Wed
29 Jul
2015

Yes, good weather, that’s what we want and what we need. The wind had largely calmed down and even the sun was coming out at times. So on we went, with sandwiches and thermos bottles, into the tundra and up the mountains. Great views of the landscape near and far, bizarre shapes of weathering snow on the banks of little rivers, ptarmigans and reindeer, flowers and erratic boulders, large valleys with glaciers and moraines. Six hours exactly as we want them.

Photo Faksevagen – 29th Juli 2015 – 1/2

Hinlopen Strait itself, however, is less hospitable, but better than yesterday, less wind. And the lively activity of hundred thousands of Brünich’s guillemots at Alkefjellet is always extremely impressive, also when the sky is grey.

Photo Faksevagen – 29th Juli 2015 – 2/2

Now we are curious about the near future. We have good hopes for less wind, walrusses, a visit to the great ice cap of Nordaustland and drift ice. Enough to be interesting, but not too much, so we may successfully sail into Storfjord, the most important step to turn this trip into a circumnavigation of the main island of Spitsbergen.

Photo Alkefjellet – 29th Juli 2015