SPITSBERGEN
25th JUNE, to 5th JULY, 2008.
John & Doreen Cooper.
Doreen and myself decided to visit the Arctic as we have both visited Antarctica and the Sub-Antarctic Islands off New Zealand and felt an organised trip to Spitsbergen would be ideal for us. All the following photographs were taken by ourselves. We were very fortunate to have good weather on the trip, and we were able to take a good selection of scenery views.
Itinerary
25th June. Overnight in Oslo, we then flew SKS Airlines to Longyearbyen at 78 degrees North. Spent an hour looking around before headed to the dock to embark on board the Alexey Maryshev. Departed at 18.00 hrs. and headed out of Adventfjorden to the Nordenskiold Glacier. We cruised in front of the Glacier for about an hour before heading back towards Skansbukta where we arrived after mid-night.
Our first view of Spitsbergen from the plane.
View of Longyearbyen church.
Looking out across the fjord at Longyearbyen.
Alexey Maryshev at anchor, our vessel for this trip.
Leaving Longyearbyen @ 18.00 hours on board the MV Alexey Maryshev.
Our first view of the Nordenskiold Glacier at 21.00 hours.
Up Close to the Nordenskiold Glacier.
Leaving the Nordenskiold Glacier at 22.00 hours
26th June. 78.30 N. at wake up. Landed at Skansbukta and spent the morning birding along the beach. Returned to Longyearbyen to collect 2 late passengers and then cruised to Alkhornet where we landed and birded for 2 hours.
In the morning we woke at Skansbukta.
Telephoto close-up view of one of the mountains at Skansbukta.
Two of the cliff faces at Skansbukta.
The landing beach at Skansbukta.
Doreen on Skansbukta beach.
Sailing onto Alkhornet in the wonderful milky light.
Alexey Maryshev anchored off Alkhornet.
View of our walk at Alkhornet during the late afternoon.
Sailing away from Alkhornet at 17.30 hours.
27th June 79.01N. Woke in Knogsfjorden and went on a zodiac cruise around the Fourteenth of July Bay and visited a breeding colony of Brunnich’s Guillemots etc. and also visited the 14th July Glacier. We then landed for an hour before returning to the ship. We then visited Ny-Alesund the most northerly settlement on earth, and birded around the settlement for a couple of hours, before returning to the ship.
Early morning sunshine at Knogsfjorden.
Zodiac cruise in the Fourteenth of July Bay.
Floating Ice in the Fourteenth of July Bay.
Fourteenth of July Bay Glacier.
Up Close to the Fourteenth of July Bay Glacier.
Floating Ice from the Glacier.
Doreen & John photographing the Bearded Seal in the Fourteenth of July Bay.
Part of the Glacier cascading into the sea.
It created quite a splash with an after wave.
Doreen on a beach in the Fourteenth of July Bay.
Doreen with Alexey Maryshev anchored in the background.
John on a beach in the Fourteenth of July Bay.
We next visited Ny-Alesund, the most northerly settlement in the world.
The miner’s train at Ny-Alesund.
Spectacular view behind Ny-Alesund.
Departing from Ny-Alesund showing the nearby glacier.
During the evening we continued to sail towards Amsterdamoya through some breathtaking scenery
28th June. 79.39 N & 10.24 E. at wake up. From north of Amsterdamoya we sailed into Smeerenburg Fjord, and landed on a beach known as “Blubber Town”. We walked along the beach and across a snow field to a further beach before returning back to the ship. We now headed out of Smeerenburg Fjord North into the pack ice reaching the pack ice north of the island of Klovningen. Reaching the latitude of 80 degrees North, and were some 1,111 Kms from the North Pole. During the evening, we headed South again around Prins Kals Forland.
View taken north of Amsterdamoya heading towards Smeerenburg Fjord.
Arriving into Smeerenburg Fjord.
Landing on ‘Blubber Town’ beach in Smeerenburg Fjord.
Smeerenburg Cultural Monument.
Alexey Maryshev in the mid-day sun, anchored in Smeerenburg Fjord.
Doreen on Blubber Town beach.
Walk along the beach looking for Ivory Gulls.
We now crossed over this snow field before heading back to the ship.
