Von Otterøya is the third-largest one out of the many islands in Hinlopen Strait. There are two which are even larger, Wilhelmøya and Wahlbergøya, which differ markedly in geology and landscape from Von Otterøya and all the smaller islands in the area. Von Otterøya and the smaller ones are almost entirely composed of dolerite, a magmatic rock type that cooled down as an intrusion well below the surface of the earth. So it was not a surface volcano. The columnar structure of the dolerite is not as perfectly well developed as that of classical basalt, a related magmatic rock-type. But it is visible also in doleritic cliffs.
As the smaller islands are all composed of dolerite, they are mostly quite similar in terms of scenery and geomorphology. They are mostly quite rocky, with coarse blocks, low hills and small cliffs.
There are no great heights. The highest hill on Von Otterøya does not reach beyond 76 metres above sea level. All the smaller islands are even lower. The maximum distance from coast to coast on Von Otterøya is a good 8 km, and it is actually often less than 2 km in many places and directions.
The landscape is very barren, there are only a few flowers. But the lichen flora is often impressive and gives rock surfaces a rather coloured appearance.
Von Otterøya does not have much of human history beyond occasional visits by expeditions such as the Swedish section of the Arc-de-Meridian expedition (1899-1902).
This and other publishing products of the Spitsbergen publishing house in the Spitsbergen-Shop.
Norwegens arktischer Norden (1): Spitzbergen
Photobook: Norway's arctic islands. The text in this book is German. [shop url="https://shop.spitzbergen.de/en/polar-books/70-norwegens-arktischer-norden-1-aerial-arctic-9783937903262.html"] ← Back
Lofoten, Jan Mayen and Spitsbergen from the air - Photobook: Norway's arctic islands. The text in this book is German, but there is very little text, so I am sure that you will enjoy it regardless which languages you read (or not).
The companion book for the Svalbardhytter poster. The poster visualises the diversity of Spitsbergen‘s huts and their stories in a range of Arctic landscapes. The book tells the stories of the huts in three languages.
Comprehensive guidebook about Spitsbergen. Background (wildlife, plants, geology, history etc.), practical information including travelling seasons, how to travel, description of settlements, routes and regions.
Join an exciting journey with dog, skis and tent through the wintery wastes of East Greenland! We were five guys and a dog when we started in Ittoqqortoormiit, the northernmost one of two settlements on Greenland’s east coast.
12 postcards which come in a beautifully designed tray. Beautiful images from South Georgia across Antarctica from the Antarctic Peninsula to the Ross Sea and up to Macquarie Island and Campbell Island.
Huts are places of longing, dreams and adventure in Spitsbergen’s beautiful landscape. Even if the modern visitor’s eye may mostly be directed towards nature, most will have an open ear every now and then for exciting survival stories about explorers and expeditions, adventurers and trappers.
These huts are silent witnesses and and every one of them tells a little part of the whole story. The little book “Svalbardhytter” and the poster that is part of the same project make these fascinating places accessible for everyone.
From remote ruins, just traces in a few cases, to “famous” trapper huts such as Fredheim in Tempelfjord and Bjørneborg on Halvmåneøya, the war weather station Haudegen, the former scientific base Würzburger Hütte on Barentsøya and Hammerfesthuset, Svalbard’s oldest building.