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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Norway / Svalbard – in the Realm of the Polar Bear (8th-21st July 2013) (1 Viewer)

Pretty similar

Could you say a bit more about the ship and operations on it?

I did a similar trip (but early in the season, so not the full circumnavigation, but basically going north from Longyearbyen, a bit into the Hinlopenstratet, a bit into the pack ice, and back), all in a week.

At the time, there were a number of ice-strengthened Russian-owned (but leased by Western companies) boats taking about 50-odd passengers doing these trips.

The number of passengers has an impact when it comes to boarding everybody into zodiacs, for example. With our numbers that worked okay. The ships allowed wildlife watching in the open day either from the bow, or from a deck above that. Shared spaces were two `dining rooms' (everything was very informal), a place where one could get hot drinks, with a small library, and a presentation room in the bowels of the boat. I understand that EU legislation came in that meant these ships would have to be equipped with expensive sprinkler systems in order to operate in these waters, and now these trips are run by boats with roughly twice the number of passengers.

We typically had two outings per day (one in the morning, one in the afternoon), which were either landings or zodiac cruises. (A number of pictures from this trip back in 2006 have recently been added to my gallery.) I've wondered what travelling on the bigger boats is like now, and I'd appreciate some info on that.

In terms of species sighted we're pretty much on a par, although we didn't have ringed seal (and I didn't manage to get onto the only Sabine's gull of the trip).

Andrea

Andrea

Although we had twice as many passengers there were 12 active zodiacs, so usually all that happened was that we were split in two groups of about 40-50 (some people didn't do the trips), with 8 to 10 on a zodiac. The zodiac then went in two's when cruising our groups were split into walk categories or given freedom to walk within a managed perimeter. As there is no current limits on how many people can be ashore (unlike Antarctica) then we didn't see any problems, other than if you were called second you had half an hour extra wait on deck and got back later. Being first or second out only made a difference once, when those of going out first got absoulutely soaked but saw two polar bears while those out second went another way stayed dry but got only one bear.

The itineray was pretty much two landings or zodiac cruises per day subject to ice, bears and weather.

We decided to do the circumnavigation so we would hopefully get to places like East Nordaustland and Kvitoya - and fortunatelty we were the first ship that year to manage it albeit that we had a full day sailing through up to 90% pack ice when as an ice strengthened ship we were meant to be avoiding anything greater than 60-70% density.

We also because of the slightly bigger passenger numbers had enough expedition staff to cover all the zodiacs and man shore perimeters plus a decicated ship photographer - who all gave interesting lectures in any down time in the discovery lounge.
There was also a small library.

Meals were a single sitting in a well appointed dinning area, all informal; breakfast and lunch were buffet, dinner was served by waiters from three choices one a vegetarian. We tended to sit at different tables each meal. You could actually see well from the dinning area and I saw one Bear and a couple of whales from here (we were usually always with our bins)

Tea and coffee were availble 24/7 and there was a bar with entertainment at night, one of the crew played.

There were four viewing areas two each Bow and Stern at different levels, and you could walk around deck.
(I learned that you should take the hand rail ;) when going up and down no matter how calm).

All in all would recommend this ship for Arctic or Antarctic trips.

David
 
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The weather has changed

How the weather can change. When we went to bed we were near the shore and on pretty calm seas bathed in sunshine, but during the night we could feel the wind rising and a glance out the window showed no ice and pretty big waves. It was 0 degrees with wind chill.
At breakfast we anchored off Kvitøya (White Island), the easternmost and remotest island in the Svalbard archipelago, here we were closer to Russia than Norway. Kvitoya is a bleak low island covered in snow and ice just one small barren rocky peninsula at the western end. We were told bears often get marooned here when the ice retreats and the bridge spotted at least one bear on the shore. So no landings but the crew judged conditions OK for a Zodiac cruise but it was quite a challenge with the swell and wind and a huge contrast with the calm and sunny conditions of the last few days.

We were on the second of the zodiaks out in the first group out today, close to shore there was the chance to see two perhaps three Polar Bears, no-one was certain, there was one resting close to the shore, which despite the waves and the motion I got one just about one recognisable shot of and two wandering around although I only saw one of these two and Sarah and a few others on board didn’t manage to see either of the walking bears, in fact we had to get Scobie to take us around again just so everyone could see the most obvious bear, such was the movement of the zodiac. Sarah didn’t enjoy her drenching when a couple of huge waves hit us, one completely flooded her parka pocket and killed her little point and click camera. Through a combination of a Rainsleeve and pack I managed to just about keep my camera with taped up hood dry. Still Sarah wasn’t ill unlike our friend Lorna who unfortunately spend the trip leaning over the side hanging on for dear life while being sick with only quick glance up to see a bear and some walrus.
The highlight was the large numbers of Walrus in the water, with curious groups at the surface peering at the Zodiacs, including females and younger animals. Some came quite close.

It was great to get back to the comfort of the ship but back on the ship the wind picked up to gale force and a planned landing in Storoya was quickly abandoned when we were told that we needed to make quick time towards Sjuoyane or we were likely to be completely cut off by pack ice.

Only birds we saw on the trip were Red-throated Diver, Fulmar, Black Guillemot and Puffin
 

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Just before Midnight

Fortunately in early evening the wind died a little but there was a surprisingly light complement for dinner (no Sarah) and quite a few people missing a game of ‘Arctic Bluff’ in the Discovery Lounge after dinner.
Most of us who had been in the lounge were returning to our cabins for the night or having a last tour of deck, I managed to spot two Minke Whales as we came into the first areas of loose pack ice and as the wind dropped.

