Tusenøyane

Natural and human history

General & protection status

The name ‘Tusenøyane’ is descriptive and means ‘Thousand Islands’, which is to some degree appropriate, although the actual number of islands is nowhere near a thousand. None of the islands is larger than a very few km². They are quite exposed to the open sea and in shallow, not very well charted waters, so most of them are quite inaccessible. They are part of the Southeast Svalbard Nature Reserve.

Since 2014, most of Tusenøyane may not be visited anymore from 15th May to 15th August each year to protect birds.

Additionally, some of the island may not be visited anymore at all (Zieglerøya, Delitschøya, Spekkholmen and most of Halvmåneøya) to protect historical remains. These restrictions are strongly controversial, but they are in force.

In many ways – geology, landscape, ecology – Halvmåneøya and Ryke Yseøyane may be considered to be part of Tusenøyane, but officially, they are not part of this archipelago, as they are on the east side of Edgeøya, a bit further away.

For more, detailed information: the Guidebook Spitsbergen-Svalbard

Geology

The Tusenøyane consist entirely of dolerite/diabas rocks (both very similar to basalt), upper Jurassic to Cretaceous in age. The Triassic sediments, into which the basaltic rocks intruded, have been completely removed by erosion, they still exist further north, where they form the Edgeøya. Other rocks can be found only as erratic boulders (‘ice age dirt’).

Landscape

Small, rocky islands without glaciers. Many of the Tusenøyane are quite barren and covered with large basaltic boulders, other ones have a beautiful, mossy tundra with small tundra lakes. Landscape-wise and geologically, also Halvmåneøya and Ryke Yse Øyane belong to the Tusenøyane.

Barren landscape on the little island of Havmerra.

There are no significant elevations and no glaciers on Tusenøyane. The coastline is often made up of little cliffs or boulder beaches.

Tusenøyane: rocky landscape, Halvmåneøya

Barren and rocky landscape on Halvmåneøya, typical for Tusenøyane.

Flora and fauna

High arctic. Partly very barren, partly quite rich moss tundra. Especially the mosses are quite vulnerable – try to step on stones or areas with dry vegetation, which is less vulnerable.

Tundra, driftwood and a little lake on Lurøya:
typical landscape setting for Tusenøyane.

There are small lakes on some of the islands, where often Red-throated divers breed – beautiful birds in a beautiful environment, but easy to disturb at the nest. Keep your distance! The Tusenøyane are an important place also for Common eider ducks and geese. The large areas of shallow water provide good feeding grounds for walrus, which live on shells, which again live in the mud at the bottom.

Wildlife on Tusenøyane (I): walrus herd.

Polar bears are also quite common in Tusenøyane.

Wildlife on Tusenøyane (II): polar bear.

History

Early in the 17^th century, the whalers knew the area and established some shore stations here. Walrus may actually have been more important for them in this particular region than whales.

Tusenøyane: triple blubber oven, whalers

17th century triple blubber oven on Spekkholmen.

Tusenøyane were also a favourite hunting area for the Pomors, who may have been there before Willem Barents officially discovered Spitsbergen in 1596. In the early 20th century, Norwegian trappers caught large numbers of polar bears here, especially on Halvmåneøya and in the Tjuvfjord on the southern side of Edgeøya.