Circumnavigating Spitsbergen with the ability to go where I wanted and stop to explore where I wanted was a cherished dream. In 2024 this dream became a reality thanks to the help of friends who put me in contact with Mario Czok, who agreed to charter his ship, the beautiful schooner Meander, for this trip.
I invited eleven friends to accompany me. All women, with one exception, and all artists of varying types. The trip was to be at the end of the season, after Meander finished her regular sailing schedule, as we were an “add on.” This was exactly what I wanted as the light in late September and October on Svalbard is phenomenal. But because this is also the season of change from day to night, the weather can be quite unpredictable. To do it at this time was taking a chance. There would be storms. There might be early ice. The circumnavigation might not work. Every day would mean a decision: Do we go on, or do we go back?
The experience was phenomenal. I could not have had better companions, a better ship, or a finer crew and captain. For thirteen days we were family. We saw things we’d never imagined being able to see. We went where we chose, and explored places seldom seen. As one of my friends said, it was the trip of a lifetime.
Each row features four images from one day of days 26 September to 8 October. I have kept Norwegian naming conventions. For those unfamiliar with Scandic languages, breen is glacier, øya is island, bukta is bay, hamna is landing place
Historical SkansbuktaWe left Longyearbyen on 26 September, late afternoon in a bad storm. After racing across Isjford we sheltered overnight in the small bay of Skansbukta, a location rich in Svalbard history. A gypsum mine was begun here in 1918. Like so many Svalbard ventures, this one failed. The hulk of a boat, twisted railway tracks, and piles of gypsum are all that's left of the Dalen Portland Cement Works.
Trappers HutNow owned by Jakt og Fiske (hunting and fishing) this trappers hut was built in 1911. Earlier, there was another hut further in the bay built by Peder Nilson Furfjord. He and his brothers were renowned Svalbard hunters. Hansine Fjurfjord joined her husband here in 1904-1905. Unfortunately, she became ill and died (another common ending to many Svalbard stories). Grief stricken, her husband abandoned Svalbard and the hut distintegrated. Only a weathered cross marking Hansine's grave remains.
Reindeer BonesFrom its location at the bottom of a cliff this reindeer most likely fell to its death. Which was sad for the reindeer but good for the Arctic foxes who scavenged it until only bones and inedible fur were left. Nothing is wasted in the Arctic, and every death means life for other creatures.
Gypsum Blocks by the ShoreI didn't know how beautiful gypsum was until we walked among this massive blocks. White as chalk and black veined, from a distance they appeared like the finest marble. Close up the rough texture showed it's true nature. The gypsum here is not actually gypsum, but anhydrite which is worthless. A great disappointment and financial loss for the mine's investors.
Extraordinary Geology in EidombuktaIt remained stormy, so after discussion of whether to stay or go, we chose to go. In uncomfortable weather we crossed Isfjord, rounded Alkhorn and then headed for protection within Forlandsundet, the strait between Prins Karls Forland and Spitzbergen We spent the night in Eidombukta, to wake up to this strange yet beautiful landscape on 28 September.
EidembreenHiking Eidembukta within view of its glacier showed us many strange and colorful rock formations -- some of the oldest rocks on the planet. Amalgam rocks in shades of purple and orange and cream, and these mountain formation with crests like a bird, standing above the glacier. An extraordinary geology.
Short Days with Long ShadowsThe light was beautiful and in the short days the sunrise merged with the sunset to create extraordinary colors in the sky, a perfect backdrop for this otherworldly place.
DahlbreenTraveling up the inside of Prinz Karls Forland was special as all my previous journeys had gone along the outside of this island as the strait is shallow. But sailing inside was perfect as it both gave shelter from the ongoing storm as well as giving me the opportunity to see a section of Svalbard I hadn't seen or walked on before. We anchored for the night in Dahlbreenbukta, in front of the eponymous glacier.
The Seven GlaciersMost trips up the west coast of Svalbard pass the Seven Glaciers at night. But since the 29th was to be a sailing day, we had the opportunity to see each of them by daylight. We left early, under thick cloud cover, which added to the beauty of these amazng rivers of ice.
