North Spitsbergen: Arctic Summer

After arriving in Longyearbyen, the ‘capital’ (actually the administrative center) of Spitsbergen, you may wish to visit the Svalbard Museum which has an interesting collection on the history of Spitsbergen, the mining industry, and polar exploration. In the afternoon sail to Trygghamna to visit the remains of a 17th-century English whaling station and an 18th-century Russian Pomor station.

Leave Trygghamna early in the morning, setting course for Alkhornet, a seabird cliff with a large colony of kittiwakes. Below the cliffs is a den with arctic foxes which scavenge off fallen eggs and chicks. Continue and sail through Forlandsundet, the sea passage that divides the island of Prins Karls Forland from the mainland, and hope to see walruses and harbor seals. 

Today sail into Fuglefjorden with views on Svitjodbreen and Birgerbukta, and where there are breeding places for great skuas and good chances to see bears. In Birgerbukta find the blubber ovens of the Basques. Try to visit Ytre Norskøya, a small island which was used for many years as a lookout point for Dutch whalers. Follow their tracks to the summit of the island, passing excellent bird cliffs on the way. On shore the remains of 17th-century blubber ovens can be found, while arctic skua and common eider breed among the graves of 200 Dutch whalers.

Raudfjord on the north coast of Spitsbergen is a beautiful fjord with spectacular glaciers. It is also a favorite fjord of ringed and bearded seal, has good seabird colonies, and offers good chances for spotting polar bear and beluga whales. Jermaktangen, at the fjord’s eastern entrance, is a geography lesson in the erosion of the land by the sea.

If sea-ice conditions allow, land on the northern-side of Reindyrsflya, the largest tundra area of Spitsbergen. The vast undulating plain is a good grazing area for reindeer and several species of waders also breed here. The area’s lakes offer good chances of spotting red-throated diver and king eider.

In the morning, land at Fuglesangen, where you can sit near the little auks. Sailing southwards, visit Magdalenafjorden, one of the most beautiful places on Spitsbergen, with many impressive glacier faces. During a shore visit view the remains of 17th-century English whaling activities. Also visit some big seabird colonies - particularly noteworthy are the colony of little auks.

Today visit Ny Ålesund, the northernmost permanently inhabited village in the world, a center for polar research and a former starting point for many North Pole expeditions (Amundsen and Nobile for example). Barnacle goose, pink-footed goose, common eider, arctic tern and several species of wader can be seen at close quarters. The reindeer here are smaller than their mainland relatives and do not form large herds.

In the morning sail from Ny Ålesund to the 14th of July Glacier where you cruise in zodiacs. Not far from the glacier, see a breeding site for Brünnich’s guillemot, auk and puffin. The guano of these bird colonies, combined with the southward exposure and the sheltered situation, give rise to relatively rich vegetation with many species of flowering plants.

Heading south, your ship attempts a landing on the coast of the Forlandsundet at Engelsbukta or Sarstangen, where walruses are often hauled out. The tundra offers some great walking in a beautiful setting.

Disembark the Rembrant van Rijn and depart by scheduled flight from Longyearbyen to Oslo.