SVALBARD & POLAR ICE EDGE

SHIP OFFERING THIS ITINERARY

SEA SPIRIT

The Sea Spirit was built in Italy in 1991. She’s a very comfortable ice-strengthened, small (114 guests), all-suite expedition ship. The vessel was updated in late 2010 and had additional refurbishment in April 2017. All suites have private facilities and exterior views. Some of the suites feature private balconies for enjoying fantastic landscapes of Antarctica.

She has a fleet of ten rubber inflatable zodiac boats for landings, an experienced crew, and a set of retractable fin stabilizers for smooth sailing. This ship features an open bridge, 2 rear outdoor viewing areas, an outdoor viewing area at the front of the vessel, a bar, lounge, presentation room and dining area all lined with windows. There is also a gym on-board as well as a library and media centre.

Day 1 Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen

Overview:

Longyearbyen is the administrative capital of the Norwegian territory of Svalbard and starting point of your expedition. Be sure to see the excellent Svalbard Museum. Your hotel is included in the voyage price.

Day 2 Embarkation Longyearbyen, Isfjorden

In the afternoon you are welcomed aboard the luxury expedition ship M/V Sea Spirit. You’ll have time to explore the ship and get comfortable before the ship weighs anchor. Savor the anticipation of your Arctic dreams coming true as we slip our moorings and sail into the Arctic wilderness where wildlife abounds. The scenery as we sail through Isfjorden on our first evening is spectacular and there is already the possibility of whales, seals and even polar bears.

Days 3-10 West Spitsbergen & Polar Ice Edge

The goal for this voyage is a circumnavigation of Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago. The exact schedule and route will be shaped by weather and ice. At the peak of the summer season, the expedition team expect ice conditions to be favourable for a circumnavigation. They also expect there will be enough sea ice around to support ice-dependent animals such as polar bears and walrus. In addition to seeing Spitsbergen from every angle, this itinerary offers the appealing possibility of setting foot on all four of Svalbard’s main islands.

The first of many pristine natural areas on this itinerary is South Spitsbergen National Park, a vast region of varied landscapes including polar deserts and impassible mountain ranges. The centrepiece of this park is Hornsund, a picture-perfect fjord where countless mighty glaciers cascade from soaring mountaintops into icy inlets. The park also includes the southern shores of Bellsund, a picturesque bay where you will find the remains of historical whaling operations, including wooden boats, cabins, and thousands of whale bones—a scene from the distant past, literally frozen in time. Throughout the park, there is always a high probability of wildlife sightings. There are also plenty of possibilities for world-class hiking through wild polar landscapes with fascinating geology. Wildflowers will be at their peak during this time.

Next along the route is the wildlife-rich Southeast Svalbard Nature Reserve, a pristine and rarely visited wilderness containing hundreds of uninhabited islands. On the large islands of Edgeøya and Barentsøya, discover broad tundra valleys supporting the territory’s densest population of endemic Svalbard reindeer. You are likely to see rapidly growing reindeer calves at this time of year. The valleys are also important breeding areas for ground-nesting birds such a geese, eiders and sandpipers. Arctic foxes prowl the vast landscape, seeking to provide food for their young cubs, who are just now emerging from their dens. Shallow, murky seas are ideal feeding grounds for walrus, which can be seen resting in large numbers on gently sloping beaches. Historical sites throughout the islands provide glimpses into the region’s bygone era of trapping and hunting.

During this voyage, you can expect to encounter significant sea ice concentrations in the enormous Northwest Svalbard Nature Reserve. In this remote and isolated region, ice can persist very late into the summer, giving it a truly polar character. This reserve covers the rugged northwestern parts of Spitsbergen and the entirety of Nordaustlandet, the second largest island in Svalbard. Here you will find the massive Austfonna ice cap, part of which meets the sea along the 45-kilometer ice cliff known as Bråsvellbreen—one of the great wonders of the Arctic world. The polar desert environment supports little in the way of vegetation but hosts prodigious numbers of seabirds at breeding sites such as the spectacular sea cliffs of Alkefjellet. The probability of encountering polar bears and walrus in this icy wilderness is very high.

At this time of year, you can expect to find the edge of the polar pack ice not too far from Nordaustlandet. Your expedtition team hope you can sail along this dynamic boundary between solid sea ice and open ocean. Here you have an unparalleled opportunity to witness the dramatic interplay between polar bears and seals. Your captain will take the ship as close as safely possible to the jumbled and constantly shifting ice floes in the hope of observing polar bears in their preferred habitat.

Finally, you reach Northwest Spitsbergen National Park, the crown jewel of Svalbard’s scenic wonders. Here you will find deep fjords flanked by serrated mountain ranges and immense tidewater glaciers calving icebergs into turquoise waters. The skies are filled with millions of murres, guillemots and little auks, whose eggs are just now hatching at countless breeding colonies located on small islands, mountainsides and sea cliffs within the park. This is also a great time to encounter marine mammals, including beluga whales and various Arctic seals. Set among this incredible scenery and wildlife activity, we also find evidence of Svalbard’s earliest sealers and whalers.

The ambitious Svalbard and Polar Ice Edge route offers a comprehensive view of the Arctic’s many faces. Every day offers something new and exciting. You will not miss a single opportunity to encounter amazing Arctic wildlife, to witness incredible polar scenery, and to walk in the footsteps of historic expeditions that came before.

Day 11 Disembark Longyearbyen

After breakfast farewell your fellow expeditioners in the town of Longyearbyen. A transfer is provided to the airport or to the town center if you wish to spend more time in Longyearbyen (or your flight is the next day).