Hornsund, Gnålloden
I have stopped counting. Today, in the morning. Another polar bear. This one, tougher to spot, was swimming in and around a section of heavy pack ice. Incredible. We were supposed to have landed on shore but the consolidated ice closed our route, making a landing impossible. When one door closes, another opens.
After lunch, stopped for a series of walks. A huge towering of rock wall provided a stunning backdrop to our excursions.
There was a small trapper’s cabin that we took turns peaking inside. It’s location at the base of a huge cliff only made its size, relative to this place, seem even more miniscule. “What would it be like over-winter here,” we wondered out loud. There is no question that the work would be never ending—finding and cutting firewood, preparing traps, hunting for food, regularly checking the trap line, bitter cold, polar bears, northern lights that stretch across the sky… the immensity and grandeur of this place your back yard.
It is hard not to wonder how our own lives would play out living alone for one full year on the edge of the Arctic Ocean.
Back on the Explorer, the spirit of that trapper’s extreme ruggedness seemed to overcome a large portion of the guests. Clad in shorts and swim suits, they lined up in anticipation of the “Polar Plunge.” Now for most travelers, the idea of jumping into a body of water where large ice chunks are floating just a few feet away is less than appealing, but this is an expedition and we are anything but average.
A few hesitated before leaping. The rest purposefully walked forward and jumped. “Invigorating” and “refreshing” were a few words I heard used to describe the icy swim. Truly hardy souls indeed.
Ours was the first expedition of the year to circumnavigate Spitzbergen along the coast line—the rewards of this effort evident in the number of polar bear, walrus and other wildlife sightings. Being successful was no small feat and the point was driven home once again during dinner as our normal steady progress slowed as the captain nimbly maneuvered the ship through increasing pack ice.
While we are excited to move on to our next adventure, this is a somewhat sad moment for us all. Tomorrow, we will have to say goodbye. The bonds created through our shared experience are strong and we will part ways knowing that this is not the end, rather it is a new beginning.
