Getting up in the morning, we were incredibly lucky to be greeted by two minke whales gracefully swimming past our boat in Bjørnfjorden. The weather was on our side, offering calm conditions and beautiful light for a scenic Zodiac cruise to the majestic glacier Smeerenburgbreen.
Along the way, we spotted arctic terns and kittiwakes resting on drifting ice floes, while black guillemots and king eider ducks either floated on the water or flew past us.
In the afternoon, we had the opportunity to head out by Zodiac once again, this time in search of harbour seals in Virgohamna. The sheltered bay provides excellent habitat for these marine mammals. Some of the harbour seals appeared curious, while others lay lazily on the rocks.
After cruising around the bay for a while, we continued to Danskøya on the northern side of the fjord. There, we landed at a place called Smeerenburg. Rich in history, this former whaling settlement was once home to around 200 men hunting whales and rendering their blubber into valuable oil. We explored the remains of the old blubber ovens before following the shoreline toward a group of walruses resting on the beach.
We were fortunate that the walruses were calm, allowing us to observe them for quite some time. One individual was particularly entertaining, playing in the shallow water, scratching itself, and eventually hauling its massive body out onto the shore. Its arrival did not go unnoticed by the others. After exchanging a few grunts, the newcomer slowly dragged himself up the beach and settled down beside the rest of the group.
Meanwhile, several glaucous gulls patrolled low over the water, occasionally plunging down in an attempt to catch prey. While we were watching the walruses, one gull landed on the beach with a fish clamped firmly in its beak. The gull repeatedly turned it around by pushing it against the sand until it was positioned headfirst. Then, in a single impressive gulp, the bird swallowed the fish whole. Afterwards, we were able to identify the catch as a shorthorn sculpin.
Please note: Depending on the lens used for a photo or video shot an animal may appear to be closer than it is. We always follow strict wildlife guidelines to ensure that we do not cause any disturbance.
