polar bear mama and cub checking out its reflection

Polar Bear Mama with a Cub Visited Our Ship!

Our day started early…just after midnight. The message in Australian accent sounded over the PA system, “I’m sorry to disturb you, but a polar bear is visible to the naked eye around 11 o’clock to the ship.” I don’t think either of us had really gone to sleep. We had only returned to the room in the last hour after watching the bears in the distance. After the announcement, David, told me he wasn’t getting up, however, I got dressed in lightning speed. I was going to see that polar bear!

POLAR BEAR PARADISE
cliffs and birds at Allkefjellet

First Walrus Sighting in the Arctic!

Today on our Arctic Expedition with Quark, we started slightly earlier. Breakfast call was 7:30am. The 23 knot wind precluded us from kayaking, so we joined the zodiacs as we toured the shore of towering dolomite and limestone spires with ledges cut out for countless bird colonies at Allkefjellet.

The contrast of the white and black rock, along with the green tundra, dirty snow, and low clouds added to the dramatic setting where over 60,000 pairs of Brunnich’s guillemot breed. It’s amazing to know in September no birds will be present. It’s also amazing to think that of 10,000 species of birds around the world, only 30 species of birds breed in the Arctic and only about 100 species have been recorded.

WATCH FOR WALRUS
kayaker group at Monacobreen

Reflections in the Arctic at Bockfjorden and Monacobreen

This morning on our Quark Arctic Expedition, we were called to breakfast at 8am. Along with the regular options, we could also order French toast. The weather was absolutely magnificent. The breezeless morning let us stand outside on the deck comfortably and snap photos of the surrounding peaks reflecting in the placid bay at Bockfjorden, a portion of Woodfjord, which is part of the Northwest Spitsbergen National Park. The area is home to an old, snow covered volcano and at least today, fantastic kayaking conditions!

GO FOR A PADDLE
puffin in the sea

Duck, Duck, Goose in the Arctic!

First Day on the Sea Adventurer Operated by Quark Expeditions

The loudspeaker wake up call came at 7:30 for breakfast starting at 8. I opted for an omelet and fruit. David added some lox to the mix. There was no shortage of food at the morning buffet. The rest of the morning was filled with preparation…a kayak fitting to adjust our foot pegs, a boot fitting for our landings, and of course a briefing on all the does and dont’s in the Arctic. We now know the correct way to enter and exit the zodiac, how to clean our boots at the gangway, and the importance of staying close to one another and near the guide with the rifle in case a polar bear comes near!

EXPLORE!
reindeer near Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen

Longyearbyen and Its Outskirts

We began our day in Longyearbyen with a buffet breakfast at the hotel…mostly European. With our check out time at 11 and well before our ship boarding time, we packed our bags and left them in the common area for Quark Expeditions to pick up. In the meantime, we joined a “taxi” tour of Spitsbergen with 13 others. It was more like a shuttle bus tour. Regardless, I was grateful to find a short and relaxing activity around Longyearbyen and Spitsbergen before embarking on our circumnavigation around Svalbard!

EXPLORE!

Good-bye to the Humpbacks

From the Silver Bank to the Dominican Republic

Today we waved farewell to the Humpbacks, as we navigated through the coral heads and then completed the eight hour crossing during the day. It was rocky as items on the table slid from one side to other and trash cans fell over. We killed time by editing pictures, reading, and even watching movies. Rootie had Captain Phillips…I loved it! I was so entranced, I could hardly pull myself away when I knew I should be taking in the view of land again as we were pulling into port. I made it up to the top deck just in time to enjoy views of the picturesque harbor. Continue reading “Good-bye to the Humpbacks” →

Another Day in Whale Country…the Silver Bank

Generally I mention our lunches and dinners in my posts. But I have failed to mention breakfast. There is a continental style option set out on the counter every day at 6:30 a.m. which includes a variety of cereals, breads, jams, and fruits from which to choose. If that’s not enough, yogurt is always available, and Chef Dave cooks eggs and bacon to order! His scrambled eggs were excellent. Continue reading “Another Day in Whale Country…the Silver Bank” →

Unbelievable Encounters with the Humpbacks!

There is no other way to describe our day, but spectacular! I think it only took 30 minutes to latch on to a male a few hundred yards south of the boat. We spotted him while he was tail slapping and by the time we reached him in the choppy seas, he put on a show. I don’t know if it was for us or to attract other whales as they aren’t sure why they do that, but we were entertained. The only disappointment was the auto focus on my camera got knocked to manual focus while it was in my dry box, and while I knew something wasn’t right, I was shooting on a setting I wasn’t that familiar with and wasn’t sure what was wrong…not to mention our whale was so active there wasn’t time to be messing with my camera, only time to hold down the shutter! Continue reading “Unbelievable Encounters with the Humpbacks!” →

Humpback Whales Putting on a Show in the Silver Bank!

Morning Outing with the Humpbacks

The sun rose around seven every morning, at it was lovely every time! Ready to tackle the whales, we ventured out on the tenders after breakfast. Overall the whales were either difficult to spot or very feisty today. There were not too many that wanted to settle down for us to join them in the water. We tooled around for a few hours following a few groups of whales when finally we set upon a male trying to impress a female. When we approached them closely, we riled them up! Continue reading “Humpback Whales Putting on a Show in the Silver Bank!” →