Mon
19 Sep
2022

We had rea­ched For­lands­und just in time befo­re things beca­me deci­dedly unp­lea­sant at sea. We were gree­ted by white-bea­k­ed dol­phins and the migh­ty Dah­l­breen.

It star­ted to blow also in St. Jons­fjord, but we mana­ged to do a love­ly after­noon hike with a stun­ning view on the sur­roun­ding gla­ciers.

Gal­lery – For­lands­und – St. Jons­fjord – 19th Sep­tem­ber 2022

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Sun
18 Sep
2022

Horn­bæk­pol­len is one of Spitsbergen’s most beau­tiful ancho­ra­ges, espe­ci­al­ly when the day starts with sun­light on the sur­roun­ding moun­tain tops.

The migh­ty Mona­co­b­reen pre­sen­ted its­elf from its most fri­end­ly side today, with unbe­lie­v­a­b­ly beau­tiful light and an ama­zing amount of gla­cier ice drif­ting in the fjord. It is hard­ly pos­si­ble to for­get the beau­tiful hours that we spent the­re.

Then it was time to move on. The next autumn storm was on the way.

Gal­lery – Lief­defjord – 18th Sep­tem­ber 2022

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Sat
17 Sep
2022

The wea­ther fore­cast pro­mi­sed calm con­di­ti­ons, so we aimed for Mof­fen and could make a landing on this famous island in the mor­ning with ease. The wal­ru­ses the­re were quite appar­ent­ly not used to visi­tors and wel­co­med us with obvious enthu­si­asm.

The calm wea­ther las­ted through the day, so later we could make a visit at the famous „Rit­ter hut“ at Gråhu­ken.

Gal­lery – Mof­fen – Gråhu­ken – 17th Sep­tem­ber 2022

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Fri
16 Sep
2022

Ano­ther day in Hin­lo­pen, today in the beau­tiful Lom­fjord (Pano), which pre­sen­ted its­elf in win­ter mode. A gre­at hike on a litt­le moun­tain, with ama­zing views of the grand sce­n­ery around us. With reinde­er and ptar­mi­gans.

And … a polar bear fami­ly! Later, at ano­ther place in the fjord. A beau­tiful, peaceful obser­va­ti­on, a bit distant, but good views with bino­cu­lars.

Gal­lery – Lom­fjord – 16th Sep­tem­ber 2022

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Thu
15 Sep
2022

The wea­ther stay­ed on our side, so we could make a move far to the east and into Hin­lo­pen Strait, whe­re we spent the day in Murch­ison­fjord. With some good hiking in Kinn­vi­ka and a litt­le pil­grimage on Kros­søya, whe­re one of only two ori­gi­nal Pomor cros­ses is still stan­ding.
 
 

Gal­lery – Murch­ison­fjord – 15th Sep­tem­ber 2022

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Wed
14 Sep
2022

The wind had decreased last night, so we could make the pas­sa­ge up north to the nor­thwest cor­ner of Spits­ber­gen. And then, the wea­ther show­ed its fri­end­ly side. A lot of north pole histo­ry in Vir­go­ham­na. Wal­ru­ses, wha­ling histo­ry, and gre­at sce­n­ery on Ams­ter­damøya. A lot of snow.

The migh­ty Fuglefjord roun­ded the day off for us.

Gal­lery – Nor­thwest Spits­ber­gen – 14th Sep­tem­ber 2022

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Tue
13 Sep
2022

We were quite curious what the day would bring – a hea­vy autumn storm that we would have to sit out on board, ancho­red some­whe­re shel­te­red? No, it actual­ly tur­ned out to be beau­tiful, with a love­ly hike on Blom­strand­hal­vøya, to the old marb­le mine of Ny London/Marble Island.

It was actual­ly still quite win­dy in Kross­fjord, but in Tinay­re­buk­ta we found not only shel­ter, but also ama­zing sce­n­ery and fan­ta­stic evening light.

