the music was blaring and only one set of guests dancing hectically along with Martin and Kimberly.
Monday, June 20th. Fuglefjiord and Smeerenberg,north Svalbard
A longed for lie in was destroyed by a 7am announcement of a change of plans!!.Had a zodiac cruise with Marcel around the Fuglefjiord: there were 2 smaller glaciers as well as the large one and we loitered around a whiskered seal and 2 arctic terns, both floating on wee chunks of ice.
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Back in time for lunch in the restaurant. Went up on deck immediately after this as David thought the ship stoppping must be due to a polar bear, but, in fact, it was just due to having reached a walrus site. But another ship obviously had the 2 to 5 slot, so it was 6 pm before our zodiac group was allowed off. Meanwhile I had a swim, shared an Irish coffee, had a siesta and played Gemstone trivia.The trip ashore to see the 40-50 walruses was great. Also saw the remains of whaling processing from the 1860s.
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Dined in Hot. Rocks,the coldest it had been. Stayed for one round of Liars Club before an early night.
The ship started to rock and roll during the night and we woke up to a heavy swell with an ice edge close to our window, also light rain. A rare good lecture at 9.30: this one on Svalbard archaeology by Elizabeth. Then I started packing one suitcase, with a pause half way for some bouillon. Lunch in the restaurant was followed by a coffee, then a siesta. By this time the ship had abandoned the ice edge, and was heading back to Svalbard: a complete waste of a day. We enjoyed a wine tasting of American wines with Pablo. At Recap and Briefing there was considerable guest discontent over the fact that the final disembark was going to be by zodiac and we had not been informed of this!. Took a photo of Kaleish and Jenny who looked after us so well in 712. Dinner in the restaurant and listened to Martin´s movie themes for a while
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Back to Svalbard by the morning!. Yet again we were woken up soon after 7 am calling for the first zodiac departure!.We went out at 9am for 90 minutes, walked to a hut that was still in use. Lots of reindeer antlers and an outside loo!. The, 5+3, Polar bear guards still prominent, but only distant reindeer around. Found another 2 bird's eggs in a hollow underfoot. .
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Discovered that there were several cases of Covid on board, including Alicia and Pia. Once back aboard some 12 passengers and 12 crew did a polar plunge off deck 3.
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Enjoyed our last lunch in the restaurant and then a short siesta before being woken up to an announcement that there were no walruses at Poolepynten but a polar bear had been spotted: so we boarded zodiacs to view that, but, by the time we approached near the shore, the bear had vanished!!. Saw some reindeer and returned by 4 . Went to Trivia and cashed in my points. Then almost finished packing the second suitcase and had a drink in the Panorama lounge before the cruise video showing and the Captain´s farewell.. Chatted to Martin and Kimberley before our final dinner
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