Dawn LightGradually the morning dusk gave way to the kind of pink skies rarely seen in other places. We continued up the strait past these beautiful, rarely seen glaciers.
Through the Greenland Sea.Once we were out of the island's protection and in the open sea the wind picked up and the seas became quite rough. The sails were raised to help steady the ship as we forged onward through the cold Greenland sea.
Smeerenbergbukta and SmeerenbergbreenAt sunset we pulled into Smeerenbergbukta and the sea (and people's stomachs) calmed down. The sky was every shade of pink and purple and clear, true blue. I've always thought Smeerenbergbreen the most beautiful glacier on Svalbard, but I'd never seen it dressed for winter in this extraordinary light. It took everyone's breath away.
Sallyhamana with Blubber Oven RemainsWe sailed through the night of the 29th to awaken on the 30th in the calm bay of Sallyhamna, a site rich in history. From the early Pomors, through 19th century whaling, this protected location has been in constant use. This cabin is privately owned, but we were given keys to it so that we could visit it.
Blubber Oven from 19th CenturyThis was a popular whaling destination in the 19th century until the whales were nearly exterminated. Many stone-built blubber ovens remain, this one with a ramp up to the top. One trapper attempted to pen and raise Arctic foxes here also and the remains of traps can be found as well as fencing and stone "roads."
Kelp BeachSallyhamna is very protected, so many seals come to this beach. Which means it's a site polar bears frequent, though we saw none on this trip. The bay is also shallow, which keeps it mostly free from tourists as large ships can't come in.
HolmiabreenClose to Sallyhamna is Holmiabukta, another small bay with a glacier face. Holmiabreen looked worn and tired from the summer melt, and was already covered with a thin layer of snow (it was snowing this day). Several curious seals followed up as we examined the glacier from zodiacs.
Kelvin-Helmholz InstabilityI woke up to these amazing clouds, Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds are rare, and the reasons for their formation complicated. I've only seen them three times in the Arctic, and this was the third. They are extraordinary and a reminder of what an amazing planet we live on.
Frozen in Place1 October began in Mushamna. Our hope for the morning was to go into a beautiful lagoon and make a landing. We tried, but the lagoon ice was thick, and it is better not to break fast ice. But the reflections of mountains on water and the complex textures of the ice made for a beautiful scene.
Christiane Ritter's CabinIn 1934, Christiane Ritter, a German artist, joined her husband Hermann (and his partner Karl) who was trapping on Svalbard. From this overwintering came a classic of Polar literature, A Woman in the Polar Night, about her experience. This is that cabin, and you can see the tiny addition her husband made for her art studio. We are all huge admirors, and it was a thrill to be able to visit and enter this special place.
A Woman in the Polar Night“No, the Arctic does not yield its secret for the price of a ship's ticket. You must live through the long night, the storms, and the destruction of human pride. You must have gazed on the deadness of all things to grasps their livingness. In the return of light, in the magic of the ice, in the life-rhythm of the animals observed in the wilderness, in the natural laws of all being, revealed here in their completeness, lies the secret of the Arctic and the overpowering beauty of its lands.” Christiane Ritter, A Woman In the Polar Night
Pink Sky at MorningAt this point we had to make a decision. Stay and explore this part of Spitsbergen, and there is a lot to see; or try for a circumnavigation. The weather was iffy. It wasn't certain we could be successful. As a group we choose to continue on. We left Gråhuken and spent the night sailing around the island's top. In the morning we woke well into the Hinlop strait to see this extraordinary pink rainbow sky. We took it as a good omen.
Iceberg along ArdnesetFor the first time on this trip we saw real icebergs. We landed at Wahlbergøya, between Spitsbergen and Nordaustland, halfway around the major island of Svalbard. This was a big accomplishment.