Kongsfjord & Kross­fjord – 13th Sep­tem­ber 2022

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Mon
12 Sep
2022

With a litt­le autumn storm around the cor­ner, it was good to get into Kongsfjord whe­re we could enjoy a plea­sant mor­ning in Ny-Åle­sund. In the after­noon, we went out on Ger­døya, one of the small islands in Kongsfjord, all of which are litt­le pearls of natu­re (see Jut­tahol­men, Sig­rid­hol­men and Obser­vas­jons­hol­men); initi­al­ly it see­med like ever­y­thing would soon dis­ap­pear in fog and snow, but it cle­ared up again and it got actual­ly very beau­tiful.

Gal­lery – Kongsfjord – 12th Sep­tem­ber 2022

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Sun
11 Sep
2022

After an evening visit to Bore­buk­ta, we said good­bye to Isfjord and to civi­li­sa­ti­on for a while.

In the mor­ning, we rea­ched Prins Karls For­land just in time for some love­ly and very atmo­sphe­ric hikes. The after­noon saw us in Engelskbuk­ta.

The wea­ther is now in autumn mode. Grey rather than gold, and the­re is quite a bit of wind in the area.

Gal­lery – For­lands­und – 11th Sep­tem­ber 2022

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Sat
10 Sep
2022

And again we set sail, hea­ding for ano­ther Spits­ber­gen adven­ture! This time, we are back to good old Anti­gua, start­ing this season’s last trip (for me, not for Anti­gua). 13 days in the arc­tic autumn, when sun­ri­ses and sun­sets start to cast that beau­tiful light again over the islands.

Well, on the first evening, what the autumn wea­ther gave us hap­pen­ed to be a very dark and uni­form grey. Which was blown away the next day in Ekm­anfjord. Per­fect wea­ther to set some sails! On we went to Dick­son Land, whe­re we found good shel­ter and made a landing at Svenske­hu­set. Beau­tiful land­scape, lush tun­dra, many reinde­er and the dra­ma­tic sto­ries that are con­nec­ted to Svenske­hu­set (about which you can find a who­le page within this web­site; click here).

Gal­lery – Isfjord – 10th Sep­tem­ber 2022

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Wed
7 Sep
2022

Back in civi­li­sa­ti­on – well, in a wider sen­se. Ny-Åle­sund. Fol­lo­wed by some good hikes on Blom­strand­hal­vøya, with the caves, views and Ny London/Marble Island.

And then, back to Isfjord. Which had very grey wea­ther. We had almost for­got­ten that the wea­ther isn’t always just good up here … so we roun­ded this trip off in Lon­gye­ar­by­en, which was a good thing. It was, by the way, the first time that SV Mean­der went all the way around Spits­ber­gen. Defi­ni­te­ly not the last time!

And it was gre­at! Big thanks to all who have been part of this. First of all to cap­tain Mario and his good crew and ship, the SV Mean­der. I am alre­a­dy loo­king for­ward to the next time!

Gal­lery – Kongsfjord – Isfjord – 06th-07th Sep­tem­ber 2022

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Mon
5 Sep
2022

In Raud­fjord, we had good con­di­ti­ons for a love­ly moun­tain hike, enjoy­ing sple­ndid views of this grand sce­n­ery.

In Fuglefjord, we enjoy­ed the land­scape that gave Spits­ber­gen its name. Big time.

Gal­lery – Nor­thwest-Spits­ber­gen – 05th Sep­tem­ber 2022

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Sun
4 Sep
2022

We could spend one more mor­ning on Nord­aus­t­land befo­re it was time to say good­bye to this fasci­na­ting island for this time. We made a long hike on Stor­stein­hal­vøya and then it was time to set cour­se to the west.

Galery – Stor­stein­hal­vøya – 04th Sep­tem­ber 2022

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Sat
3 Sep
2022

Nord­aus­t­land is such a fasci­na­ting island. It is always exci­ting to spend time the­re. We explo­red Bra­ge­ne­set, which is now actual­ly an island, in parts a huge morai­ne land­scape and with gre­at views of the ice cap Ves­t­fon­na.

Later we saw a fema­le polar bear nur­sing her cub. How often do you get to see that?

On Nord­re Rus­seøya in Murch­ison­fjord, we made a litt­le pil­grimage to one of only two ori­gi­nal Pomor cros­ses that are still stan­ding. And even the sun came out again.

Gal­lery – Nord­aus­t­land – 03rd Sep­tem­ber 2022

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