Spitzbergen Explorer

Sailing down Kingsfjorden, you stop at the tiny settlement of Ny-Alesund and have the chance to send postcards to your friends and family from the northernmost post office in the world. Once a mining village served by the world's most northerly railway, Ny Alesund is now a base station for international arctic research. If you are interested in the history of Arctic exploration, then you might like to walk to the anchoring mast used by Amundsen and Nobile in the airship Norge in 1926 and Nobile again two years later when he returned in the airship Italia, before their flights to the North Pole. Setting sail again you will see coastlines edged with spectacular cliffs and hidden fjords which house some small but very picturesque settlements. Whales, walruses and seals inhabit the region and if you are a keen bird-watcher make sure that you keep an eye out for Arctic terns, Arctic and long-tailed skuas, purple sandpipers, common eiders, barnacle geese, long-tailed ducks, kittiwakes, glaucous gulls and snow buntings. 

Carrying on, you reach the magnificent 14th of July Glacier. Before setting off in the Zodiacs for the first time you will have a briefing about all aspects of safety, including precautions in case of a close encounter with a Polar bear! In the Zodiacs you approach the towering ice cliff-face and can start to fully appreciate its true size. As you get close you can see what happens when the glacier meets the sea. The area is home to Arctic puffins and bearded seals can also often be spotted. There should be time for you to go ashore and the naturalists accompanying you will help you with identifying all the species of plants. (Bx3 Lx3 Dx3)

With the circuit of the islands almost complete, you sail in amongst the fjords of Hornsund. The setting is delightful with tall mountains sandwiching the glaciers as they make their way down to the sea. There are good chances of seeing Polar bear and bearded and ringed seal in this lovely scenery. You may be able to visit the Polish research station, where you will have the chance to learn more about the projects that are worked on here. If you are feeling energetic you may be able to go for a hike and get to know the area on foot. Behind the station the mountains are home to thousands of pairs of nesting little auks. (BLD)