We woke up to an absolutely beautiful day in Nordfjord and chose between a Zodiac cruise or kayaking. On both we saw young harbor seals and an abundance of tall wispy waterfalls created by melting glaciers, cascading hundreds of feet from high on the fjord walls. Upon return to the ship we were greeted by a delicious barbecue lunch on the aft deck. Then Captain Martin Graser decided the deck needed a wash and some of the guests needed a shower so he steered the bow under a giant waterfall in Melfjorden. On the way out of the waterfall we encountered a pilot whale that spent a good bit of time diving under the ship and spraying rainbows with its blow hole. After dinner we visited a cute and very little village called Husøy in the Træna Archipelago to celebrate crossing the Arctic Circle.
6/13/2024
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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.