Leaving Smeerenburg Fjord behind we soon came across our first pack ice.
As we headed north
the pack ice became more extensive.
Mid Afternoon and we were heading through the ice pack towards Prins Kals Forland.
We were having to break through the ice in places.
More ice sculptures,
During the evening we arrived at Prins Kals Forland at 80 dgrees north, some 1,111 kms from the North Pole.
29th June. 78.09N & 12.03 E at wake up. We landed on a small beach called Steinpyntvika on the southeast side of Prins Karls Forland, and birded for 3 hours on this island. We then landed on the beach at Poolepynten and visited the Walrus daytime roosting beach. After a couple of hours we returned to the ship and headed south on our way to the eastern side of Spitsbergen.
View of the landing beach at Steinpyntvika.
Two views taken on Steinpyntvoka on the south east side of Prins Karls Forland.
The Walrus daytime roosting beach at Poolepynten.
Doreen with the Walruses on Poolepynten beach.
Doreen looking very
happy after seeing the Walruses.
Leaving Poolepynten and heading up the Eastern side of Spitsbergen.
Sailing along the Eastern side heading towards the South Cape.
30th June. 76.28N & 15.07 E. We cruised around Sorkapp (South Cape), and up the long fjord of Storfjorden, which is the fjord between Spitsbergen and Edgeoya. In the evening we spent several hours on the edge of some pack-ice watching a Polar Bear.
Edging our way through the pack ice in Storfjorden Fjord.
1st July. 77.56N & 20.25 E. Spent the morning birding on a beach south of Kapp Lee.
Returning to the ship we planned on landing on Barentsoya in Freemansundet, but there was too much pack ice to allow us to land. We therefore went on a 2 hour zodiac cruise through the pack ice, before returning to the ship.
Old Whalers hut on a
beach south of Kapp Lee.
Whale bone found close to the hut.
View looking from the
beach south of Kapp Lee.
The pack ice prevented any further landings today.
Two hour zodiac cruise through the ice pack.
Impressive zodiac cruise.
2nd July. 77.23 N & 21.46 E. Went for a long zodiac cruise along the Ziegler group of islands and landed on Andreetangen, where we visited another Walrus site before going on a short walk over the Island. We then continued our zodiac cruise and tried to land at Delichtoya but again the ice prevented this. Back to the ship and we departed towards Hornsund on the West coast some 165 nautical miles away.
Early morning amongst the Ziegler group of Islands.
A superb sunny calm morning.
We were now heading for a landing at
Andreetangen.
Approaching the
landing beach at Andreetangen.
View taken on
Andreetangen.
Doreen on the Walrus beach at Andreetangen.
Doreen in the zodiac at Andreetangen.
We now set off towards Hornsund.
Once again in the ice pack.
Nice reflections in the mirror calm sea.
Doreen on board the
Alexey Maryshev sailing towards Hornsund.
The evening sun catching the distant mountains on our journey to Hornsund.
The evening sun taken at 22.00hours.
3rd July. 76.16 N & 16.07 E. Cruised through some large thick ice-packs towards the entrance to Hornsund Fjord, and spent almost 2 hours with our 3rd Polar Bear which gave stunning views in superb light. We landed at Gnalodden where I found a Pectorial Sandpiper on the spongy mossy tundra beneath the Cliffs. We then went for a beautiful zodiac cruise in Burger Bukta and after several hours we returned to the ship for an enjoyable barbecue on the Aft deck.
Again in the pack ice in the Hornsund Fjord.
Slowly breaking our route through the pack ice.
Doreen & John on polar bear watch on the Alexey Maryshev.
We continued through Hornsund Fjord.
We continue to break our way through the ice pack.
Another view taken in Hornsund Fjord.
Another view taken in Hornsund Fjord.
Simply stunning light for the glacier in the Hornsund Fjord.
Another view of the glacier in Hornsund Fjord.
Doreen enjoying the scenery on the Alexey Maryshev.
Alexey Maryshev contiues through the Hornsund Fjord, towards Gnalodden.
Doreen & John on board the Alexey Maryshev in the Hornsund Fjord.
Alexey Maryshev at
anchor off Gnalodden.
The landing beach on Gnalodden.
Our walk along the beach on Gnalodden.