Then as I got into the Cabin a bear was spotted, and Sue called it from the bridge. I didn’t have to ask Sarah twice if she was getting up she had thrown on her clothes in minutes (I wish she could dress that quickly at home) and we were out on deck where we spend an hour, until just past midnight, with the bear as it ambled along over the pack ice in the gently rolling swell, leaping between ice floes with ease, smashed through some ice as though in a mock seal hunt (we didn’t see any seals so we assume it was mock hunt). Sometimes it came closer and checked us out, see how close in the photo. And when it got into the water it did so once in a very subtle way by carefully going in backwards! Before it finally tired of us and swam off
What a way to end a very mixed day!
 

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One last bear before bed

When we got back to the cabin we had a look at some photos and video before deciding to retire for the night. We did think about staying up as we sailed slowly towards the thicker ice but decided that we would just get up nice and early in the morning and get out on deck in hopefully better light.

Once we had undressed and got ourselves ready for bed I had a feeling that I had to have one last look out the cabin window, and so it was at half past midnight we had our very own cabin bear. We looked at him to see if we could see the same scar tissue around the eye as the bear that had left us to the other side of the ship 30 minutes ago but it didn’t look like the same bear.

We wondered whether we should go to the bridge to announce the bear but Sarah rightly pointed out that anyone still up was probably watching it, as it was pretty obvious, while this bear was already being left behind so by the time people were roused it may have been distant anyway.

Cabin bear below
 

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How lovely - awakening to a snowy arctic morning with just a light dusting of snow on the decks and with the bow of the ship nosed into pack ice, there were plenty of Kittiwakes, Glaucous Gulls, Black & Brunich’s Guillemots and Fulmar around us in the ice.

Today we were close to Sjuøyane, (translating to “Seven Islands”), a small archipelago North of Nordaustlandet. The main feature for the next 14 hours or so pack ice, often at up to 80-90% density and what often accompanies pack ice? Polar bears we were told. We also hoped for Beluga Whales and Seals – well two out of three wasn’t bad. We had our first bear on the port side about 500m away pretty early on, there were also quite a few Ringed Seals although getting a photograph was not so easy.

By lunch time we had seen two more bears one on each side of the ship but unfortunately each was probably about 1KM away and the ship had to just follow the leads in the ice so would only see the bear closely if he chose to be curious like those last night. Over the next few hours there was always at least one bear visible through bins or a scope. In the afternoon we got our first group of Harp Seals and then lots of others got an Ivory Gull which I somehow missed.
However it wasn’t until we nearly reached the edge of the thicker ice that we could see bears any closer, there were two about 500M away on the starboard side and another about 750M on the port side and fortunately one nice rotund Polar bear was pleased to investigate the ship, allowing us to observe the grace and ease with which he navigated his domain

It was a day for feeling the remote silence long periods were spent just enjoying the movement of bears on pack ice and glimpsing a bit of their solitary lives, ever in search of seals. In all we reckoned we had seen at least 6 bears.

Our most northerly point was reached today, 80˚40’ before heading South toward our night of travel in a foggy Hinlopenstretet.
 

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Last thoughts form the pack ice

One last set of photos from the pack ice which we finally left after 20 hours or so .
We awoke to a damp, misty morning in Murchisonfjord, an inlet at the top of Hinlopenstraight. Our destination the former research station of Kinnvika. On going ashore we found find a well maintained collection of wooden huts housing pretty run down scientific equipment, a sauna in good shape, workshops and meeting rooms served by old central heating.

On walking within the perimeter we found an Arctic Fox, hunkering down out the wind, before he walked right by our feet and a small family of reindeer the young one and the female still in their partial white fur.
Birds included Snow Bunting, Common Eider, Puffin, Barnacle Goose and Arctic Skua.


After lunch the word came from the bridge that there were two humpback whales in sight. The whales were slapping the water and feeding relatively close to our ship and provided an excellent sighting, while still on desk we also saw two very large Fin Whales, and a Minke Whale and as we approach Alkerfjelet we started to see hundreds of Brunich’s Guillemot. At Alkefjellet (Guillemot Mountain) we took a Zodiac Cruise to get close to the tens of thousands of birds, mainly Brünnich’s Guillemots, nesting, feeding and diving all around the towering cliffs. In amongst the Guillemots was the occasional Glaucous Gull, and I’m pretty sure an Iceland Gull which I pointed out to a few people, it was certainly shorter and smaller headed and I think breeding from its position on the cliff, so a rarity if I’m right, but photos that John and I took were inconclusive on eye and bill pattern largely due to lots of movement in the zodiac and blurred shots.
 

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Few more photos

Just a few whale shots
 

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Hope so

Your "other seals" shot is Harp Seal, isn't it? Black face diagnostic?

John

I hope so as that's what I described them as to Sarah, only concern was that there were groups of both harp and ringed together in some of the openings in the ice, so hope this is ringed and previous (other) is Harp.
 

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I hope so as that's what I described them as to Sarah, only concern was that there were groups of both harp and ringed together in some of the openings in the ice, so hope this is ringed and previous (other) is Harp.

I admit I've not seen Ringed so I'm slightly less sure about this, but I think its Ringed.

I'm certain of the one with the black face, that's a Harp Seal.

You've had a great trip!

John
 
thanks

I admit I've not seen Ringed so I'm slightly less sure about this, but I think its Ringed.

I'm certain of the one with the black face, that's a Harp Seal.

You've had a great trip!

John

Thanks, we saw just about everything we hoped for, will need to try again for Beluga. David
 
David & Sarah, you regularly provide positive feedback to other people's trip reports, it's very nice to be able to do the same for you. Obviously a great trip, and an excellent report. Well done.
 
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