Today we woke up while cruising down St. Jonsfjorden. The fjord provided us with relatively calm winds, many glaciers to explore, and an array of wildlife from birds to seals. There was even a lone polar bear way off in the distance, serving as a good reminder to be cautious in our morning activities, especially as the day seemed perfect for kayaking! Half of the guests chose to take a Zodiac cruise skirting around the fast ice that still spread out from the glaciers in sight. The other half took advantage of the weather to go out for a scenic paddle in the high Arctic.
In the afternoon, we cruised out of St. Jonsfjorden and across an open stretch of water to Poolepynten on the southern point of Prins Karls Forland Island. As we splashed onto the beach, we were greeted with the sight of a small group of reindeer across the way. However, we didn’t come ashore to view reindeer. Poolepynten is well known as a popular location for a walrus haul-out. We came ashore in small groups, and quietly made our way along the beach, hiding ourselves from view. With the last hundred steps we came into view of over sixty walruses all sleeping on the beach. It was a spectacular experience watching them roll around on the sand, changing from one sleeping position to another. Occasionally, we would be rewarded with a full view of one of these giant animals as they moved from one position to another. Even more overwhelming was the smell, giving us a whole new way to interact with wildlife.
It was another magnificent day, filled with wildlife and beautiful scenery.
