Arctic Adventure - day 7

Ice and sea scape

Another day dawns and as it's Sunday we are allowed a lie in so it's a late wake up call - 8.00 am - and then a snack and tea to be followed between 10-12 by brunch.  This enables the staff to have a bit of a lighter day and also allows us to thoroughly enjoy the excitement of smashing through the ice floes and looking for seals and bears on the ice.

As always kittiwake follow in our wake picking off the small fish disturbed by our progress through the icebergs.

Breaking through the ice

After a snack and tea it was on with the layers yet again and out on the deck to look our for more polar bear - we had 7 under our belt already but everyone was excited at the prospect of the potential for more.   Within a few moments of arriving on deck several were spotted on ice at the foot of a distant glacier.   Our guides who had telescopes had counted 5, but only 3 were visible with binoculars and good eyesight.

The captain gradually our fascination continued as we spotted several harp and ringed seals also hauled out on the ice.   The more excitable amongst us were waiting for the bears to make a kill, but as we watched it became clear that the seal were well aware of the bears' presence and they rolled off the ice into the sea well before there was any risk of danger.

Polar bear watching

Brunched at 11.15 am, and as we ate the ship began a steady reverse away from the ice so that we could continue through the Hinlopenstretet towards the strait between the two islands of Barentoya and Edgeoya.

Sooo cute

However, the polar bears had other ideas and we hadn't travelled far before yet another male was found.   He was curious and as the captain moved us downwind of him and cut the engine, he struggled to work out exactly what he was dealing with.  The whole ship was amazingly quiet with no-one speaking and the only sound being that of camera shutters clicking away.   Videos were taken and everyone was in raptures as this amazing creature ambled about in front of us just a hundred yards away.   At one stage a tripod clanked against a rail and he scampered back, only to keep sniffing and tasting the air trying to work out what was in front of him.   This just makes you realise how vulnerable these creatures can be when they are curious.

Gradually he moved back towards us still sniffing and tasting, but after about 30 minutes he decided he was bored and started to move away.   He slowly clambered over the various icebergs in front of us, occasionally breaking off pieces of ice giving him wet paws.   Once firmly back on a large berg he rolled in the snow to dry his coat kicking his legs in the air and leaping from one snow pile to another.   Evenually he sat down on the edge of a berg and put his head down into the water watching for prey to pass by.   We left him to his deliberations.

Ice sculpture

We travelled on for about half an hour (just long enough for celebratory tea and doughnuts) then a further two bears were spotted - one a very long way off, but the other close enough for more good binocular views.   As the day progressed the weather improved and by 5.00 pm the clouds were clearing and blue sky highlighted the icebergs and water brilliantly.   The flat icebergs look like lilypads on a pond and where they are starting to melt into holes they are reminiscent of emmenthal or jarlsberg cheese.

Just what can I smell?

At one stage Hat Rescue was put into effect when someone's hat disappeared over the side onto an iceberg.   After several fishing attempts by a crew member with a very long hook the only want to retrieve it was to go down the ladder and step onto the ice, a very brave member of the crew did just that and the hat was soon reunited with its owner.   Luckily on this occasion were were travelling extremely slowly through the ice, the owner of a camera was not quite so lucky, and there is a lumix somewhere out there just waiting for a polar bear to take pictures of passing tourists for the cubs back in the den!

Later as the day wore on we passed an old kill, probably a seal, being picked over by glaucous and ivory gull.   The ribs remained - remarkably red against the white of the snow and ice.   At one stage the ivory gull had a piece of what looked like intestine and was thrashing it about on the snow.   Just the sort of show you need as you sit down for venison (or bambi) steak and banoffee pie.   However, once again the bears decided to play havoc with the catering as a further two appeared.   13 in one day!

Time for bed

At 10.00 pm the captain decided to give us a treat and stop the engines for the night (so no crunching through the ice fields or clanking of the engine) and it was decided that we would continue with another day on the boat tomorrow - hoping that we are successful in our circumnavigation - only time will tell.