There are several definitions for the Arctic, depending on context. When it is a bout climate, then the southern boundary is usually the 10 degree july isotherm. Sounds technical? Maybe. But it makes sense: when the average temperature of the warmest month – July – is warmer than 10 degrees, then there will be shrubs or even trees. More than tundra, which is the typical vegetation for the ice-free land areas of the Arctic.
There are no shrubs or even trees in Spitsbergen (don’t get fooled with the polar willow and the dwarf birch, they are not really trees), but for the first time in history, local meteorological stations have now in July recorded a mean temperature that doesn’t really qualify as „high arctic“ anymore. 10.1 degrees centigrade were measured at the airport and 10 degrees in Pyramiden. At the airport, the monthly average in July was as much as 3.1 degrees above the long-term average, according to the Norwegian Polar Institute as quoted by Barentsobserver.
In July, tourists and locals could enjoy real summer weather in Spitsbergen, with temperatures far beyond expectation. For the regional climate, this is not good news, however: warming is continuing rapidly, with temperature records being broken on a regular basis.
It will not happen really soon that you can make a walk in the forest in Spitsbergen, but the warming trend as such is clear: during the meteorological period from 1991-2020, the average temperature for the summer months from June to August was, at the airport, 5.5°C, but looking just at the last decade gives a value of 6.4 degrees, according to the Norwegian Polar Institute. Warming is faster in the Arctic than almost anywhere else on the planet, due to regional effects such as the loss of sea ice.
This leads to worrying effects that may well even further amplify the warming process: scientists have recently found methane springs in areas previously covered by now retreating glaciers. Through these springs, large volumes of gases, mainly methane, can escape into the atmosphere, while they were stored in the underground as long as it was glacier covered. As a greenhouse gas, methane is much stronger than carbon dioxide. The amount of methane currently emitted this way in Spitsbergen is estimated near 2000 tons our about one tenth of the methane emissions of Norway’s oil and gas industry. But this value may see a significant increase in the near future as glaciers keep retreating, according to the University of Cambridge auf ihren Seiten.
Time is flying, this is already the last full day of a very long voyage. We are back in Isfjord, anchored in Ymerbukta since the very early morning. It was blowing quite strongly in the morning, but we moved a bit further into the bay where the mountains gave us some shelter and went ashore. Ymerbukta is not as far from zivilisation as many of the places we had recently been to; there is boat traffic and mobile phones work in there. Still, it is a beautiful place, and nature has a lot to fascinate us with, from 300 million year old fossils to the glacier Esmarkbreen.
The final landing took place in Colesbukta. An impression of the Russian history of Spitsbergen in the 20th century was followed by a quiet walk into the beautiful tundra of Colesdalen.
A beautiful finale of a beautiful voyage, which was blessed with luck … weather, wildlife … everything was there. The Arctic was friendly to us. Spirits on board were better than good and everything worked perfectly well – my appreciations for this go to all involved, especially to Mario, captain and owner of the good ship Meander, and his crew! Great work, and I am looking forward to joining you again in late August!
Photo gallery – Isfjord: Ymerbukta & Colesbukta, 17th july 2023
It was and remained windy everywhere where the easterly breeze could blow through or was even channeled. So Recherchefjord was an obvious choice. A little evening tundra walk took us through a lot of Spitsbergen history.
Next day, the sun smiled from the sky. A clear invitation to go for some good hiking in Chamberlindalen and on Observatoriefjellet. A great morning!
A visit to Recherchebreen was cut short as a thick fog bank came in with amazin pace. The world hidden in grey, we then steamed north, towards Isfjord.
Photo gallery – In Recherchefjord, 15th-16th July 2023
Back on the west coast! It is good to have the south cape behind us; it is always a bit of a milestone and a potential obstacle, at least for a sailing boat where weather is a major factor especially for long open water passages.
With the easterly wind still prevailing, we dropped the anchor just off the west coast south of Hornsund – a coast well of the trodden path, for good reason: it is a very exposed coast with a lot of nasty shallows, so staying away from this coast is usually the best thing to do. But on this day this coast was our friend, giving us shelter from the wind and offering us great hiking opportunities in exciting areas.
Later, after a windy passage west of Hornsund, we spent a lovely evening in golden evening light in Hyttevika with arctic foxes and thousands of little auks.
Photo gallery – the southern west coast, 14. July 2023
Now the thing was to make miles and use the relatively good weather window for the long passage around the south cape. Especially on a smaller, relatively slow boat, it is good to be mentally prepared for a day at sea without any landings on this day. And if it works out to make a landing – all the better. We got our chance in Hambergbukta. That is the bay on the east coast of Spitsbergen exactly opposite Hornsund, where the glaciers are melting like crazy so there may be a passage between Hambergbukta and Hornsund in some years from now. A fast and scary development due to climate change, which is progressing and getting faster and more intense.
Nevertheless, we enjoyed the morning, with weather conditions that can adequately be described as arctic. Terrain, time and conditions did not permit longer hikes, but some fascinating close-up views of a glacier and its surroundings landscape.
Then it was time to proceed to and around Sørkapp, something that took the rest of the day and a good part of the following night and went with moderate movement of the ship and the use of both engine and sails.
Gallery – Hambergbukta & Sørkapp, 13th July 2023
A day in Freemansund. A rather grey day, but that was not too bad. It does not really matter when you have several thousand kittywakes and several arctic foxes around you.
