Date: 8th July
Latitude & longitude: 76.58°N, 15.45°E
Wind speed: 2.4 knots
Wind direction: N
Barometer: 1024 hPa
Air temperature: 0°C
Sea temperature: 0.3°C

Total polar bear count: 9!

Another glorious day greeted us early in the morning – bright blue skies, the sun shining down on us, and calm waters — perfect for a Zodiac cruise!

No matter which way we turned, there was a spectacular sight to behold. In front of the ship was the giant-sized Samarinbreen Glacier, with a length of 23 kilometres, in the Hornsund fjord. Near the shore, we spotted a ringed seal in the water, and there were also some tracks through the snow along the snow bank. As the ice crashed down from the glacier into the sea, we saw kittiwakes diving and feeding on the nutrients churned up from deep below. Above us, soaring high into the sky, was the tallest peak on Spitzbergen — the Hornsuntind, standing at 1480 metres.

We were fortunate to experience another landing in the afternoon — there were no polar bears in sight so we made the most of it! Howard took us to a place called Gnålodden, with a rocky shoreline leading towards a beautifully green and mossy tundra.

Beneath the steep cliffs of the Gnålberget mountain were hundreds of guillemots and kittywakes. Guillemots are interesting in that they don’t have nests – instead they lay a single egg in a pyriform shape (pear-shaped) on the edges of the cliff (likely so that if it rolls, it rolls in a tight circle instead of off the cliff!) in dense breeding colonies. Kittiwakes are in the gull family ‘Laridae’ and make their nests on the cliffs. Chicks instinctively know to sit still to avoid falling off!

All along the slopes of Gnålberget were tiny and cute wildflowers. By the shore, Ben allowed us to explore the historic hut where Wanny Wolstad, the first female trapper in Svalbard, spent several winters of the 1930s, occasionally joined by her husband and sons!

Every night we end our adventures with cocktail hour at the Elephant Island Bar on the ship, and a delicious three course meal served by the wonderful staff of Aurora Expeditions. Late into the night, we drink and chat, often forgetting that it’s getting late, because of course the sun is still up!

See you tomorrow and thanks for reading!

Love from the A Team
Tanya, Gavin, Richard & Graeme