Hinlopen Strait, Northeast Svalbard
Hello…anybody home in there? This young, inquisitive polar bear was undoubtedly the highlight of what was an incredibly memorable day as the ship explored the various bays and fjords branching out from Hinlopen Strait here in Northeast Svalbard. Hiking the tundra just after breakfast, gaping up at the magnificent bird-cliffs of Alkefjellet just after lunch, and gliding up to sleepy seals in the afternoon were all just delightful heralds for what became the main event late in the evening.
We had poked the ship into some rapidly deteriorating fast ice, mainly for some photographs and appreciation of this lonely, yet beautiful scenery. Off in the distance, the glacier tumbled down into the sea ice, which itself was a mosaic of reflections in complex patterns of dark puddles and white ice. And while most were thinking the day already complete, one of our deckhands took advantage of the still conditions on board and peered intently into the distance. His persistence paid off as the bear he spotted far away began to make its way toward the ship just as the ship began to cut a path through the fast ice on an intercepting course.
Even after the ship came to a full and silent stop, nestled in its self-made icy berth, the bear continued to approach; cautiously but determined to investigate this great new addition to its environment. By the time Tim made the announcement that this was indeed THE moment to be out on deck, virtually every soul on board found their way onto the foredeck, the bridge, even the narrow deck outside the bistro. Guests, crew, and staff alike all excitedly, but quietly, rushed from one vantage point to another, clicking franticly as the bear slowly crept along the bow and starboard side of the ship.
It stayed with us for the better part of an hour and surely provided enough memories and photographs to last a lifetime as it frequently gazed up at the ecstatic onlookers, seeming to peer into each and every last lens. Then, in one last effort to figure out just what this giant blue, white, and yellow introduction to its world might be, the bear stood up and peered into the lower portholes of the ship while balancing its massive paws on either side of the windows. Eventually, and perhaps satisfied that no seals were forthcoming, the bear moved on, renewing its prowl of the ice. Likewise, we reluctantly retraced our route back out of Whalenbergfjord and wondered if tomorrow could possibly equal today’s splendor.