Doreen on the walk along Gnalodden beach.
The glacier at
Gnalodden.
We then went on an amazing zodiac cruise along the Burger Bukta.
Impressive ice
formations.
Another view from the zodiac in the Burger Bukta.
4th July. 77.35N & 14.26 E. During the night we steamed North to Bell Sound.Our first landing was in Recherchefjord and visited the strange 2 storey house Gjoevervilla. During lunch the ship relocated north of Recherchefjord in Bellsund. We landed at Ingeborgfjellet with a huge Little Auk colony where we stayed watching thousands of Little Auks which put on a superb show for us. At 16.00 hrs we finally departed heading back towards Longyearbyen.
We landed on a beach briefly on Recherchefjord in Bell Sound.
We visited this strange 2 storey house known as Gjoveervilla.
Sea-weed found on the beach.
Our main landing for
today was at Ingeborgfjellet.
Here we visited a major Little Auk colony with upto quarter of a million birds.
5th July. 78.13 N & 15.37 E. A very early flight (04.50) out of Longyearbyen to Oslo and onto Heathrow, arriving back to Burgess Hill in the early afternoon.
Arriving back to Longyearbyen at 1.00am in the morning.
(Almost 24 hrs of light)
Systematic list.
Red Throated Diver – Gavia stellata
A single bird found on a lake on the 29th, 4 singles flying over on the 2nd and 2 flying over the zodiac on the 4th.
Fulmar – Fulmarus glacialis
Very common with good numbers seen daily sometimes several thousand were seen on a day. Many different colour morphs were seen, the majority were intermediate type “Blue Fulmars” but a numbers of very dark ones were identified, and also some very pale white headed types were also seen.
Fulmars taken on the 25th June.
Pale & dark (Blue) phase Fulmars together, taken on the 30th June.
Pale phase Fulmar taken on the 30th June.
Dark phase Fulmar taken on the 26th June.
Intermediate phase taken on the 27th June.
Dark phase taken on the 30th June.
Pale to Intermediate phase Fulmar taken on the 30th June.
Intermediate phase Fulmars taken on the 30th June.
Pink Footed Goose – Anser brachyrhynchus
Recorded on many of the Islands visited, and several nests with eggs found. Also several small flocks were seen from the ship. In total, recorded on 6 dates with a daily maximum of 70 on the 26th.
Pink-feet flying over Andreetangen.
Pink-foot breeding on Steinpyntvika
Barnacle Goose – Branta leucopsis
Recorded on six dates and found breeding on several of the Islands visited. On one of the Islands upto 20 pairs in a colony were found breeding on top of a stack situated about 50 yards off the Island. Several small flocks were seen and two families were also found. Birds were also found breeding close to the settlement of Ny-Alesund.
Several pairs were found breeding on a cliff face in the Fourteenth of July Bay.
Barnacle Geese in flight over Alkhornet.
Duck Eider in the Fourteenth of July Bay.
Drake Eider off the Ziegler Islands.
Long Tailed Duck – Clangula hyemalis
Recorded on 5 dates, chiefly on the sea off Islands although odd birds seen on lakes on Islands. On the 2nd, 200 were estimated in various size flocks with both males and females seen with several found resting on the pack-ice.
Drake summer plumage Long Tailed Duck near Kapp Lee.
Long Tailed Ducks resting on floating ice off the Ziegler Islands.
Knot – Calidris canutus
Just a single individual in full summer plumage seen on the 29th at Steinpyntvika on the rocky beach.
Pectorial Sandpiper – Calidris melanotos
A surprise find was a single bird found on the mossy spongy type tundra underneath the cliffs on Gnalodden in Hornsund on the 3rd. It was an adult and appeared in full breeding plumage. It was very flighty often circling above me and didn’t allow close approach on the ground. Its behaviour was almost like it was breeding in the area, although I failed to find a second bird.
Purple Sandpiper – Calidris maritime Recorded in low numbers on 8 dates all in full summer plumage with several displaying and making loud song flights, and a couple of birds were doing their broken wing behaviour. Daily maximum of 8 seen on the 1st.
Purple Sandpiper in summer plumage, on a beach in the Fourteenth July Bay.
