This was a bit of a follow-on from the NW Passage of last year. Further north (80deg) than our northernmost part of the NW Passage cruise (76deg) but similarly icebound for much of the year, the possibility of circumnavigating the archipelago has recently been possible, perhaps because of global warming. Svalbard cruises were previously confined to just a trip up the western coast of Spitsbergen, the main island.
The sea around Svalbard benefits from the Gulf Stream, which is why it is not as ice bound as other locations at the same latitude.
 |
| Our route |
It was discovered in 1596 by the Dutch explorer Willem Barents and named Spitsbergen, meaning 'pointed mountains' in Dutch, who didn't realise it was an archipelago, which was renamed Svalbard when it became part of Norway.
The Arctic ice sheet reaches the northern shores of the archipelago from Oct/Nov to May/Jun and most of the inlets and straits are also frozen and impenetrable during the coldest months. It is about 400 miles from the North Pole and has been part of the Kingdom of Norway since 1925. Coal mining was an important industry, but has declined in recent years, and there had been whaling. The focus is now on tourism with glaciers that cover 60% of the land mass, 7 national parks and 23 nature reserves cover two-thirds of it, hosting wildlife (land & sea), flora and fauna. Wildlife on land is limited to polar bears, reindeer and arctic fox, and there is a wide variety of seals and other mammals. A Swiss couple we met on the NW Passage trip spoke highly of it, even though they only cruised the western coast of Spitsbergen, so the possibility of circumnavigation made it compelling!
The ice had started to break up and retreat during May/June, the coasts and inlets became clear and circumnavigation looked very likely as we set off from Birmingham, via Amsterdam and Oslo, to board MS Spitsbergen at Longyearbyen at the beginning of September.
It was a bit of a wearying journey of two early starts for flights via Amsterdam to Oslo then Longyearbyen, and two hotels stops there before we finally boarded. Longyearbyen is a rather bleak place with a history of coal mining and we had left behind the plentiful trees of mainland Norway.
 |
| Snowmobiles outnumber polar bears, which outnumber people on Svalbard! |
 |
| And there they are! |
Finally, we boarded!
Our first visit was to Kongsfjorden, King’s Bay, with lots of glaciers, some of which had retreated from shore. Soon, we saw our first, and large, polar bear walking along the shoreline and the climbing the slopes behind. The ship was able to get quite close so we had an excellent view for some time.
We had a professional photographer on board, Tommy, with the best kit and he took the best shots and shared them with us. I have taken the liberty of including a few of his here, where I was either not there, not adequately equipped, or just plain not ready!
 |
| Credit Tommy this and next |
Still in the fjord, we went ashore at Ny-Alesund, a multinational research station. Here, we were guided round the small settlement that began with coal mining in 1909, before being closed in 1963, because of accidents and fatalities resulting from the high levels of methane in the rock. It has international acclaim as a climate, ecology and wildlife monitoring station. It was also historically significant for the explorer Amundsen in his attempts to reach the North Pole by airship, and a rusting tethering tower remains.
.jpg)
 |
| Required because of the research instrumentation and telemetry |
 |
| World's Northernmost Post Office |
Although the ship’s expedition team scouted and then guarded the area with rifles, on watch for polar bears, I couldn’t help but notice other firearms carried by scientists while walking from one building to another. At least, this is an advancement on the past practice of taking to their rooftops with a beer while the bears wandered through!
 |
| Roald Amundsen |
 |
| Telegraph Station |
 |
| Polar Bear watch |
 |
| Dog kennels |
 |
| Tethering tower |
 |
| The doctor's lot had to include dentistry and the odd occasion to fit this to one who couldn't take the 24h darkness! |
Early next morning, we entered Smeerenburgfjorden, Blubber Town, again noting the retreating glaciers, well back from the shoreline. Previous photos shown on board showed them all the way to the sea.
