Very early in the morning the National Geographic Explorer entered this beautiful system on the southwestern coast of Spitsbergen, the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago. A sunny and relatively warm morning offered an exceptional opportunity to explore by kayak, and by Zodiac. A selection of birds, seals, and one female polar bear were spotted, to the enjoyment of our guests! Even though the wind increased dramatically in the afternoon, we were able to accomplish a landing at a small bay that had the remains of an old whaling station dating back to the early 1700s—a wonderful experience!
6/13/2024
Read
National Geographic Endurance
Fjortende Julibukta and Lilliehöökbreen
Our last day in Svalbard began with a wintery feeling. National Geographic Endurance sailed towards the entrance of Krossfjorden while it was gently snowing. Our morning destination was 14th of July Bay. This was our last outing in Spitsbergen and we could not have picked a better spot to end our unforgettable voyage. The landing area was covered with spring flowers which painted the otherwise barren looking landscape with green, white, and purple colors. Svalbard reindeers were contently grazing in the outskirts of the steep cliffs, enjoying the place also known as “hanging gardens.” Thousands of kittiwakes were loudly soaring above us. Occasionally a fight would break out between a kittiwake and an Arctic skua, who clearly was not very welcomed in the nesting site of the gulls. A Zodiac cruise also offered us great wildlife encounters. The shoreline was a popular nesting place for the guillemots, eider ducks, and the Atlantic puffins. After lunch, Captain Oliver positioned our vessel in front of another spectacular sight, Lillehöök Glacier. After an hour-long cruise, we reluctantly bid farewell to Krossfjorden and made our way towards Longyearbyen.