Walrus Herd on ArdnesetWe landed at Ardneset on Wahlbergøya, then walked across it to observer the herd of walruses. Walruses segregate by gender, only coming together for mating. They're very social animals, and congregate in large herds, sleeping next to each other which sometimes leads to disagreements when one walrus wants to move and its neighbor doesn't. Walrus tusks grow throughout their life, so the longer the tusk, the older and more powerful the walrus. They are true Arctic royalty, perfectly adapted for their environment.
Ice BlinkThe land masses in this photograph are not real. They are known as Ice Blink, or fata morgana. Arctic mirages fooled many polar explorers into believing there was land ahead when in fact there was nothing but empty sea. A bit embarrassing when it was marked on a map, then later discovered to not exist! This fascinating mirage occurs when rays of light bend as they pass through air layers of different temperatures in a steep thermal inversion where an atmospheric duct has formed. To my delight and amazement, although they aren't real, they can be photographed. As you can see in this image, no wonder explorers were tricked.
BråsvellbreenBråsvellbreen is the ice front of Austfonna, Svalbard's southern ice cap and the largest ice cap in the archipelago, the third largest in the northern Polar regions. This glacier is best known for its often photographed summer waterfalls. Marbled blue and white, the glacier was a phenomenal sight.
Eye on the SkyThe icerbergs that calve from Bråsvellbreen are among the largest on Svalbard, and also the bluest. There's a necklace of ice that surround this magnificent glacier that we kept a safe distance from. But many icebergs had floated into the open sea, and we were able to admire these more closely.
Towering Cliffs of IceIt's difficult to get a sense of scale of this towering ice front. it is massive, and combined with the rest of Austfonna's ice front is 111 miles long, making it the longest glacier front in the northern hemisphere. We sailed alongside this amazing wall of ice for hours, never tiring of looking at it.
Blue Ice, Golden SkyIn October the sun remains low on the horizon leading to days of pink and golden skies. The blue icebergs of Bråsvellbreen made a stunning contrast to this spectacular autumnal light, the last light before the dark.
Foretaste of WinterNow we were well on our way south. On 4 October we slipped between the Barentsøya and Edgeøya. Here we had a distant view of the east coast of Spitsbergen, a popular snowmobile trip in winter. I was pleased to take photos of the west coast from Edgeøya as I have photos of the island from the west coast also. It gives me a sense of completion. On this morning a storm was sweeping across the coast for added drama.
BarentsøyaWe made a short stop at Kapp Waldburg on Barentsøya before continuing on to Edgeøya and Kapp Lee.
The Bear and Fox ShowWe rounded Kapp Lee, intending to visit the cabins at Kapp Lee
station. However, a female polar bear was feasting on a reindeer she'd killed so instead we watched what we called the "bear and fox show" as an Arctic fox was very interested in having some of her kill, and the well fed bear was not at all interested in sharing.
station. However, a female polar bear was feasting on a reindeer she'd killed so instead we watched what we called the "bear and fox show" as an Arctic fox was very interested in having some of her kill, and the well fed bear was not at all interested in sharing.
Kapp Lee StationWe were within view of Kapp Lee station and it's several cabins, but could not land so that we didn't disturb the bear.
The Southernmost TipDuring the morning of 5 October we rounded the southernmost tip of Spitsbergen. This was a day that had a plan A, a plan B, and a plan C. We had hoped to stop for a morning landing, then turn into Hornsund for a little exploring. But the winds and waves said no. Instead we battled our way across Hornsund and anchored at beautiful Hyttevika, where the little bay is protected by a few islands and large rocks.
Wanny Woldstad's cabinThis cabin was inhabited by Svalbard's most famous woman hunter and trapper, Wanny Woldstad, whose journals have been published titled, "Wanny, Get your Gun" and recently fictionalized as, "The Cold Coast" by Australian writer Robyn Mundy. The cabin is still in use, and the area around it is very beautiful.
Early SunsetIn the high Arctic the light changes quickly, and the days were getting short. We walked north around the bay, crossing frozen streams and passing beautiful rock formations. Our goal was a rise where we would have a view of the nearby glaciers.
