General: Situated just under 80°N at the northeastern corner of Spitsbergen at the entrance to the Hinlopen Strait, Sorgfjord is a beautiful fjord with a lot of interesting history. Earlier, it was also called ‘Treurenburg Bai’.
Geology: Upper Precambrian, non-metamorphic sediments such as quarzites and dolomites, tectonically deformed and mostly steeply dipping. The same rocks are found further south in the Lomfjord, in the northeastern Hinlopen Strait and on Lågøya.
The mountain Heclahuken on the east side of Sorgfjord.
Steeply dipping upper Precambrian sediments (light-grey quarzitic sandstone and dark silt- and claystone) on the eastern side of the Sorgfjord (Crozierpynten).
Recommended book for further, well-digestable (really!) info about geology and landscape of Svalbard.
Landscape: Low plateau-shaped mountains with wide coastal plains, on which there are well-developed series of beach ridges. The interiour south of Sorgfjord is strongly glaciated.
View over inner Sorgfjord.
Flora and Fauna: Very barren. No special sites known regarding wildlife.
History: Varied. The name ‘Sorgfjord’ (Worry fjord) goes back to the whalers and may refer to difficulties with the ice in this corner of Spitsbergen, where the Gulf Stream is loosing its influence. It could also refer to armed conflicts between different whaling nations: In 1693, this was the place of the northernmost sea battle ever when thee French warships brought up 40 Dutch whaling ships. 13 Dutch ships were captured, the rest escaped. Some graves at Aeolusneset on the western side of the Sorgfjord remind us of the dangers of a whaler’s life.
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.