We had our first landing on a spit of land, once a whaling station that remains the graveyard for early whalers in this area, continuing after this station closed and where 130 graves remain, protected by a fence, along with the remains of two blubber ovens. Conditions were calm with no wind, if overcast, for a landing.
 |
| Graveyard |
 |
| Blubber Oven |
 |
| Polar Bear watch |
 |
| Burial Ground 1612-1800 130 British, Dutch & German |
 |
| 2nd Blubber Oven |
 |
| 4 walrus on the distant shore but only visible through binoculars |
 |
| Kayaks at the ready! |
Later that day, we arrived a Bjornfjorden, further north and noticeably colder with more ice floating away from its series of glaciers.
We had a landing near to the base of one of the glaciers - described by one our our guides as a moment for contemplation, and it was, awesome!
 |
| Tommy snatched a calving |
 |
| And this bearded seal from the shore |
 |
| Both Tommy pix |
While approaching the shore for the pick-up, our Zodiac hit something solid underwater (ice or rock?), with consequences!
 |
| Oops! Won't go. |
 |
| So, towed |
 |
| Ignominious! Being pulled in by hand. |
Onwards overnight, we rounded the northwest corner of Svalbard and entered Liefdefjorden with two glaciers, one being Monacobreen, so named after the first Prince of Monaco, a pioneering polar explorer. It was just 3deg and rather drizzly for our Zodiac ride along the front of both.
 |
| Lots of ice dispersing after calving, but the Zodiacs proceeded slowly through it |
 |
| Fractures that will lead to calving |
 |
| Weaving through the ice back to the ship |
 |
| Back to the tenderpit |
We were lucky to hear cracking and then see a large calving, but I was not quick enough to get my camera ready, sadly. A large lump rolled nearby as well, and I missed that too, duh!
A second polar bear was spotted en route to the next destination, not as close as the first.
After that, we went on to a landing at Mushamna, a small sheltered bay in nearby in Woodfjorden where there was a relatively recent Trapper's encampment that was transferred to the Government when it was no longer used by its builder.
 |
| Tower for drying skins out of reach from polar bears |
 |
| Sled brake |
 |
| Polar bear watch |
 |
| Campfire |
 |
| Cosy |
 |
| Polar bear watch by lighthouse |
 |
| Not sure where Tommy saw them! (He had his own Zodiac at times) |
 |
| Underway again, with a fine sky behind |
 |
| Scientists at work |
Passing through 80degN in the late evening, we continued on overnight to arrive at the island of Chermsideoya that includes Nord Kapp, even though Nord Kapp is not the furthest north point of Svalbard. We have, for the first time, departed the main island of Spitsbergen and are close the top of the World, well relatively near it anyway:
Onshore, groups of Walruses could be seen and they included calves:
 |
| Walruses on the shore |
Landing on Chersimedeoya in light rain, which became heavier and driven when the wind picked up, the walruses unfortunately took to the water and couldn't be seen up close by us.
 |
| Rock inscription from a visiting vessel dated 1928 |
 |
| Interesting crystallised layers in a lot of the rock |
 |
| Another from 1890 |
Although we got very wet and missed the walruses up close, it was still an interesting landing with all the drift wood and the rock inscriptions from two visiting vessels long ago, still undisturbed. I couldn't quite make out the ship names.
Onwards further north to Phippsoya, the largest island of Sjuoyane archipelago and just 8.5km south of Svalbard's northermost island, Rossoya, and named after English explorer John Phipps. This was our furthest north at 80deg 41min. Phipps commanded two vessels on an expedition to Svalbard in 1773.
The walruses were still being coy as we went in for our beach landing, popping their heads up in a group, taunting, just far enough away to not be pictured from a bouncing Zodiac!
 |
| 1936 Rescue Hut for those in distress Government owned, available to all |
 |
| Walrus Tusk |
 |
| Collected fishing net |
 |
| Polar Bear Lookout |
 |
| Masses of timber |
The Expedition Team encouraged beach cleaning, handing out bags to the volunteers. It is part of their commitment to maintaining a pristine Arctic and they advised later that 138kg had been collected.
 |
| Picking volunteer |
 |
| Load of part-finished logs lost and washed ashore, going from and to where, and when? |
 |
| Examples of the many coloured rocks |
 |
| Moss and flowers among the rock and sand |
Svalbard is famed for its geology - so many varieties of rock in one place, and our Environmental Scientist explained a lot about it in one of our onboard lectures.