Austre TorellbreenFrom where we gathered at the far end of the bay we could see the long ice edge of Austre Torellbreen, and peek-a-boo sightings of the closer, but receded onto dry land, Werenskjöldbreen. Both of them glowing in the warm low light of October.
Belugas -- Ghosts of the ArcticI woke early on 6 October, and went out on deck to be welcomed by a bod of belugas sliding past the Meander. They swam silently, barely breaking the water's surface. As so often when confronted with wildlife so close, I am struck with the awe of the experience, and do not think to take a photo until (as here) they have swum away. In this case likely to feed in front of the glacier
RecherchebreenRecherchebreen is fronted by a wonderful lagoon full of ice in varying states. The glacier is named for 1838 French exploration vessel, La Recherche. The ship carried scientists and also artists François-Auguste Biard and Auguste Mayer who created wonderful paintings and prints. Also present was the indomitable Leonie D'Aunet, Biard's wife, the first woman on Svalbard. Her book, "Voyage d'une Femme au Spitsberg" is said to be wonderful but unfortunately is only available in French.
Diamonds and EmeraldsAlong the lagoon's shore lay thousands of chunks of blue, green, and crystal ice like impossible gemstones. I had never seen some of these ice forms before, and was particularly fascinated by how these thin layers of ice glittering ice rested like a blanket of diamonds on top of rocks, colored ice, and sand.
MidterhukfjelletIn the afternoon we continued north to Akseløya which crosses the mouth of the large Van Mijenfjord fjord system . We walked across ancient rock to gaze upon Midterhukfjell, an impossible mountain created when Svalbard and Greenland smashed into each other. The graphic black and white lines of force are stunning reminders of the power in the planet.
Fleur de LyshamnaThe extraordinary geology of this part of Svalbard is a marvel. Again, due to the strong winds our Plan A became Plan C and we criss-crossed Bellsund finally taking shelter first on the north side of Van Keulenhamna, and finally settling on the south side in the small but beautiful Fleur de Lyshamna where there was much to explore.
Abandoned Whallng BoatsThis entire stretch of small bays was used for whaling, primarily hunting beluga. At Ahstrandodden lie three whale boats abandoned probably in 1930. This shores are covered with remnants of this whale killing history. Not only boats, but bones lie thick on the shore, and beyond a few scattered cabins.
Water, Sand MountainsBeyond the whaling boats is a sandy spit which had what looked like the remains of a meteorology station at the end. From this location there was a fine view of the fingers of Parmaholmen and Bardholmen where the water was quite shallow.
Hunting CabinTwo cabins sit along the curve of Fleur de Lyshamna. One is a large, newly built cabin, a luxury cabin by Svalbard standards, built and maintained by Norsk Polar Institut. The second cabin was much older, built solely of wood, and now in occasional use by the Polish Research Station.
Borebukta and BorebreenAnd suddenly it was the last day. We sailed all night to sleep through the worst of the windy weather, to wake up back in Isfjord and across from the Nansen glacier. We could not believe the trip was now ending.After breakfast we traveled the short distance to Borebukta where we could be close to the glacier. Borebreen has been surging since about 2019. For the hundred years before that it was now active. As with all surging glaciers the waters in front are full of brash ice, bergy bits, and small icebergs. Even in an ice-strengthened boat a sharp eye needs to be kept on the ice.
Ice from the Glacier's HeartThe ice from the glacier was incedible. So many colors of blue and orange and green. Some ice, like this, was streaked with dirt collected possibly centuries, or even thousands, of years ago. The colors and textures of this ancient ice are a delight to the eye. And it will melt into the sea in a very short time.
Surging GlacierAbout every fifteen minutes Borebreen would have a calving event. The sound of a glacier cracking and groaning before calving is felt in the marrow of ones bones. It's an astonishing sound that can take your breath away. And then the ice falls, raising a tidal wave before it.
On the Way HomeAs the sun lowered in the sky we began the short journey across Isfjord, through the brash ice circle at the mouth of Borebukta, back to Longyearbyen. Circumnavigating Spitsbergen was accomplished. Amazing things were seen and experienced. We were fortunate to experience a trip like no other.