Wed
1 Jul
2015
It is late in the evening after a long day, so it won’t be a long blog entry, although books could be written about the day. Although it is just the first full day, after a smooth start yesterday, with a sunny, calm passage out of Isfjord.
Ny Ålesund made the start, with the whole lot from older and more recent stories, the numerous Barnacle goose families with their little chicks feeding on the tundra in the middle of the small settlement, a morning full of varied impressions. In the afternoon, a first but deep dive into Spitsbergen’s arctic nature away from any civilisation or even traces of it. Brünich’s guillemots and kittywakes at their breeding colony at close range, surrounded by colourful flowers. The families cinquefoil, draba, saxifraga, buttercup and others are all present with aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews.
The Kongsvegen glacier had obviously been busy recently, decorating the fjord with lots of bergy bits and some large icebergs, including some very impressive specimens. And a very impressive specimen of a whale is rounding the day of in grand style not far from Ny Ålesund. A Blue whale circling around, diving very regularly – you could set the clock by it – for four to five minutes, then breathing three or four times, finishing the last breath by showing its mighty fluke. There must be plenty of food in the water, the depth meter shows a very colourful array of colours in the free water column.
Gallery – Kongsfjord – 1st July 2015
Click on thumbnail to open an enlarged version of the specific photo.
A lot f food for polar travellers with a good appetite for arctic impressions.