When we awoke, National Geographic Resolution was headed toward the island of Nordaustlandet. After breakfast we were privileged to observe the magnificent glacier, Austfonna, the biggest glacier in Europe! This glacier almost fully covers Nordaustlandet. We cruised along the glacier wall, observing beautiful shapes of ice, from high cliffs to deep blue caves. We also were lucky to spot several groups of walruses in the water! We stood on the outer decks enjoying the glacier, breathing fresh Arctic air as we talked about ice.
In the afternoon we kayaked in calm, beautiful water around Augustabukta. The weather was amazing, and we enjoyed immersing ourselves in the silence and vastness of the Arctic. We also managed to land on Augustabukta. We hiked through the rocky landscape, climbed the hill, and had a beautiful view from the top. We saw a couple of friendly reindeer, which were very interested in us.
After kayaking and landing, we had a lot of fun while polar plunging into the icy cold waters of Svalbard. After the plunge, we warmed up with a cup of hot tea.
It was just another amazing day at the top of the world!