Or when you hike across the lush tundra in a wide valley. Admiring old whalebones and structures such as ice wedges and watching reindeers doing what they do.
In the evening, we set course towards the south. It was getting time to get around the south cape.
Gallery – Freemansund: Barentsøya, 12. Juli 2023
Drone photography can be fun and it can open a whole new perspective on the world. But there are rules, a fact that seems to be unknown to many. This includes a no flight zone of 5 km around the airport of Longyearbyen. Most of Longyearbyen is actually located within this no flight zone, something many seem to be unaware of, or they decide to ignore it. This is forbidden and it can be expensive: recently, several tourists got their drones confiscated and fines of 12,000 kroner – and it might even be more, depending on the individual case.
Flying a drone Svalbard: principally possible – but there are rules.
If you want to fly a drone in Svalbard, then you need to make sure you know the regulations. Check the Sysselmester’s website or the Spitsbergen guidebook, it has all the information you need to know 😉
On organised tours including cruises, there may be restrictions from the tour operator/ship owner beyond the legal regulations.
Also this day didn’t work out quite as planned. Thick fog all over the place, it just didn’t make sense to cruise towards Bråsvellbreen. We rather made use of the time to make some mile the way we have to sail anyway, to the south. At some stage, we just have to make these miles.
I wouldn’t have placed a bet on it, but actually, we still found the opportunity to make not only one landing on this day, but two. Not the longest hikes ever, but two interesting landings in place where you certainly get to every day. Obviously, you don’t go for long hikes on an island like Kiepertøya when there is fog in the area and you know the next polar bear isn’t too far away. You rather stay close to the boats that you keep ready on the beach, ready for take-off at any time as needed. And enjoy the beauty of a little peninsula and lagoon on a little, remote, wild arctic island. There is a dramatic story connected this place (click here for more pictures and info about Kiepertøya).
Later we even managed to make a rare landing at Kapp Ziehen, the northeast corner of Barentsøya. Also definitely not an everyday place. And it looks and is different from Barentsøya and Edgeøya elsewhere. It is more polar desert like, more closely related to the barren land of southern Nordaustland, for example in Vibebukta. That is no coincidence, that has to do with the geology.
Gallery – Kiepertøya & Kapp Ziehen, 12th July 2023
Things started with a good hike on Idunneset, a little peninsula in Wahlenbergfjord, framed by huge glaciers of the ice cap Vestfonna. A stunning panorama. Actually, we had a different idea for the morning, that’s just what happened. Weather, as so often in these latitudes.
Later, we headed for Palanderbukta, but we never got there. Two polar bears – a mother with her second year cub – literally crossed our way, really kind of approaching us and actively blocking our course … amazing! Obviously, the two had a great time together in the water.
It was almost good not to see the blue sky in the morning. It was pretty grey, with low clouds. Of course, who would mind sun and blue skies, but we had had so much of that the last couple of days, and this is still the high arctic, with a bad reputation for unpleasant weather, wind and fog … today we got a bit of that.
Not enough, however, to keep us from getting out and making a good hike in the polar desert landscape of northwestern Nordaustland. A seemingly empty landscape, but very rich with all sorts of interesting details on a closer look.
In the afternoon, the fog really settled down on Hinlopen Strait, so we set sails and made some miles to the south. Later, we reached Alkefjellet, this amazing colony of Brünich’s guillemots. Another beautiful day, even without getting sunburnt.
We gave it an early start to reach the ice edge north of Hinlopen during the morning. The weather was fantastic (again …). And so was this day in the ice. Just amauzing! What can I say … well, have a look at the pictures 🙂
It is always lovely when the ship is at anchor during the night. Very quiet. That was the case that night in Vesle Raudfjord, on the north coast of Spitsbergen.
After yesterday’s hikes, it was good to start the day with a beach walk. Relaxed, but full with interesting impressions.
Later, we had the opportunity to stretch legs again and get some stunning views over Reinsdyrflya. A wonderful, wide-open landscape … by the way, this area was part of the hunting grounds of Stockholm Sven, a Swedish (well, obviously) trapper who was a neighbour of Christiane Ritter who mentioned him in her book. Now, there is a books about Stockholm Sven available: “The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven”. I have already got it and I am looking forward to reading it.
Crossing 80 degrees rounded the day off.
Gallery – Vesle Raudfjord and Velkomstvarden, 07th July 2023
The day got an early start when the crew sighted a polar bear on Amsterdamøya at 5 a.m. What a glorious sighting! In the end, the bear swam towards the ship and passed us in a distance of a few metres. That is not an everyday thing, not at all.
Later, the day started again 🙂 in Raudfjord. Again, right place, right time … amazing weather! We made some beautiful hikes. Those who wanted to could venture on a crossing of Biskayarhalvøya.
Once again, we were in the right place at the right time. Not only because the weather was on our side (again!) in Kongsfjord, but also because we had Ny-Ålesund to ourselves – regarding other ships, that is. Great!
Later, it was Ossian Sarsfjellet. What an afternoon! Some beautiful and very rare plants, a bird cliff, stunning views … it couldn’t be more beautiful!
The day startet with a little hike on a peninsula with amazing views of a huge glacier. What a morning!
It was to become even better. Further north in Forlandsund we found walruses. More than one hundred of them! They were quite sleepy, which could understand, considering the unusually warm weather.
A couple of whales in the entrance to Kongsfjord, including several Fin whales and at least one Blue whale, rounded the day off.