We spent most of today in Kongsfjorden, the northernmost fjord on the eastern side of Spitsbergen. The weather was warm and calm, and we had landings in both the morning and afternoon.
In the morning, we landed in Signehamna Bay. Rolling hills on the landing site allowed staff to set a broad perimeter controlled by a few polar bear guards. Guests had the opportunity to hike individually or in groups in any direction within this perimeter. It was a truly High Arctic landscape with ice- and snow-covered mountaintops in all directions. Most of the vegetation was moss and lichen cover with a few species of flowering plants typically no higher than one cm. The snow patches scattered around these hills were rapidly melting, creating thousands of little streams.
After lunch, we moved to another beautiful location within the eastern branch of the same fiord system, close to the Fourteenth of July Glacier. Here guests had three options: hiking (strenuous or moderate) or Zodiac cruising along the glacial edge. The strenuous hike was to the top of a mountain ridge about 400-500 m above the water level. The moderate hike was along a shoreline below a magnificent cliff where several reindeers were foraging. A black-footed kittiwake colony occupied another part of the cliff. Close to the landing site, guests observed a rare Arctic fox den in a snowbank. These dens are not rare because Arctic foxes rarely dig dens in snow; rather, the dens are ephemeral and can only be observed for short periods in the spring. Swimming along the shore, walruses presented another attraction for the enjoyment of guests on the moderate hike.
