16 - 24 July 2011 (9 days),
Longyearbyen - Longyearbyen
aboard M/V Marina Svetaeva
A cruise to the true High Arctic, to witness its countless seabirds, its wildfowl and waders on their breeding grounds, and its whales, seals, Polar Bears and Walruses! We've chosen one of the very best times of year to circumnavigate the island of Spitsbergen and explore this most accessible of high arctic regions.
Spitsbergen, with its rugged mountains, fjords, sweeping tundra, ice caps and glaciers, is the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago, and only 600 miles from the North Pole. In June the southern part of Spitsbergen becomes ice-free, but it is not until July that the whole of the island's coast opens up to ice-strengthened vessels. It is then that, with luck, we can visit the remote north and east coasts with their abundance of arctic wildlife, to encounter millions of Little Auks and other seabirds, whales, Polar Bears and Walruses. At this time of year, during the brief Arctic summer, Spitsbergen has constant daylight. The tundra responds with a rich array of flowers where Reindeer graze, and birds rush to raise their young before the Arctic winter sets in.
We begin our exploration of the Svalbard archipelago in Longyearbyen, capital city of this Norwegian Territory. Following our embarkation of the Marina Svetaeva - our home for the next 8 nights - we sail out of Isfjorden (Ice Fjord) and begin our exploration up the northwest coast of Spitsbergen. Spitsbergen is the larger of the two main islands that make up the bulk of the Svalbard archipelago. From the moment we throw the lines and start our voyage we are in the land of the polar bear, the beluga, the walrus and the reindeer, so keep your eyes peeled for wildlife.
We stop in Kongsfjorden (Kings Bay) and visit the town site of Ny Alesund. One of the northernmost
communities in the world, Ny Alesund is rich in history and scientific discovery. From Kongsfjorden we continue north and around the northern coast of Spitsbergen, stopping in numerous bays before heading south down Hinlopenstretet, the strait that separates Spitsbergen from Nordaustlandet, the other main island in the Svalbard archipelago. Leaving the bird cliffs of Hinlopenstretet behind, we head north again for Phippsoya, our northernmost point at around 80 degrees North latitude. We hope to go ashore and cruise the polar pack ice edge as we explore this region before returning to the northern coast of Spitsbergen and the stunning Monacobreen (Monaco Glacier). As we come toward the end of our voyage we continue our search for macro-fauna on the shores of Prins Karls Forland. A walrus haul out will more than overwhelm all the senses and we hope to approach these massive beasts. We sail back into Isfjorden and, if weather permits, will plan a final zodiac cruise at Alkehornet's little auk or dovekie colony before returning to Longyearbyen.
Over the course of the voyage we will visit numerous bird colonies showcasing Brunnich's guillemot (also known as the thick-billed murre), little auk (dovekie), barnacle and pink-footed geese and the Arctic tern.
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Prices per person
2011
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Longyearbyen - Longyearbyen |
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Triple Share | £ 2,425 |
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Triple Private | £ 2,780 |
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Twin Share | £ 3,065 |
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Twin Private | £ 3,850 |
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Superior Suite | £ 4,245 |
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Shackleton Suite | £ 4,635 |
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One Ocean Suite | £ 5,350 |
Deposit: |
£ 1,500 per person |
Please enquire for single supplements.
The prices are per person, and are fully inclusive of the cruise, meals during the voyage, shore excursions by Zodiac and activities throughout the voyage, lectures and leadership by expedition staff, taxes and port charges and pre-departure information.
The prices exclude flight UK/Longyearbyen return, fuel surcharges, any necessary accommodation in Longyearbyen, travel insurance, meals ashore, optional tips to leaders and crew, drinks, and other personal expenses.
Please allow two days either side of the cruise dates for travel and an overnight at each end of the cruise in case of any delays.
Accommodation: Cabins as described in the full itinerary subject to availability.
Travel: Please enquire for details.
Leaders: Guides from One Ocean Expeditions
Due to the uncertainty of flight schedules in 2012, we cannot give precise details of departure and arrival dates and flights to and from the UK. The schedules may mean extra days before an after the cruise. The costs are given for the cruise only.
As with all our expeditions, safety is our top priority. For that reason weather, ice or other conditions may require us to change our itinerary and shore excursions as we go but that is half the fun of Polar exploring. Predictability is a word that has no relevance in this environment.
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