This rubbish, bagged up earlier by others unknown, was carried down to the shoreline by Dougie from the Team for later removal with the fishing net, probably by the Svalbard Government.
 |
| Zodiac turned by the team, chest deep in the water, and dragged ashore in reverse because of the swell! No complaints of cold, so good gear! |
With everyone and the Expedition Team with all their gear back on board, we were off again!
Tommy was in the right place to photograph the walruses:
After a weather warning of 5m swell and 20m/s wind to come overnight, we were advised that tomorrow's activities on the water would have to be cancelled. We sailed eastwards and then turned south on the eastern side of the island of Nordaustlandet, North East Land, heading for the Brasvellbreen glacier, part of the massive Austonna ice cap that covers most of the eastern part of the island. The ice cap spans over 120km of the eastern coastline and the glacier formed in 1935-36 when the ice pushed out with a 12km wide front from the ice cap and extended 20km into the sea.
Ice was visible some distance away for the morning sailing, which was sunny and dry, if still a little windy and choppy, but it came closer as the ship turned towards the southeast shore. A lot of drifting ice made the going slow and I think we got to about 20-25km from the shore before the crew decided the ice was too dense for safe travel, so we turned away to continue onwards.
 |
| Lovely sunny start |
 |
| Bigger icebergs and the giant ice cap in the distance |
 |
| Some could easily do damage so progress was slow |
It didn't take long before bare fingers taking photos could no longer cope with the biting wind!
 |
| Further south, now opposite Brasvellbreen, still at a distance but less ice in the way |
And finally, we got a bit closer for a good look in perfect weather conditions in the late afternoon.
 |
| Another waterfall |
 |
| A fine end to a day |
We heard that our timing was lucky because sunsets have just returned to Svalbard after the cessation of the Midnight Sun from 24 August.
 |
| Tommy pix |
We landed and walked up into a canyon to view a large number of Kittiwakes nesting in the cliff face and flying overhead. Some reindeer were visible in the distance.
 |
| Polar bear watch atop the hill with many Kittiwakes on the wing |
 |
| Close by but unperturbed on the ground |
 |
| It was wet! |
 |
| Lots of green too |
 |
| Something's reindeer meal |
 |
| More snow on the hills in the east than the west side of the archipelago |
 |
| Small flowers giving it a go |
 |
| One of many interesting rocks |
There was plenty of evidence of the presence of reindeer and Arctic fox and although we missed seeing the latter, some did.
We learned later that visits to Kapp Warlburg are to be prohibited from the beginning of next year, so this was likely to have been the last visit by MS Spitsbergen as it was the last circumnavigation attempt this season.
In the afternoon, we sailed onwards to land at Kapp Lee, at the other end of the channel. It was with hope and expectation that we would see a few walrus as it's a popular place for them.
However, the landing then had to be relocated to where they had come from, so it was another hike back over the hill again!
 |
| A couple of reindeer, him with fine antlers |
 |
| Bouncy ride with spray in both directions |
Next morning, we rounded the southern tip of Spitsbergen in a swell and 14m/s wind with rain that later turned to sleet/snow and a temperature of just 0.5deg. We later entered Hornsunfjord, a large fjord complex on the southwestern coast, famous for Gnalberget, Humming Mountain, known for its large number of Kittiwake, Brunnich Guillemot and Northern Fulmar. Plans had to be cancelled for a landing to see these birds because of the unfavourable conditions. Looking out, it didn't look very appealing anyway!
 |
| Young Kittiwake inadvertently landed and spent some time recovering, a little disorientated, on a railing of our balcony. |
 |
| Snow building up on our balcony |
Instead, we sailed down a side fjord with a large glacier just visible through the snow and gloom.
 |
| Cold! Only the hardy were on deck |
Later, however, the snow stopped as we took to sea again and we were given yet another fine sunset.
