Svalbard (2) : Across the Arctic Ocean to the IcePack

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When: August 2026 Weather: Summer but still cold -5 to 5C

OM1 mk 2 150-400mm Zuiko, Leica M11 35mm summilux Leica Q3

Late on the first day we set sail, we crossed the choppy Arctic Ocean…lying down in our cabin was the best to avoid seasickness….and then we started seeing in the distant horizon a faint horizontal white line…the start of the polar ice pack! We must have moved from 78N to about 80N.

first glimpse of the polar ice pack north of svalbard
Ice as far as the eye could see
Amazingly, we were greeted by a rainbow over the ice…..called a ‘FogBow’ in Arctic parlance
In the distance a large group of harbour seals (2nd type of seal in the Arctic)
bearded seal basking (Seal type 3)
tail of diving bearded seal ….hands clasped in prayer!
a gorgeous Harp Seal (type 4)
black footed kittiwake…common arctic companion
our guides then told us an uncommon gull was around…..the stunningly white Ivory Gull!
Ivory Gull
northern fulmar on the water
Little Auks on the water….
and another lifer….a pomarine skua
fascinating colours and structures of polar ice formations

We were of course looking for polar bears but they proved elusive….fortunately the arctic environment was unique and beautiful

this giant iceberg resembled a huge cathedral
this of course is the land of the midnight sun…..and we didn’t see anny darkness at anytime

Being up in the ice pack, our icebreaker boat allowed us to go pretty far north…up to 82+N……seeking polar bears….we still had another few days….

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