Spitsbergen 2008
(Longyearbyen – Akureyri)

Duration:	13 days/ 12 nights
Dates:	ATD13 Aug 28 - Sept 10 aboard Antarctic Dream AAMR14 Sep 03 - Sep 15 aboard Aleksey Maryshev M0L14 Sep 04 - Sep 16 aboard Professor Molchanov MLT14 Sep 05 - Sep 17 aboard Professor Multanovskiy
Cost:	contact us for pricing information

Our thirteen day Spitsbergen – Northeast Greenland expeditions utilize three research vessels, including the Aleksey Maryshev, Professor Multanovskiy, and Professor Molchanov. Day 1 Arrive in Longyearbyen, on Spitsbergen, the administrative capital of the Spitsbergen archipelago of which West Spitsbergen is the largest island. Before embarking there is an opportunity to visit this former mining village. The Parish Church and the Polar Museum are well worth visiting, while in the country around the village more than 100 species of plant have been recorded. In the early evening the ship will sail out of Isfjorden. Day 2 We sail into Raudfjord on the north coast of West Spitsbergen, a beautiful fjord with spectacular glaciers. It is home to Ringed and Bearded Seals, seabird colonies and surprisingly rich vegetation. We have good chances to see Polar Bears, for instance near Hamilton Glacier, or more to the head of the fjord. From there we continue to Moffen Island on which Walrus haul out. If we have not seen bears on this day we may spend an other day in Liefdefjord near the Monaco glacier, where we also often see bears. Days 3 & 4 At sea, on our way to Greenland, along the impressive East Greenland Ice. Keep watch for Fin Whales, Humpback Whales and Minke Whales, and also for migrating seabirds, especially the Brünnich’s Guillemots, which swim with their small young from Spitsbergen, along the sea ice to South Greenland. Day 5 Approaching Greenland we will attempt to sail through the sea ice into Foster Bugt, making our first landing at Myggebugten. Beyond the old hunters’ hut (in the first half of last century Norwegian trappers hunted here for Polar Bears and Arctic Foxes) there is extensive tundra populated by Musk Oxen and Arctic Hares. The small lakes are home to geese. We sail through Kaiser Franz Joseph Fjord, a magnificent fjord with towering mountains on both sides, its inner reaches choked with huge icebergs and an excellent place to encounter Narwhal. An alternative is Sofia Sund, which is much narrower, and where we can see Muskoxen from the ship. Day 6 We will land at Blomster Bugt to view the beautiful geological formations. Arctic Hares are usually seen here, and there is a lake with Great Northern Divers with young. In the afternoon we sail along Teufelschloss and Ella Ö and maye land at a beautiful spot in the early evening. Day 7 The first half of the day we spend in Antarcticahavn, a wide and extensive valley where we also could see groups of Musk Oxen. At this time of year the autumnal colours of the sparse vegetation make the landscapes even more beautiful. Day 8 Today we reach the Scoresby Sund and sail in the morning along the ragged and glaciated Volquart Boons Coast, a good place for seeing Narwhal. Here we may organise a zodiac cruise along one of the glacier fronts of this coast, and have our first landing near a glacier. Later we land on Danmarks Ø where there are the remains of an Inuit settlement abandoned around 200 years ago. The circular ‘tent rings’ of stones indicate the summer houses, while the winter houses can be seen closer to a small cape. The sites are excellently preserved, allowing entrances and even bear-proof meat caches to be identified. There are also grave sites. In the evening we continue our sailing through the beautiful fjords to the west, choked with ice-bergs. Day 9 We go ashore at Cape Hofmann Halvø, a reliable spot for viewing Musk Oxen. We may also spot Rock Ptarmigans, and Great Northern Divers at sea. The landscape here is particularly beautiful, especially during autumn when the Dwarf Willow and Dwarf Birch change colour. Arctic Blueberry and Crowberry add their own colourful touch - the berries are tasty too! Day 10 In Northwest fjord in Scoresby Land in the morning, we encounter huge icebergs, some over 100m high and more than a kilometre in length. Most of the bergs are grounded as the fjord is only about 400m deep here. We land near Sydkap to view the remains of the Thule culture winter houses. As many as 20 people lived in these tiny houses, hunting Greenland Whales and using their vertebrae to build the houses. We may also land at Gurreholm on Jameson Land. The landscape here is gently undulating, but the climate is harsh - sometimes snow lies throughout the summer - but some animals - Musk Oxen and Collared Lemmings - survive on the meagre vegetation. Day 11 In the morning we land at a lagoon near Kap Stewart and walk from there to Kap Stewart, following the banks of a winding river through an autumnal tundra. In the afternoon we land at Illoqqortoormiut, the biggest settlement in the Scoresby Sund with about 500 inhabitants. At the post office you can buy stamps for your postcards, or just wander around to see the sledge dogs and the drying skins of Seal, Musk Ox and Polar Bear. After dinner we will sail south passing the amazing landscape of the Blosseville Coast. Day 12 We are the whole day at sea and will have splendid opportunities to see large whales and seabird migration and, in the night, the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights). Day 13 Arrive in Akureyri (North Iceland) and transfer for the flight home, or take a bus to Reykjavik.