Nordaustlandet to Søraust, 6/17/2024, National Geographic Endurance
Aboard the
National Geographic Endurance
Arctic
National Geographic Endurance set sail this morning to northeast Spitsbergen in search of polar bears. The bridge staff, expedition staff, and guests were collectively successful in spotting a number of bears. We documented their unique behaviors, including individuals swimming and a female and cub navigating the ice together. Between our lucky encounters with bears, additional highlights of the day were walruses, bearded seals, and ivory gulls.
Taylor is a marine biologist and PhD candidate at the University of Western Australia. She is from California, where she grew up diving in the giant kelp forests of the Channel Islands. She was involved in research from a young age, starting a long-t...
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We approached Fugløya at 0700 under near perfect conditions. This island is a protected nature reserve that is home to nearly 500,000 nesting Atlantic puffins and tens of thousands of razorbill auks and other seabirds. Conditions were perfect for us to take National Geographic Endurance very close to the towering cliffs and the lush, tundra-carpeted slopes to view the spectacle of thousands of birds coming and going from their nesting burrows. Along with swarms of puffins, we observed roughly a dozen or so white-tailed eagles as they soared overhead and cruised the shoreline and cliffs, looking for an easy meal. By afternoon, we were docked in the town of Tromso. Situated well above the Arctic Circle, this colorful and welcoming island town has long served as the gateway to the Arctic, providing a base for many famed Arctic and North Pole expeditions. We were afforded the opportunity to explore the town and a few of its museums and cultural highlights.
The Barents Sea lived up to its reputation, but National Geographic Endurance handled it well. Throughout the morning, the seas settled. Our Norwegian coastal pilot arrived, and we stopped in a short but stunning fjord on the northeast side of Sørøya. After lunch, groups went ashore for a hike across the island or to a small lake at the top. Flowers abounded. Some guests took a slow Zodiac trip along the cliffs of the fjord.
Although a midsummer’s day, it was not the sunny, balmy one we might have expected. We felt the Barentz Sea as we sailed south from Svalbard towards Bjornoya (Bear Island). It was aptly named for the presence of a swimming bear when first discovered in 1596 by Willem Barentz who was to go on to discover Spitsbergen Island and put Svalbard firmly on the horizon of whale and walrus hunters who came here to make their fortune. The day began with a flurry of fulmars, puffins and gannets wheeling on the sharp, fresh winds that scoured the land in front of us, whipping up dust and waves alike. Thousands of common guillemots flew by the ship in an endless stream. This was weather to admire, not to go out in, and from the comfort of this wonderful ship, we reflected on the magical last few days of the trip, hiking and boating in such beautiful wilderness. Our Swedish chef, Sarah, provided us with a wonderful taste of Swedish midsummer delights as we began our journey towards Tromso and the end of our trip.