Grey Phalarope – Phalaropus fulicarius
1 female in full summer plumage seen on the 29th on the rocky beach at Steinpyntvika, On the 1st, we found 10 including a couple of summer plumage females, at Kapp Lee. Several were found feeding on a pool close to the coast and allowed very close views. Eight were seen amongst the ice-pack the 2nd on a zodiac cruise.
Grey Phalaropes in full summer plumage on a coastal pool near Kapp Lee.
Great Skua – Stercorarius skua
Recorded on four dates, with 1 on the 25th, 3 on the 30th, 2 on the 3rd and 1 on the 4th.
Great Skua at the Nordenskiold Glacier.
Pomarine Skua – Stercorarius pomarinus
A fine light phase adult with good spoons was seen on the 29th.
Arctic Skua – Stercorarius parasiticus
Recorded in low numbers on 6 dates and several appeared to be nesting. Daily maximum of 6 on the 26th. Majority were light phase birds but an excellent of a dark phase bird was seen resting on a sea marsh at Ny-Alesund.
Arctic Skua over Alkhornet.
Dark phase Arctic Skua on a salt marsh at Ny-Alesund.
Long Tailed Skua – Stercorarius longicaudus
A fine adult with full tail streamers was seen on the first evening of the 25th close to the Nordenskioldbreen Glacier.
Record shot of a
distant Long Tailed Skua near the Nordenskiold Glacier.
Kittiwakes standing on floating ice in the Fourteenth of July Bay.
Kittiwake flying over the ice pack.
Ivory Gull – Pagophila eburnean
Up to 4 adults seen close to the Nordenskioldbreen Glacier during the evening of the 25th and a single adult seen on the 30th over the ice-pack from the ship.
Greater Black Back Gull – Larus marinus
Two pairs, both of which appeared to be holding territory, were seen on the 29th at Steinpyntvika beach.
Glaucous Gull – Larus hyperboreus
Seen daily in fair numbers and several seen on nests. Virtually all were adults and probably less than 8 immatures were seen during the entire voyage. Daily maximum of at least 60, seen from the ship around the pack-ice on the 3rd.
Breeding Glaucous Gull near its nest site at Alkhornet.
1st Cal.yr. Glaucous Gull.
Adult Glaucous Gull coming to the pack ice.
Adult Glaucous Gull on the pack ice.
Arctic Tern – Sterna paradisaea
Fair numbers seen daily, with a number on nests, with a daily maximum of 100 on the 27th.
Breeding Arctic Terns at Ny-Alesund.
Little Auk – Alle alle
Large numbers seen daily from the ship with a daily maximum of 1500+ on the 28th.
On the 4th we visited a breeding colony at Ingeborgfjellet. Here many tens of thousands breed and we had sensational views of many tens of thousands flying around the cliffs all were whistling. A superb experience.
Little Auks flying through Adventfjorden.
They just kept coming.
They started to arrive at their nest sites.
One of those days we shall always remember.
Puffin – Fratercula arctica
Recorded on six dates but not in huge numbers with a daily maximum of 200 seen mainly from the ship, on the 27th.
Puffins at their breeding site in the Fourteenth of July Bay.
Black Guillemot – Cepphus grille
Fair numbers seen daily including a numbers right out in the pack-ice. One bird showed very little white on the wings. Daily maximum of 100 seen on the 26th
Black Guillemot in flight taken at 07.00 hours on the 28th June.
Black Guillemots taken from a zodiac on the 1st July.
Brunnich’s Guillemot – Uria lomvia
Very common and many thousands seen throughout our cruise. On the 27th, we visited a huge breeding colony on cliffs, in the 14th July Bay.
Brunnich’s Guillemots on their breeding ledges in the Fourteenth of July Bay.
Brunnich’s Guillemots moving over the pack ice.
Razorbill – Alca torda
Just a single bird seen in the breeding colony of Brunnich’s Guillemots on the cliffs in the 14th July Bay on the 27th.
Snow Bunting – Plectrophenax nivalis
Recorded on the Islands virtually daily with a daily maximum of 20 on the 26th. They were present in the centre of Longyearbyen and at Ny-Alesund. The only passerine seen on the entire cruise.
Female Snow Bunting
behind Skansbukta beach.
