The day started off with the AECO (Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators) orientation given by expedition leader Peter Wilson. This was followed by a review of policy and procedures in polar bear country by Doug Gould. After this, everyone attended clothing decontamination in Base Camp. This is where we clean any exterior clothing to make sure we do not bring any contamination into the Arctic. In the afternoon, all guests were invited to a cruise of the southern tip of Bear Island. The seas were active with one- to two-meter swells. The air was filled with puffins, guillemots, and fulmars circling around the steep cliffs. There were high, thin clouds most of the day. The sun burned through for a short time in the afternoon. Temperatures were between 0 to 5°C.
6/13/2024
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National Geographic Endurance
Fjortende Julibukta and Lilliehöökbreen
Our last day in Svalbard began with a wintery feeling. National Geographic Endurance sailed towards the entrance of Krossfjorden while it was gently snowing. Our morning destination was 14th of July Bay. This was our last outing in Spitsbergen and we could not have picked a better spot to end our unforgettable voyage. The landing area was covered with spring flowers which painted the otherwise barren looking landscape with green, white, and purple colors. Svalbard reindeers were contently grazing in the outskirts of the steep cliffs, enjoying the place also known as “hanging gardens.” Thousands of kittiwakes were loudly soaring above us. Occasionally a fight would break out between a kittiwake and an Arctic skua, who clearly was not very welcomed in the nesting site of the gulls. A Zodiac cruise also offered us great wildlife encounters. The shoreline was a popular nesting place for the guillemots, eider ducks, and the Atlantic puffins. After lunch, Captain Oliver positioned our vessel in front of another spectacular sight, Lillehöök Glacier. After an hour-long cruise, we reluctantly bid farewell to Krossfjorden and made our way towards Longyearbyen.