Next morning, dry and 2deg with a rather biting wind, we entered the start of Van Keulenfjorden for our first landing at Bamsebu, with a privately owned hut of that name. It had been a Beluga whaling station from the 1930s to 1940 and the evidence of that era was plain to see.
 |
| Beluga whale bones |
 |
| Cosy |
 |
| Reinforcements against the wind |
 |
| Lovely mountains nearby with the snow highlighting the areas heave |
 |
| Dougie on guard |
Then, we moved around the corner into Recherchenfjord for a landing at the Recherhebreen, its glacier. And, as a bonus, the sky turned blue and the sun shone!
It looked fantastic from the ship, but was even better when we landed. The glacier is fronted by a lagoon and we were able to land on the spit of land, the frontal moraine, that bounds it.
 |
| Polar bear tracks! A Team member said 2 days old! |
 |
| Polar Plunge. They didn't even flinch, brrrr! |
 |
| Tommy pix |
It was an outstanding landing, more than enough compensation for yesterday's weather and limitations. Glorious sunshine, a glacier calving into a lagoon, magnificent mountains all around, evidence of a recent (thankfully) polar bear visit, polar plunge for a few, great vistas and a superb end to the day! Now for dinner........ After that, we were entertained by a highly energetic Crew Band who got most up dancing and doing a conga!
Next morning, we sailed into Ekanfjorden for our morning landing at Hemsedalen, a 3km long valley, named after a valley in Norway. Curiously, a sandstorm was visible in the distance, caused by high winds in the wider fjord and towards Longyearbyen. Apparently, this is quite common.
Nearby the landing site was a waterfall and ice, because of the temperature just above freezing.
 |
| Sandstorm in the distance |
 |
| Reindeer track |
 |
| Fabulous rock strata by Tommy |
The Expedition Team served up spiced tea before we boarded the Zodiac for our return to MS Spitsbergen, and it was very welcome.
Our afternoon expedition, and final one of the voyage, was a cruise up close to Sveabreen, a 30-40km long glacier, and a couple of grounded ice calves near it.
 |
| Lots of free ice |
 |
| Back to the ship |
Dario, our guide, did rather thump into a lot of the loose ice, some of which was fairly lumpy and got caught between the propeller and the pontoons, but we got there and back ok!
So, all that remained was the final dinner on board, Captain's Farewell and Photo Show from the professional on board, then docking early tomorrow.
After disembarkation, we travelled into a long valley near Longyearbyen, passing many dog kennels and a large lake, which the road barely above it! It was blowing a cold gale and left me wondering how people coped with this, especially during the months of darkness that must seem endless!
 |
| Dog kennels |
We visited Camp Barentz, near the only Norwegian operating mine that is high on the hill nearby, met some dogs (mixture of Husky and Greenland dogs for strength and stamina). There is a replica of Willem Barentz's cabin. It was bitterly windy and we were glad to adjourn to another hut with a fire to be offered hot drinks and pancakes.
 |
| Armed guide briefing us as to what to do in the event of a polar bear sighting. |
 |
| Dog sled |
 |
| Kennels |
 |
| Mine #7 on top of the hill nearby |
 |
| Cold! |
 |
| Willem Barentz cabin replica |
Afterwards, it was back to Longyearbyen to kill some time before heading for the airport and Oslo.
 |
| Statue of miner in Longyearbyen |
After an overnight at Oslo airport, we then set off home via Amsterdam and Birmingham without any fuss.
It was an outstanding trip, distinct and a contrast to the NW Passage, although we saw less wildlife than we had expected. Many birds had started their migration and the sea mammals were rather coy. We did, however, have a few good polar bear sightings.
