After travelling from Oslo to Longyearbyen yesterday, we enjoyed our first night on National Geographic Endurance. We appreciated expedition leader Stefano’s 8:00 a.m. wakeup call after our much earlier start the previous day. Most of us were awake before then anyway, as we are so excited to be in Svalbard! During our delicious buffet breakfast, we admired views of the stunning Lilliehöök glacier through the windows. We were in awe of the beautiful eight-kilometer-wide wall of ice surrounding the ship. The weather was on our side with a clear blue sky, sunshine, and barely a breath of wind. After eating, we had a little time on the bridge or outside decks to take photos and spot wildlife, which included three bearded seals and a variety of bird species.
Before we could begin our adventures off ship, there were important matters to be addressed on board. We gathered in the Ice Lounge for an introduction to our Expedition Team, followed by mandatory Zodiac and polar bear safety briefings. Then it was time to head to Base Camp for biosecurity. We dutifully gathered our outdoor clothing to be inspected and cleaned/vacuumed by the Expedition Team to make sure we don’t introduce any non-native biological matter to Svalbard during our visit. Before lunch, photo instructor Carlos gave a presentation on smartphone photography. He shared useful tips and tricks for capturing the special moments of our trip via our phone cameras.
Before we could begin our adventures off ship, there were important matters to be addressed on board. We gathered in the Ice Lounge for an introduction to our Expedition Team, followed by mandatory Zodiac and polar bear safety briefings. Then it was time to head to Base Camp for biosecurity. We dutifully gathered our outdoor clothing to be inspected and cleaned/vacuumed by the Expedition Team to make sure we don’t introduce any non-native biological matter to Svalbard during our visit. Before lunch, photo instructor Carlos gave a presentation on smartphone photography. He shared useful tips and tricks for capturing the special moments of our trip via our phone cameras.
During lunch, the ship repositioned to Fjortende Julibukta (aka 14th of July Bay). The calm conditions were perfect for afternoon activities, and guests had the opportunity to enjoy both kayaking and Zodiac cruising. Atlantic puffins, thick-billed murres, and black-legged kittiwakes breed on the ledges of the low cliffs in this bay, offering fantastic views of these seabirds. Another highlight included an Arctic fox that ran into a group of barnacle geese on the hillside, causing them to take off. We suspect the fox managed to catch one of the geese as it disappeared behind the hill and was not seen again.
Taking the opportunity to make the most of the fantastic weather, we also had the chance to do a polar plunge at the end of the afternoon! Twenty-seven guests braved the icy cold water – bravo! Soon after, it was time for the Captain’s welcome cocktails in the Ice Lounge before we headed to dinner, where we all discussed this wonderful first day of our trip.After travelling from Oslo to Longyearbyen yesterday, we enjoyed our first night on National Geographic Endurance. We appreciated expedition leader Stefano’s 8:00 a.m. wakeup call after our much earlier start the previous day. Most of us were awake before then anyway, as we are so excited to be in Svalbard! During our delicious buffet breakfast, we admired views of the stunning Lilliehöök glacier through the windows. We were in awe of the beautiful eight-kilometer-wide wall of ice surrounding the ship. The weather was on our side with a clear blue sky, sunshine, and barely a breath of wind. After eating, we had a little time on the bridge or outside decks to take photos and spot wildlife, which included three bearded seals and a variety of bird species.
Before we could begin our adventures off ship, there were important matters to be addressed on board. We gathered in the Ice Lounge for an introduction to our Expedition Team, followed by mandatory Zodiac and polar bear safety briefings. Then it was time to head to Base Camp for biosecurity. We dutifully gathered our outdoor clothing to be inspected and cleaned/vacuumed by the Expedition Team to make sure we don’t introduce any non-native biological matter to Svalbard during our visit. Before lunch, photo instructor Carlos gave a presentation on smartphone photography. He shared useful tips and tricks for capturing the special moments of our trip via our phone cameras.
During lunch, the ship repositioned to Fjortende Julibukta (aka 14th of July Bay). The calm conditions were perfect for afternoon activities, and guests had the opportunity to enjoy both kayaking and Zodiac cruising. Atlantic puffins, thick-billed murres, and black-legged kittiwakes breed on the ledges of the low cliffs in this bay, offering fantastic views of these seabirds. Another highlight included an Arctic fox that ran into a group of barnacle geese on the hillside, causing them to take off. We suspect the fox managed to catch one of the geese as it disappeared behind the hill and was not seen again.
Taking the opportunity to make the most of the fantastic weather, we also had the chance to do a polar plunge at the end of the afternoon! Twenty-seven guests braved the icy cold water – bravo! Soon after, it was time for the Captain’s welcome cocktails in the Ice Lounge before we headed to dinner, where we all discussed this wonderful first day of our trip.
During lunch, the ship repositioned to Fjortende Julibukta (aka 14th of July Bay). The calm conditions were perfect for afternoon activities, and guests had the opportunity to enjoy both kayaking and Zodiac cruising. Atlantic puffins, thick-billed murres, and black-legged kittiwakes breed on the ledges of the low cliffs in this bay, offering fantastic views of these seabirds. Another highlight included an Arctic fox that ran into a group of barnacle geese on the hillside, causing them to take off. We suspect the fox managed to catch one of the geese as it disappeared behind the hill and was not seen again.
Taking the opportunity to make the most of the fantastic weather, we also had the chance to do a polar plunge at the end of the afternoon! Twenty-seven guests braved the icy cold water – bravo! Soon after, it was time for the Captain’s welcome cocktails in the Ice Lounge before we headed to dinner, where we all discussed this wonderful first day of our trip.
