Arctic Ocean - Spitsbergen: Jan Mayen, Ice Edge & Birding

In the late afternoon, you board MV Plancius in Akureyri, a fishing port and the capital of North Iceland. You sail north through Eyafjordur, one of Iceland’s longest fjords. You may see whales as the ship reaches the open sea.

At the Arctic Circle
You land on the island of Grimsey, which lies on the Arctic Circle. Grimsey has a fishing village and is known for bird colonies that include kittiwakes, razorbills, puffins, fulmars, and Arctic terns. In the evening, you pass Kolbeinsey, a small uninhabited island, while sailing north. From this point on, daylight lasts around the clock.

Sailing northward
Sailing toward the isolated Jan Mayen, you look for humpbacks, fin, minke, blue whales, and even orcas. During the crossing, the ship alters course to provide better viewing opportunities when wildlife is spotted.

Volcanic rock and ocean air
You find yourself before Jan Mayen, a stark volcanic island crowned by the snow-capped summit of Mt. Beerenberg. From the slopes of this imposing 2,300-meter-high (7,545 feet) volcano, broken glaciers tumble out into the frigid sea. With permission from the Norwegian authorities, you can now visit the weather station. You can also walk to the remains of a 17th-century Dutch whaling station amid the thick moss beds of this stark volcanic landscape. This historic place is tied deeply to the Dutch whaling industry of the past and is intensely atmospheric.

Beneath the midnight sun & along the ice edge
Basking in the midnight sun, you sail north along the edge of the sea ice in search of bowhead whales, harp seals, polar bears, and a variety of seabirds. You then change direction after about 79° north, cutting west to the rocky edges of the continental shelf of West Spitsbergen. Here, you have a good chance of seeing fin whales and – near the glacial mouths of the gaping Spitsbergen fjords – surfacing minke whales.

The Arctic island of Spitsbergen
Forlandsundet, between the main island of Spitsbergen and the narrow Prins Karls Forland, is a place of great beauty and fascinating wildlife. Walruses sometimes haul out here. Alternatively, you might sail into St. Johns Fjord or head south to the mouth of Isfjorden, landing at Alkhornet. These cliffsides are crucial for nesting birds. Many species build their nests here, while Arctic foxes search below for fallen eggs and chicks. On the surrounding slopes, reindeer graze sparse vegetation, creating superb photographic opportunities.

With Arctic memories that last a lifetime and cameras full of fantastic images, you disembark in Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Spitsbergen, once more. While your journey is at an end, the pioneering spirit of Arctic adventure stays with you, whatever comes next!