Fog hung over the landscape this morning, creating a dramatic view of the slopes at the southern end of Barentsøya and the passage between Barentsøya and Edgeøya was spotted with crumpled chunks of ice. Strong tidal currents in this narrow passage causes the ice to move back and forth and crash into each other. Fortunately the passage had become clear of ice, so from the west we were able to get close enough for a morning of activities.
Soon after breakfast, Zodiacs transported everyone ashore for a wide variety of hikes - long, medium, short, and photo oriented walks, depending on what our guests wanted to do. The area was wet and soggy in spots, due to the continued melting of snow. In the drier sections a few tundra flowers were in bloom. By noon everyone had returned to ship from their various locations and we were again underway.
Traveling along the east side of Edgeøya during the early afternoon there were occasional bands of pack ice. We landed in the middle of the afternoon for more hikes. The site was a broad, slightly rolling plain dotted with lakes and patches of snow. For guests wishing to get some exercise as well as enjoying the landscape, a walk and talk hike was organized. Those who chose to stay on board saw a variety of birds using the tundra lakes. Reindeer were also scattered in the distance, grazing intensely to regain their strength from surviving the long winter.
By late afternoon we were sailing again through light drizzle and a little fog. We weaved through the ice floes that had drifted into the area. A course was set to take us towards tomorrows destination, across the southern end of Storfjord and then around the southern tip of Spitsbergen Island.
