A Polar Bear Day
The ice chart revealed that the ice had moved to the east, further away from land. The mouth of Raudfjord was accessible and still filled with fast ice. That morning M/S Stockholm slowly moved through the floes of ice as we were all on the bridge scouting our way in.
As M/S Stockholm nestled in close to the fast ice edge, we immediately spotted the first polar bear walking in the distance. We decided to anchor and wait. As we watched the Arctic world go by, another bear suddenly appeared and started to walk straight at M/S Stockholm. When the bear reached the water’s edge it effortlessly slipped in the water and immediately disappeared out of view in between the jumbled pieces of ice.
By the time lunch came we had spotted a male and a female bundled up in their day bed on the slope on the mountain side. We all agreed that we were going to sit tight, be patient and wait to see what could happen next. The snow and visibility kept coming and going so we took the opportunity to learn a little more about polar bears in the saloon at M/S Stockholm while one of the guides kept watch. Our patience was rewarded. It was perfect timing: when the talk ended the guide came down and said that the couple was walking towards the ice edge!
It was an amazing sight, seeing the two animals interact as they made their way towards us. They took the same route as the previous bear had taken, straight towards M/S Stockholm and then along the edge. Eventually they disappeared in to the snow. Seeing these enigmatic animals in their environment is an incredible experience, we felt extremely fortunate. What an amazing day!
Please note: We always follow strict wildlife guidelines to ensure that we do not cause any disturbance.
Eva Molin Westerholm
GuideRelated trips
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Svalbard Adventure 2024
M/S Stockholm 12 passengers9 days 7 nights on ship USD 9 390LanguagesDeparture: June 2024 -
Expedition Svalbard 2024
M/S Stockholm 12 passengers12 days 10 nights on ship USD 11 990LanguagesDepartures: July / August / September 2024
Destinations
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Since 1999, we have taken travellers on once-in-a-lifetime trips to Svalbard. From May to September our three small expedition ships, carrying only 12 and 50 passengers, explore this magnificent Arctic archipelago. Unpredictability and flexibility are the main keywords when you travel with PolarQuest as the exact route depends on weather, ice conditions and wildlife encounters. Sometimes you might be woken up in the middle of the night if a polar bear has been spotted on the ice.