Lagoya & Sjuoyane, Svalbard
Overnight the National Geographic Explorer sailed steadily northward and we discovered on awakening this morning that we were at latitude 80 degrees 41 minutes North. Despite the fact we were relatively close to the North Pole we still had sunshine interspersed with thin sea-fog, calm seas and almost no wind. Quite remarkable for such a high latitude.
Our hoped-for destination was the island of Lagoya, one of the seven islands that make up the Sjuoyane archipelago, the most northerly part of Svalbard. Conditions looked good and after the scout-boat had confirmed an absence of bears we made the long Zodiac drive to shore. Here was classic Arctic scenery – long, low, snow-covered tundra; a rocky/sandy beach dotted with driftwood; the shimmering of the Arctic light on the water and ice floes and, best of all, a small herd of walrus!
All of our groups were able to approach the snoozing great beasts lying in a huddle on the edge of the beach. A couple of large walrus were in the water and one of them hauled itself out, using its enormous tusks, and we could see the truly massive size of these quintessentially Arctic animals.
During our afternoon repositioning Jason Kelley, our geologist, gave a presentation on “The Geology & Ice Formations of Svalbard” which laid out the geological background to the formation of this isolated archipelago so far away from the areas and countries we call home. As Jason likes to point out, if it were not for the geology there would be no place for the walrus to rest and if it were not for the ice there would be no place for us to see bears – good point!
Later the thin fog cleared completely and the sun shone brightly and warm on the still waters. A chance for a Zodiac cruise. The ship was positioned in a narrow channel off the coast of Phippsoya, the largest of the Sjuoyane islands. The water was perfect for a cruise and the sun shining on the snow on the land, and reflecting on the ice on the water, gave a great background for the many photographers in our midst. Plus, once again, several walrus were spotted along with many recent sets of Polar Bear tracks.
Just to balance things up, as it were, Dennis our Undersea Specialist showed some video footage at evening recap he had taken using the amazing submersible ROV. Here we got a chance to not only see the peculiar life beneath the icy Arctic waters but also to enjoy Dennis’s peculiar but highly informative and entertaining narration.
Post-dinner was spent nudging our way through the ice as we headed for our next destination, and, not long after dinner, sharp-eyes on the Bridge spotted the so-far elusive Polar Bear! He was far off in the middle of a huge ice-floe but the experienced Officers on the Bridge took the ship silently through the ice to a position close enough for us to clearly see the bear without disturbing him. What a splendid way to finish off a long but exciting and eventful day.
